Comments for December 3

4:3-4 - Many years later these ideas are taken up by Isa (35:3-4) and then by the writer to the Hebrews (12:12). I wonder how often we consider that these ideas were first mentioned in scripture by Eliphaz!

3:25 Amidst all his laments Job highlights that he had been concerned that he might end up in the state that he was and he was afraid of that prospect. May it be that the Lord was showing Job that he was, in fact, able to cope with the thing which he 'greatly feared'?.

4- The speeches break down into the following pattern
Each of the three friends speak three times, Zophar twice. Job responds to each one in turn. As you go through the reading of the book you will notice the different speeches.
So here Eliphaz speaks.
On this occasion Eliphaz speaks conciliatory words. Notice this because in his later speech he becomes more belligerent.

3:20-22. These verses tell us that it is those who place the least store by the things of this life that are the enlightened ones - the ones to whom light is given. And because of the way we are, the greatest light is to be found when the pleasures of this life are taken away. Those of us who have been in positions like this will know this to be a fact.

3:13-16 Job's eloquent description of those with whom he would share the grave if he had died as a child demonstrates his understanding that wealth gives no favour in death.

4:3-4 Eliphaz recounts the good things that Job did and then (4:6) suggests that he know what Job 'fears' - responding to 3:25. This implies that Eliphaz thought Job was despairing because of the evil because he thought that he should not be so treated. It does not follow, however, that Eliphaz was correct in his analysis of Job.

3:1 This is the first time that Job spoke - and his first reaction is a cry of despair. We should not think that it is wrong to be in despair. The problem comes when we wallow in self pity.

4:2 Eliphaz seems to realise that his words will not help Job - but he still says them. One wonders how often we feel constrained to say something even if we know it will not be helpful!

JOB 3. Job in this chapter curses his day and cries for extinction, he wishes that he could avoid his suffering. It appears that a long time had elapsed since his trials began, and he has been stripped of all of his goods, family, home, relatives, and friends, hence his pleas for death.
      v.3 Wishes he had not been conceived.
      v.11 Wishes that he had died at birth.
      v.16 Wishes that he had been still born.
      v.21-22 Wishes that he could die now.
Job’s description of the death state should be helpful to us in understanding just what death is; a restful, unconscious state (v.11,13,17,22.)

ch 3 - LIFE IN GOD'S HANDS
 
Job's problems were so bad that he wished that he had never been born.  He cursed the day he was born and asked why he did not perish at birth, because, instead of suffering as he was, he would be lying down in peace.
 
Suffering in its various forms can make us despair of life and what it might bring.  Change can do the same.  Feelings of rejection and loss can make it seem as if our world is crashing down around us, making life unbearable.  Teenagers and other people going through physical changes can often feel this way much more strongly than others.
 
With Job, while he wished he had never been born, or had died as an infant, he never even contemplated suicide.  The thought of killing himself did not come into the equation at all.  He longed for death but to take his own life was not an option.  The giving and taking of life belongs to God.  We are in his hands for him to use as he wishes.  He will not try us more than we are able to bear and will, with every temptation, provide a way out.  God has a plan for our life and he will see it through.
 
In the end everything turned out well for Job.  He was better off at the end than he was at the beginning, so it was good that he had not taken his life. 
 
Let's remember God's promises and give our lives completely to him in total trust and faith.

 ch 4 - JOB'S WAY OF LIFE
 
Eliphaz mentioned four things about Job's previous way of life that tell us a lot about Job's character.  When we think about Job, we think of a righteous man, but we know comparatively little about the way he lived and what he did.  Eliphaz fills out some of the gaps for us.  He said to Job, "Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands.  Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees." (Job 4:3-4)
 
Job must have been a fantastic guy to know.  To instruct many he must have been knowledgeable, wise and respected.  To have strengthened feeble hands shows Job as skilful, patient, able to teach and impart skills to those who were lacking.  For Job's words to have supported those who stumble, shows his kindness, his motivating and encouraging nature, and his sympathy with those who were not so well off as himself.  And being one who strengthens faltering knees shows Job as a man who was full of compassion for the old and the disadvantaged.  In summary, Job loved and served people with compassion and wisdom.
 
We might not be as great as Job, but we can follow his example using the skills God has given us.

God has allowed this to be written so that we can benefit. Job 3 is a very sad account of this Godly man’s miseries. Despite the fact that he wishes he had not been born, he still does not “sin with his lips.” (Job 2:10)

Job 4:7-9 exact retribution in Job's day was a common way of thinking it would appear. But Job was a righteous man. And he did good with the abundance he was given. Why did he have to suffer so? In Job 21:7,8,9,13,23,24,25,26 we find the view of exact retribution challenged. Jesus in Luke 13:1-5 challenges the theory of exact retribution also. Balancing the previous, God chastens those whom he loves Heb 12:1-6. Sometimes we suffer for personal growth, sometimes it is to help others, and in some cases both. Good and bad, time and chance, can happen to the good and bad as we are all under the sin of Adam. Some differ over the degree that time and chance plays in the lives of those who are God's prayerful children. Key is how do we deal with the events in our lives? Certainly if only good things happened to good people some would likely be good from questionable motives and there would be little need to cultivate faith. We also know God hears our prayers, responds to our prayers (the answer may be yes, no, or not yet), and watches over us with His care 1Thess 5:17; James 5:16; 2Kin 20:5-6; Rom 8:28; Matt 6:25,26,33; Matt 7:7-12. We find in Job 42:11 that all who knew Job before comforted him. Perhaps this included the adversary who questioned Job's motives.

Job reveals an interesting fact about himself in 3:25.  Why would such an upright man fear calamity? Was his faith incomplete - was that the reason for the LORD's testing him?  Was his love incomplete (1John 4:18)?

And now the friends' counsel begins.  As we observe the discourses, let us put ourselves in the position of counselling a brother or sister in need.  Would our counsel be spiritually wise, or would it be worldly philosophy posing as spiritual wisdom?

3:11-12  Notice the repeated ‘why?’ This is the cry of the one who does not understand. Doubtless there were times when we might be moved to ask ‘why?’ Maybe the motivation for the question is the determinator of its validity. If it is the ‘why?’ of complaint then that is wrong. If it is the ‘why?’ which desires to understand so that changes in our character can be made then that is fine.

4:12-16  Eliphaz seems to be claiming, in poetic terms, that he had received a special revelation form God. A very dangerous way of entering into a discussion!

The word translated as mourning (v.8) is translated as leviathan (41:1).  In the NIV both are translated as leviathan.  It is interesting to consider what this mystical monster represents.

4:6 Eliphaz, in speaking of ‘thy fear’ is drawing upon Job’s own comment implying that he feared personal loss – Job 3:25 - rather than fearing God, though the record has already told us that Job feared God – Job 1:1

The final verses of this book focus on God's right to destroy or to deliver. Jonah is forced to acknowledge the absolute sovereignty of God. The Lord is free to act as he pleases. Salvation comes from the LORD

ch 3 - EUTHANASIA

Job longed for death. He wondered why all the bad things had happened to him and yet he was kept alive. Job was suffering intensely. Not only did he have the mental anguish of the loss of all his sons and daughters, the loss of all his goods, and a wife who did her best to encourage Job to curse God and break all ties with his only hope, but Job was also suffering intense pain from boils that spread from his head to his feet. There is no doubt that death would have been a relief, and that an early or untimely death would have avoided so much hurt.

One of the big debates that raises its head every once in a while in our country is that of euthanasia. The question is posed whether mercy killings should be allowed when people have no quality of life left. But today with the pain killing drugs that are available and other treatments, few people suffer as Job did.

God spared Job's life. In the end God had better plans for Job. If his friends had decided to kill him for mercy's sake, they, Job, and Job's future family would have missed out badly on God's blessings. Death may be the easy way out, but only God knows when it is the best way. When he plans it, it will be right. Until that time let us continue to put our trust in God.

OUR CONFIDENCE AND HOPE

As Eliphaz was trying to convince Job that God deals out good things to the good and bad things to the bad, he got Job to think about his way of life. What he was trying to say was that if Job was really as good as he seemed to be, then God would have left him alone. His argument was something like this: "Job, you have done a lot of good things in your life but now God is punishing you. Therefore you must have done something bad to make God angry with you. You need to confess your evil to get rid of the bad times."

One of the thoughts Eliphaz used caught my attention. "Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways be your hope?" (Job 4:6) It would be nice if we could live a perfect life and conquer our human nature, but living blamelessly seems a far off dream. We cannot put our hope in anything we do ourselves. It would even be easier if every trial God gave us was because of a specific action we have done. Then we could repent of it and it would all be over. But as we gradually learn to obey we are given trials as a way to develop our character and godliness.

No. Our piety and blamelessness should not be our confidence and hope. Our confidence and hope should be in God and in the salvation he has offered through Jesus Christ, and in his grace to forgive and overlook our sins.

3:1      So after a week of silence it is Job who speaks first. Such a response from Job invited a compassionate response from his friends. However, due to their misplaced understanding of suffering, they did not help. Rather they criticised. Maybe we should take care lest our prejudices get in the way of helping others.

3:11,13,16,17 - V11,13 if Job died at birth he would be asleep and at rest. V16,17 an infant who is stillborn is at rest and suffers not just as the wicked. So the death state is the same for everyone be they an innocent child or a wicked person. It is like sleep or rest - there is no awareness in the death state. 3:11,13,16,17

4:7 Compare Eliphaz's assertion with that of the Preacher (probably Solomon) in Ecc 9:2.

3:1-10 Job’s lament about himself and his sorry state maybe indicates a state of self pity but as we work our way through his speeches in the book he moves from despair to a defence of his position before God. His friends, rather than helping Job to understand his position drove him to self justification.

4:4-5 Eliphaz now accuses Job of just being able to encourage those in difficulty but is unable to help himself.

Job 2:9 - "curse" [Heb. "barak" (1288) means "to bless, kneel, praise, salute, curse"]. Job 3:1 - "cursed" [Heb. "qalal" (7043) means "be light, to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, despise, curse"]. Job 3:8 - "curse" [Heb. "naqab" (5344) literally means "to puncture, to pierce, to perforate", figuratively means "to appoint, blaspheme, bore, curse, with holes, pierce, strike through"]. Job 3:8 - "curse" [Heb. "arar" (779) means "bitterly curse, to curse, to be cursed"].

Job 3:1-3 - Job doesn't curse God or himself.

Job 3:4-5 - "darkness" [Heb. "choshek" (2822) literally means "the dark, darkness", figuratively means "misery, destruction, death, ignorance, wickedness, sorrow, dark(ness), night, obscurity"]. Job 3:6 - "darkness" [Heb. "ophel" (652) means "dusk, darkness, gloom, obscurity, privily, spiritual unreceptivity, calamity, thick darkness"].

Job 3:20-21 - Job sees no benefit in his suffering. He doesn't realize it may benefit another.

Job 4:3-5 - Eliphaz suggests Job has instructed and helped others in their misery but that he can't take difficulties himself.

Job 4:10-11 - perhaps a continuation of the "exact retribution" theory with suffering being the punishment of sin, perhaps lions represent the wicked who make a prey of others and then receive their due from God (Psa 17:12-13;Psa 10:9).

Job 4:12-16 - Eliphaz infers his message is being conveyed via "visions" [Heb. "chizzayon" (2384) meaning "a revelation, esp. by dream, vision"].

Job 4:17 - Eliphaz, sensing Job feels he is being treated unjustly by God, defends God's righteousness as being greater than man's (i.e., Job's). 

Job 4:18 - a seemingly stern, rigid, unapproachable concept of God (Job 15:15-16;25:5-6); angels are not prone to folly or error (Exo 23:20-23;Psa 34:7;103:20-21).

3:5     There are 8 occasions when the phrase ‘the shadow of death’ is found in the book of job. Here and Job 10:21, 10:22, 16:16, 24:17, 28:3, 34:22 9 (Elihu), 38:17,  On all occasions except one (indicated) Job uses the phrases

4:18    Eliphaz’ assertion about God’s angels – an unsubstantiated comment – is developed by him – Job 15:15 into an even bigger fable  before Bildad takes up the idea later still – Job 25:5

WHAT IF HE HAD NOT BEEN BORN?

Job kept asking, "Why?"

"Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb?"

"Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I may be nursed?"

"Or why was I not hidden in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day?"(Job 3:11,12,16)

It is understandable, but all Job could see at the time was the misery that had come upon him. He probably even thought that death would come upon him. He wished for it, but it didn't arrive.

Let's pretend for a moment that Job's wish did come true. As his wishes passed his lips, the clock was turned back and Job was no more. All is troubles were gone, his children were never born, his friends never knew him, and forty-two chapters and many other references in our Bibles became blank.

Why? Among other reasons, personal to Job, Job had to go through his life to show us what it means to trust in God, to persevere and to be righteous against all odds. Even at the end of his life Job would not have known what an impact he had made on so many of us.

If we come to a stage when we ask the same questions, let us remember Job and the blessings we would be without if he had not lived through his troubles. Maybe we will be a Job for someone else.

PERSPECTIVES OF GODLINESS

Eliphaz summed up Job's life like this: "Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened the feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees." (Job 4:3-4) This is every different to the original description of Job's blameless and upright actions as a dad trying to make sure his children were at one with God. (Job 1:4-5)

There are two different perspectives here. The perspective of Eliphaz is about what other people saw in Job. Eliphaz saw Job's work in the community. It was all good work and very valuable both to those who received it, and to God. But Job's real work that was recognised by God, was done at home with his family.

Even within our own families it is easy to take the perspective of Eliphaz in thinking that doing spiritual things outside the family is our top priority and our ticket to righteousness. But it is always our role in the family that God is most pleased to see in us. Our family is the starting point of our spiritual duty.

So let us make sure that families, and the way we lead them to God, make up the most important parts of our lives in our service to God.

3:18  The “oppressor” in Job’s case was the one called “satan”. Maybe here we see a glimpse of Job’s frustration with those one who spoke against him to God.

4:19    The house of clay with foundations in the dust is an apt description of the human form. It reflects what God said of Adam Gen 2:7

Job's depression

"After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day: 'Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.'" Job 3:1-3

Can you imagine a depression greater than this? Job and his wife had lost everything, even their children, in what we might call today an "act of God". Isn't it natural that Job would be driven to depression and despair?

I remember just after my dad died I was offered depression drugs by a doctor. I hadn't asked for them, they were just offered as a matter of course. I refused them, but I thought "how odd". There is nothing more natural than grief, depression like Job's, or even just an attack of the blues when life gets us down. Can you imagine what Job would have been like if he had taken pills at this point? Creating an unnatural high when his body and mind wanted to sink into despair; that natural mechanism to help him come to terms with his loss? How else are we supposed to feel when we lose loved ones? Happy?

The book of Job goes on to tell us how we are likely to feel if circumstances of life combine to bring us down. Job goes through stages of despair, sadness, anger, blame, self examination and ultimately trust in God. The circumstances we have to go through in life are designed by God to cause us to reflect on eternal things, the need for salvation and for help from a higher power than our own.

"Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful... Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." James 5:10-13

 

3:11-14        In the first ten verses Job has lamented being conceived and then born. In these two verses he laments the fact that he did not die as a child. So there is a progression in his lament from verse 1 to here.

4:17   In asking the question about mortal man Eliphaz is implying that this is what Job was claiming for himself. It does not follow that Job did make that claim.

4:7     In asking the question in this verse Eliphaz is actually accusing Job of deserving his fate because he is wicked. This fundamental error is seen throughout the book of Job.

READY TO DIE

It was early days yet. Job's suffering had just begun with the loss of all his family, his possessions, his servants and his heath. No wonder he cursed the day he was born. But Job's suffering was to go on further as his friends who came to comfort him rubbed salt in his wounds.

Job was so down about it all, this is how he expressed his feelings: "Why is light given to those in misery and life to the bitter of soul, to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, who are filled with gladness when the reach the grave?" (Job 3:20-22).

Job was in such a bad place, he just wanted to die. Many people would have given in. If only we could speak to him now, we would say, "Hang on, Job! Only thirty six chapters to go, and everything will all come right!"

We don't know how many chapters we have to go, but in God's time, maybe even at the resurrection, it will all work out for good if we remain faithful.

3:5     One wonders if the phrase “the shadow of death” was a well used phrase by the time of Job. We see it a number of times in the Old Testament. The last being in the time of Jeremiah – Jer 31:16. The only two uses in the New Testament draw on Old Testament uses.

4:8     What might appear to be a general statement is actually an accusation of Job. The implication being that his problems were a consequence of sowing wickedness

4:7 God had described Job as “upright” –  1:8 – so Eliphaz is not willing to acknowledge God’s assessment of Job. He uses the same word that God uses in chapter 1 here when he says “righteous”

4:7 God had described Job as “upright” – Job 1:8– so Eliphaz is not willing to acknowledge God’s assessment of Job. He uses the same word that God uses in chapter 1 here when he says “righteous”. It is dangerous to use our own – sometimes misguided – opinions to form judgments about others.  Eliphaz had concluded that because Job was suffering that clearly he was not “righteous” – hence his misguided question.

3:1 we might think that Job was speaking very unwisely in the way he speaks about his birth. However we must remember that as far as God was concerned he was “perfect and upright”  - 1:1. In this we can take comfort. Godly people do not always have a positive outlook on life.

3:11-12 Notice the repetition of “Why?” We get an insight into the puzzlement and stress that Job was in. He did not see the events that had happened to him as having any purpose. So he questions the purpose of his existence.

We can take comfort that a man who was “perfect” still had such questions.

4:3-4  Eliphaz’s  “Smooth words” are just a cloak for his challenge of Job. Just like the Pharisees when they spoke to Jesus  - Matt 28:16

v.11 - The size of the city here is, I think, being demonstrated by the number of babies and young infants who are not yet old enough to know right from left, leaving us to surmise just what a large number it was. (Compare Deut.1:39)

4:2 Notice that Jonah had already told Yahweh that he had expected Nineveh to repent.
This confirms that the reason why Jonah did not want to go and preach was not fear but knowledge that Yahweh was a gracious God who forgives repentant sinners - even gentiles!
This realisation is due to Jonah understanding the manifestation of Yahweh to Moses in the wilderness. Exodus 34:6
Thus we can see why the whole of the book is devoted to the response of Jonah to his mission.
He did not want to preach because he knew Yahweh was gracious. We have an example where the disciples showed a similar spirit Luke 9:54
This spirit places one in a difficult position. We will be judged according to our desires on others. Matthew 7:1 - 2 James 2:13

v.4 - Can we begin, as we piece together various passages, to conclude that anger is sometimes right and sometimes wrong? Jesus' anger in the temple showed itself in quite considerable violence - quite an outburst, it would seem - and yet it was not sin. Here we see God condemning the anger of Jonah because it was not right. Always keeping anger in check is clearly not the answer, but questioning the motive that brings it about is always necessary, and the way in which we exhibit is is important too.

We cannot over emphasise the message of the prophecy of Jonah. The book only records one phrase of prophecy 'Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown' (3:4). The rest of the book is showing us how a man of God struggled to comprehend God's mercy. In this there is a powerful lesson for ourselves. We can suffer from the same problem. His ways are higher than our ways - we cannot fathom out His forgiveness - however we are to show the same level of compassion and forgiveness to our brethren. (Luke 6:37 Matthew 6:12)

4:2 Jonah's understanding of God was correct. He knew Exodus 34:6 - but did not like the implications of what he knew.

Does our attitude to preaching reflect Jonah's attitude or are we like God?

4:1 That God's mercy 'displeased Jonah' confirms what we said in Chapter 1. The book of Jonah is about Jonah's problem with the way that God works. We must be careful to ensure that our preaching is not selective on the basis of who we think is suitable material for the kingdom of God.

GOD'S LOVE
 
Imagine how Stephen's family felt when Saul became a Christian.  Saul was the one who had given his support and authority to the people who had killed Stephen.  The feelings of hatred against Saul and of not wanting to share with him would have been intense.  They were probably the same sort of feelings that Jonah felt when God spared Nineveh. The people of Nineveh were enemies of Israel.  Maybe the armies of Nineveh had attacked and killed some of Jonah's closest friends or family, so he had a major dislike for them.  If this was the case we can see why he was so reluctant to go and preach in that city.  When he did, his worst fears came to pass: the people repented and God refused to destroy them.
 
Now Jonah was angry.  God had been gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Justice, in Jonah's eyes, had not been done. The people of Nineveh were still free to wreak havoc on Israel. But just as Jonah was freely able to accept God's offer of salvation, and just as Stephen was so freely able to have his sins forgiven and to follow Christ, so Saul and the people of Nineveh were also able to rely on the same love and grace of God.
 
The lesson we must learn is that we must not carry grudges against other people - no matter how hard it may seem.  Instead we must remember that they are God's children too, and we must rejoice with them when they choose to repent and accept him as their Father.

V.11 Jonah's concern for the gourd was selfish. He was sorry about its destruction because it ministered to his personal comfort. We must appreciate our Heavenly Father's concern for all mankind, which should also be our concern,  which is unselfish, which is to provide to all the Gospel Message which provides a means of having our sins covered.

...and now we see why Jonah was reluctant to go to Nineveh. He knew that the LORD was merciful, but he (Jonah) had already decided that the Ninevites were not worthy of salvation. He had passed judgement. The Pharisees, and even the Judaising brethren in the first century ecclesia, did the same thing. They decided who were and were not fit to be saved. We must avoid the same error. The LORD holds out the invitation for salvation to everyone, and we must preach accordingly. Ironically, the Ninevites repented on this occasion but later regressed and were destroyed. Likewise, there are brethren who fall away from the Truth. But the LORD's mercy is forever (Psa 118).

4:1 So Jonah was a reluctant preacher. He was not the only one who responded similarly to God’s command. Ezekiel was struck dumb because he did not want to take the message of his God to the rebellious nation who had been taken to Babylon. There is something about the human mind which baulks at the degree of God’s willingness to forgive. This attitude spills over into our own feelings about whether God will give us the kingdom, despite Jesus’ assertion that the Father wishes to give us the kingdom Luke 12:32

4:6 By grace, God prepared a gourd that, growing at a rapid pace, overshadowed Jonah, and sheltered him from the heat of the almost tropical sun. Because it provided shade and comfort for him, Jonah was happy to have it, This we would suggest is the first and only time that we see him in a joyful way. His gladness was inspired by his selfishness, as was his sorrow. 

PROVIDED FOR OUR BEST
 
There are four occasions where we read that God "prepared" something throughout the story of Jonah. In each instance the thing prepared had an important role to play in the spiritual growth of Jonah.
 
It is easy to think that the focus of the book of Jonah is on the people of Nineveh, yet the only sign they were given was Jonah's walk through the city and his message of repentance. Jonah, however, received numerous signs from God that urged him to consider the love, the justice, the goodness and the severity of God.
 
The four occasions God prepared something were the following: When Jonah had been thrown off the ship, "The LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah." (Jonah 1:17) As Jonah was sitting under his shelter outside Nineveh, God provided three more lessons. "Then the LORD provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give him shade for his head to ease his discomfort." (4:6) "God provided a worm, which chewed up the vine so that it withered." (v.7) And lastly, "God provided a scorching east wind." (v.8 )
 
Everything God provided for Jonah was for his good, but the only thing that felt good was the growth of the vine. But God is much more interested in our response to him, our spiritual health and our relationship to our neighbours, than he is with our comfort. For that reason he provided the worm, the east wind and the fish to teach Jonah important lessons. Some things we get from God may not seem like blessings, but we need to remember that God's plan for our spiritual health is far more important than our perceived needs of comfort.

Nineveh, which lay on the eastern bank of the River Tigris, was a significantly large and important city in the Near East at that time.  It is estimated that the circumference of the city (plus surrounding land) was 55 miles  (3:3).  It had a population of 120,000 children (v.11), which meant that the total population would be around 600,000 - 1 million.  Mosul, in present-day Iraq, is where Nineveh stood.  In 1987, Mosul had approximately the same population that Nineveh had, but today the population is triple that.

4:9 Whilst Jonah was ‘angry unto death’ because of God’s mercy Jesus – Matt 26:38 – was sorrowful unto death. Jonah lacked compassion so was angry. Jesus was abundant in compassion and so was sorrowful unto death..

4:6-9  Jonah already knew God’s character but he needed to learn a lesson. His experience which was of God was a little like an enacted parable. Through the events that God organised Jonah now learnt about himself. So it is with us. We can know about God but not know about ourselves. Jonah learnt that he was not like God and by implication had to change the way he thought. What about us?

4:4 Jonah looked for the destruction of Nineveh, looking over it. Jesus’ attitude to Jerusalem was very different Luke 19:41 – as he mourned over the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem.

WHAT IS GOOD FOR ME IS GOOD YOU YOU

Jonah had just sinned against the LORD. He had been asked to go and take a message to Nineveh so that they could be warned about the wrath God was about to pour out on them. But instead Jonah ran away, refusing to obey God and trying to hide to avoid his responsibility. By rights Jonah should have died when the sailors threw him into the sea. When Jonah was confronted by that life and death situation in the belly of the whale, he repented and God gave him a second chance. Jonah learnt his lesson, obeyed God and preached to the people of Nineveh.

Like us, Jonah found it very difficult to make the practical relationship between the second chance God has given to us, and the second chance he is prepared to give others - no matter how bad they've been. When God gives grace, forgiveness or a second chance to us and we have accepted it, we should be just as happy to see that other people can also receive the same as us - even if some of their misdeeds have hurt us. If God has shown grace toward us, then in our appreciation of what he has done for us, we should in turn show the same to others.

Jonah didn't have a right to be angry. Having just received a second chance himself, he should have appreciated that others also need that second chance. So should we. Let's rejoice in God's love both on ourselves and on others.

4:2 We know that God is gracious and merciful. Does that cause us a problem? Would we rather worship a God who is full of judgement and punishment? Jesus taught us that God will judge us in the same way that we judge others Matt 7:2.

God's perspective

When God said to Jonah "is it right for you to be angry", Jonah didn't answer (v4). He couldn't see it God's way. So God showed him the situation from His perspective and asked Jonah again "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" (v9). Unknown to Jonah, his answer "Yes!" told him so much more about God's perspective. Hadn't God the right to be upset if he had to destroy a whole nation? So if Jonah wanted the plant back, so God wanted that nation back.

Do you think we should we use illustrations like this when we are angry at each other? Maybe we just need help to see things from each other's perspective?

4:11    God knew exactly what the Assyrians would do to Israel. However he was willing to forgive because of their repentance even though he knew what they would do in the future. Thus he forgives us. How do we respond to those who have wronged us who we anticipate will do the same things again?

4:4   “Doest thou well to be angry?” God asks and then Jonah is left to think about his attitude.  This is how God works with us. He wishes us to work out, from our understanding of His mind as revealed in Scripture, how to respond rather than give specific instructions at every point in our lives. Hence the essential requirement that we read and understand His word.

It would appear that the Gentiles play an special role in Jonah. The behaviour of the sailors was far more godly than was Jonah, and now we see the Ninevites repenting while Jonah argues against God's mercy. It may be that this is a symbol to the Jews that the Jews would prove to be unfaithful and that God in his mercy would extend the salvation to the Gentiles who would obey his word and repent. God would not destroy the Jews but they would go outside into the wilderness to face the scorching heat of the sun and the wind until they too learned the lesson of God's mercy.  

4:3   In asking for his life to be taken away Jonah echoes the desire of Elijah – 1Kin 19:4

4:10  Jonah was invited by God to consider how God’s compassion might be seen given so that Jonah could, himself, show compassion. But the contrast Jonah is invited to consider is that his compassion was towards an inanimate object – a plant - but God’s compassion was on human beings. Jonah was presented with a powerful lesson to think about. How often do we prefer inanimate tings (hobbies, other interests) before a love for God seen in service to Him?

4:5     Jonah’s reaction – waiting for the city to be destroyed – contrasts markedly with Jesus – Luke 19:41 – where he wept over Jerusalem because he knew of the judgements that were to come upon it.

4:1   Israel saw the gentiles as a different class to themselves. In that respect Jonah was a respect or of persons. Whilst God had made a covenant with Israel they (nor should we) think that God had no time for gentiles. Unlike us God does not respect persons.

4:11    It is all too easy for us to decide don’t he sort of people to who we wish to present the gospel message. This was Jonah’s problem. His bias shut out God’s compassion.

4:6-8  When God prepared a gourd, a worm and a vehement wind we see that He was using the powers that He used at creation for a specific purpose. We should not think that God stopped working when he had made everything. He was and still is involved in His creation.

4:3 maybe our partiality in preaching is similar to Jonah’s desire to die when the men of Nineveh repented. We might not say that we are respecters of persons in our preaching but reflect on how you feel about certain types of individuals who might come to our Bible talks.

4:2 we see a sad contrast between Jonah and the king of Nineveh. Jonah knew that God we merciful and would forgive whereas the king of Nineveh had no certain knowledge that God would forgive. Jonah is angry because God is gracious whilst the king of Nineveh was repentant not knowing whether God would be gracious to him.

4:1-2 Jonah has learnt that God’s commands are to be obeyed. He was commanded twice before he responded appropriately as we saw in the comment yesterday. However it troubles him that God’s mercy that was extended to him might be extended to others. Are we ever partial in our willingness to forgive others?

4:10-11 When we appreciate that Yahweh, Jonah’s God, is the Creator we can appreciate His words to Jonah. The Ninevites were part of his Creation and so their destruction was not His first priority. Rather it was their salvation.

If we can truly appreciate that our Father is not seeking our destruction but rather our salvation we may be less fearful when we fall short of His standards and repent, asking for forgiveness.

THE NATURE OF GOD

Jonah knew the character of God. He said, "For I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster." (Jon 4:2). But though Jonah knew the amazing and unchangeable character of God, throughout the book of Jonah, he fought against it.

We want God to act according to his character when he deals with us. In fact, when God showed his graciousness, mercy, slow anger, love and saving from disaster to Jonah in providing a plant to be his shade from the heat, "Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant." (v.6). But when it came to God showing the same characteristics toward Jonah's enemies, "it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry." (v.1).

Fighting against the name and character of God was so hard and depressing that it made Jonah want to die. Twice he asked for God to take his life. I wonder whether he hoped or expected to die in the storm at sea.

Let's not fight against the nature of God. When it comes to our enemies, let's learn to have the same compassion as God and to rejoice in their good. Let's not become depressed, but let the Lord lift us up.
 

4:1And so again – 1:1– we see “but”. Again Jonah is opposed to God’s will, though on this time passively. On the first occasion he tried to run away but this time he just sat and watched

4:2-9 Notice the amount of effort God put into helping Jonah to work out the extent of His mercy.

Do we think that God is as concerned with us to teach us about His character?

v.7 - This is not a direct OT quotation, as far as I can see. There is a suggestion that something in the Greek points us back to Gen.3:15, and that this is God's ultimate purpose of bruising the head of the seed of the serpent to which he refers. However, there are quotes from the words of Jesus himself that the writer could be referring to here. John 4:34, 5:30, 6:38

This chapter continues with a discussion about the day of Atonement to highlight the power of the sacrifice of Jesus 'purge the conscience' Hebrews 9:14.

10:5 has 'a body has thou prepared' which contrasts with the Psalm (40:6) 'mine ear hast thou digged'. Hebrews is expounding the significance of the 'digged' ear. The servant who loved his master committed himself to total lifelong service to the master. Jesus did this in his commitment to doing the will of his Father.

:34 Another 'better'

10:12,14 Notice the repetition of 'one sacrifice / offering' 'for ever'. The contrast with the day of atonement is being made again.

V.10 "sanctified" 37 HAGIAZO "made holy" The ecclesia constitutes God's tabernacle, and consequently, it must maintain holiness for God to continue to dwell with it (2Cor 6:16-18).

Encouraging

10:24-25 - encouraging each other to love and good works; the importance of meeting together and "exhorting" Grk "parakaleo" (3870) means "to call near, invite, beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, exhort, intreat, pray", etc. one another.

Enduring 

10:23,35,36,37,38 - hold unswervingly to the hope; do not throw away your confidence; the need to persevere in order to receive what God has promised; he shall come without delaying; living by faith and not shrinking back.  1Cor 9:24-27 - running a good race so you don't get disqualified. Matt 24:13 - he who endures to the end will be saved.

Vs. 26,27 These verses in the KJV sound ominous and troubling. They do not mean that if we sin occasionally (as we undoubtedly will) after baptism into Christ, we are doomed. They mean that if we wilfully continue to sin (or as the NIV renders it: deliberately keep on sinning), then there is no hope of (ultimate) forgiveness.

10:4 There was, of course, nothing intrinsically special about the blood of Jesus compared to that of an animal. Jesus, as is seen by the use of Psa 40:6-8 here, gave himself in total service to God. ‘Blood’ stands for total commitment.

10:22,23,24 The threefold repetition of ‘let us’ highlights the way in which the writer appeals to those priests who believed. That they might take hold on something better than the Levitical system that they had been brought up in.

10:30   Those Jews who were turning back to the law of Moses needed to be aware that they would be judged according to the strictures of that law – Deut 32:36

Vs.24,25 True believers in Christ will have great love for other believers, and will want to associate with them.  Breaking of bread and drinking of wine together, in remembrance of Jesus, affords believers a very special occasion for meeting.  This meeting should always be cherished and never avoided. 

What v1 is actually saying is that the law was a poor shadow of Jesus Christ. He was the true image and likeness of God (John 1:14). So if we apply the rest of the verse to Jesus, we also see that, unlike the law, Jesus was able to take away sin for those who approach him. There is therefore the exhortation for us to approach him in faith, even if we find ourselves condemned by the law (v19-22) because God has said "their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more" v17.

Incidentally, assembling together with other believers is very much part of drawing near to God. If we don't do this, we could be in danger of despising Jesus, as it says in verses 25-31.

10:16 The quotation from Jer 31:31 of the new covenant language which we saw before (Heb 8:8-12) show the only way to be sanctified ‘for ever’ is through the death of Jesus. Animals will not do.

Hiding from God

Have you ever wondered what exactly faith in Jesus does for us? We know that "by grace you are saved through faith" (Eph 2:8, Luke 7:50). But what does that faith do to save us? We could have faith in a friend, but that friend couldn't save us from death. We could have faith in the law, like the Jews did, but that law can't gain forgiveness of sins (v2-4). So faith in itself is worth nothing. It's what we have faith in that counts. What's so special about having faith in Jesus?

The answers to this question is in this chapter, and stated hardly anywhere else in scripture. The answer is that by faith in Jesus we have our conscience cleansed. This is a remarkable thing if we think about it. If we have our conscience cleansed we can come boldly in prayer to God asking for what we need (v19-22). With a stricken conscience this is impossible. Did you ever have a family pet; a dog that put its tail between its legs when it had done something wrong? Could that animal approach you boldly when it thought you were displeased? And think about when you have hurt someone and are ashamed of yourself. Can you look them in the eye?

This is the situation that Jesus died to remedy. If you think about it, God could easily have given us life through the law if He wanted to. But our conscience wouldn't be cleansed (9:9). The boldness in His presence would not be possible. Instead only a proud or arrogant "I've done good" attitude would prevail, or else just self pity. So God devised the death of His only son so that He could show the extent of His forgiveness. Once we realise how far He has removed our sins from us, we can come with clean conscience and "have boldness to enter the Holiest" (v19). This rectifies the problem that has existed since Adam and Eve hid themselves from God (Gen 3:8-11).

10:35-36  The ‘confidence’ was their conviction which they confessed at their baptism. It was that hope which they were to be confident in, not in the sacrifices of the Law of Moses.

10:9   notice the requirement that the first – the Law of Moses – be removed so that a life of sacrifice could replace it. This is signalled with the use of the word ‘that’.

10:2    In talking about the sacrifices on the day of atonement – a topic which was addressed by the writer yesterday –the contrast between ritual cleanness and the cleansing of the mind started. The word “conscience” is found on four occasions Heb 9:9,14, 10:2,22 and once again in Heb 13:18. The stark contrast between ceremonial  cleanliness – purifying the flesh – and a pure heart (conscience) is developed.

Heb 10:23

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).”

The word, “faith” has been mistranslated. It is the word, elpis, # <1680>, and means “hope, to anticipate with pleasure.” This is the only place where elpis is translated as faith, and only appears as such in the KJV! In fact, the King James translators themselves stated that they were not bound by strict word interpretations, and that sometimes the context demands that the same Greek word be translated differently! Because of this mindset, they have created confusion and led those who do not “dig” into the meat of the Word to believe things, which simply were not taught (e.g. see my notes on Matt 5:31-32 and 1Cor 15:51-53). Not being spirit-filled, they did not understand the constant, observable presence of the One who is identified (1Tim 1:1) as “Jesus Christ, (who is) our hope (confidence).”

As a result of this distorted translation, many people think that this verse refers to some “creed,” or “statement of faith.” Some took the word “profession,” to mean a “confession of faith.” The Greek word for “faith” is, pistis, # <4102>, and means, “belief in trusting in God’s truthfulness” (cf. Heb 10:38). We are asked to hold fast the confession of our hope, especially during times of adversities, because of the fearful expectation of a Judgment to come (verse 27). The Greek word for “profession” is homologia, # <3671>, and comes from # <3670>, homologeo, and means, “an acknowledgement of a covenant.” Paul is reminding the Israelites of their marriage covenant to Christ and to hold fast to it and not turn back to what was only the shadow – the Old Testament animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins (Heb 10:1-22)!

If the apostle Paul by the power of the Holy Spirit used the word, “elpis” in lieu of “pistis,” you may be absolutely certain there was a reason for it, and to rationalize that either word may be used interchangeably here is incorrect. The interpreted messages clearly reveal this! Hope is made obvious by our faithfulness. May “the God of hope (or, God, the source of hope) fill you with all joy and peace, in believing (i.e. faithfulness), that ye may abound (overflow) in hope (confidence), through (by) the power of the Holy Ghost (Spirit)” (Rom 15:13).

 Heb 10:20.

Since it is clear from this verse that the veil (curtain - N.I.V.) represents Christ's body, what is there about the veil and its making and what was on it that should make us think of Jesus?

Most of the following ideas are taken from bro. Harry Whittaker's book Bible Studies. The material used for the veil was linen and elsewhere in Scripture, linen = righteousness (Rev 19:8). So here can be seen Christ's totally righteous character. It had figures of cherubim woven into it (Exo 26:31). So the veil - which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy - both hid God from sight and yet revealed Him . And so it was with Jesus Christ - and, for that matter, with every manifestation of God. Think of God's vivid brightenss and glory appearing on Mt. Sinai; yet there was also thick darkness. And so in Jesus, God is both revealed and hidden.

The veil was hung on 4 gold covered pillars with silver sockets. It has been pointed out that we need the work of 4 gospel writers to display what we know about Jesus.

The weight of the veil must have been tremendous. Edersheim, the historian, mentions that the veil was woven from plaits each of 24 linen threads twisted together. The finished fabric was so substantial that, when washed before hanging, it needed 300 priests to handle it.

At the time Jesus died, this veil was torn in two from top to bottom (Matt 27:51). A man would tear a hanging curtain from bottom to top. So here was the work of God as He declared that the death of His Son had achieved what the Law could never do in providing ready access to the Divine presence. (Obviously, too, no man would've been strong enough to tear such a fabric.)

The colors for the cherubim figures were blue, purple, scarlet, and then there was the white of the linen. The scarlet would point to sin (Isa 1:18; etc.) and that was the nature Jesus possessed. The blue is the color of heaven - see Num 15:38 and the blue fringes on all robes which would constantly remind Jews of God; also Exo 24:10. And, of course, Jesus, though human, was God's only begotten Son. And his character was 100% godly. And then there's purple which, even in those early days, was the color of kings (Judg 8:26). And too in the mockery of a trial, Jesus was clothed in a purple robe (John 19:5) as they derided his status as king of the Jews. And the white of the linen would equate to the moral purity of Jesus, the sinless one (again note Rev. 19:8; Isa. 1:18; and especially Matt 17:2 and Jesus' clothing at his Transfiguation).

10:7    In saying “I come to do thy will” we see the focus is on the mind – conscience – a word used in Heb 9:9,14, 10:2,22, 13:18

10:20  The vail in the tabernacle was intricately designed. However the one point that the writer here is bringing out of the vail is quite a simple point. The “vail” represents Jesus (and by implication man’s) flesh. Man’s flesh prevents man generally from entering into the most holy place. Jesus “flesh” did. Not that there is anything different between our and Jesus’ flesh. The difference relates to the way that “flesh” behaved. Ours is disobedient. Jesus’ was obedient – “the which will” of Heb 10:10

10:10  The “will” spoken of here answers to the “conscience” that has been mentioned already – Heb 9:9, 10:2 and will be seen again in Heb 10:22. It is the willing and compliant sacrifice that cleanses. Not the involuntary sacrifice of an unknowing animal.

 A LITTLE MORE READY

"He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back I will not be pleased with him." (Heb 10:37-38).

Jesus is coming. On the day that he comes, he is not going to wait for any of us to get our life in order. Like a car accident, a sudden illness or a burglary, we don't know when it will happen, but they always change our lives in an instant. All of a sudden things that were priority in our lives suddenly get put into a new perspective as we attempt to grapple with the crisis that has come upon us.

But unlike the car accident, sudden illness or burglary, the return of Jesus should be a good thing. We have been told he WILL return, so we can be prepared for him. We might not know exactly when, but we can be prepared to welcome him.

Let's not shrink back from the faith we have, but step into it and grow it in our lives, trusting God more than ever before, obeying him, showing love to people around us. Let's make every day a day when we are a little more ready than yesterday to welcome our Lord Jesus Christ.

10:30   We may, intellectually, acknowledge that God will take vengeance when necessary. However we must see the relevance of this in our own lives. As Paul told the Corinthians – 1Cor 6:7 - we should be willing to suffer wrong rather than seek for redress.

‘But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year’ Heb 10:3.

God did not intend the Hebrew commonwealth to exist perpetually under the Sinaitic constitution. Israel was not always to be in bondage to the law of Moses. A great revolution was predetermined of God which should result in the abolition of the Arabian covenant, and the dispersion of Israel among the nations. This is allegorically styled, "casting out the bondwoman and her son;" which was necessary for the good and all-sufficient reason, that the Sinaitic constitution was not adapted for the people and state when Christ should sit upon the throne of His father David, and the saints should possess the kingdom.

10:37-38               The use of the two quotations from Habakkuk

“he … tarry”                     Hab 2:3

“the just … faith”             Hab 2:4

Contrasts the way in which Habakkuk speaks of an invasion which will lead to captivity with the return of Jesus which will bring freedom.

Heb 10:5

“… Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body has thou prepared me [thou hast fitted me].”

“Perverted are those who suppose that because God manifest in the flesh went through all these things ‘for us,’ therefore he was not himself included in the entire operation.” Robert Roberts, 1873

“The sacrifice [of Christ] could not be for us without being for himself inclusively. What was accomplished was accomplished in himself alone. We come on to the foundation he laid. It does not appear how the sacrifice of Christ for us could be scripturally understood without this being perceived. Away from this, the heathen notion of substitution is the only idea that remains.” Robert Roberts, 1888.

Christ was made sin for us not out of sympathy, but that he may be identified with us (Rom 8:3; 2Cor 5:21; Heb 2:17,18). Through his death and resurrection, we identify with him. Christ’s obedience was not out of sympathy, but out of obedience to the Father.  Christ was put to death “in the flesh” (1Pet 3:18), being born from a flesh-mother (cf. Job 14:4), and “That which is flesh is flesh…” (John 3:6).

Christ was not made in the nature of angels, but made lower than them (Heb 2:7,9,16). How? Christ was flesh, of human nature, and had to die for himself first to put away his sin nature before he could atone for us too (cf. Lev 9:7; Lev 16:17; Heb 7:27; 9:7). While Christ did not commit sin, his human nature was sin in-and-of itself (2Cor 1:9; cf. Heb 9:28). If not, he could not have atoned for himself (for how can one condemn sin in the flesh if it is not there?), and for his disciples. To believe, otherwise, is the Clean Flesh Theory, which actually feeds into the “heathen notion of substitution”!

http://www.genusa.com/Truth/Clean-Flesh.html/

As regards to “sin in the flesh,” please read notes on Gen 3, Why Did Adam Sin?

FAITH IN FORGIVENESS

If there is one thing that holds us back from drawing near to God more than anything, it is a lack of faith that we can be forgiven.

Listen to what the writer to the Hebrews tells us: "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." (Heb 10:22-23).

The "full assurance of faith" that we read about here, is the faith that Christ came to save us from our sins. Sacrifices and offerings couldn't do it, but by the blood of Jesus, our sins can, and have been, forgiven.

We need to have faith in the forgiving power of Jesus Christ. He overcame sin so that we could be forgiven. Let's not take that away from him by pretending that our sins are too big or too many to be forgiven. Have faith that he can and will forgive. It's only by our lack of faith in his forgiveness  that we will stay unforgiven. Forgiveness is the bridge between wandering aimlessly in the wilderness all by ourselves, and finding a place in the everlasting family of God.

The way has been opened for you to be forgiven. Have faith in that forgiveness.
 

Heb 10:1

“FOR the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.”

The Old Covenant law is a shadow (Col 2:17) and a close reading of the context tells us the shadows of the Old Covenant laws dealt with the ceremonial law as it related to the nation of Israel’s worship, the sacrifices, dietary restrictions, ritual washings, etc. and the civil laws as it related to their social behaviour specifying crimes, punishments, and other rules. The ceremonial and civil laws were the shadow and abolished by the substance, Christ. Nevertheless, the principles behind them are timeless and should guide our conduct to worship and to love of God. A moral law is not a shadow (cf. e.g. Exo 20:13), as it reveals the character and will of God for us.

Under Christ, God’s dwelling place among His people is no longer perceived of in terms of a tabernacle building, as it was then. The tabernacle was a shadow of the dwelling place of God (cf. Heb 9:24), and revealed to us what God is like and what is needed to deal with sin. It symbolized what Christ, as the High Priest, was to do for our salvation. It foreshadowed Christ’s work; it was not the reality, but pointed to the reality. The shadow, however, brought reality to bear on the Israelites during Old Testament times. They looked ahead through the shadow knowing there was something better ahead, and so held on to the promises of God in sending them the promised Messiah.

10:10   “once” contrasts with the “continually” of verse :1

10:28-29 The law of Moses was clear. The Levites who read this letter would have known what it said inNum 13:31. They are now reminded that rejecting God’s son would bring a severe punishment.

10:28-09 The law of Moses was clear. The Levites who read this letter would have known what it said in Num 13:31. They are now reminded that rejecting God’s son would bring a severe punishment.

Heb 10:4

"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."

The blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin, only the blood of Jesus, but it was a cover until the seed, Christ, came. The Laws of ordinances and rituals were abolished having been fulfilled by Christ. Paul tells us the Law pointed to Christ; it was our “schoolmaster,” our guardian to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Gal 3:24). Wow! David wrote that the Law is perfect, converting the soul, the statues of the Lord are right… pure… the finest gold, a warning to servants, a great reward for those who obey them” (Psa 19:7-11). The Law was given on account of sin, and ordained by angels (Acts 7:53; Gal 3:19), but it wasn’t just about revealing sin. The Law revealed God’s standard of righteousness to convict us all of our guiltiness before Him, so that we would see our need for His Son under the New Covenant. The Law of Moses served to strengthen faith, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood.