JOB LESSON 24
We will begin this lesson in Job 24:1 "Why, seeing times are not
hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?"
This was Job saying that if we truly know God, we would see Him
in the things that He does. God from time to time reveals Himself to
man. Sometimes, this is a time of separating the evil men from those
who are following God. God may allow the evil ones to continue in
their evil for a good long time, but there is a day of reckoning.
Job 24:2 "[Some] remove the landmarks; they violently take away
flocks, and feed [thereof]." Job 24:3 "They drive away the ass of the
fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge." Job 24:4 "They
turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves
together."
These were not accusations against Job. This was Job telling of
some of the sins of the evil people upon the earth. It may even
appear that they were getting away without punishment, but God was
keeping a record of it all.
Job 24:5 "Behold, [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."
Job was speaking of the evil people as being like wild asses.
They were almost impossible to train. They would rather run free. The
evil people did not want any controls either. They wanted to be free
to sin. They lived of the world. This could be speaking of the wicked
bands of robbers who wandered in the desert and tried to catch a
traveler who was helpless. They plundered his goods, and money, and
sometimes killed him.
Job 24:6 "They reap [every one] his corn in the field: and they
gather the vintage of the wicked."
This was saying that the robbers sometimes ventured in close to
the dwellings of the people and robbed the corn in their field. They,
also, steal the grapes from their vines. They had no thought for
anyone else's property.
Job 24:7 "They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that
[they have] no covering in the cold."
They would leave their victims without clothing to cover them.
They did not care if they faced the cold night without clothing.
It was said that these marauding men sometimes slept at night naked
themselves.
Job 24:8 "They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and
embrace the rock for want of a shelter."
These marauding tribes bathed in the mountain streams, and had no
place to take shelter, but in caves, near a protective rock.
Job 24:9 "They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a
pledge of the poor."
This was speaking of "loan sharks" taking the babies that were
still nursing from their mothers, to pay a debt. They had no pity on
anyone. They took anything the poor had to pledge, before they would
loan them anything. This was strictly forbidden in God's law.
Job 24:10 "They cause [him] to go naked without clothing, and
they take away the sheaf [from] the hungry;"
These people who loaned money to the poor and then took
everything they had, were very evil. It appears, the poor man's only
clothing had been taken in pledge, and then, taken from the poor man
when he could not pay. The same was true of the grain that he had
raised. The poor man and his family faced hunger, because of the
ruthless confiscation from the man who loaned them money.
Job 24:11 "[Which] make oil within their walls, [and] tread
[their] winepresses, and suffer thirst."
The oppressors were making wine with the grapes they had stolen
from the very people they were forcing to run the winepress. The
person who grew the grapes did not get any of the wine.
Job 24:12 "Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the
wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly [to them]."
These oppressions were not just isolated to the countryside.
There were those who are oppressed by the same people in the city. It
appears, that this type of treatment was going unnoticed by the LORD.
They might not be paying for their sins at the time they were
committing them, but you can be assured that God was keeping a record
of it all, and they would have to suffer punishment for such cruel
acts.
Job 24:13 "They are of those that rebel against the light; they
know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof."
These evil people had totally rejected the Light of God. They not
only rejected it for themselves, but they tried to destroy those who
had received it. They knew nothing about God, and were not interested
in learning of Him.
Job 24:14 "The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor
and needy, and in the night is as a thief."
The murderer took advantage of the early morning even at the
break of light to do his dirty work. This was usually the time when
people were sleeping the soundest. He stole in total darkness,
believing he would not be found out. What he did not realize was that
nothing he did was hidden from God.
Job 24:15 "The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the
twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth [his] face."
This twilight was a physical light just between daylight and
dark. Adultery was one of the worst sins a person could commit at that
time. Of course, in God's sight it is still a very serious sin. They
believed they would not be punished for the sin of adultery, if no one
knew about it. The two people involved knew about it, and God knew
about it. All of the disguises and darkness in the world could not
hide this sin from the Light of God.
Job 24:16 "In the dark they dig through houses, [which] they had
marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light."
It seems, that in the daylight they picked out a house they
planned to rob and marked it, so they could come back to it. In our
day, burglars ride around the neighborhood and find some family gone,
and go in and rob their house. We are warned that newspapers in the
yard, or lights that have not been turned on and off for a few days,
will tell the burglar that no one is home. These burglars were taking
advantage of the weakened condition of the home-owner.
Job 24:17 "For 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."
The burglars in the lesson, here, were afraid they would be found
out, if it was daylight. They knew if they were caught in the act of
burglary, they would, probably, be killed.
Job 24:18 "He [is] swift as the waters; their portion is cursed
in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards."
This was, possibly, speaking of the swift judgement that came
upon the burglars who were found out. God would not bring them
blessings, but curses for their sins.
Job 24:19 "Drought and heat consume the snow waters: [so doth]
the grave [those which] have sinned."
This was speaking of the punishment on those who have sinned and
not repented being just as certain as the snow melting during a drouth
and heat. He was calling hell the grave, in this particular instance.
Job 24:20 "The 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."
This was speaking of someone so evil, that even his own mother
forgot him. The only thing that enjoyed him after death, was the worm
that ate his body. This wickedness would not be allowed to continue.
They would be broken off from life, like a dead limb was broken off a
tree.
Job 24:21 "He evil entreateth the barren [that] beareth not: and
doeth not good to the widow."
This was speaking of this evil man tormenting the poor woman who
could not have children. He took advantage of the widow who could not
protect herself.
Job 24:22 "He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth
up, and no [man] is sure of life."
This was just saying that the evil men gathered together, so
their combined threat would be greater. These evil men saw that no one
could be sure they would not kill them. They were not just robbers,
but murderers, as well.
Job 24:23 "[Though] it be given him [to be] in safety, whereon
he resteth; yet his eyes [are] upon their ways."
God's eyes were on these wicked men. It might appear for a time,
that they did not get caught, and they were safe, but God marked it
all down to deal with them later.
Job 24:24 "They 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."
These wicked men might appear to prosper for a while, but they
would die as all other men, and then would come the judgement of God
upon them for their evil deeds.
Job 24:25 "And if [it be] not [so] now, who will make me a liar,
and make my speech nothing worth?"
Job was expressing the desire for someone to come forward and
prove him wrong, if he was.
Job 24 Questions
1. What was Job saying in verse 1?
2. God may allow the evil one to continue for awhile, but there is a
day of ____________.
3. What were some of the sins that these evil people committed, that
Job listed in verses 2, 3, and 4?
4. These were not accusations against _______.
5. What were the evil men compared to in verse 5?
6. How were they alike?
7. What was one specific group this could be speaking of?
8. What did the robbers do, besides rob the strangers passing through
the land?
9. Who were the naked, in verse 7?
10. Where did these marauding tribes hide?
11. What had these wicked people taken for pledge, that was forbidden
by God?
12. The oppressors were making wine with what?
13. It appeared, that this type of sin was going unnoticed by ______.
14. What Light had these evil men rejected?
15. When did the murderer choose to kill?
16. Why did he choose that particular time?
17. When did the thief choose to steal?
18. What was one of the worst sins, besides murder, the evil
committed?
19. How did the robbers know which house to rob?
20. What would, probably, happen to a burglar, if he was caught?
21. What was verse 18 speaking of?
22. How certain was it that the murderer would be punished of God?
23. What was meant by the womb forgetting him, in verse 20?
24. Who did the evil man torment?
25. _____ _____ were on these wicked men.
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