Galatians 1:1

Galatians 1:1 says, Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)  Paul was specific in stating who he was.  There were those who questioned his right to call himself an apostle, but he said that he did not base this claim on anything men said or did, but on his relationship with God through Christ.  Having been a Jew, Paul had based his relationship with God on following the law of God, which no one could keep completely enough to claim to be justified before God.  Now, Paul recognized that the only way that he could be an apostle of God was through faith in Christ.  Though Paul had not followed Jesus in His earthly ministry, Paul had met Him personally on the road to Damascus, and he was forever changed.  Paul was now publicly proclaiming Christ, whom he had been persecuting before he met Him personally.  As followers of Christ, we have that same authority.  We do not need anyone in the world to tell us that we may witness for Christ.  We have a mandate from Christ to do so, therefore we should never allow anyone to tell us that we don't have this right.  Paul said that his right to call himself an apostle came from God and not men.  Our right and responsibility to witness come from the same source, which is our faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse two adds, And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:  Paul said that he wasn't alone in what he was saying to the churches at Galatia, but that those brethren, or fellow believers, with him sent their greetings as well.  We should never feel that we alone know what God is saying to the world.  What we declare in the name of Christ should always be consistent with what God's written word, the Bible, teaches.  Verse three continues, Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,  Paul definitely was not at peace with those in power in the world at that time, but through Christ he was at peace with God.  Whatever is going on in the world today, we as followers of Christ should be at peace because of our relationship to Him.  We should never allow the world to steal that peace with God.  Verse four declares, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:  Paul did not say that one day Christ was going to deliver us from this evil world, but that He had already done so.  When we put our faith in Christ and follow Him, then we can live at peace knowing that He has delivered us forever.  Verse five adds, To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  Paul was not writing to glorify himself, but he was writing that Christ might be glorified, not just for that day but forever.  Our witnessing today should always be done to glorify Christ and never to glorify ourselves.

As we continue to look at lessons learned from Job, the next thing we can say is that we should never question that God is always with us if we are His followers.  Job was held up as a representative of a righteous man, but when extreme adversity came, he questioned God.  Job was not being punished because of some sin, but God was allowing his faith to be tested.  It was sad that Job did not just continue to put his faith in God without question.  It is even more so for followers of Christ to question God's fairness to them since the Holy Spirit dwells in us.  As long as we surrender to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we can never feel abandoned by God.  Too often though, we let our material or physical situation cause us to question God.  Job had not only lost his wealth, family and friends, but he had lost his health as well.  We must learn from Job that if we are followers of Christ that we will never be abandoned by Him.   Also, we need to learn from Job's friends that we are never correct in attempting to judge others.  These three friends really felt that they knew more about God than Job did, and they attempted to force their knowledge on Job.  We can never be guilty of attempting to make God comply to our understanding and remain faithful to Him.  In all cases, we must submit to God's will, no matter what the circumstances of life might be.  We can also learn that there is nothing in the universe as a whole or the earth in particular that is more powerful than God.  Rather than being a cosmic accident, the universe is God's creation and operates under His will.  We may have the power to destroy much of the world, but God can destroy it all with only a thought.  Still, due to His love for the people He created, God continues to sustain the world so that more people might be reconciled to Him.  One last lesson that we can learn is that God is always ready to reconcile people to Himself if they will only put their faith in Him.  Though Job felt abandoned by God when his world fell apart and questioned God's presence, God had not left Job.  If we feel that we are out of God's presence, it is because of our moving out of His will and not because He has abandoned us.  If we lose everything in this world, God is still with us.  If our faith falters, God stands ready to forgive and bring us into a right relationship with Him once more.  This can never be based on material possessions, but must always be based on a spiritual relationship.  Next we will look at the book of Galatians.

Now we come to lessons learned from Job.  I believe that the first lesson is that God is watching us and is active in the world..  Some people worship impersonal gods.  These supposed gods simply sit back and watch people struggle at best or cause them trouble for their pleasure at worst.  God did not create and abandon mankind, nor any part of His creation.  We can also say that when trouble comes in life for those who are His followers that it is not a result of God punishing them unfairly.  God will never destroy those who are His just to prove that He can.  God has nothing to prove to anyone, other than that He loves them and makes redemption available to them.  Job felt that this was what had happened to him, so he questioned the fairness of God.  If we serve God for material reasons, or see material blessings as a sign that we are in the right relationship with God, then if trouble comes, we will tend to blame or question God.  We also learn from Job that not everyone who is a friend in prosperity is really a friend.  When hard times come, those who are just close to us because of our riches will be quick to desert us.  They may even take pleasure in our suffering, feeling that we somehow deserve it.  Even our closest family members may put us down and question our relationship with God.  Sometimes a break in our relationship with God may be as a result of sin, even if we are His followers.  Then those who are closest to us, especially family and fellow believers should pray for our restoration.  We should never just abandon family or friends and condemn them as sinners being punished by God.  We are all just sinners saved by grace, and should never feel that we are morally superior to anyone else and therefore able to condemn them.  This was the attitude of Job's wife and three friends, and evidently all those around him.  We can also say that the opinion of the majority, even of those who claim to represent God, is not always correct.  Job was definitely the minority in these debates, but he was not wrong because of that fact.  Even if the whole world were to be against us, we must hold fast to God's truth.  We must also acknowledge that this has nothing to do with material blessings.  God never promised us riches, but He did promise to meet our needs.

Job 42:10 says, And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.  Job had accused God of not listening to him when he was feeling that God was treating him unfairly.  When Job finally repented of his sin of claiming God was unjust, then God heard and answered him.  When we come to God in times of trouble, and put our faith in Him no matter what, then we can be certain that God will never fail us.  We just cannot allow the material things of the world to determine our faithfulness to God.  We are told that God restored to Job twice what he had before.  I believe this was done as much for the benefit of those around him as it was for Job.  They were basing faithfulness to God to be shown by material possessions.  Job would have been just as redeemed if he had gotten nothing back.  We cannot repent simply because we want some material blessing.  Verse eleven states, Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.  Those who had deserted Job and looked on him with contempt returned to comfort him.  We might call them fair weather friends and even family.  They now ate with Job and even gave him money and jewelry.  I believe there was still one misconception, and that was that God had brought this evil, this total collapse of Job's life, on him.  Though God allowed it, He did not directly cause it.  Verse twelve states, So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.  God blessed Job with twice as many animals as he had before. I believe that this was at least partially done as a witness to those around Job.  They had equated being blessed by God with material possessions, but Job had come to a greater understanding.  The real blessing is being in a right relationship with God.  Whatever God blesses us with materially, it should be used to reflect glory to God.  Verse thirteen says, He had also seven sons and three daughters.  There was a difference between Job's sons and daughters and his cattle.  The number of cattle doubled, but the number of sons and daughters born after God restored him was the same as before.  I believe that Job did double the number of his sons and daughters, because even though the first ones had died, their souls lived on, but when the cattle died there was no soul, or anything else, left of them.  People and all other animals will always be separated by the existence of the soul.  Verse fourteen and fifteen speak of Job's daughters. Verse fourteen says, And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. Then verse fifteen concludes, And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.  It is unusual for the daughters to be singled out ahead of their brothers, and even more unusual to give them the same inheritance as their brothers.  I believe that this is just another example of there being no difference between men and women in the eyes of God.  Both are equally capable of receiving the gift of everlasting life through the gift of salvation that Christ provided on the cross.  The last two verses speak of the length of Job's life after God restored him to his health and wealth.  Verse sixteen states, After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.  This tells us the number of years Job lived.  Verse seventeen says, So Job died, being old and full of days.  I believe that this tells us that those days were happy days.  When we are following God's will, then whenever we die, our days should have been full of God's blessings.  The key to Job's enjoyment of life was not the material blessings, but his relationship to God.  Our life should be the same.

Job 42:1 says, Then Job answered the LORD, and said,  Though Job had said he would speak no more in argument against God, he now spoke in agreement with God.  If we feel that we have a reason to question God, we need to first listen to what God has to say to us.  As long as we are attempting to justify ourselves, we may easily miss what God is saying to us.  Verse two states, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.  Job acknowledged the power of God.  God not only hears our words, but He knows our thoughts as well.  There really was no reason for Job to speak about what he thought was God's unfair treatment.  God already knew Job's thoughts before he expressed them.  Likewise, we may not actually speak badly about God, but may question Him in our thoughts.  As followers of Christ, our every thought needs to be ruled by the Holy Spirit.  Verse three says, Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.  Job confessed to speaking about God without understanding.  When we attribute any act to being the will of God, we better have a true, personal relationship to Him and be speaking under His leadership.  Like Job, if we begin to accuse God of being unfair to us, we will be speaking without understanding.  Verse four says, Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.  Job did not go to God demanding that God hear Him.  Making demands on God was what had led Job to being out of God's will to begin with.  Job asked God to hear him, as He really always had, and that he would declare himself to God.  When we go to God in repentance, we must submit totally to His will.  We cannot go based on self-righteous demands.  Verse five states, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.  Job had known God and had served Him faithfully until extreme adversity came to him.  I believe that Job was saying that he now saw God more clearly.  When God speaks to us, we need to hear what He is saying, and that should lead us to see God more clearly.  In verse six Job declares, Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.  We know that Job was already sitting in dust and ashes, but he had been claiming that God was being unfair to him.  He really had not remained true to God, placing his life in God's care no matter what.  Job now said he abhorred, or despised himself, for his attitude.  When we really repent of our sins, going through the motions is not enough.  We can spend every minute on our knees or fast every day, or whatever other action implies repentance, but if we are still trying to justify ourselves before God, then nothing will ever help.  Until we truly abhor our action of questioning God we can never be fully in His will.  Verse seven says, And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.  Somehow, I think that if Job's friends heard God speaking to Job that they were thinking they had been right and Job had been wrong.  Just because one person is mistaken in their attitude toward God does not mean that someone else is correct.  God told Eliphaz and his two friends that they had not spoken right about Him as Job had.  We need to be careful about judging others, especially based on material blessings.  Verse eight says, Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.  I would imagine that having to go to offer up sacrifices and asking Job to pray for them was quite a lesson in humility for these three.  They had spoken at length telling Job that he was guilty of some sin, but God told them that they did not represent Him.  We do not have to go to someone else to ask God's forgiveness today, since we do not go through an earthly priest, but through the eternal Priest, Jesus Christ.  Still, if we have been condemning others falsely, we need to seek their forgiveness.  Verse nine states, So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.  At least these three friends of Job listened to God.  Notice also that Elihu was not included, since what he had said was true of God.  God accepted their repentance, as well as that of Job.  Whenever we repent honestly before God, He will be quick to forgive us.

Job 41:22 says, In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.  God is still speaking of the leviathan, but the analogy applies to God Himself.  We do not know of a creature that fits all these descriptions, nor can we really know everything about God.  These last few verses speak of the power of the levitathan, and we can easily see how they apply to God as well.  No matter how much people may attack God, His strength remains.  Also, we know that God has the ability to turn what people see as sorrow into joy, if we simply put our faith in His strength.  Verse twenty-three says, The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.  We know, if we are true followers of Christ, that God cannot be moved by anyone or anything.  There is no weak spot to attack and overcome God.  Verse twenty four says, His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.  I do not believe that this means that God is hard-hearted.  Instead I believe that even if we attack the very heart of God, we cannot defeat Him.  Usually in battle, if a person can stab an opponent in the heart, then the opponent will die.  Even if we attack the very essence of God, or the heart, it is going to be the same as stabbing a rock.  No matter our plan of attack, nor how strong we may feel, we are still helpless before God.  Verse twenty-five says, When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.  I believe that when God acts in the world that people should stand in awe and purify themselves before Him.  Of course, I also believe that the only way to purify ourselves is through accepting the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Verse twenty-six says, The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. Just as God said there was no weapon that Job and those around him had that would have any effect in a battle with the levitathan, there is likewise no weapon that we have that will in anyway affect God.  The only way to find peace with God is to surrender.  No matter how strong we may think we or our weapons may be, they will never impact God.  Verse twenty-seven states, He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.  Those things that we may view as strong in our battle with God are powerless against Him.  We could say that we have much stronger weapons today, but no matter how strong they are they are as stubble before God.  The next three verses continue to speak about how ineffective people's weapons are against the leviathan.  Verse twenty-eight says, The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.  Then verse twenty-nine states, Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.  Verse thirty concludes, Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.  Once more, God was really reminding Job that he was helpless before God.  A battle with God is one that we will always lose.  Verse thirty-one says, He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.  I believe that God was saying that there was no place deep enough that God was not only there, but that He could move the deepest waters.  Verse thirty two states, He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.  God does indeed light the path for His followers, no matter how dark life may look around them.  Verse thirty three says, Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.  Though still speaking of the leviathan, this was still an analogy for God .  There is none on earth like God, and He has no reason to fear anyone.  Verse thirty-four concludes, He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.  God not only sees in the depths, but He also sees in all the high places.  There is no place where we can go that God is not there.  When we elevate ourselves in our own pride, which is what Job was doing by claiming that God had treated him unfairly, then God will be there to remind us that He is God.  We must never allow self pride to come between God and us.

 Job 41:11 says, Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.  God asked Job who could stop Him from carrying out His will.  Everything under the heavens belongs to God.  As I have said before, sometimes even as followers of Christ, we want to divide the world into the sacred and the secular, but God does not do so.  Everything that we have, or ever hope to have, already belongs to God, and if we are His followers, then we must use it all for His glory.  Verse twelve says, I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.  God said that He not only saw the outside of the leviathan but that He even saw the internal parts.  Likewise, God does not just see the way that we act in the world, but He even knows the reasons that we act as we do.  Verse thirteen asks, Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?  The question was if Job thought he could tame the leviathan as he did a horse.  If we cannot even tame all the creatures of the earth, then why should we think that we should be able to control God, Who created it all.  Verse fourteen asks, Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.  When looking at the power of the leviathan, God asked Job who would be brave enough to open its mouth.  I believe that the implication is if people were afraid to face the leviathon one on one, then why would they feel that they could face God and expect to overpower Him.  If we have more respect, or even fear, of the things of this world than we do of God, then something is wrong.  The next three verses speak of the lack of a place to attack the leviathan.  Verse fifteen says, His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal. Then verse sixteen states, One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.   Finally, verse seventeen adds, They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.  I understand that we do not know of a giant sea creature that has scales, but whatever this creature was had no weak points that a person could attack.  I believe that God was telling Job that God likewise had no weaknesses that Job could attack.  We are powerless in a battle with God, so we would be much better off just surrendering to His will.  Verse eighteen states, By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.  I believe that this most likely means an ability to see in the darkness of the depths of the sea.  God is not limited to what we may see in the light, but He can see into the depths of the dark places in a person's life.  We cannot hide anything from God.  Verse nineteen says, Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. Then verse twenty states, Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.  Then verse twenty-one continues, His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.  Matthew Henry says these three verses refer to the power of God's word.  We know that God's word has the power to burn away lies and to create and destroy.  Fortunately for us, God's purpose is not to destroy, but to redeem.