THE LORD SPOKE (August 1)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Job 32-34

The fact that God does not condemn Elihu along with Job’s other three friends (Job 42:7) tells us that his speech (chapters 32-37) is different. Take note of some of the differences:

• it is not full of condescending advice like the others (e.g. Elihu admits, “I am just like you before God” in Job 33:6)
• there are no false accusations about Job’s earlier life
• much of the content is in direct response to statements that Job himself had made (e.g. Job 33:8; Job 34:5; Job 35:1-3,16)
• being delivered by a younger man (Job 32:6-9), it is “like bottled-up wine, like new wineskins ready to burst” (Job 32:19)

One section is particularly helpful in understanding how God speaks to us, even today. Keep in mind that this book may be the first of all Bible books written. The contents, if not the date of writing, certainly predate Moses’ compositions by several hundred years. In other words, at the time of Elihu’s speech there probably was no written Word of God. Elihu tells us that “God does speak now one way, now another” (Job 33:14, with an echo in Heb. 2:1-2). He speaks to man...

• “in a dream” (Job 33:15)
• “in their ears” (Job 33:16)
• “on a bed of pain” (Job 33:19)
• through “an angel on his side” (Job 33:23)
• during prayer (Job 33:26)
• when “he comes to [other] men” (Job 33:27)

Those last two are very interesting. God often speaks to us when we go to Him and when we come to men. Ever notice how many things become more clear when we talk to God about them? And haven’t you experienced the iron-sharpening-iron effect of sharing with other godly people? He gives us that band of brothers to strengthen us and, as He speaks to one or another of them, that Word is shared and all the other can benefit.

I’m still glad I have the Bible to communicate God’s Word to me. Nothing will ever replace it. But there are, in fact, many other ways in which He lets us hear His “still, small voice”.


New Testament: Hebrews 9

An understanding of the Tabernacle, the Levitical priesthood, and the Old Testament sacrificial system is foundational because it...

1. helps us sinful people to grasp something of the holiness of God
2. helps us understand the significance of a blood sacrifice for sin
3. illuminates Christ’s fulfillment of God’s redemptive program and his High Priestly ministry
4. demonstrates how a holy God can rightly manifest His grace and mercy to sinful people
5. helps us understand how sinful people can approach a holy God with acceptable worship

Offerings under the law were of a limited value (Heb. 9:13). They were able to “sanctify” and make one “outwardly clean”. Using a very typical Jewish style argument known as qal v’homer (from light to heavy) the author proclaims “how much more then” will the sacrifice of the Messiah redeem from death. The offering of the Lord is of limitless value(Heb. 9:14) because it is able to “cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death” and to “to set [us] free from sins committed” (Heb. 9:15). Because He “died as a ransom” (see I Pet. 1:18-19 and II Cor. 5:21) “the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (I Jn. 1:7).

From this, we can derive the following conclusions:

1. Jesus died as my substitute.
2. Sin is serious because it alienates us from God and leads to death (it’s not just a mistake or a weakness).
3. Forgiveness is costly.
4. By His blood, Jesus obtained eternal redemption for me.
5. I can now have a clean conscience because of what He’s done for me.

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.