Explore the fascinating intersection of wisdom, age, and divine sovereignty as interpreted through Job’s narrative. We delve into the latest findings on Bible reading habits and conclude with an invitation to engage daily with Scripture. This episode challenges listeners to consider their relationship with God’s Word and offers insightful reflections from decades of personal Bible study.
Welcome to Add Bible, an audio daily devotion from the Ezra Project. Alan J. Huth shares a Bible passage with comments from over 35 years of his personal Bible reading journals and applies the Word of God to our daily lives.
Today we are in Job chapter 12. This is Job’s response to Zophar’s accusations in Job chapter 11. So let’s listen in to Job’s response.
Job 12 Then Job answered and said, ìNo doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. But I have understanding as well as you. I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? I am a laughingstock to my friends. I, who called to God and He answered me, a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.î In the thought of one who is at ease, there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for those whose feet slip. The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure who bring their God in their hand. But ask the beasts, and they will teach you, the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you, or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you, and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food? Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. With God are wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, none can rebuild. If he shuts a man in, none can open. If he withholds the waters, they dry up. If he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him are strength and sound wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counselors away stripped, and judges, he makes fools. He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. He makes nations great and he destroys them. He enlarges nations and leads them away. He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a pathless waste. They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.
Today we can look at two of my personal Bible reading journal entries. One is from 1997 when I was 42 years old. I was reading the whole Old Testament that year and I read Job chapters 12 through 21 on the same day. Now that’s a lot of chapters. I referred to one line in Job chapter 12 and it’s verse 12. Wisdom is with aged men and with length of days understanding. The next journal entry I can refer to is from 2015 when I was 60 years old, 18 years later. And that year I read Job 12 and 13 on the same day. And concerning chapter 12, I wrote, Job criticizes his friends. Quote, wisdom will die with you. Verse 2, and I wrote, funny. And then I continued, and reminds them he too is wise. Verse 3, Job has a great understanding of God. He understands God has done this to him, that life of every living creature is in God’s hands. Oh, that man would understand this today. He makes life work. By the way, between 1984 and 2015, I read the book of Job 11 times. I just selected journals from 1984, 1997, and 2015 to assist us with these recordings. So let’s take a look at Job 12. Let’s start with that funny verse, verse 2. Job and his friend have exchanged some pretty interesting barbs with each other, haven’t they? Probably not much different than how we speak with one another today. And Job reminds them in verse 3. In other words, you’re not telling me anything I don’t already know. Have you ever used that in the line of discussion with your friends or your spouse? He reaffirms his innocence in verse 4. So he reminds them he is just and blameless. Job then reminds his friends that God controls all of life. Take a look at verses 7 through 10. In other words, just like them, my life is in God’s hands. He furthers his argument, starting with verse 13. In other words, what God places in a man’s path, no one can undo. He continues those examples in the next several verses. We might particularly note verse 23. He makes nations great and he destroys them. He enlarges nations and leads them away. Job’s argument is going to continue in the next couple chapters. But what can we understand from Job chapter 12? First, if you’re giving some friendly advice to somebody, don’t be arrogant, don’t be prideful. You may not know the entire circumstance of which you’re offering your counsel. And even if you do, you may not know what went on in the heavenlies that caused the circumstance you’re counseling about. We are reminded that none of these friends knew what happened between Satan and God in heaven. Job doesn’t know that either. So as you offer counsel, offer it graciously. I can’t say that I was always very good at that in my earlier years. I think I have a greater understanding of the sovereignty of God today than I did in my early 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s. Yes, there is some truth in verse 12. Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. Secondly, from this chapter, we can understand that God controls life. Job makes the case for that. Not only among beasts and fish and birds, but his own life. he understands the sovereignty of God in his own life. Do you? Romans 8.28 reminds us of this. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. So as you offer counsel to others, remember, remind yourself, of the sovereignty of God. In my earlier life, I probably would have given counsel much like Job’s friends. When something went wrong in somebody’s life, I usually thought it was their fault. And maybe most of the time it is, but not all the time. In my later years, I don’t think I do that anymore. I just try to offer biblical counseling to folks. Books like Job help me understand circumstances of others. So, may God bless all of us as we receive counseling from others and we counsel others. May we do it with the things that we’re learning from Job in mind. Father, bless us as we try to provide help, security, counsel to others. Help us apply the lessons we’re learning in the book of Job so we can be more sensitive to those that ask us for godly advice. Holy Spirit, lead, guide, and direct us as we open our mouths to help others. May we be a blessing to them. In Jesus’ name we ask it. Amen. Thanks for listening to AdBible today. According to a recent Barna research study entitled Bible Reading, A New Year’s Resolution, most Americans are not satisfied with their current level of Scripture reading. A majority express a desire to read the Bible more than they currently do. Born-again and practicing Christians are the most likely to desire more Bible reading in their day-to-day lives. It should not come as a surprise that the majority of Americans wish they read Scripture more than they do, says Roxanne Stone, editor-in-chief of Barna Group. After all, two-thirds of Americans agree that the Bible contains everything you need to know to live a meaningful life. Why wouldn’t you want to read such a book more often? The study continues. However, like other New Year’s resolutions, such as exercising more and eating healthier, Scripture reading is often an aspirational goal. It’s the goal that for most people probably doesn’t feel necessary to survive and so can easily get swamped by the day-to-day demands of a busy life. Scripture reading takes time and focus, two things that feel like scarcities in today’s fast-paced and on-demand culture. Like exercise, like dieting, regular Bible reading does not offer instant payoff. It’s a discipline whose rewards are reaped over the long haul. And the study continues, when people go from feeling they should read the Bible more to needing to read the Bible more, they find the time. Access to the Bible is not the issue in the USA, is it? We all have Bibles. According to another study done a few years ago, 88% of Americans own a Bible. We have 3.5 Bibles in our homes. And this is amazing. 59% of people who have no faith or are atheists even own a Bible, probably just in case. So if you have a smartphone, you have access to the Word of God. My Gideon Bible app has over 2,100 languages. Access to the Bible is not the issue. The issue is changing our beliefs about the Bible to behavior with the Bible. So where are Christians with the Bible today? Christians are well-intentioned when it comes to the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God. We believe, we just don’t behave. Our belief in the Bible and our behavior with the Bible are inconsistent. The middle ground related to the Bible seems to be disappearing. The decrease of Bible-neutral and Bible-friendly people and the increase of Bible antagonists suggests that more people are picking a side. Which side are you on? Are you a Bible antagonist questioning the Bible? Are you Bible-neutral? I just don’t know. Or are you Bible-friendly? I love the Bible. Wherever you are, pick a side. Because of our neglect of God’s Word, we are becoming biblically illiterate. For example, in a private religious elementary school, kids were asked about the Old and New Testaments. Here are some funny things that they had to say. The first commandment was when Eve told Adam to eat that apple. Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day but a ball of fire by night. What kind of man was Boaz before he married? Ruthless. The epistles were the wives of the apostles. Christians have only one spouse. That’s called monotony. So, if we think about Bible literacy or illiteracy, we think about it this way. If God decided to come down from his throne in heaven, become an author here on earth, you’d think his book would be on the bestseller list. And the fact is, the Bible is the number one best-selling book of all time. 2.5 to 5 billion, according to research. It’s also the most read book of all time. Praise the Lord, that alone might be evidence that the Bible, not any other so-called writing, is God’s Word. According to a weekly World News report, here are a few other Bible facts. About 50 Bibles are sold every minute. The Bible is the world’s best-selling book. It’s also the world’s most shoplifted book. That’s interesting. And that doesn’t even count all the Gideon Bibles stolen out of those hotels. So I encourage you to enjoy a portion of God’s Word every day. Make it a daily spiritual habit. And so until next time, I’m Alan J. Huth, and this program is sponsored by The Ezra Project, with support from listeners like you. Visit EzraProject.net to keep AdBible, connecting God’s people to God’s Word, on the air.
