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Job Chapter 21
Job Replies: The Wicked Do Prosper
- Job 21:1 But Job
answered and said,
- 2 Hear diligently my
speech, and let this be your consolations.
- 3 Suffer me that I
may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
I think at this point, Job should have
told them to flee and think what they wanted to think, I'm done. Yet
he feels like he should defend himself but it seems to only make
things worse not better. They are ganging up on him for some reason.
We must avoid assuming someone's troubles is because of some evil
they did. Sometimes that may be the reason because of the law of
reaping and sowing but many times innocent people are hurt, die
young, and suffer wrong. Like a little baby that dies when we don't
always know why.
We just have to leave that to the Lord
and ask Him for wisdom about things. In eternity things will be made
right is all I know for sure. I thank God for sending Jesus to
reverse the curse and allow any who believe to have the hope of
eternal life and a way to be reconciled back to the Father that
Adam's sin separated us from. In eternity the faithful will not ever
suffer any more.
- Job 21:4 As for me,
is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my
spirit be troubled?
- 5 Mark me, and be
astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
- 6 Even when I
remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
He suffers so much and does not
understand why. He is saying to them that they need to stop speaking
because they don't know what they are talking about. There are many
rich and wicked men that seem to be prospering.
- Job 21:7 Wherefore
do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
- 8 Their seed is
established in their sight with them, and their offspring before
their eyes.
- 9 Their houses are
safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
- 10 Their bull
gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not
her calf.
- 11 They send forth
their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.
- 12 They take the
timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
- 13 They spend their
days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
- 14 Therefore they
say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of
thy ways.
Eventually they face judgment if they
are wicked and never turn to God. Right now we don't understand why
those in power that use their wealth to oppress and control people
seem to get away with it. It's hard to understand at times. We can
only guess as to why. Perhaps God sees that they reject His gospel,
His goodness and want nothing to do with Him and He (God) allows
them to have peace in this life because that is all they will ever
have. In eternity it will be continual torment. We just don't know
why many times except what we read in God's word.
- Psalm 73:1 A
Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are
of a clean heart.
- 2 But as for me,
my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
- 3 For I was
envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the
wicked.
- 4 For there are
no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
- 5 They are not
in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other
men.
- 6 Therefore
pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them
as a garment.
- 7 Their eyes
stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
- 8 They are
corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak
loftily.
- 9 They set their
mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the
earth.
- 10 Therefore his
people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to
them.
- 11 And they say,
How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
- 12 Behold, these
are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in
riches.
- 13 Verily I have
cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
- 14 For all the
day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
- 15 If I say, I
will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation
of thy children.
- 16 When I
thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
- 17
Until I went into the sanctuary
of God; then understood I their end.
This Psalm shows us that many wonder
about why the wicked seems to prosper. Verse 17 of this Psalm shows
us that there is an end to their prosperity. Eternity is forever,
our life here and now is temporary. We need God more than we can
ever imagine or think.
This is how many rich and wicked think.
They assume they are above God, some do not believe in God and think
they can do as they please. We have some today that are trying to
control the whole world and bring forth their agenda ignoring God,
His word and what is good and holy.
- Job 21:16 Lo, their
good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from
me.
- 17 How oft is the
candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their
destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
- 18 They are as
stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth
away.
- 19 God layeth up his
iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know
it.
- 20 His eyes shall
see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the
Almighty.
- 21 For what pleasure
hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is
cut off in the midst?
God has the final judgment. No one that
does evil gets by with it. Eventually they will face the judge of
all the earth.
- Job 21:22 Shall any
teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
- 23 One dieth in his
full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
- 24 His breasts are
full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
- 25 And another dieth
in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
- 26 They shall lie
down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
This is so true. Whether rich or poor
they all end up the same unless some how they acknowledge God and
receive salvation through faith in Him.
- Job 21:27 Behold, I
know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine
against me.
- 28 For ye say, Where
is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of
the wicked?
- 29 Have ye not asked
them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
- 30 That the wicked
is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought
forth to the day of wrath.
- 31 Who shall declare
his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
- 32 Yet shall he be
brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
- 33 The clods of the
valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after
him, as there are innumerable before him.
We don't know how much Job knew about
the final judgment of God. There are hints of his knowledge in this
book but until Jesus came and opened up the gospel to all who
believe, their knowledge in the Old Testament may have been limited
to the general public but revealed to those that lived and sought
God like the prophets Isaiah and others that God spoke to directly.
Yet we see in Job chapter 19:25-27, that Job knows his redeemer
lives.
James tells us the final end of the
rich who are wicked:
- James 5:1 Go to
now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall
come upon you.
- 2 Your riches
are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
- 3 Your gold and
silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness
against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have
heaped treasure together for the last days.
- 4 Behold, the
hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is
of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which
have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
- 5 Ye have lived
in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished
your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
- 6 Ye have
condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
- 7 Be patient
therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the
husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath
long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter
rain.
- 8 Be ye also
patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh.
That says it all and shows the final
end of the wicked. They can be saved if they come to Christ while
they still live upon the earth. They do not have to die in sin. Just
like any, rich or poor, Jesus made a way out of all sin. Jesus made
the way for us to have eternal life and joy forever. Jesus is the
way the truth and the life. There is a way out of misery and
destruction.
Job tells them the truth, their words
are false. He was not suffering because he was wicked and has done
evil. They are all being judgmental and cruel at this point. DC
Job Chapter 22
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