Pathways

 Copied from Life on the Ledge, 3/02/2012

Every day I get a daily Bible verse in my email. Sometimes it doesn't do a thing for me. At other times I will keep the email in my inbox all day and go back an reread the verse as time permits. Today's verse is one of these. 

Job 23:10-11 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

I like the Book of Job because it's the one place in the Bible I can identify with someone so strongly that it seems Job and I know one another. In my Bible, I have highlighted several verses in Job. This whole chapter is highlighted because it's one of my favorites in the Bible. In that one chapter, I am Job.

Job 23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat!

For some time now, I've been lost. Every path I would travel has been cut off. I'm not where I was, and where I am is unfamiliar territory. There are no familiar landmarks, no smooth roadways, and no one to turn to for help. It would appear that my path is to be traveled alone in alien lands. 

Job 23:8-9  Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:  On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:

I just don't know which way to turn. More than once, I have wanted to just sit down in the road and give up. I can't move in any direction at all because I simply don't know which direction to go because I don't know where I am. 

And yet....He knows exactly where I am. 

Job 23:10-11 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

There's no Google Earth or Google Maps for me to use on this trip. I have only one resource, and too often I forget it. He doesn't forget me. 

Job 23:13-14 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

He knows where I am. He knows the twist and turns in the roads, the highs and lows. He knows the dangers along each route. He knows the blocks across the paths that lie before me. He sees every alternative route long before I reach it. 

Sometimes when I want to go left, I am forced right. He knows what lies ahead. It is appointed for me. I'm not really lost at all. I just didn't plan the trip.

I do not know why there are dark places in the road, where no light penetrates. I do not know why accidents happen and I am injured or people die. Perhaps it's just the nature of the journey. I know only that there is great comfort in the fact that He knows where I am. And even though it seems I am lost in a strange land, He knows how I got there and where I'm going next.

Hitting the Minor Prophets

 Finished Hosea and Joel today. You know, I didn't realize how much prophecy Joel contained. It is a small book in the Old Testament. There are only 3 chapters in the whole book. And it gets rather dark. 

Joel 3:14  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 

I'll move to Amos next, and it's nine chapters. Obadiah follows, with one chapter. I suspect the minor prophets are going to be a fast read. Then, my goal is to start the poetic books. I am not using a "plan". Instead, I'm working through the shortest books in order of my interest. 

Once those are done, I intend to start on the longer major prophets. I was thinking this morning that I might pull out my chronological Bible for the New Testament but decided not to. I'll get bogged down with all the notes included in that version. There's history, archeology, and statistics throughout that Bible, and I have to read every single thing on every page. 

So, that's where things stand now. 

The Charlie Kirk murder has knocked me down. I've also been dealing with a lot of physical pain. So, it's been a terrible week all the way around. 

I hope the coming week will bring a positive outlook and changes. 

Hosea, Can You See?

 Today I began reading Hosea. I've read the minor prophets before, and I kind of enjoy reading them. They're to the point and very clear. Not bogged down with a lot of kings and wars like the other OT books. 

Over the years, I've heard a lot of teaching on Hosea. That's likely because of the harlot wife, who may or may not have been real. In the Thompson Chain, there is a book summary before each book, and I've found that very helpful for a variety of reasons. For Hosea, there is a question of whether or not the book is allegorical or fact. I don't think it's important because the actual point of the book is how it reflects the behavior of Israel and God's judgement of them because of it. 

The book describes the nation of Israel as corrupt, a harlot who has failed to remain faithful to her husband. He points out that there is no truth, mercy, or knowledge of God left in the land. The level of sin has literally polluted the land. Because of their sin, everything in the land will waste away. He says the land will mourn and that all the animals and bird life and life in the sea will die. 

That sounded quite familiar to me. We're seeing this happen to the planet now. And from scripture, we know that the earth is suffering under man's evil. Don't think for one second you can hide your actions. The earth will testify against you. 

When I reached chapter 4 of Hosea, I had a revelation of sorts, in fact, a couple of them. In this chapter, Hosea is recounting the lack of faithfulness in the nation of Israel. He details how they have prostituted themselves with pagan gods. And that even the Hebrew priests are corrupt because of this mess. 

When the people sin, they must present offerings in repentance. These are for the priests to consume. When they commit more sins, they have to bring more offerings to the priest. The priests don't condemn them because that would stop the flow of offerings, and they wouldn't be getting rich off the sins of the nation. The priests profit from more sin.

This too sounded familiar to me. As long as you bring those offerings, you are going to be just fine. God forgives you. And He wants you to prosper. So, the more you give, the more God will bless you. 

Oh. My.

I do not believe in the prosperity doctrine. All my life I paid tithes and supported building funds and missionaries. I've never gotten rich. In fact, I've had times when I could barely pay the bills. There have been times we couldn't go to the doctor because we couldn't pay the copays. 

 Hosea was warning Israel about their lack of obedience and faithfulness to God in their daily living. That would be their downfall and bring about the destruction of the nation. They were bringing offerings to the temple, but it didn't matter. 

I believe God blesses faithfulness in our walk with him. I believe that worship and honoring God are the highest praise. Hosea was warning Israel about their lack of obedience and faithfulness to God. This was what would be their downfall and bring about the destruction of the nation: swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery, and murdering. 

My final insight from Hosea was in 4:13. Hosea claims the people chose mountains because trees gave them shadows to sin in. I also found this suggested in other places. "Men love darkness because their deeds are evil." Darkness, in the minds of men, can hide the sins they commit. 

It's ironic because Exodus 20:21 says: "And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was."

There is no protection in the darkness. God is there, watching you. He brings light to the darkness and exposes everything.