I’m not sure how many I lost with yesterday’s post, but if you are back with me again today-welcome. :- )

 

Without wading in to the controversial debate over all the changes in weather and the potentially devastating consequences that scientist continue to sound the warning drums over, I can personally identify with that sense of helplessness they must have as they truly believe what they are ‘preaching’, yet unsure how to get through to all the skeptics who roll their eyes as their claims fall on mostly deaf ears. I mean let’s be honest...Noah was warning of a coming change in ‘climate’ that would affect the world and not many listened to him either. Seems that Jesus said history would once again repeat itself likening these days to Noah’s time. (Matt. 24:37-39) 

 Peter points out as well how the ‘scoffers would come’ and make their opinions known. (2 Pet. 3:1-7) 

 Paul also mentions the attitude of folks in these days and how everyone will seem to be resting in a false sense of security, trusting in all the ‘peace and safety’ messuages that make the rounds frequently  before they are overtaken by ‘sudden destruction’. (1Thess. 5:1-6) I can’t help but wonder if Paul had been previously studying Jeremiah’s writings in 23:16-20 when he wrote that. 

 Nevertheless, I will continue to share with you here, the countless passages and verses that are jumping off the pages with the hopes that you would at least study them out for yourselves. I would hate to think those in my sphere of contact would be able to say ‘they never knew or heard’ these warnings. 

 It would also be good to be reminded that the first time Jesus came to the earth, the church world ‘missed it’, convinced that their Messiah was supposed to come another way than previously thought. Why would we be so confident, if not arrogant, to think that could not happen again? 

 You’ve probably seen that picture-meme or saying that declares the first time Jesus came, He came as a ‘lamb’, but the next time He comes, He’s coming as a ‘lion’. If we only could see and understand the truth in that. 

 Yesterday, I was pointing out how God has made it a pattern of using the ‘enemy’ to bring judgement and correction to His people. (Hab. 1:12). They are often referred to as the ‘instruments of His indignation’. (Ps. 78-49-50; Isa. 13:5; Jer. 50:25) I even pointed out yesterday the ‘spiritual’ side of this and how it plays out in the NT era in which we live today. I shared a few unheralded passages supporting this- (Matt. 18:34-35; 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:20). It’s a hard truth to swallow if you have never been taught or introduced to this, but there it is...found in one verse after another. What you do with it is between you and God. 

 If you made it through yesterday’s post, you also read in multiple places how Jesus is coming back as a ‘thief’. We all know what a ‘thief’ comes to do as told in John 10:10- to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’. That is an interesting ‘picture’ Jesus would use to describe His return, is it not? I have touched on this subject before but often feel the need to circle back and bring these things to our remembrance. I even had someone ask me some time back if I was suggesting that Jesus was coming back ‘as the devil’. That gave me pause as I thought about it ...thinking that was a bit of a leap. But I can understand why that person may have concluded that from what I was sharing. 

 Which leads us back to the book of Job, where we left off yesterday. I really don’t know of many other chapters in the bible that give as much insight to the ‘spiritual world’ as we glean from the first two chapters of Job. And to repeat what I emphatically stated yesterday: Satan can do nothing without God’s permission and awareness. He is more than able to keep the devil on a ‘tight leash’. It’s when He lets him ‘off his leash’ that all hell breaks loose. And truth be told, that is what is happening today. 

 Paul told us in Rom. 1:18 that the ‘wrath of God IS being revealed today from heaven against ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness of men...”. Not - ‘is going to be’, but ‘is’. And God always uses the ‘enemy’ to carry out His wrath. Interestingly, Isaiah described the ‘enemy coming in like a flood’. (59:19). So falling right in line with that expression of floods coming, Jesus seems to indicate that they (floods) will indeed come. (Matt. 7:25 and Luke 17:27). It was not a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’. 

 So Satan makes it known that he is unable to get to, or touch Job because of this protective hedge that God seemed to have around Job and his family and all that he owned. I’m pretty sure it had something to do with the relationship God had with Job and presumably a covenant of sorts. That is one of the ‘perks’ when you enter into a covenant with God as He promises that your enemies become His enemies and He makes it known that He has your back. (Deut. 11:22-23; 12:10; Prov. 16:7). And there is no need for me to restate what an upright and righteous man Job was, blameless and one who feared God. (Job 1:1-2,8) Obeying God has its advantages – 1 John 5:18. And covenants with promises...come with conditions. 

 And yet, God ‘lowers the hedge’ on Job and permits Satan to have access to him...with ‘conditions’. You can read what those conditions for Round 1 were in Job 1:12. Quite the turn of events unfold there in vs. 13-22 and still, Job remains faithful, does not sin, nor does he blame God. (22) 

Enter Round ll. Same scene, second verse. This time...God allows Satan to attack Job’s health/body. And please note, once again – Job did nothing to bring this upon himself. God is simply teaching us what is happening in the ‘unseen world’ for our benefit. You can thank Job someday for ‘taking one for the team’. You might read now Job 2:1-10 

 So let me set the table here for context given what I’ve been writing about here the past week. I have made the case that we’ve not fully understood the impact and relevance that God’s law has on the world today, as well as for untold numbers of folks who attend church regularly. I’ve explained that any society that has laws, which are important and needful, must be enforced if they are to have any impact for good. Hence the need for a ‘legal system’ as we are most familiar with in our world/country today. 

 I also have made the case that God has His own ‘system’ as well in which He enforces His laws. And unlike man’s imperfect system, often flawed by bias and corruption, God’s system is just. Why do you think we were told to not get entangled with ‘getting back’ at those who wrong us, nor are we to ‘repay evil for evil’. God makes it clear...’vengeance is His and He will deal with it...and we should step back and make room for His wrath’. (Rom. 12:17-21). Do you think it’s possible that we hinder this from happening more often than not...because we are compelled to take matters into our own hands? Another discussion for another day, right? 

 So this Law, that God set in place centuries ago, due to sin (Gal. 4:19) came with promises and conditions. Untold blessings if we would obey God...and even more ‘curses’ if we chose not to. You can read a very detailed listing of these blessings...and curses there in Deut. 28. I won’t lie, reading through all those curses is not easy. It’s downright disturbing, to be honest. And I only say that because God seems to indicate that ‘He will be the one who strikes us with this’ or He will ‘make the plague cling to us’, etc. You see this over and over in vs.15-68. 

 I want to encourage you not to get ahead of me here or jump to conclusions. I just want to bring to your attention some verses that you may have never seen in this light or ‘connected’ with others before. So take a look at Deut. 28:35. What did God say He would do in one of those many curses? Read it slow and underline it if you would. Now turn back to Job 2 and read vs. 7 slowly, even underlining it if you would. 

 In Deut. 28:35, who...was going to strike with painful boils from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet? Did God not say ‘He would do this?’ Who struck Job...with painful boils from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet? (Job 2:7) 

Now, back to the NT. - In the parable Jesus told regarding the unmerciful servant who was forgiven of a great debt by the king...then in turn refused to forgive one who owed him a smaller debt, how did this story play out there in Matt. 18:21-35? Did the king not call this servant ‘wicked’? (32). Do we not read that the king was 'angry'? (34) And did this king not have this servant ‘delivered to the tormentors/torturers’? (34). And did Jesus not clearly say that His heavenly Father would do the same to us when we sinned, or in this case, refused to forgive others from our hearts? (35)  Oh, what does Paul warn us against about doing in 1 Cor. 10:22?

 Do you think Jesus was serious when He told that man whom he had healed to ‘go and sin no more...or something worse may come upon you?” (John 5:14) 

 I’d like to encourage you to read Luke 8:12 now, then take some time to ponder these things...these ‘seeds’ from God’s word that has been sown into your hearts. And please guard your hearts as you ask the Holy Spirit for further understanding. Have a blessed day.