Job 40:1-42:17 ~ 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 ~ Psalm 45:1-17 ~ Proverbs 22:14
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Old Testament - We finish up the book of Job today! King Solomon's book of Ecclesiastes begins tomorrow! In our Job readings today, one very interesting thing that I really want to now study further is what exactly was the "behemoth” in Job Chapter 40 and what was the "leviathan” in Job Chapter 41? Were these dinosaurs?? I ask this very openly, in that I don’t know. Currently my thinking is lined up with the New Living Translation saying that the behemoth is a hippopotamus and that the leviathan is a crocodile – and obviously you can view my blog entry below to see I have images up of a hippo and croc. But. . . last year some of you posted up some good questions and points on the behemoth and leviathan’s being something else. . . perhaps even dinosaurs? I know we have some Biblical scholars and many pastors out there reading this. What say you? Please post up your thoughts on what the behemoth and leviathan are in the Comments section below. Thanks! Below is artwork titled "Behemoth and Leviathan" by William Blake from the year 1825:
In our Job readings today, God talks all about Intelligent Design. :) Seriously, when I read today's chapters in Job 40 about the hippopotamus and 41 about the crocodile, I could not help but praise God for indeed being the Almighty Intelligent Designer! Great stuff. You cannot argue with Job chapter 40 verses 15 through 18 where God says to Job - ""Take a look at the mighty hippopotamus. I made it, just as I made you. It eats grass like an ox. See its powerful loins and the muscles of its belly. Its tail is as straight as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are tightly knit together. Its bones are tubes of bronze. Its limbs are bars of iron. It is a prime example of God's amazing handiwork." Amen. Thank you hippopotamus for reminding us today that God intelligently designed you too!
And we can't forget about your intelligent and powerful design either Mr. Crocodile! :) God's words about you in Job 41 verses 31 through 34 - ""The crocodile makes the water boil with its commotion. It churns the depths. The water glistens in its wake. One would think the sea had turned white. There is nothing else so fearless anywhere on earth. Of all the creatures, it is the proudest. It is the king of beasts." I thought the mighty Lion was the king of the beasts?? I guess not. The title goes to you Mr. and Mrs. Crocodiles!
Today in Job chapter 42 verse 1 we read – “Then Job replied to the Lord: ‘I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.’” This verse comes just after God speaks his mind to Job for the preceding 4 chapters. Job replies quite humbly and wisely in this verse above. This week as you read through God’s words to Job in chapters 38 through 41, please some time to meditate upon who God is and how great God is. Ask yourself, do you truly know that God can do all things? Do you know that no plan of God’s can be thwarted? In light of this knowledge, how then should you live your life? Will you align your entire life with God’s plans and purposes? Will you consciously choose each and every day to live your life in accordance with God’s will? Will you live in accordance with the will of the Creator of the universe and the very Creator of you? Or will you rebel against your Creator in some areas of your life? Will you dare to hold something back from God? Why? Why not let the rebellion toward God depart from your life? Why would you not live a fully holy and pleasing life for God?
New Testament - Today in Second Corinthians chapter 5 verses 17 and 18 we read – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” How do these 2 verses speak to you? I have a hunch that you have probably heard the first of these 2 verses before? (Michael W. Smith has a child reciting this verse at the beginning of one of his Worship albums.) I find it interesting to consider the first verse – being a new creation – along with the second verse – because God reconciled us through Jesus. I absolutely love the first verse. If we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we are indeed a new creation. Our old self has gone and the new self has come. And why do we receive this amazing gift? Because the Creator of All has reconciled his Creation (us) to himself through Jesus and the ministry of reconciliation. We have been reconciled to God! This is a powerful thought to consider. It is a joyful thought! It is also a thought that should make us realize that there was a time in our life when we were not reconciled with God. And it should make us realize that there are people in this world right now whom we know who are hurting and are not reconciled with God. Are you reconciled with God through Jesus? Do you rejoice frequently in the Spirit and in prayers of thanksgiving that you are a new creation? Are you working and praying for reconciliation for your family and friends and others God has brought into your life? Do you believe that they want to leave their old self behind and become a new creation?
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Second Corinthians titled "Out With the Old, In With the New" is at this link.
Psalms - Psalm 45 is very likely a song of praise to King David on his wedding day. Interestingly, after the Babylonian exile, this Psalm was applied to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the promised Son of David. I can see how some verses in this Psalm could apply to both the current king of the day and the true king yet to come. Verse 7 is a good example: "You love what is right and hate what is wrong. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else." Below is Mary's (Martha's sister) anointing of Jesus from the Gospel of John chapter 12 verses 1-8.
Proverbs - Proverbs 22 verse 14 teaches us today: "The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; those living under the LORD's displeasure will fall into it." Let us all watch our mouths - though really it is our hearts we must guard, for what comes out of our mouths starts in our hearts. And let us not fall into the trap of listening to anyone's immoral talk. Immoral talk is indeed a deep pit! (or for you old-school Atari fans out there, perhaps a Pitfall?... :)
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless,
Mike
