Title: Receive God's Blessing (Job 22:21-28)
Contents
May God bless you (Job 22:21-28)
The boss of a large department store told me to take the orphanage children to the department store and get what I wanted. All the children came with a toy, and only one child stood still without thinking of having one. The boss asked, “Do you not like toys?” He said, “I want the boss, not toys.” He said that he hugged the boss’s legs tightly. We pray that you will become saints who are not satisfied with just getting an apartment in the world, but hold on to God and confess, “I want to have God.” Amen.
People earnestly desire to be blessed, but there is a tendency to be indifferent to the secret of blessing taught by the Word of God.
There are blessings that come from being with God.
1) God has promised to guide us (Psalm 25:12; Psalm 32:8).
2) God has promised to provide for our needs (Psalm 34:10; Philippians 4:19).
3) God promises to reward us (Hebrews 11:6).
If we really want to be blessed, we first look for the secret of blessing that God has taught us in the text.
1. It is said, “You shall be reconciled to God” (v. 21a).
If we want to be blessed, the first thing we need to do is be reconciled to God. If you are at odds with God, you cannot receive blessings.
God's wrath will come upon those who are not at peace with God.
For example, Staffen Gardner was a wicked man who burned and killed many of God's servants. As a punishment, his whole body was heated and his tongue turned black and he died. Also, Emperor Aurelian of Rome was holding a pen to sign an order to persecute Christians, but his fingers were crooked. Therefore, we must be reconciled to God and open the channel of blessing. Amen.
Who loses when they are at odds with God? Not God, but myself.
The passage of blessing will be blocked and the gates of heaven will be closed. Therefore, the first thing we should check is whether the relationship of reconciliation between God and I is in a normal relationship or if there is something blocked.
2. “Take instruction from his mouth, and keep his words in your heart” (verse 22).
The Bible (1 Thessalonians 2:13) “...we give thanks to God without ceasing because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you received it not as the word of men, but as the word of God. (Deuteronomy 8:3) “so that you may know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”
Here he says, “… put it in your heart.”
The Bible (Proverbs 3:3-4) “Do not let kindness and truth depart from you, tie it around your neck and write it on the tablet of your heart, 4 and you will find favor and consideration in the sight of God and men.”
(Isaiah 48:16) He says, “Come near to me, and hear these words…”
We must be “full of the words of the Bible” in our hearts. Then you will not commit a crime (Psalm 119:11), you will be able to resist the temptations of the devil (Matthew 4:4), and you will receive blessings (Deuteronomy 28:1-6).
There are people who do not read the words of the Bible because they have two eyes to see, and there are people who are intoxicated with the sweetness of the words to the point of bleeding from the tip of their tongues.
3. He said, “Return to the Almighty (God)” (verse 23a).
If we want to live a blessed life, we must strive to live a life of returning to God every day. This is the “life of repentance”.
God has promised us this by telling us to do something and return.
The Bible says in Zechariah 1:3, “Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 3:7 “You have turned away from my statutes and have not kept them; therefore, return to me.” Then I will return to you”, James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you”, Psalm 73:28 “It is a blessing to me to draw near to God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, I will proclaim the event,” he says.
If you draw near to God, you will be rewarded. Amen.
4. He said, “Keep unrighteous from your tents”
The Bible says in Job 11:14, “If there is iniquity in your hand, put it away, and let no iniquity dwell in your tent.”
If we want to be blessed, we must cast away injustice, unbelief, and iniquity, not only from ourselves but also from our homes.
Despite Abraham's earnest intercession, the unrighteousness of heaven brought Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction. But when Nineveh, the capital of the Gentiles, heard the proclamation of the prophet Jonah, forsook iniquity, and fasted before God, even the king, the people, and even the animals, and repented, and was saved from destruction. Forsake injustice. Amen.
A few years ago, watching TV, I sold a dog from Jindo to Daejeon, but I came back to the owner's house after 7 months. Injustice/disbelief/sin comes more easily than a Jindo dog, so you have to throw it away.
5. It was said, “Your treasure shall be thrown into the dust, and the gold of Ophir upon stones by the river” (verse 24).
The meaning of these verses is to throw away everything that you like more, love more, and depend more on than God, things that offend your conscience, and things that violate the Word of God to this day.
The Bible (Ecclesiastes 2:8-11) says, “They have piled up silver and gold, and treasures, and treasures of many provinces…but after that, they see that all these are vanity and like a chasing after wind.
What does the Bible call “a treasure”?
1. God is the treasure (Job 22:25).
2. The fear of the Lord is a treasure (Isaiah 33:6).
3. The blood of Jesus Christ is precious (1 Peter 1:18-19).
4. Faith is a treasure (2 Peter 1:1b-).
Hymn 376:4 says, “Faith is more precious than gold.
All who believe in this truth will be blessed!” Amen.
The Bible (2 Corinthians 4:7) says, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels.”
Here, “earthenware” refers to our weak people. Do we have the true treasure in our hearts and in our homes? So, how does God treat such a person?
1. God recognizes them as precious people (Deuteronomy 26:18).
2. God honors and loves you (Isaiah 43:4).
in the text
1. “Thou shalt be reconciled to God” (v. 21a),
2. “Take instruction from his mouth, and keep his words in your heart” (verse 22),
3. “Return to the Almighty (God)” (v. 23a),
4. “Put away iniquity from your tents (v. 23b);
5. “Your treasure shall be thrown into the dust, and the gold of Ophir upon stones by the river” (v. 24).
He said that if you keep and obey the words of the text above, blessings will come to you.
What blessings will you receive?
1. You will receive the blessing of peace (verse 21b; Psalm 37:37; Proverbs 12:20).
2. You will receive the blessing of rebirth (recovery) again (verse 23b; Job 8:5-7).
3. You will receive rich blessings (verse 25).
Like Abraham (Gen. 13:1-2). Like Isaac (Gen. 26:12-14). Like Jacob (Gen. 32:10). You must live in abundance.
4. You will be blessed with joy and boldness (verse 26; Romans 5:11).
5. You will receive the blessing of hearing your prayers and answering them (v. 27a; Isaiah 58:9; John 11:41).
6. We will receive the blessing of carrying out our business (prosperity) (verse 28; Proverbs 16:1-3, 9; Job 42:2).
7. I will receive the blessing of illuminating my path (verse 28b; Psalm 97:11; Psalm 119:105).
Let's receive God's blessing together. - Shalom -.