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In Habakkuk 3 the prophecy becomes a confident psalm of trust in the Almighty and a prophecy of Yahweh's future judgments at the time of the setting up of Christ's kingdom. It was through this psalm that the writer J. W. Thirtle was able to unravel the structure of the superscripts and subscripts in the Psalms. The expression, "upon Shigionoth" is an instruction as to the musical director of this...

The Life Of Christ # 114 The slaughtered Galileans by John Martin

The second round of arguments is led by Eliphaz in Job 15. He accuses Job of not fearing God. Job, he says, your sayings are just straws in the wind - you don't know what you are talking about. Have respect before you when you open your mouth, says Eliphaz. Your sins have affected your thinking and speech. Ponder the counsel of the Almighty which we are putting to you. Man cannot be pure, says Eli...

Job continues his reply to Bildad - in particular - and to his other friends generally. Job's argument in the first six verses is that the accusations of the three friends are just wind - words without any substance. The words of these men are the product of their evil minds and if Job were to agree with the point of view which has been made he would have to stop his respect for his God. From vers...

In chapter 13 Job concludes his answer to Zophar with the response that, despite what he has suffered, he will continue to place his hope in God. Job tells us that his friends have not helped his understanding. Job will, if possible, put his case before the Almighty. You, he says to his friends, are happy with appearances and not with actualities. Don't pretend, Job continues, that you know enough...

In Job 12 we have a continuation of his response to Zophar. This chapter tells us Job accepts that all that has happened to him is from the Almighty (Shaddai - a Hebrew word which expresses two different aspects of God's character - it means "the destroyers" and also, "the nourishers"). In chapter 42verses11 we are told that Job's suffering was from God. Job starts chapter 12 with supreme sarcasm,...

In Job 11 Zophar speaks and says, Job you deserve far worse than what God has given you. Zophar is the youngest of the three friends. You are full of words and babbling is his message for Job. God is not obligated to respond to a self-righteous individual who is not prepared to accept the obvious is Zophar's contention. With God is wisdom, his friend declared, and it is beyond your capacity to und...

Job makes his plea before God in chapter 10. He loathed his life and requests his death. He says, since You, God, have made me You are responsible for my sufferings. It is true that Job's sufferings were allowed by his Maker (42verses11), and it was for a purpose - James 5verses10-11 - but it was wrong for the patriarch (Job) to challenge the Almighty in this regard. Nonetheless Job acknowledged t...

In the epistle of James, we have the first of the New Testament writings - written sometime between 42- 44 AD. Of the many James’s in the New Testament the author is most likely the half-brother of Jesus Christ. The use of the word "synagogue" tells us that believers had not yet formed ecclesias. The style of teaching in the letter is more like that of our Lord than any of the other letters. There...

The Life Of Christ # 113 A man's foes shall be those by John Martin_1

In Job 8 Bildad, the next youngest in age, of Job's friends speaks. He together with Eliphaz contends that Job suffers because he has sinned. What is needed from Job is repentance. God will not allow you to suffer if you are upright. The fact that your suffering persists is proof of your guilt. Don't question the Almighty about your suffering - our experience is too limited to rightly judge - just...

In chapters 6 and 7 Job replied to Eliphaz. He says in chapter 6, "My complaint is just". To get the full impact of the Hebrew poetry reading from a modern version such as the ESV is recommended. Metaphor after metaphor is added by Job in an attempt to explain that nature's lessons do not agree with Eliphaz's contentions. In verses 8-9 Job asks the LORD to take away his life. From verses 24-30 he...

In chapter 5 Eliphaz continues his first talk. He says that, although the fool appears to prosper this is only for a time. As verse 7 indicates, the trouble for which that type of person was born will soon come upon them. This is not the case for the upright, contends Eliphaz. In verse 17 the words of Eliphaz are directed at Job - "Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore, despise n...

Thoughts on the Bible Readings December 3rd (Job 3, 4; Jonah 4; Hebrews 10) The initial suffering of Job is intensified in chapters 3-41 as we are told of his education. Following the drift of the conversations and the unfolding drama in Job can be complex. Recommended reading to assist the above is available from CSSS -"The Education of Job" by David Baird. In chapter 3 Job is in such despair tha...

The book of Job was, perhaps, the first written among the Old Testament books. From the people mentioned in the book it would seem to have been told between the time of Abraham and the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt. Perhaps between 40 to 80 years before the exodus. This would place the time of writing between BC 1571 and BC 1531. Its author may have been Moses. The place of the event...

Esther 9verses1-19 give details of the destruction brought by the Jews upon their enemies. At the Royal citadel in Shushan, on the 13th day of the month Adar, when the original decree requiring their destruction had come into effect 500 are slain. The fear of Mordecai fell upon all the subjects of Ahasuerus. Those killed were mainly nobles and included the 10 sons of Haman, who were ignominiously...

The Life Of Christ # 112 The son of man cometh at an hour by John Martin

Esther 3 introduces us to the villains of the book - those who are against Yahweh and His people. But as Isaiah 54verses17 tells us, they are doomed to failure. Haman, the son of Hammedatha (the Agagite), the richest noble of the realm wins king Ahasuerus' favour. Haman should never have existed if Saul had fulfilled God's commission to destroy the Amalekites. Agag is a kindred word to the "Gog" o...

After the anger of Ahasuerus has abated, as chapter 2 tells, he consults with his young peers as to the process that is to be pursued in finding a new Queen to replace Vashti. Throughout his entire realm beautiful virgins are sought and the one who pleases the king is to be chosen. Verses 5-11 introduce us to both Mordecai and the maiden Esther, her Hebrew name is Hadassah (Persian word "Esther" =...

Esther commences with Ahasuerus' feast. That Persian king is also known as Darius 1. He holds a feast lasting for 180 days. The year is 515 BC. The king rules from his palace in Shushan (also known as Ecbatana). This is Darius' royal citadel from which he reigns over 127 provinces. Ahasuerus wishes to show his pomp to all the dignitaries of his realm, so he holds a feast lasting for 6 months. At t...

Nehemiah had initially been given leave in approximately BC 470 by the Persian king Darius for a period of time after which he returned to Ecbatana (the king's palace in Shushan). Then a further thirteen years elapse (BC 457) he is again granted leave to return. Sadly, in his absence, there had been a decline described by the prophet Malachi. Nehemiah 13 would have been the last section of the Old...

Verses 1-26 contains the names of the priests and Levites who were present at the dedication of the wall. From verses 27-43 the service of dedication is described by Nehemiah. Two choirs one led by Ezra and the other by Nehemiah start off together from the Dung Gate in opposite directions and meet halfway around the wall at the Water Gate and as they walked around they were rejoicing and singing t...

Nehemiah 11 gives the names of those returned exiles who live in Jerusalem and those who live in the surrounding villages. Their names and the work for which they are responsible is very important in the Bible. Those in Jerusalem include priests, Levites and singers; gatekeepers (all of those were very important roles for the worshipping of the nation). From the villages particular mention is made...

The Life Of Christ # 111 Beware of Covetousness by John Martin_1

Verses 1-27 of Nehemiah 10 tell the names of those who signed the covenant. Verses 28-39 outline the responsibilities and obligations of the covenant. The first of the obligations was to not marry uncovenanted wives (i.e. those of different beliefs to those taught in His Law by the God of Israel). Responsibility 2 was to observe the Sabbath by preventing the buying and selling of goods. The third...