A Lesson from Job
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Matthew 12:36-37).”
I have some idle words to apologize for. I want to explain the reason for this first in writing, then I will make a video about this also before continuing with the “These Things Saith He” discussion.
I’ve been struggling with some questions for a long time now, and sometimes I get carried away by things that are difficult for me to fully understand.
In my last video, I made some statements that were too broad about those who have leadership roles in the faith and those who make Christian entertainment and merchandise. I said that there is no need for any of it. I said that those who make Christian merchandise are only in it for the money, and there is no need for man’s leadership in general.
Then I remembered, or perhaps the Holy Spirit graciously rebuked and reminded me, that there are two churches. There is the faithful church that is of the Spirit of God, then there is the worldly church. The faithful church that is of the Spirit of God has many minsters that are appointed by God, and their authority is given by Him. It is unfair of me to lump everyone together with broad, sweeping statements of judgementalism. It is true, that many are in it for the wrong reasons. Many are in it for money, for example. However, many are taking advantage of every venue given to them to preach the gospel. Maybe sometimes they go astray in their efforts…but so have I.
I thought about the lessons given in the letter to the Church of Ephesus, according to how I believed it to be true, even if I lost sight of this. “These things saith He who holds the seven stars in His right hand and who walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.” All servants of God, whether those of the faithful church or unfaithful church, are ultimately ordained by God. All are His servants.
Then I prayed again because I don’t want to lead anyone astray. I believe that the institutions of Christian religion are of man. So, again I questioned the Lord. Are the institutionalized churches the Great Whore? If so, are they all, or are there some that are not? Are the ministers in these churches yours or Satan’s? Are your people safe from being judged as part of the Great Whore, even if they continue in these churches, or should they “come out of her?” What does it mean, “Come out of her?”
The last thing that I want to do is lead anyone in the wrong direction, and these questions can overwhelm me. I know where my personal convictions are, but how do I approach these questions as far as His people are concerned?
I did not get the straight-forward answer that I wanted, but I did get an answer, and it came from Job.
From Job 40-42
9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.
41 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?
2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?
3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?
5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou bind him for thy maidens?
6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall they part him among the merchants?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?
8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.
9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at the sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?
11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion.
13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle?
14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about.
15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.
16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.
17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered.
18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.
20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or caldron.
21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.
22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved.
24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone.
25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.
26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble.
29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear.
30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.
33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.
Then Job answered the Lord, and said,
2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3 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.
4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
I’ve been thinking about what this means. What am I supposed to be learning here?
There is a lot that the Lord has shown me, but sometimes I do get carried away and take things too far. There are lines that I cannot cross, and there are things that I do not fully understand. I know that there are people who will say that we have to get out of churches and that all leaders within all churches are of Satan, and there are those who point the finger at some churches but not their favorites. I know that there are people who say that we must be in some kind of church (usually the one that they think is right).
I also know that the Sprit of God is not confined to any specific group of Christianity. However, I wonder if “coming out of her” is more than leaving an institution. I think it is more about leaving behind the desire to “utter things that we understand not, that are too high” for us. “God is in heaven, and we are in earth, therefore let our words be few.”
There is a lot that we can learn from the letters to the churches, and I’ve tried to keep in mind that the most beneficial lessons are the ones that we can apply to ourselves rather than those that tempt us to judge things that are too complicated for us to judge. I lost sight of that, and I am sincerely sorry.
I cannot tell people what to do—what Christian media to consume (or whether they should or should not), or whether to join a church or to leave them all behind. I can say that we should be extremely cautious about what we join ourselves to, because there is a Great Whore church, and this is not limited to the institutions, because there is a rising ministry of those who oppose institutions, but not according to the Spirit of God.
I need to remember to trust in He who upholds all things, and He who will not let any of His be taken out of His hand. His Spirit will do the work in His church, and He will judge the worldly church—and “these things are too wonderful for me” to truly understand, and I need to learn to accept that.
