Job 24
In Job 24, Job speaks about those who have committed the atrocities he was accused of previously by Eliphaz and Zophar. Eliphaz had accused Job in Job 22 of iniquities against the poor, fatherless, widows and others. Job declares that those who committed such sins do not always suffer in this lifetime. When he is done, he presents a challenge to those around him.
Job 24:1.
1Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
Job stated that although God sees all, those who do not follow him are not concerned. They have no fear that God will judge them for their iniquities. They do not believe that there will be a day of reckoning.
Yeshua stated this clearly in Matthew 10:26.
26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Further, Yeshua warns against similar foolishness in Matthew 24:42.
42Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
As a believer, one is to always look to the coming of our Lord. A believer is to be prepared for His return by doing those things that please Him. One is not to do this out of fear. They are to strive to someday be called a good and faithful servant. This, in itself, should motivate one to do those things that they are commanded to do. Further in Matthew 24:43-47.
43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 45Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
Believers are to watch for His coming and faithfully serve the house of the Lord. If a believer ever wondered what they should be doing, this is it. So many in the faith today seem to be without direction in their life, often unsure of what they should do. Many times, they look to be involved in large outreaches on a global level. When simply, we are to feed the flock of God locally.
One needs to learn to be faithful to His ministry and not to the many ministries man has created. We are to give people meat in due season. Meat that will help them grow into victorious believers. One is to feed the flock with strong meat, so that they can survive the onslaught of the world. So that others would not weary in well doing.
As for those that are not faithful to the precepts of the Lord, Yeshua warns them in Matthew 24:48-51.
48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
In the day of the Lord, many will be sorry, because they did not treat their fellow servants properly. They will end up with the hypocrites. Luke 21, which is similar to Matthew 24, gives us an additional warning, Luke 21:34-36.
34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
One should be ever mindful to not allow the cares of this world to over take them. If one allows this, then they are looking towards the temporal. If one looks towards the eternal and seeks first the kingdom of God, God will take care of the temporal and one will be accounted worthy in the Day of the Lord.
This is implied in Job’s statement in Job 24:1.
1Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
What follows in Job 24 is a discussion of those that do not fear the day of the Lord.
Job 24:2-12
2Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof. 3They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow’s ox for a pledge. 4They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together. 5Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children. 6They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked. 7They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold. 8They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. 9They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor. 10They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry; 11Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst. 12Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
In the passage above, Job describes those that are guilty of the sin that he was accused of committing in Job 22 by Eliphaz. These people have little care for others. They seem to be only concerned with what profits them. But note what Job stated at the end of Job 24:12B.
12Byet God layeth not folly to them.
These who commit such sins are not chastised by God. This is counter to what Job’s friends stated earlier. This is because these things are done during the time of the permitting of evil as discussed in Job 9.
Job 24:13
13They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
Job is referring to those that do not walk with God. This is opposite to what he stated about himself in Job 23. These do not know the ways of God. Not only that, they are in rebellion against God. What Job is discussing in this chapter are those that are the converse of him.
Job 24:14-17
14The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 15The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. 16In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. 17For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
These are the sins of those that are in rebellion against the light. They are swift to commit these sins. It is in the dark that they operate. Outside the light of God in a realm far from the ways of God, they commit their sin. They think that they are hidden, but as Job stated earlier, all is revealed in the coming of the Lord.
When Job stated the morning, he is implying that these do not see the beginning of truth. They know nothing of truth. Truth to them is the scent of death, 2 Corinthians 2:15-16.
15For we are unto God a sweet savour of Messiah, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Job 24:18
18He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
The wicked like water will find a way. Water is an adaptable, tenuous force. If there is a way, water will find it. Even a small drop over time can cause significant damage through erosion, mildew and rot. This is the wicked, they will not give up easily. They are driven by sin that so easily besets them. Yet, the wicked will eventually be cursed.
The wicked follow not the vineyard. The vineyard is spoken of in Isaiah 5 and John 15. Isaiah stated in Isaiah 5:1-2.
1Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
Although the vineyard of Isaiah 5 brought forth wild grapes, it was to bring forth natural grapes. God did all he could for the vineyards, but it fought the ways of God. The vineyard was to walk in God’s ways, opposite to the ways of the wicked. That is why in John 15:1-5.
1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
The vineyard is cared for by God. It is to produce fruit worthy of God. That will only happen when we abide in Messiah and walk in the ways of God. This is never the way of the wicked nor is it contemplated.
Job 24:19-22
19Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned. 20The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree. 21He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow. 22He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
Whatever they may accomplish is cursed. It will have no lasting value that is pure. They do not learn the simplicity of the vineyard. They do not take time to grow and be nurtured by God. They are impatient and look for easy ways of gain. As snow easily melts, so will the remembrance of these. It is so true that one will die and another is waiting to take their place. They have no lasting legacy that is of truth. The predictability of life is like the waves subject to the winds that blow freely. In the end, nothing will result as they desire.
Job 24:23-24
23Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways. 24They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
Job, as stated in Psalm 73, the wicked may seem to have peace and safety, but it is not long lasting. God will eventually bring them down in His time. It is not that God specifically goes after them. It is because that is the natural order of the world, Galatians 6:7-8.
7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Whether in this lifetime or the next, one will be rewarded on how they walked with God. It is the story of the Bible. Not that salvation is based on works; however, there is a purpose to life beyond salvation. If one thinks they can live outside of God’s ways, they will eventually reap according to their lifestyle. This includes believers and nonbelievers.
Job 24:25
25And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
Job challenges those around him to prove that he fits such a description. Who can prove that Job’s words are vain and he is among these that commit such atrocities. He is claiming that he is not foolish enough to walk in such a way. Job knows the ways of God and knows that there are consequences, but that is not why Job follows God.
Remember Job’s words in Job 1:20-22
20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. 22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Job 2:10
10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Job’s life was not about gain, nor was it to receive favor of God. It is true that Job was wealthy, but that was never his motivation. Job’s motivation could be summed up in Psalm 27:7-11
7Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. 9Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. 11Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Job was all about seeking God’s face. Job ‘s greatest desire was to walk with God. One must never forget the words that God spoke concerning Job. Of course, Job would challenge his friends, because they were absolutely wrong.
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