Bible Study Chat 1

I thought I'd start a thread for a continuing bible study with Barbara, and Eva and open it up to anyone else who would like to join us. It doesn't matter how far into the "study" we are when someone joins, as you can always just start with wherever we are at the time. So don't be shy! If you love to study God's Word and are interested in doing so with others, come on in and join us!

You guys mentioned studying Job, which is interesting since it incorporates growing older, suffering, sin and friends So why don't we talk about all three, using Job as a guideline?

Job 1:1 —In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. *

The word that's translated "blameless" in this sentence, is also translated as "perfect" in some other versions. The meaning of that word in the original language is that they were "mature" in their faith. So in other words, Job was spiritually mature and upright. He did his best with God's help to live according to the ways of the Lord. He was not sinless! We can know that both because the word in the original language does not mean that, but even without knowing that we can know this because the Bible tells us that "all have sinned", and "all" includes Job.

Here are some of the many scriptures that tell us that everyone has sinned: (you don't have to look these up unless you want to) Rom 3:9; Rom 3:23; Rom 1:28–32; Rom 11:32; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Gal 3:22; 1 John 1:8–10; 1 Kings 8:46; 2 Chron 6:36; Job 15:14–16; Psalm 143:2; Prov 20:9; Isaiah 53:6; Isaiah 64:6; etc. I shared those simply to show that this is one important way we can always find the truth. We should never base a decision or belief on just one scripture. If it's true, God will state it throughout His word.

That's how false teachers fool people. They'll list a scripture or two and say that it supports their viewpoint, but if you look up that scripture, you'll find that it either doesn't say anything at all about what they're saying, or that while it could be interpreted that way, the rest of the bible doesn't agree with it. What has really surprised me in the past is that often I'll look up a scripture, especially ones the catholics post to "prove" they're right, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the subject that's being talked about! There's other examples of how this works on, How to Read, Study and Understand the Bible

The next few verses in Job tell us that he had 10 children and about all the livestock he owned, as the more you owned in those days, meant you were very wealthy. It tells us he was the wealthiest man in all the east. Right after that though, it tells us about some of his habits, showing that God was more important to him then money or wealth.

One of the things he did regularly was to make sacrifices for his children so that their sins would be forgiven, even though his children were all adults by this time. That seemed like such a great idea to me that ever since reading that, I've prayed for my children and grandchildren's sins to be forgiven every day.

More then that though, it also shows us how important it was to Job that he live his life in such a way that his children would see the importance of maintaining their integrity and not living a life of sin. He obviously must have spent a great deal of time with them as they were growing up teaching them about God and His ways. I say this because according to the scriptures, his children were well aware of this and cooperated with it, as part of his habit was to have them each purified or consecrated again each time they'd had a celebration. Here, let me quote that for you so you can see it for yourself:

Job 1:4–5 —His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. *When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. *

Some versions translate verse 4 as saying that the children held these feasts on their birthdays, as the words in the original language say "on their day". Since he had 10 children, that's a lot of birthdays! This makes it even more special that Job would offer sacrifices for them and have them consecrated to God again after each one, and again, shows how important it was to him that his children be in a good relationship with God at all times. What a wonderful way to grow up that must have been! They were taught that there was nothing more important then God and could see in their own father that his relationship with God was the most important thing in his life. I think the Lord included this in His Word to show us a little of what it would look like to follow His commands of how to raise our children. His children obviously enjoyed each others company too, if they were always inviting each other to their homes. It shows too that even as adults the children still obeyed their father and did what He asked of them. That's yet another good example of a godly family life.

 

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