Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Job 21-23
Job 23:10
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
It’s a bold statement …when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold Why? Why would Job come forth as gold? How did he know that he would? Because of the next two verses, My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Amos, the prophet, will later ask this question: Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3) The answer is obviously no. Two cannot walk together unless they agree on some things: when to walk, where to walk, how fast to walk, the path they walk, all sorts of things must be agreed upon if two would walk together. Back to Job, he stated clearly that his foot held to his steps, he kept to the Lord’s way, he walked according to the Lord’s commandments and loved His Word meaning he communicated with God. If a person would do all that, they would walk with the Lord.
Thereby, when tried by Him, they will come forth as gold. Because the Lord would never walk to the wrong place, the wrong way, or lead anyone into temptation, for His Word is Holy and right. That is how Job could be so confident in his time of trial; because he walked with God and did not depart from that path.
The reason why the Lord knew the path of Job is because it was His path. Walking with the Lord will keep anyone from failing the trial of their faith.
Since we have more space, let’s go a little further. The trial of one’s faith is two. Two trials. One here on earth. Each time a person is tempted, that is a trial of their faith. Will they yield, leave the path of righteousness, and wander into sin? Will they stay faithfully on that straight and narrow way of faith and righteousness? One or the other will take place. The individual will know after a while which they chose.
Through Jeremiah God communicated this, I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:10) In Revelation 2:23 Jesus basically states the same. Yes, He observes all, and tries their reins. He knows, as any accomplished horse rider knows, where the head goes, the horse goes. The same with humans. Where our head, and may I add heart, goes, our feet, our actions, our life, goes.
Another trial of our faith will be the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is where all those in the faith as a believer will stand before Him and give account of their life. Here, in the afterlife, this judgment will result in rewards or loss of rewards. This can be read about in I Corinthians 3. These are two of the three great judgments of the faithful. The third being our sin that was judged on the cross and eliminated upon our receiving His Gospel.
Job was confident that when the Lord tried him, he would come forth as gold. How? He walked with God, obeying Him with every step. Yes, he was confused, perplexed and had to sort things out in his mind and heart. But through it all, …Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (1:22)
Dr. William T. Howe
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