Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 21.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+21&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“17 “How often is the lamp of the wicked put out,
Or does their calamity fall on them?
Does God apportion destruction in His anger?
18 “Are they as straw before the wind,
And like chaff which the storm carries away?
19 “You say, ‘God stores away a man’s iniquity for his sons.’
Let God repay him so that he may know it.
20 “Let his own eyes see his decay,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
21 “For what does he care for his household after him,
When the number of his months is cut off?
22 “Can anyone teach God knowledge,
In that He judges those on high?
23 “One dies in his full strength,
Being wholly at ease and satisfied;
24 His sides are filled out with fat,
And the marrow of his bones is moist,
25 While another dies with a bitter soul,
Never even tasting anything good.
26 “Together they lie down in the dust,
And worms cover them.”

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In Job’s physical pain and suffering and in his mental stress caused by his friends who have bombarded him with sayings of how the wicked are cut off, Job may have been lashing back at this friends.  Although Job surely knows that the wicked are cut off, it does not always happen as quickly as we may want or even how we may want it to occur.

Today’s Job chapter 21 reminds us of the following Psalm 73.

“Surely God is good to Israel,
To those who are pure in heart!
2 But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling,
My steps had almost slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no pains in their death,
And their body is fat.
5 They are not in trouble as other men,
Nor are they plagued like mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
The garment of violence covers them.
7 Their eye bulges from fatness;
The imaginations of their heart run riot.
8 They mock and wickedly speak of oppression;
They speak from on high.
9 They have set their mouth against the heavens,
And their tongue parades through the earth.

10 Therefore his people return to this place,
And waters of abundance are drunk by them.
11 They say, “How does God know?
And is there knowledge with the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
And always at ease, they have increased in wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
And washed my hands in innocence;
14 For I have been stricken all day long
And chastened every morning.

15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children.
16 When I pondered to understand this,
It was troublesome in my sight
17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God;
Then I perceived their end.
18 Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when aroused, You will despise their form.

21 When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,
22 Then I was senseless and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 With Your counsel You will guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but You?
And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works.”  Psalm chapter 73.

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 20.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+20&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“⁴ “Do you know this from of old,
From the establishment of man on earth,
⁵ That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless momentary?
⁶ “Though his loftiness reaches the heavens,
And his head touches the clouds,
⁷ He perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
⁸ “He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him;
Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.
⁹ “The eye which saw him sees him no longer,
And his place no longer beholds him.

…

¹⁵ “He swallows riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.

…

¹⁸ “He returns what he has attained
And cannot swallow it;
As to the riches of his trading,
He cannot even enjoy them.

…

²⁰ “Because he knew no quiet within him,
He does not retain anything he desires.

…

²⁸ “The increase of his house will depart;
His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.
²⁹ “This is the wicked man’s portion from God,
Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”  Job chapter 20:  verses 4-9, 15, 18, 20, and 28-29. 

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Job chapter 20 describes in different ways how the wicked and their riches and their desire are cut short and disappear.  I will just add the sharp contrast as to how the righteous are preserved by God and given gladness to enjoy the fruits of their labor and their life. 

“¹⁶ Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the Lord sustains the righteous.”  Psalm 37:16-17.

“¹³ There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun:  riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.  ¹⁴ When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.  ¹⁵ As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.  ¹⁶ This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die.  So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?  ¹⁷ Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger.

¹⁸ Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting:  to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him;  for this is his reward.  ¹⁹ Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor;  this is the gift of God.  ²⁰ For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.”  Ecclesiastes 5:13-20.

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 19.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+19&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“²³ “Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
²⁴ “That with an iron stylus and lead
They were engraved in the rock forever!
²⁵ “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.”  Job 19:23-25.

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“⁸ “But you, Israel, My servant,
Jacob whom I have chosen,
Descendant of Abraham My friend,
⁹ You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,
And called from its remotest parts
And said to you, ‘You are My servant,
I have chosen you and not rejected you.
¹⁰ ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
¹¹ “Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored;
Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish.
¹² “You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them,
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.
¹³ “For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’
¹⁴ “Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you,” declares the Lord, “and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.”  Isaiah 41:8-14.

Other doctrine puts its trust that it will earn salvation by either its works or by its will to win favor from God.

But, Reformed Doctrine puts its trust that God will save us, because He has chosen us for salvation.  

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 18.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+18&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“17 “Memory of him perishes from the earth,
And he has no name abroad.
18 “He is driven from light into darkness,
And chased from the inhabited world.
19 “He has no offspring or posterity among his people,
Nor any survivor where he sojourned.
20 “Those in the west are appalled at his fate,
And those in the east are seized with horror.
21 “Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked,
And this is the place of him who does not know God.”  Job 18:17-21.

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“The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.”  Psalm 34:16.

In sharpest contrast to the wicked, God preserves the righteous.

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.”  Psalm 34:17.

“The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.”  Proverbs 10:7.

“24 What the wicked fears will come upon him,
But the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.”  Proverbs 10:24-25.

“The hope of the righteous is gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked perishes.”  Proverbs 10:28.

“The righteous will never be shaken,
But the wicked will not dwell in the land.”  Proverbs 10:30.

“The wicked are overthrown and are no more,
But the house of the righteous will stand.”  Proverbs 12:7.

“The light of the righteous rejoices,
But the lamp of the wicked goes out.”  Proverbs 13:9.

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 17.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+17&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished,
The grave is ready for me.
2 “Surely mockers are with me,
And my eye gazes on their provocation.

…

“6 “But He has made me a byword of the people,
And I am one at whom men spit.
7 “My eye has also grown dim because of grief,
And all my members are as a shadow.
8 “The upright will be appalled at this,
And the innocent will stir up himself against the godless.
9 “Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way,
And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.”  Job chapter 17:  verses 1-2 and 6-9.

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The righteous will experience afflictions, and there will be those who persecute the righteous or be “sorry comforters” (in the language of Job in Job 16:2).

“Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way,
And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.”  Verse 9.

It will be dark, but through God’s grace, the righteous will persevere and pierce the darkness like the light of dawn that shines brighter and brighter.

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”  Proverbs 4:18.

“Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”  Isaiah 58:8.

“He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.”  Psalm 37:6.

This “Perseverance of the Saints” is better known as “Preservation of the Saints”, because God causes the righteous to perervere.  God is the One Who brings forth your righteousness as the light.  God is the One Who gets all credit.  “Preservation of the Saints” is the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Article 3.  By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength.  But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end.
 
Article 8.  Thus, it is not in consequence of their own merits, or strength, but of God’s free mercy, that they do not totally fall from faith and grace, nor continue and perish finally in their backslidings;  which, with respect to themselves, is not only possible, but would undoubtedly happen; but with respect to God, it is utterly impossible, since his counsel cannot be changed, nor his promise fail, neither can the call according to his purpose be revoked, nor the merit, intercession and preservation of Christ be rendered ineffectual, nor the sealing of the Holy Spirit be frustrated or obliterated.  Canons of Dordt.  FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 16.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+16&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Then Job answered,

2 “I have heard many such things;
Sorry comforters are you all.
3 “Is there no limit to windy words?
Or what plagues you that you answer?
4 “I too could speak like you,
If I were in your place.
I could compose words against you
And shake my head at you.
5 “I could strengthen you with my mouth,
And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain.”  Job 16:1-5.

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In Job chapter 16, Job described his suffering and attributed the cause of his suffering as being God.

“Although there is no violence in my hands,
And my prayer is pure.”  Verse 17.

But, Job was not rebellious nor resentful against God.

Job also stated that his friends do not comfort him: “Sorry comforters are you all.”  Verse 2.  Instead, his friends composed words against Job and shaked their heads at Job.

But, Job concluded that if their positions were switched:  “I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain.”

Even though Job did what was right, Job patiently endured his suffering.  Job also patiently endured when his friends added “insult to injury”.  Job even considered how he could comfort his friends if their positions were switched.

Job and Christ are examples for us.

“For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?  But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;  and while being reviled, He did not revile in return;  while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;  and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;  for by His wounds you were healed.  For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”  1 Peter 2:20-25.

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 15.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+15&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“20 “The wicked man writhes in pain all his days,
And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.
21 “Sounds of terror are in his ears;
While at peace the destroyer comes upon him.
22 “He does not believe that he will return from darkness,
And he is destined for the sword.
23 “He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of darkness is at hand.
24 “Distress and anguish terrify him,
They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,
25 Because he has stretched out his hand against God
And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty.”  Job 15:20-25.

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“11 God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.

12 If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword;
He has bent His bow and made it ready.
13 He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons;
He makes His arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, he travails with wickedness,
And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood.
15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out,
And has fallen into the hole which he made.
16 His mischief will return upon his own head,
And his violence will descend upon his own pate.

17 I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness
And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.”  Psalm 7:7-11.

“4 The Lord is in His holy temple;  the Lord’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked,
And the one who loves violence His soul hates.
6 Upon the wicked He will rain snares;
Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness;
The upright will behold His face.”  Psalm 11:4-7.

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 14.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+14&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Man, who is born of woman,
Is short-lived and full of turmoil.
2 “Like a flower he comes forth and withers.
He also flees like a shadow and does not remain.
3 “You also open Your eyes on him
And bring him into judgment with Yourself.
4 “Who can make the clean out of the unclean?
No one!
5 “Since his days are determined,
The number of his months is with You;
And his limits You have set so that he cannot pass.
6 “Turn Your gaze from him that he may rest,
Until he fulfills his day like a hired man.

7 “For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not fail.
8 “Though its roots grow old in the ground
And its stump dies in the dry soil,
9 At the scent of water it will flourish
And put forth sprigs like a plant.
10 “But man dies and lies prostrate.
Man expires, and where is he?
11 “As water evaporates from the sea,
And a river becomes parched and dried up,
12 So man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens are no longer,
He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.”  Job 14:1-12.

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“Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness!
2 And do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no man living is righteous.
3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in dark places, like those who have long been dead.
4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart is appalled within me.

5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your doings;
I muse on the work of Your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You, as a parched land.  Selah.

7 Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails;
Do not hide Your face from me,
Or I will become like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
I take refuge in You.

10 Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
11 For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me.
In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.
12 And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies
And destroy all those who afflict my soul,
For I am Your servant.”  Psalm chapter 143.

Other doctrine meditates on its own doings and its own works.

But, Reformed Doctrine meditates on God’s doings and God’s works as stated above in Psalm 143:5:  “I meditate on all Your doings;  I muse on the work of Your hands.”

Other doctrine pins its hope on improving its self and its situation.

But, Reformed Doctrine pins its hope on its relationship to God as stated above in Psalm 143:12:  “For I am Your servant” and its trust in God as stated above in Psalm 143:8-9:  “For I trust in You.” and “I take refuge in You.” 

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 13.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+13&version=NASB

I quote only the following verse.

“Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.”  Job 13:15.

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“As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.
6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.
8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.”  Psalm chapter 42.

Today’s devotion comes from Job chapter 12.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+12&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“9 “Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?

…

13 “With Him are wisdom and might;
To Him belong counsel and understanding.
14 “Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt;
He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

…

17 “He makes counselors walk barefoot
And makes fools of judges.
18 “He loosens the bond of kings
And binds their loins with a girdle.
19 “He makes priests walk barefoot
And overthrows the secure ones.
20 “He deprives the trusted ones of speech
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 “He pours contempt on nobles
And loosens the belt of the strong.
22 “He reveals mysteries from the darkness
And brings the deep darkness into light.
23 “He makes the nations great, then destroys them;
He enlarges the nations, then leads them away.
24 “He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth’s people
And makes them wander in a pathless waste.
25 “They grope in darkness with no light,
And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.”  Job Chapter 12:  Verses 9-10 and 13-14 and 17-25.

———————-

Today’s Scripture describes God’s sovereignty.  In verses 9-10, Job refers to God’s sovereignty over “this”, namely over himself and his sufferings.  In verses 14 and 23, Job describes God’s sovereignty more generally over all, such as nations and “He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt.”  In verses, 17-25, the longest section of today’s Scripture, Job describes God’s sovereignty over whom I will classify as “the wise”  (counselors, judges, kings, priests, elders, nobles, and chiefs).

It is this last section of today’s Scripture which describes God’s sovereignty over the wise which will be the focus of today’s Scripture.  The following Scripture summarizes God’s action and purpose:  “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise  …  so that no man may boast before God.”   

“19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

20 Where is the wise man?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom;  23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God.  30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,  and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:19-31.

Other doctrine boasts in its wisdom, works, and alleged free-will.

But, Reformed Doctrine boasts in the LORD and His wisdom and His works and His will from “Unconditional Election” to “Limited Atonement” to “Irresistible Grace” to “Preservation of the Saints”, the Five Points of “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.