9-23-2023 Remembering Job

Most people know about the ‘patience of Job’.  Many know what happened with Job – possessions, family and finally self.  But how many actually know why these things befell the man of God.  I say man of God based on the fact that God praised Job calling him perfect and upright (Job 1:8-10, Job 2:3).  However, Satan issued a challenge “If You take your protection away from him, he will curse You.” (Job 1:11, Job 2:5).  So, God told Satan to give it his best shot, but you can’t touch the man, Job (Job 1:12, Job 2:6).

Satan attacked Job but was limited by God’s word.

Sabeans stole Job’s oxen and donkeys and killed the servants tending them.  One man survived to tell Job (1:14-15).

Fire came down from heaven and burned up Job’s sheep and servants and one man lived to come to tell Job  (1:16).

Job’s camels were ‘rustled’ (stolen) and servants slain yet one survived to tell Job (1:17).

Then Job is told how his children were having a party when the roof collapsed killing all, (1:18-19).

This all came rapid fire.  As Job received news from one messenger, the next came in.

Job’s reaction was to mourn his losses but he blessed the Lord and did not sin (1:20-22). 

Later, God gave Satan permission to attack Job again, but this time he was allowed to attack Job BUT he couldn’t take Job’s life (2:6).

After all this, Job’s wife encouraged him to curse God and die yet Job did not sin with his lips (2:9-10).

(How much can a man take? The patience of Job)

The rest of this chapter through Job 35:16, Job & his buddies “discuss” God.  All four knew the law, punishments and blessings from God and why.  Because of his sorrow, Job wishes that he had never been born (Job 3:1-11).  Eliphaz gives his discourse of why God lets things happen to people (Job 4:1-5:27)  Then Job responds (Job 6:1-7:21.  Bildad gives his opinion of what is happening (Job 8:1-22).  Job responds to Bildad (Job 9:1-10:22).  Then Zohar adds his two cents (Job 11:1-11:20) and Job’s responds to Zohar (Job 12:1 – 14:22).  Job and the three men spend the rest of the time ‘discussing’ how we know people sin and what can be done about it (15:1-32:1).  Finally young Elihu comes into the fray as he is angry at all four men as Job kept declaring his righteousness and the three couldn’t get Job to accept his guilt (Job 32:1-37:24). 

Even in the midst of his ‘discussion’ with his friends, Job challenges God.  If I were able to find God and come to His seat, I would lay my arguments as to why this shouldn’t have happened.  I would like to know how He would respond (Job 23:1-5).  Job says that he would speak in his defense, then wait to see how God would answer him.

God does respond to Job’s challenge.  Where were you while I (God) was creating everything?  Father paints a pretty clear picture of His majesty, His authority and His power (Job 38:1-41:34).          

Finally Job gets the picture.  I have heard about You, but now I have seen You (Job 42:1-6).  If you will, Job has had a personal encounter with the Almighty God, YAWEH.  He is no longer mimicking what ‘others’ have told him, but he now has found God for Himself.  He had a personal encounter, even as Paul did with Jesus (Acts9:3-6).

As I said at the start, most people remember the patience of Job.  That he suffered all that loss but didn’t turn against God.  If you read the book, according to the Law, Job did not sin.  But, because all these issues that befell him, his buddies knew that bad only comes upon sinners. God blesses those who keep the law, therefore, Job must have sinned for these events to have come upon him.

Job had a personal encounter with the living God and came to understand the relationship he needed with the Father.  I repeat ‘personal’.  Dare I say that from that moment on, Job referred to God as “You” and not “He or Him”.

So, just what is our personal relationship with the Lord?

Job said he had ‘heard’ all about God (42:5).  He had been taught the Law.  According to the Law that means his dad should have taught him what he knew and the priests or elders would have added in to expand Job’s knowledge.  We can be confident that Job most likely did not have the Tanakh, that is the Torah (5 books of Moses), the Neviʾim (Prophets)  the Ketuvim (Writings) readily available for him to read.  Without a personal relationship with God, Job had to rely on others to keep him informed.  But now, Job has talked with God, man to Supreme Being.

The disciples had a @3 ½ year experience to learn from Jesus.  That is they learned from the “horse’s mouth”.  No disrespect intended here but if we believe God created all thing through His Word (Gen. 1:1-31 – God said 9X) and the Word was with God and was God and became flesh (John 1:1-14), we believe in the unity of God – the Godhead.  We may begin to understand that Job now understood because God, Himself, was enlightening him. 

So, I ask again, what is our relationship with the Father?

Do all that we know aboaut God come from what people have told us (including preachers)?  Do we read the bible just as a book – good reading?  Makes me a well-rounded person, right?  Do we asks the Holy Ghost to guide us as we read the bible?  Hopefully we have accepted Jesus but then do we quench the Holy Ghost abiding in us?  Paul tells us not to quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19).  That is, do we allow the Holy Ghost free rein operate in our lives?  Oh, He’s good for when I’m in trouble and need help or when I am sick and I believe Him for a healing.  But just how much of my personal life do I share Him?  Do I seek His direction in all that I do?

How’s my prayer life.  “Our Father which art in heaven …  Is that the extent of our prayer?  Do we pray for others?  Do we pray for situations of which become aware of?  Do we actually bare our hearts open to our Lord and Savior in our prayer time?  Do we share with Him our hurts, our desires, joys?   When we speak (pray) in an unknown tongue, we speak to God and the Spirit speaks mysteries.  In so doing, God edifies us.  But, because I don’t understand what the Spirit says, I also ask for understanding so I might edify not just myself, but those around me as well (1 Corinth. 14:2-4, 14-15).  Paul declares that he speaks in tongues more than all, but also suggests that we ask for understanding so we might edify others (1 Corinth. 14:18-19).  Do we desire to approach Father with all our concerns?  The Holy Ghost is that connection, but do we ask for understanding so we can then be a blessing to others?

 Paul says to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16) as part of a  list of things to strengthen our relationship with Father.  “Without ceasing”?  Does this mean staying on our knees 24/7?  Of Course not.  But it does mean having a continual attitude of prayer.  When in doubt, don’t just jump and hope it works out.  Seek guidance from the Holy Ghost and be sure of what to do.  This means praying (at least in our heart) in our native language and/or in our heavenly-given Spiritual language.  As we allow the Holy Spirit free rein in our lives, when to pray, how to pray, praying will become a most natural condition of our lives.  We can pray anywhere, anytime and yes, we do need our “quiet time” when we can commune, alone, with our Lord.

As we grow, we discover that more and more of God’s nature becomes more evident in our lives. 

We are made in the image of God and God’s image is love (Gen. 1:26-27, 1 John 4:6-8).

So what do we learn from Job?  God is in control in all that befalls us so we can trust God, giving Him the praise and glory for whatever comes our way.  By the way, did I mention that God blessed many times over for his trouble ().  We seek Father’s guidance (through the Holy Ghost, who is within us) so we can know how to handle whatever we face.  We trust God to see us through to the end because He can and He will, because we have developed a relationship with Him.

And developing that relationship is what we learn from Job.

This means that for today, Father wants a one on one relationship with all His children.

amen

9-9-2023    SG-1 and Spiritual Warfare

 
Consider:

#3        Divine completeness or fullness, perfection)

#7        Resurrection; Spiritual completeness; Fathers (or Spiritual) perfection

#8        New birth; New beginnings, New creation

#9        Fruit of the spirit; Divine completeness from the Father, God’s Visitation, Judgment; it signifies the Gifts, as well as the Fruit of the Spirit 

The past two months (July & August) and this month (September) are a unique lineup of how Father is working in the world today.

Let’s look at what He has been and is doing:

In July, Father has brought some things to spiritual completeness.  We should have completed some things in our lives which Father had set before us.  We should have also seen some ‘old’ things (necessary for now) resurrected in our lives.  That is things we should have dealt with long ago, but haven’t.

In August, Father began a new work in us.  That is, new doors should have opened up for a richer, deeper relationship with our heavenly Father.

And, now, for September.  9 is 3X3, divine fullness or perfection.  Not double your ‘pleasure’ or double your ‘fun’ BUT triple!  As we approach and move through Rosh Hashanah (9/15-9/17), Father will be bringing more things to completeness, that is our gifts, abilities and/or talents can be increased.   That is, our understanding will become more vivid and/or alive.  We should see an increase in the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control  (Gal. 5:22-23) and the gifts which are the word of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and their interpretation (1 Corinth. 12:4-12).  And as we seek our heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, because the Holy Ghost is alive and well within our heart, we will not only see but receive (to some degree) these increases.

Now is the time to be obedient in the Word of God so we can reach out and receive!  And then share.

Now, what does “Stargate SG-1” have to do with all of this?  Glad you asked.

I’m a Sci-Fi fan.  I enjoyed the ‘Day the Earth Stood Still’, I liked ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Star Wars’ were okay and I loved ‘SG-1’.    However, I never saw the spiritual battle in SG-1 before this AM (Labor Day 2023).  OK, so I’m a slow learner (lol)! 

But Father started running it through my little brain.  In the beginning, the goa’uld were the primary nemesis against whom SG-1 battled.  They were snake-like parasites who needed a host (human) in which to live (they needed arms & legs to do anything) and according to SG-1, they were responsible for transporting humans throughout the universe since the Egyptian dynasties.  Hmmmm.  However, I don’t think they ever explained how more advanced humanoid life occurred.  Oh, they did introduce the ‘Origin’, didn’t they?  And they did introduce more technologically advanced human-types throughout the series.  The goa’ulds needed a host and they forced themselves – not onto, but into, a not so willing host.  Of course, the host then became a vicious, egotistical wanna-be ruler proclaiming to be a god.  Though more intelligent and technological they were still ‘just’ created beings.  However, SG-1 later introduced the Tok’ra who were also humans possessed by a goa’uld but rather than by force, there was a mutual agreement so both entities could work together and benefit from the agreement.  One forced possession, the other by mutual agreement.  Think about it.

In the beginning, God put Adam and Eve into the garden and gave them free reign with one exception, the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 1:26-1:31, Gen. 2:7-17).  With this one negative command, Father gave man a choice to disobey and eat or to obey and be obedient and not eat of this tree.  The choice is still ours to make but look at how the ’field’ has grown since the garden!  Not just a tree but a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,  a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that run to do mischief, a false witness who lies and one who sows discord (Prov. 6:16-19).  And this just speaks in ‘general terms’, not specifics.

Don Stewart, associated with the “Blue Letter Bible , a non-denominational group organized to provide free bible study info , suggests that angels were created when God created the heaven and the earth (Gen.1:1)

Billy Graham suggests that the Bible tells us that the angels were witnesses to the creation of the world, which indicates they were created long before that great event. God asked Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation … and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4-7).  Now, this seems to be on the same wavelength as with Mr. Stewart.

The book of Revelation tells us that a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and a third of the stars of heaven were cast to the earth as they were ready to devour the child of the woman (clothed in the sun) (Rev. 12:1-4).  The word for ‘stars’ here is the Greek word aster (G792) and translates ‘star’.  Take note that God put the stars in the heavens on the fourth day (Gen. 1:14-19), which included the greater and lesser lights (sun & moon).  The Hebrew word used for stars here is kowkab (H3556) which is likened to a blazing object.  I cite Doug Addison here.  Doug runs a prophetic ministry in California and has claimed to see balls of shining light which he, in the Spirit, was told were angels and he has seen and apparently interacted with them.  Implication is that there just might be a relationship.

A quick look t the first two days of creation: the Spirit of God moved across the face of the waters,  mayim (H4325) which is urine, sperm, flood or spring.  Then He created light which He separated from the dark.  Light is owr (H216) which is bright, clear morning, sun (happiness), and dark is alataw (H5939) which is a cover or dusk.  He separated the waters from the firmament.  Firmament is raqiya (H7549) an expanse, the arch of the sky. 

Hmmmm!  Is there a correlation between stars and angels?  I don’t know, but it is something to consider – concerning when angels were created.  Before Genesis 1:14, God was setting the stage for life, here on planet earth.

Okay, ‘nuff about angels and astronomy.  Let’s get back to SG-1 and spiritual warfare.

In spiritual warfare, there are two ways the enemy influences our thinking.  The imagery and sounds around us.  That is, he uses what we see and hear to draw us into his realm.  When this becomes all that we consider, we call this obsession, becoming totally immersed in that to which our enemy exposes us.  And, of course, outright possession, where a devil actually takes up residence within us as with the man in the Gergesenes (Matt. 8:28-34) or the damsel with the divining spirit, whom Paul encountered (Acts 16:16-18.  And as we see in these examples, yes, there is deliverance (PTL). 

The Holy Ghost is a God-given gift as shown with the baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3:11-17) and then the apostles (Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-18).  Now were 120 in that upper room, so not just the 12 apostles but 108 other disciples were also baptized in the Holy Ghost.  Today, this means we, too, can receive this baptism.  The Holy Ghost does give us power (dunamis G1411) to do the things that Jesus did and more (John 14:12-14).  Of course, whatsoever we do in Jesus’ name, we have to believe that He will do it (Mark 11:24) and as with Peter and John with the man at the beautiful gate, do something (Acts 3:1-11). 

Now, even though the Tok’ra had a ‘working’ relationship with their ‘goa’uld’, generally speaking the goa’uld took their hosts by force.  Whereas we ‘invite’ the Holy Spirit into our lives and as we follow Him lead, we find ourselves drawing into a closer relationship with our heavenly Father.  No little parasite of any kind within us!

Keep in mind that the goa’uld do represent a literal evil entity, wich become a literal, controlling parasite within.  The Holy Ghost is the ‘breath of God (ruwach, (H7307) & and in the Greek pneuma (G4151) who is inseparable with the Father (YHWH [Yahweh] and Son (Jesus).  And it is He who takes up residence within our heart, when we invite Him in.

The battle that rages is for ‘where will we spend eternity’?  Humans contend with the goa’uld for the safety and freedom of the universe.  Jesus contends with Satan for the freedom and safety of our soul.  Satan uses devious methods to woo us into his clutches, the goa’ld use a more direct approach – accept or be killed (some choice).  Jesus fights for us by persuading us with the truth of the Almighty God.  Because Jesus desires our love, the choice is totally ours.

Now, I’m not proclaiming that SG-1 is a true reflection of spiritual warfare, but I do find it interesting how this saga does parallel spiritual warfare.  We see the ongoing struggle between good and evil from a ‘human’ perspective.  With all the books, magazines, TV shows and movies, I find it interesting how much man thinks about spirituality while trying to deny there is a true and living God who has the final say in all things. 

We want the truth on spiritual warfare, of course, so we need the bible as our guide for it as it leads to our Lord and Savior (Jesus), who strengthens us and it is in Him whom where find victory victory.

Nonetheless, I find it amazing what we can learn from the world around us.  We pay attention to those things which appeal to us most.  Or do we?  All we have to do is look at the world around us and observe, then realize our relationship (or non-relationship) with our Lord.

Get the picture?

Amen