THE LORD SPOKE (July 30)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Job 24-28

Going after wisdom is likened to the effort of mining treasures from the earth. The opening verses of this chapter (Job 28:1-11) are a rich source of metallurgical information and have led archaeologists to some unexpected discoveries in places like the Timnah Valley in southern Israel. Evidence for men dangling in shafts (Job 28:4) and tunneling through rock at the “roots of mountains” (Job 28:9-10) has been found.

But this is not a chapter about archaeology. After the opening Job asks, “Where can wisdom be found?” and then describes its high value with references to precious metals and semi-precious stones (Job 28:12-19). He then repeats the question (Job 28:20), “Where can wisdom be found?” This is also not a chapter about metallurgy or lapidary.

Job begins the answer, learned through his own difficult pilgrimage, in Job 28:23 - “God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells....” There follows a brief description of God’s qualifications:

• omniscience (Job 28:24) - “he sees everything”
• omnipotence (Job 28:25) - “he established the force”
• sovereignty (Job 28:26) - “he made a decree”
• justice (Job 28:27) - “he looked...and appraised...conformed...tested”
• revelation (Job 28:28) - “he said to man”

Did you notice? The Lord spoke! Aren’t you glad? Where would we be if He had not chosen to reveal Himself and speak to man? We’d probably be left to inventing silly stories about man descending from monkeys. Or left to killing our babies to control our population and make our own lives “better”. Or left to encouraging one another to be more loving and accept same-sex marriages and alternate life-styles. Or left to investing ever greater sums of money in prisons and law enforcement so we can hide away (in comfort) all the evil we can catch.

No! God has spoken and He has revealed His standard to man and it starts with this:

The fear of the Lord - that is wisdom,
And to shun evil is understanding. (Job 28:28)

New Testament: Hebrews 7

Have you ever noted how some jobs just don’t stay done? Sometimes they need doing again before you even have a chance to turn around. A mother’s work is proverbial - it’s never done!

Well, that’s not true of Jesus’ work. His work was done once-for-all and never had to be repeated. Nor will it ever need to be in the future. That’s because He offers...

1) A BETTER PRIESTHOOD (Heb. 7:11-14) - It’s a royal priesthood (from the tribe of Judah, not Levi). It’s an indissoluble priesthood (He’s “a priest forever”). It’s an uninterrupted priesthood (it is “permanent” - the Greek term aparabatos is a legal term meaning “inviolable”, “unalterable”, “non-transferable”).

2) A BETTER HOPE (Heb. 7:15-19) - The weakness of the old order is replaced by the wonder of the new order whereby we can draw near to God. It’s the difference between knowing about God and knowing God!

3) A BETTER COVENANT (Heb. 7:20-22) - The Old Covenant could not atone for sin (Heb. 10:4,11), impart spiritual life (Heb. 9:9), clear the conscience (Heb. 9:9), or provide individual, personal access to God. The New Covenant brings full atonement (I Pet. 2:24), true life (John 11:25-26), cleansing of the conscience (Heb. 9:14), and open access to God the Father (John 14:6).

4) A BETTER PRIEST (Heb. 7:23-26) - He is indestructible (“lives forever”, “permanent priesthood”), inexhaustible (“he is able to save completely”), our intermediary (“those who come to God through him”), and our intercessor (“always lives to intercede”).

5) A BETTER SACRIFICE (Heb. 7:27-28) - He is ineffable (“exalted above the heavens”, “perfect forever”), impeccable (“holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners”), inimitable (“unlike the other high priests”), and indispensable (“the oath...appointed the Son”).

All my life-long I had panted
For a drink from some cool spring,
That I hoped would quench the burning
Of the thirst I felt within.

Hallelujah! I have found Him
Whom my soul so long has craved!
Jesus satisfies my longings,
Through His blood I now am saved.

Poor I was, and sought for riches,
Something that would satisfy,
But the dust I gathered round me
Only mocked my soul’s sad cry.

Well of water, ever springing,
Bread of Life so rich and free,
Untold wealth that never faileth,
My Redeemer is to me.