The Bible

I Chronicles 21-29

Satan was against Isarel because of the sins of the king and caused David to count the people. Joab, his commander, tries to talk the king out of this but David will not listen. God becomes angry with David and gives him three choices of punishment. The people are punished with a time of sickness and many die as a result. The Lord felt sorry for them and called for the death angel to put away his sword. David prays to the Lord at the threshing floor of Araunah. David asks to build an altar on the site and Araunah is offered full price for his house. An altar is built there and God sends fire down upon the sacrifices to show his approval. (Further reading in the NIV suggests that this is the actual site where the Temple of the Lord is to be/and was built upon.) David makes preparation for the Temple to be built. Workers and materials are designated for the job. Levites are appointed and separated by family groups for the purpose of serving in the temple. Family names are recounted, the peoples of Gershom, Kohath and Merari are listed. The responsibilities are written. The groups of priests, musicians, gatekeepers and other leaders are listed and given their tasks. They throw lots for work periods and times. All have come together to carry out their appointed duties when the time comes to serve.
Army divisions are listed. Each twelve containing 24,000 men and serving one month rotations on duty. Tribal leaders are listed and the kings other directors are given also. David commands for all the people to join him in Jerusalem for the announcement of his plans for the temple.
"Listen to me my relatives and my people. I wanted to build a place for the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord. I wanted it to be Gods footstool. So I made plans to build a temple. But God said to me, 'You must not build a temple for worshipping me because you are a warrior and have killed many people.'........"But the Lord chose me from my whole family to rule Israel forever"......."The Lord has given me many sons and from those sons He has chosen Solomon to be the new king of Israel"........."The Lord said to me, 'Your son Solomon will build my temple and its courtyards." David continues, "All these plans are written with the Lord guiding me. He helpled me understand everything he plans." All the people were gathered and made an agreement to carry out the plans for the temple while they were assembled together. Gifts of precious metals and gemstones are brought forth and designated for their place in the temple, by all the people in Israel. David praises the Lord in front of the gathered crowd;
"Lord you are great and powerful.
You have glory, victory and honor.
Everything in heaven and on Earth belongs to you.
The kingdoms belong to you Lord;
You are the ruler over everything.
Riches and honor come from you......
Now, our God, we thank you
and praise your glorious name."
The next day, the people made Solomon king of Israel and annointed him with oil. Zadok is annointed and made priest. Solomon sat upon the throne and was accepted by all. David dies and is buried along with his ancestors as the book of I Chronicles closes.

 

II Chronicles 1-14

Beginning with Israel's history from Solomon to captivity.

In chapter one, Solomon is visited by God in a vision. "Ask whatever you want me to give you", said the Lord. "You have been very kind to my father David and you have made me king in his place............Now give me wisdom and knowledge so I can lead these people in the right way", was the reply Solomon gave. This pleased God and He rewarded him with wisdom and much, much more. Solomon amassed a vast wealth and gained great fame throughout the land. He prepares to build the temple of the Lord. He seeks the help of king Hiram of Tyre for materials and skilled workers. Huram-Abi is sent to work for Solomon as a director of fine art work and craftmanship. Solomon sent Hiram payment for all of his assistance during this time. The temple contstruction begins upon the site that his father, David purchased form Araunah the Jebusite. This was the threshing floor where the angel of the Lord appeared to him and David had erected an altar there. The temple is completed and filled with the treasures of Israel, gold, bronze and cedars from Lebanon graced the temple walls throughout. Many fine works of art were found there. Rooms for the priests, a courtyard and an altar to the Lord and 2 gold creatures with wings inside the Most Holy Place. Articles for the sacrifices were dedicated, pillars, large bronze bowls, bronze nets, 400 bronze pomegranites, bowl stands, 12 bronze bulls and utensils. The Ark of the Agreement is brought in, in a grand ceremony before the Lord. All were gathered at the courtyard and the glory of the Lord filled the Temple. Solomon speaks to the people, "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He has done what He promised my father David........Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised and I have built the Temple for the Lord. There I have put the Ark which is the Agreement the Lord has made with the Israelites." Solomon prays to the Lord as all the people are gathered, "God, can you really live here on the earth with the people? The sky and the highest place in Heaven cannot contain you.......Day and night, please watch over this Temple....Hear my prayers and the prayers of the people when they kneel and pray facing this place....when they sin against you, you will stop the rain from falling on their land......Teach them to do what is right....then the people will respect and obey you as long as they live in this land you gave their ancestors.......Now my God, look at us.....rise Lord and come to your resting place.......Let your priests receive your salvation....May your holy people be happy because of your goodness." Then the Temple is given to the Lord and the people held a festival that lasted for 7 days. The Lord appears to Solomon yet again........."I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself....but you must serve me as your father did", said the Lord. Solomon's other achievements are listed. Towns were rebuilt and ships were commisioned to sail and gather wealth from far away lands. The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon to gather wisdom and to exchange gifts with the king. Solomons wealth was more than any other kingdom on the earth. Gold, silver, clothes, weapons, spices, mules and horses....like none other had ever known, were abundant during his reign. Solomon dies at an old age and is buried along with his ancestors in Jerusalem. He ruled for 40 years and his son, Rehoboam becomes king in his place.
But Rehoboam was rejected by the peolpe. He was cruel and took bad advice from his younger advisors instead of good advice from the older and wiser ones. Jeroboam and some other Israelites broke away from Rehoboam and the people of Jerusalem; "We have no share in David, We have no part in the son of Jesse. People of Israel, lets go home. Let Davids son rule his own people!" So Israel had broken away from Jerusalem/Judah and the rule of Rehoboam. Judah becomes strong under the reign of Rehoboam. He gathers the Levites for the work in the Temple and they obey the ways of the Lord. Meanwhile, Jeroboam had to gather whoever he could to do the Lords work. They also set up their own altars and worshipped idols during this time. After Rehoboam and Judah became a strong nation, they had stopped serving the Lord (sound familiar?). They fell under attack from king Shishak of Egypt. Shishaks army was very large, he had 1200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. He had the aid of the Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites. He captures the strong, walled cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. So Rehoboam and the older leaders repented and cried out to the lord for forgiveness and protection from the invaders. Shishak attacked and removed treasures from the city but did not destroy it. Rehoboam ruled for 17 years, died and was replaced by his son Abijah.
There was war between Abijah in Judah and Jeroboam in Israel during this time. Their armies met at Mt. Zemarim and Jeroboam surrounded the army of Abijah. But God confused the Israeli army and they fled as Abijah and his men gave chase. Abijah became strong because he did what the Lord said was right. He ruled in Judah for 10 years, died and was replaced by his son Asa.
Asa did what the Lord said was right. He removed the places for idol worship and God gave him victory duirng this time. He defeated the Cushites and took much land and spoils of war for his country.

 

II Chronicles 15-26

Chapter 15 begins with the story of king Asa and a visit from Azariah. Azariah had a revelation and spoke it to king Asa; "The Lord is with you when you are with Him....If you obey Him, you will find Him....For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them and without the teachings. But when they were in trouble they turned to the Lord......Dont give up, because you will get a reward for your good work". Asa was filled with encouragement when he heard this and he did make some changes. He gathered the people together and sacrificed 700 bulls and 7000 sheep. All the people agreed to follow the ways of the Lord. He even removed his own grandmother from power because she had made an Ashera idol for worship. There was no war until his 35th year in power. But Judah came under attack from Basha in Israel. Asa took treasures from the temple and paid Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, for protection. Hanani, a prophet spoke against Asa for not trusting in the Lord to protect Judah. This made Asa very angry and Hanani was imprisoned. Asa became afflicted with a disease in his feet but still refused to call upon the Lord for healing. Asa ruled for 41 years, died and was replaced by his son Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat did what the Lord said was right. He sent officers and Levites to the towns in Judah and taught the people about the Lord. Jehoshaphat grew in power, he built strong cities in Judah. Nations nearby feared them due to their closeness with God. Jehoshaphat made an agreement with king Ahab in Israel to join forces and attack Ramoth in Gilead. The two kings sent for the prophets to get a word from the Lord. All the prohets agreed that this was the right thing to do. But Michaiah, a prophet spoke against this. He was the only one to do so, but the two kings did not heed his warning. Ahab was killed in the battle when an arrow found its way between the pieces of his armor. Jehoshaphat was scolded once again when he returned home, this time by Jehu, son of Hanani, for disobeying the Lord. Later, Judah was attacked by the armies of Moab, Ammon and Edom. Jehoshaphat gathered all the men, women and children before the Lord. They called upon the Lord for victory. Jahaziel the Levite spoke to the crowd; "Listen to me, king Jehoshaphat and all you people living in Judah.......The battle is not your battle, it is Gods....You wont need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places and see the Lord save you." As they marched out to war they began to sing praises; "Thank the Lord because His love continues forever." God sent ambushes upon their enemies and they bagan to attack each other and fled in confusion. After this God gave Jehoshaphat peace in Judah until his death. His son Jehoram became king of Judah in his place.
Now Jehoram did what the Lord said was wrong. He led the people of Judah away from the Lord. Elijah the prophet sent him a letter:
This is what the Lord say's........
You have lived as the kings of Israel have lived,
leading your people into sin against the Lord.
So now the Lord is about to punish your people.
You will have a terrible disease in your intestines
that will become worse every day.
Finally it will cause your intestines to come out.
Judah fell under the attack of the Phillistines and Arabs near Cush. All the wealth of Jerusalem was carried away. After this, Jehoram fell ill in his intestines and they fell out of his body and he died. Jehoram ruled for 8 years and his son Ahaziah was chosen to become king in his place.
Ahaziah began to rule but was heavily influenced by his mother Athaliah. He followed the ways of Ahabs family in Israel. God caused Ahaziahs death as he visited king Joram (Israel). He was killed by Jehu, an officer who was appointed by the Lord to punish Ahabs family. His mother Athaliah (thats right) ruled over Judah after his death.
Athaliah had the royal family in Judah put to death, but one escaped her punishment. Joash, the infant son of Ahaziah was hidden from her by the sister of Ahaziah. Joash was taken to the Temple and lived there until the age of 7. Jehoiada the high priest made an agreement with the officers and the Levites in Jerusalem. Young Joash was appointed king and when Athaliah saw him standing by the pillar at the Temple, she cried out "Traitors", and tore her clothes in saddness. Jehoiada had her captured and put to death near the city gate.
Joash was a good king and obeyed the ways of the Lord. He chose priests and guards for service to the Lord. He orderd for repairs to be made to the Temple and directed money to be paid to the workers. Joash grew strong and was well respected as long as Jehoiada was alive. But when Jehoiada died, Joash turned away from the Lord. He was filled with pride and refused advice from the prophets. A prophet, Zechariah, spoke directly to the king about his misgivings. The king and his officers had Zechariah killed. But he made a prophecy to the king as he lay near death; "May the Lord see what you are doing and punish you." At the end of the year Judah was attacked and defeated by the Arameans. Many of the leaders were killed and Joash was badly wounded. His officers made plans against him and he was killed. His son Amaziah became king in his place.
Amaziah did what the Lord said was right. He prepared the army for battle and hired soldiers from Israel to go fight for him. But a prophet came to him with a message from the Lord; "My king, dont let the army of Israel go with you. The Lord is not with Israel or the people of Ephraim. God has the power to help you or defeat you". King Amaziah obeyed this warning from God and was victorious in battle. But when he returned home, he brought idols with him and began to worship them. A prophet came to him with a word from God, but was turned away by the king. He stopped to speak on his way out; "I know that God has decided to destroy you for this. You did not listen to my advice". Amaziah took some bad advice and decided to make an agreement with Jehoash in Israel. Jehoash refused Amaziah so they went to war. Amaziah was captured but was returned to the city. Jerusalem was battered and the walls of the city were partially destroyed. Amaziah fell out of favor with the people and fled to Lachish. He was captured and killed and his body was returned. His son Uzziah was made king in his place.
Uzziah did what the Lord said was right as long as Zechariah the priest was alive. He grew in power and became very much loved among the people. But after a time, he became unfaithful to the Lord. His pride led to his ruin. He was found buring incense on the altar in the Temple of the Lord. A skin disease fell upon him right then and there. He was banished to a place outside the city and his son Jotham took care of the palace and all the kings' duties during this time......WHEW!

 

II Chronicles 27-36

More on the kings of Judah before the captivity...
King Jotham, who obeyed the Lord and rebuilt parts of the Temple and his victories over Ammon. Jotham ruled 16 years, died and was replaced by his son Ahaz. Ahaz did what the Lord said was wrong. He worshipped idols and caused the people to sin. Enemies came against him and Judah was defeated by Aram and king Pekah in Israel. The people of Judah were taken captive by the Israeli soldiers but this did not set too well with the older leaders in Israel. Oded, a prophet of the Lord, came to the leaders and reminded them that the people of Judah were their brothers and sister and were not to become their slaves. The people of Judah were given provisions and sent back to their homes. Even through all of his troubles, Ahaz refused to listen to the Lord. More trouble came upon Judah and they were constantly robbed by the Phillistines near the end of Ahazs' rule. Ahaz ruled 16 years, died and was replaced by his son Hezekiah as king. Hezekiah did what the Lord said was right. He re-opend the doors of the temple and purified it for service unto the Lord. He made the Levites holy and the Passover was celebrated as was written by Moses. Hezekiah gives a message to all the people;
"People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Then God will return to you who are still alive......Dont be like your ancestors and your relatives. They turned against the Lord.....so He caused other people to be disgusted with them.....Serve the Lord your God and He will not be angry with you.....The Lord your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you return to Him". Letters were sent out to all the people in the land. All the people gathered for the Passover and agreed to serve the Lord. People brought their tithes to the Temple and to the Levites. So much was given that there was enough left over for the poor. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came to attack Judah. His soldiers gathered arount the city and shouted insults to the Lord and bade the people to surrender. But Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah prayed to the lord and He sent an angel to destroy the Assyrian army. Sennacherib was even killed by his own men upon his return to Assyria. Hezekiah became sick in his later years and sought the help of the Lord. He was healed but did not give thanks unto the Lord. He was humbled and repented of this and this pleased the Lord. Hezekiah ruled for 29 years, died and was replaced by his son Manasseh. Manasseh did not obey the Lord. He worshipped idols and refused to listen to the prophets of his time. Judah was attacked by Assyria and Manasseh was taken prisoner. He feels badly about his refusal to obey the Lord and repents. He is then returned to Jerusalem and follows the Lord in his later years. Manasseh removed the idols and places of worship to other gods. He set up the lords altar again and the people began to worship there. Manasseh ruled for 55 years, died and was replaced by his son Amon. Amon did what the Lord said was wrong and after 2 years he was killed by his officers and replaced by his son Josiah. Josiah was only 8 years old at the time but he began to serve the Lord at an early age. During his rule, the Temple was purified again and the Book of the Teachings is found within the Temple by Hilkiah the high priest. It is then given to Shaphan the royal secretary. Shaphan read from the book and this made the king sad because he knew that the people had not been following the laws of God as was written by Moses. Huldah, a prophetess, gave this message from God;
"This is what the Lord says, 'I will bring trouble to this place and to the people living here.The people of Judah have left me and have burned incense to other gods......So I will punish them in my anger.....When you (Josiah) heard the words against this place and its people, you became sorry for what you had done and you humbled yourself before me...So I will let you die and be buried in peace. You wont see the trouble I will bring to this place and the people living here'". Now Josiah and all the people agreed to serve the Lord during their time. They worshipped and obeyed the Lord. The Passover is celebrated in such a manner that has never been repeated since. But Neco, king of Egypt came to attack a small town on the Euphrates River and Josiah marched out to fight. Neco warned Josiah that the battle was not his but Josiah refused and fought on. Josiah was shot by Neco's archers and bled to death. Josiah ruled for 31 years and was replaced by his son Jehoahaz. Jehoahaz ruled for 3 months and Neco/Egypt replaced him with his brother Eliakim and then changed his name to Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim ruled for 11 years and did not obey the Lord. Judah was overtaken by Nebuchadnezzar/Babylon and Jehoiakim was taken to Babylon as a prisoner. He was replaced by his 18 year old son, Jehoiachin (these names just kill me) by Nebuchadnezzar. He was replaced 3 months later by his uncle Zedekiah. Zedekiah ruled for 11 years and became stubborn towards Nebuchadnezzar and that was the end for him and Judah. Babylon destroyed the city of Jerusalem, the Temple of the Lord and the people, along with all their wealth, were taken away as prisoners. All this happened because they refused to obey the Lord during their time. They refused the advice of the prohets and they worshipped other gods in the land that the God of their ancestors had given them. It was over but their punishment was just beginning.

 

Ezra 1-10

In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia, the Lord caused him to send out an announcement and to put it in writing;
"The Lord, the God of Heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me and He has appointed me to rebuild the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. May God be with all of you whom are His people. You are free to go to Jerusalem and build the Temple of the Lord". So....the captivity was over after 70 years in Babylon and the captives begin their return home. Some of the names and numbers are listed in ch. 2. The total number was 42,360, not counting the male and female servants.
In the seventh month after their return the leaders met in Jerusalem and set forth the plan for rebuilding the Temple, but first, an altar had to be erected for sacrifices. Money was given and materials started comming in. Zerubbabel and Jeshua and their fellow priests worked hard to see that all was being done correctly. The foundation was laid and the people rejoiced but some of the older people cried because they had remembered what the origional Temple had looked like. There were, however, enemies of this and they began to set forth their plans to thwart the Israelites. The people of Trans-Euphrates sent a letter to king Artaxerxes in Persia suggesting that the people of Judah would become defiant and refuse to pay taxes. They cited past behavior and records of their history. Artaxerxes stopped the construction and sent out a letter to Rehum the governor:
"Now give an order for those men to stop their work. The city of Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until I say so". But the work continued in secret. The prophets of the Lord spoke to the people and encouraged them that God was on their side. Tattnai, the governor of Trans-Euphrates asked them who had told them that they could rebuild the city and temple. They told him of Cyrus and his orders. Then Tattenai sent a letter to king Darius in Persia during his second year (after Artaxerxes). Darius searched the royal records and found the decree sent out by Cyrus. He then sent out his decree:
"King Cyrus gave an order about the Temple of God in the first year he was king.'Let the Temple be rebuilt as a place to offer sacrifices. Let its foundations be laid'............Do not bother the work on that Temple of God....Give these people anything they need....God has chosen Israel as His place to be worshipped". So the Temple is completed and the people worshipped the Lord there. The Passover is celebrated and God was with them.
Now after a period of about 60 years a man named Ezra was sent to Jerusalem. He was well schooled in the law of Moses and served the Lord with a whole heart. Ezra came up from Babylon and brought with him some Levites and other men of God. He was to teach the people and to serve the Lord in Jerusalem. He brought along gold, silver and bronze for the Temple. Ezra was given some bad news upon his arrival. He was told that some of the men had taken wives from the the other people that were there before. This was not allowed by the law and Ezra tore his clothes is sadness. He gathered the leaders and spoke to the people about their sin. He encouraged them to repent and change their ways. The people agreed to see that these men would divorce those women and send them back to their homes. Then all the people confessed their sin and agreed to obey the Lord during the time of Ezra.

 

Book of Nehemiah

Nehemiah was a servant to king Artaxerxes in Babaylon during the time that Ezra had been sent to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple along with the captive Jews. He had been given a report from some men who had been to the city and was sad to hear about its condition. He requested to be sent to Jerusalem and after some thought Artaxerxes granted his wishes. He is also given letters from the king and men to go along with him. Upon his arrival he found the city in a state of disrepair. He conducted his survey at night, fearing retribution from the enimies of the Jews. The city walls and houses were in a shambles so he set forth his plan for the rebuilding of the city. He gathered his workers and dispatched them in different locations and they worked under the cover of darkness. But there was opposition from the Arabs, Ammonites and the people of Ashdod. Nehemiah and his men worked on. They worked in shifts while others stood guard. During this time Nehemiah found out that many Jews were being taxed by their own people and this drove many into slavery. Nehemiah gathered the older and more important leaders together. He told them to stop oppressing their brothers and sisters and abide by the Laws of Moses. They agreed to stop their cruelty and to pay back everything they had taken from the poorer people in the area. The wall is finally rebuilt after 52 days of hard work. The names and numbers of the returning captives are listed. Ezra gathers the people together and the Book of the Teachings is read aloud to all the people who were gatherd at the Temple. The people are encouraged. They had a grand celebration and worshipped the Lord. The people confessed their sins before the Lord and recounted the mistakes that had been made by their ancestors down through the years. They made an agreement with the Lord to serve Him and obey His laws and commands. New people move to the land and their names and numbers are listed. The names of the Priests and Levites are listed. They celebrated the completion of the wall and appointed the Priests and Temple workers. Nehemiah returns to Babylon and king Artaxerxes when he had finished his work. But later reports of sin and wrong doing had upset him. So he asked for, and was granted permission to return to Jerusalem to purify the people once again. Nehemiah was a man who loved the Lord and served him all of his life.

 

Book of Esther

The events of this book have taken place during the time king Xerxes (before Artaxerxes) was in power in Babylon.

King Xerxes was king of Babylon. His kingdom stretched from India to Cush and he was very powerful. He had a grand celebration that lasted for 180 days and then another that lasted for 7 days. He was very happy (drunk) during this time and called for his wife, Queen Vashti, to come and display her beauty to the important men gathered with the king. But Vashti refused her king and fell under his wrath. She was stripped of her crown as an example to the other women. So the search went out for another queen for king Xerxes.

Now a man named Mordecai was a Jew and a servant of the Lord. He had adopted an orphan child (Esther) during her youth and loved her very much. Esther was very beautiful and was sent to prepare herself to be noticed by the king. After some time, Esther was chosen to be the wife of the king. But Mordecai had her keep her deep secret. Esther was Jewish, not exactly royal material in Babylon at the time. During this time Mordercai discovered a plot to kill the king. He had overheard some evil men plotting against Xerxes while at the city gate. He relayed his message to the king and the men were killed before they could carry out their plan. Also duirng this time a man named Haman (an officer) was made important by the king. Haman became proud and sought more power for himself. He noticed that the Jews, namely Mordecai, were not honoring (bowing) their king (and Haman) when they passed them by. He tricked Xerxes into signing a decree to have the Jews killed, all of them. Mordecai became afraid and begged Esther to go to the king and seek his help to reverse the order. But Esther was reluctant as to how she would appeoach the king and delayed. Mordecai asked her to think not only of herself but of the many Jews who who lose their lives if this plan was carried out. Meanwhile, Haman had erected a platform on which to hang Mordecai when the time was right. But Esther had another plan. She gained favor with the king and reminded him that he had not honored Mordecai for his revelation of the plan against him earlier. Xerxes agreed to honor Mordecai and have him led around the city on a royal stallion......led by Haman. Esther also told the king that she was a Jew and this made Haman very upset. The king was furious about Haman's evil plans and Haman was hanged on the very platform that he had built for Mordecai. Also, the king sent out another letter allowing the Jews to fight back against any and all oppostion they faced. The Jews defended themselves bravely against their eneimies and gained victory against them. Mordecai was made important by Xerxes and the king helped the Jews during his time. Mordecai was loyal to the Lord all of his life.

 

Job

Although most of this book contains the words of Job and his councelors, Job is not the author. In fact, the author is unknown. But we do know that he was an Israelite as his manner of speaking bears him out. Job is believed to have lived around the time of the second millennium (2000-1000 BC). The book provides a profound statement on the subject of theodicy (the justice of God in light of human suffering). How can the justice of an almighty God be defended in the face of evil, especially human suffering......even more, the suffering of the innocent. This book is very complex in my opinion. We spent three weeks in Job in our calss and I'm still not sure we hit on all the levels. This was the second time around for most of the class and my third time reading Job. I'm not really sure as to how I'm going to relate this story in writing, so I'll just tell it as it is written. Plese feel free to speak your peace.

The book of Job begins with a challenge laid before God, from Satan (an angel in heaven), as to what the reactions of a very blessed man of God would be if his worldly blessings were taken away. Job was an honest and innocent man. He loved God and obeyed Him in every way. God had bestowed many blessings upon Job. He was wealthy, had a large family and was well respected in the land. Satan "bet" God that Job would turn away from Him if all of this was taken away....and so the suffering of Job begins.
First, all of Jobs wealth was taken. His flocks were killed and then his children all died on the same day. Although Job was saddened, he still worshipped God..."I was naked when I was born, and I will be naked when I die. The Lord gave these things unto me, and He has taken them away. Praise the name of the Lord." In all this, Job did not blame God. But this did not satisfy Satan, he challenged God to attack the very flesh of Job, "One skin for another", he pled. God allowed Satan to place a terrible skin disease upon Job. Job left his home and sat among the ashes in his sorrow. His own wife told him to "curse God and die", but Job refused. He is visited by three men, councelors (or friends) we are told. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to talk with Job about his ills and why all this was happening to him. Now to cut through all the banter, I'll try to make a long story a little shorter here. It seems that these men were trying get Job to realize that he had somehow "sinned" his way into the position that he now found himself in. But Job refused to believe this. He knew that in his heart he had been loyal and faithful to the Lord. But the councelors pressed on. Arguement after arguement went back and forth and they became frustrated with one another. Neither side was giving in.
Finally the three men stopped trying to answer Job because he was so sure that he was right. But another man, Elihu, became angry with Job and so he spoke. He was also angry with the Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar.
"Now listen to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say......
You said, I am pure, without sin;
I am innocent and free from guilt.
but God has found fault with me;
He considers me the enemy.
He locks my feet in chains and closely watches me wherever I go.
But I tell you that you are not right in saying this,
because God is greater than we are.
Why do you accuse God of not answering anyone?
God does speak-sometimes one way and sometimes another-even though people may not understand it."
Elihu continues.....
"Job says, 'I am not guilty,
and God has refused me a fair trial.
Instead of getting a fair trial,
I am called a liar.'......
So listen to me, you who can understand.
God can never do wrong!
It is impossible for the almighty to do evil.....
No one chose God to rule over the earth
or put Him in charge of the whole world.
If God should decide
to take away life or breath,
then everyone would die together
and turn back into dust.........
How can you blame God who is both fair and powerful?
God is the one who says to kings 'You are worthless,'
to important people, "you are evil.'.......
Do you think this is fair?
you say, 'God will show that I am right,'
but you also asked, 'What is the use?
I dont gain anything by not sinning.'....
If you sin it does nothing to God;
even if your sins are many, they do nothing to Him.
If you are good, you give nothing to God;
He recieves nothing from your hand.......
But God saves those who suffer through their suffering;
He gets them to listen through their pain.
God is gently calling you from the jaws of trouble
To an open place of freedom
where He has set your table full of the best food........
You suffer in your clothes
when the wind is silenced by the hot south wind.
You cannot stretch out the sky like God
and make it look as hard as polished bronze.
Tell us waht we should say to Him;
we cannot get our arguements ready
because we do not have enough understanding.
Should God be told that I want to speak?.....
The almighty is to high for us to reach.
He has great strength;
He is always right........
That is why people honor Him."

Then the Lord speaks from the storm........
"Who is this that makes My pupose unclear by saying things that are not true?
Be like a strong man!
I will ask you questions,
And you must asnwer Me........
What is the path to lights home,
and where does the darkness live?
Can you take them to their places?
Do you know the way to their homes?
Surley you know, if you were already born when it happened!
Have you lived many years?.....
Will the person who argues with the almighty God correct Him?"
Then Job answers..
"I am not worthy, I cannot answer you anything.......
I will say nothing more"
God responds......
"Be like a strong man!
Would you say that I am unfair?
Would you blame Me to make yourself right?"
The Job answers.....
"Surely I spoke of things that I did not understand;
I talked of things to wonderful for me to know....
I will change my heart and life.
I will sit in the dust and ashes."

After the Lord had said these things to Job, He scolded the concelors also. Job prayed to the Lord and offerd sacrifices unto him and he was restored with a new family and even more riches than he had before. The Lord blessed the last part of his life more than the first. Job lived 140 years and lived to see his grandchildrens children.

 

Psalms

From the NIV......
The names Psalms and Psalter come from the Greek translation of the OT and origionally referred to stringed instruments (harps and lyres) and then added lyrics to be sung as praises to the Lord in song form. The Psalter is a collection of collections and represents centuries of gathered writings. It is thought to have been completed by the third century BC. It was first used in the second temple (Zerubbabel/Herrod) as a book of praises, prayer and religious teachings. But after the first century AD it was commonly known as the Book of Psalms. Many collections preceeded the final book going all the way back to kings David and Solomon as noted within the title of each Psalm. Others come the collection of the "Sons of Korah", "Songs of Asaph", etc. The final collection contains 150 Psalms and they are grouped into 5 books. Psalm types do vary and are classified into 12 groups; 1. prayers of the individual, 2. praise of the individual (for Gods saving help), 3. prayers of the community, 4. praise from the community (for Gods saving help), 5. confessions of confidence in the Lord, 6. hymns in praise of Gods majesty and virtues, 7. hymns celebrating Gods universal reign, 8. songs of Zion, the city of God, 9. royal psalms, by and for the Lords appointed king, 10. pilgrimmage songs, 11. liturgical songs, 12. didactic (intructional) songs. Psalms is largely poetic in nature but Hebrew poetry lacks both rhyme and regular meter. Other opinions about their literary features have been disputed but make no mistake about them, these early poets had a style all their own and definately got their message across. The words written within these ancient "poems" are good for all mankind, even in todays world. Listed below are just a few from the Book of Pslams. Feel free to add your favorites as well.

 

Psalms, cont.

Psalm 1
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 8
(A Psalm of David)
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name
in all the earth!

You have set your glory
above the heavens.
From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies
to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens
the work of your fingers
the moon and the stars
which you have set in place
what is man that you are mindful of him
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

You make him ruler
over the works of your hands
you put everything under his feet
all flocks and herds
and the beasts of the field
the birds of the air
and the fish of the sea
all that swim the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord
how majestic is your name
in all the earth!

Psalm 11
(for the director of music. Of David)
In the Lord I take refuge.
How then can you say to me:
Flee! like a bird
to your mountain
For look, the wicked bend their bows
they set their arrows against the strings
to shoot from the shadows
at the upright in heart.
When the foundations are being destroyed
what can the righteous do?

The Lord is in his holy temple
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men
his eyes examine them.
The Lord examines the righteous
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.
On the wicked he will rain
firey coals and burning sulfur
a scorching wind will be their lot.

For the Lord is righteous
he loves justice
upright men will see his face.

Psalm 15
(A psalm of David)
Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

He whose walk is blameless
and who does what is righteous
who speaks the truth from his heart
and has no slander on his tongue
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellow man
who despises a vile man
but honors those who fear the Lord
who keeps his oath
even when it hurts
who lends his money without usury
and does not accept a bribe
against the innocent.

He who does these things
will never be shaken.

Psalm 16
(A miktam of David)
Keep me safe, O God
for in you I take refuge.

I said to the Lord
"You are my Lord."
apart from you I have no good thing.
As for the saints who are in the land
they are the glorious ones
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those will increase
who run after other gods.
I will not pour out
their libations of blood
or take up their names on my lips.

Lord you have assigned me my portion
and my cup
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen
for me in pleasant places
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord
who counsels me
even at night
my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand
I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices
my body will also rest secure
because you will not abandon me
to the grave
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me
the path of life
you will fill me with joy in your presence
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 18
(For the director of music. Of David)
I love you Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress
and my deliverer
my God is my rock in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise
and I am saved from my enemies.

The cords of death entangled me
the torrents of destrustion overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called to the Lord.
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice
my cry came before him, into his ears.
The earth trembled and quaked
and the foundations of the mountains shook
they trembled because he was angry.
Smoke rose from his nostrils
consuming fire came from his mouth
burning coals blazed out of it.
He parted the heavens and came down
dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubum and flew
he soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness his covering
his canopy around him
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
The Lord thundered from heaven
the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot his arrows
and scattered the enemies
great bolts of lightning and routed them.
the valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord
at the blast of breath from you nostrils.

He reached down from on high
and he took hold of me
he drew me out of the deep waters.
He rescued me from my powerfull enemy
from my foes
who were too strong for me.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a spacious place
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

The Lord has dealt with me
according to my righteousness
according to the cleanness of my hands
he has rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord
I have not done evil
by turning from my God.
All his laws are before me
I have not turned away from his decrees.
I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
The Lord has rewarded me
according to my righteousness
according to the cleanness of my hands
in his sight.

To the faithful
you show yourself faithful
to the blameless
you show yourself pure
but to the crooked
you show yourself shrewd.
You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
You, O Lord,
keep my lamp burning
my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help
I can advance against a troop
with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect
the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
For who is God
besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock
except for God?
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer
he enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your shield of victory
and your right hand sustains me
you stoop down and make me great.
You broaden the path beneath me
so that my ankles do not turn.

I pursued my enemies
and overtook them
I did not turn back
until they were destroyed.
I crushed them so that they could not rise
they fell beneath my feet.
You armed me with strength for battle
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
You made my enemies
turn their backs in fight
and I destroyed my foes.
They cried for help
but there was no one to save them
to the Lord but he did not answer.
i beat them as fine as dust
borne on the wind.
I poured them out
like mud in the streets.

You have deliverd me
from the attacks of the people
you have made me the head of the nations
people I do not know are subject to me.
As soon as they hear me
they obey me
foreigners cringe before me.
They all lose heart
they come trembling
from their strongholds.

The Lord lives!
Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
He is the God who avenges me
who subdues nations under me
who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes
from violent men you rescued me.
Therefore I will praise you among the nations
O Lord
I will sing praises to your name.
He gives his king great victories
he shows unfailing kindness to his annointed
to David
and his descendants forever.