the Great Depression

Will we ever learn?

 

Dear Gentle reader,

When I started this study it was because of the plight of the people in America who most have never had to suffer deprivation of a lifestyle that many have never experienced before. My parents and perhaps yours have seen the "Great Depression" of the 1920-30 where men, women and Children went to bed hungry and lived under bridges and would work for food.

The Great Depression of 1929-33 was the most severe economic crisis of modern times. Millions of people lost their jobs, and many farmers and businesses were bankrupted. Industrialized nations and those supplying primary products (food and raw materials) were all affected in one way or another. In Germany the United States industrial output fell by about 50 per cent, and between 25 and 33 per cent of the industrial labour force was unemployed.

The Depression was eventually to cause a complete turn-around in economic theory and government policy. In the 1920s governments and business people largely believed, as they had since the 19th century, that prosperity resulted from the least possible government intervention in the domestic economy, from open international relations with little trade discrimination, and from currencies that were fixed in value and readily convertible. Few people would continue to believe this in the 1930s.

THE MAIN AREAS OF DEPRESSION

The US economy had experienced rapid economic growth and financial excess in the late 1920s, and initially the economic downturn was seen as simply part of the boom-bust-boom cycle. Unexpectedly, however, output continued to fall for three and a half years, by which time half of the population was in desperate circumstances (map1). It also became clear that there had been serious over-production in agriculture, leading to falling prices and a rising debt among farmers. At the same time there was a major banking crisis, including the "Wall Street Crash" in October 1929. The situation was aggravated by serious policy mistakes of the Federal Reserve Board, which led to a fall in money supply and further contraction of the economy.

So Gentle reader, we find ourselves in somewhat in the same position (although not as bad as Job found Himself Suffering And yet some years before 1726-1516 B. C. We were provided information that today we can use if we’re able in the midst of our discomfort we are able to learn ‘life’s lessons’.

Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? Job Chapter 38:19-21

Suddenly the profound but pathetic dialogue is brought to a climax by the interposition of God speaking out of a whirlwind. Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Verses 1-4. The storm had spread itself across the sky even as Elihu had been speaking and eventually had silenced him. The 5 men are now struck dumb with awe as that voice "like the sound many waters" breaks upon them from the whirling air.

Now think for a moment Gentle reader, if this poem-drama was genuinely historical or only fictional it is at this point it becomes critical. Either it is really God Himself speaking or it is only God impersonatedly and prentendly. If the former, then it is alive with vital significance. If merely the latter, then all we have to do is to admire the imaginative genius of the human composer or else feel anger at his irreverence in thus "pretending to be God!"

This is why I want you to think deeply about the first study about the Book of Job to settle in your mind whether it is really and fully true or a fictional elaboration around some mere nucleus of Fact. For if (the Greek preposition if [and it is true] it is true. Then there is a lesson for not only Job but us all to learn. And what does the voice say to you and me as well as our old friend Job? To be continued....

 Denis

 

 

nothing can hurt...

No weapon that is formed against thee shall PROSPER; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17)

Gentle Reader,

The 4^th thing we should  know about our enemy is most important. That is from Satan’s own words in the prologue is that this evil one is neither omnipresent nor omniscient. Many like to think that like flip Wilson "the Devil made me do it." That Satan is everywhere but read again those first verses in Chapter One Satan is limited by time and space. [see my entry on time and the theory of everything]. He may move with lightening like speed. But none the less he is a created being and therefore a local being. He can only be at one place at a time. Many Christians have a mistaken belief that Satan is hovering about them in a shadowy sort of way, but they are wrong.

Nor must we think that Satan is omniscient - as many seem to think. While God can see into our minds Satan cannot! Here is comfort for the saints. Our thought can be private between us and God. Satan can only influence but never force. He can however take over a human mind IF we would allow his access. But he cannot control especially a child of the most High God. As God has put a seal on those who are his.

5th We note that Satan can do nothing without Divine permission ! His machinations are under the perpetual surveillance of the Almighty. He is free to rage and be as restless as one can be tied to a long cord free but bound! (Job 38:11) "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further:" It is because Satan can do nothing without permission that God is able again and again to rule and overrule Satan’s doings to the ultimate good of those he would ruin. As Paul says in the Book of Romans, " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 )

6th And let us be to learn this Gentle Reader, in every such permission thee is a definite limitation. The first in Job is in Chapter 1 verse 12 "And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand".... Then when Job sublimely survived the test, there is a further permission, but also a further limitation, " But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And the LORD said unto Satan, "Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life." (Job 2:5-6). Here is again comfort for the saint. Satan has absolutely no power against the Saint beyond what God allows. Remember Dear child of God. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12). Nothing can touch you except what God in His infinite knowledge wills. But why? You may ask would God allow something tragic to happen? See 1 Corinthians 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. The concept of temptation is the same as one would stretch a rubber band to the breaking point. Not for God pleasure but that you may learn what sort sterner stuff you are made of. For unless you are spiritually stretched you will never grow into the perfection that god sees when He made you.

Finally let us learn afresh that from this prologue that God’s eyes are ever on his own people and especially so in times of trial such as what you are going through right Gentle Reader! God’s question to Satan was "hast thou set thine heart against my servant Job...?" The very question indicates that God also had Job in His thoughts. Note: How God calls Job by name as He knows Job He knows all of His Children. So it is will all God’s Jobs.

Never fear Gentle Reader, God is just a whisper away.

Love, Denis

Looking to the Past

Satellite picture of the crossing of the Red Sea

Why oh, Why? Should I believe a book over 3000 years old Dr. Denis?

Gentle reader,

If it were merely a fiction novel then I would say your better off reading something else but what if... (that is where I always start what if this were true then what if something else were true maybe not all that we believe is mythical for example:

A little boy once returned home from Hebrew school and his father asked, "what did you learn today?"

He answered, "The Rabbi told us how Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt."

"How?"

The boy said "Moses was a big strong man and he beat Pharaoh up. Then while he was down, he got all the people together and ran towards the sea. When he got there, he has the Corps of Engineers build a huge pontoon bridge. Once they got on the other side, they blew up the bridge while the Egyptians were trying to cross."

The father was shocked. "Is that what the Rabbi taught you?"

The boy replied, "No. But you'd never believe the story he DID tell us!"

You see gentle reader, many want to believe something is true (even when their senses tell them that the thing heard was true) But then common sense steps up and says "That can’t be true" and So a person goes away and doubts simply because they were too lazy (or worse not interested enough to investigate for themselves).

So with that in mind let’s take a step back and consider some possibilities as to the "FACTS" about the book of Job!

If Job was the son of Issachar (Gen 46:13) "And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.", then we have a clue that may help us to a decision of both the authorship of the Book of Job and the date of its writing. There is no reason at this point to doubt that JOB should not be the son of Issachar, and we have no better evidence is forthcoming for a different view.

The 3 friends of Job were descendants of ESAU; they would therefore be contemporaries.

ELIPHAZ of Teman in Idumea was the son of ESAU, and had a son called TEMAN, from whom his country took its name (Gen. 36:10,11) These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. It was noted for its "wise men" (Jer. 49:7) "Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished? And is mentioned with EDOM (Amos 1:11,12) . Note and compare Jer 25:23 where both are connected with BUZ the brother of UZ (Gen. 22:21)

Note: UZ was where Job was "in the land"

BILDAD the Shuhite. Shuah was the 6^th son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen. 25:2) and is mentioned in connection with Esau, Edom, and Teman (Jer. 49: .

Zophar the Naamathite Naamah (now Na aneh , six miles south of Lod, in the lowlands of Judah).

Now then you see Gentle Reader, why Genealogy is important like going to a baseball game and not knowing the lineup!

If Job was the son of Issaachar (Ge. 46:13), he would have gone done to Egypt with his father.

And Issachar was forty at "the going down to Egypt". Job being the 3^rd son (Gen. 46:13), he would have been about 20 at the time [1706 B.C.]

We are told that Job lived 140 years after his " double blessing" (42:10) "And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." And if (the Greek prepositional if If and it could be true) If his "double blessing’ included length of years, then his age would have been 70+140=210 (i.e. three 70's of years) Jobs lifetime would have been from 1726-1516 B.C.

According to this, he was born the year after Joseph was sold and died 119 years after the death of Joseph in (1635 B.C.) Where Joseph died Job was 91.

If Jobs "double blessing" did include length of years, then his affliction took place 21 years previously , when he was 70. His removal from Egypt to UZ would therefore have taken place earlier. Still.

When job died (1516 B.C.) Moses would have been 55, and had been in Midan 15 years (25 years) before the Exodus).

This would account for Job being a worshiper of the God of Abraham and explains how Moses could have been the author of the book and even perhaps an eye-and ear witness to the events it recorded in Midian. If so that these hypotheses are true (which I have very little doubt) then we believe the time has come that this book should be considered as "the Porch of the sanctuary" and when this "fundamental wisdom of original revelation will cease to be asscribed, as it now is by some of the best, to a latter poet of Israel.

Rest your wee heads Gentle Readers, with another joke:

As Moses and the children of Israel were crossing the Red Sea, the children of Israel began to complain to Moses of how thirsty they were after walking so far. Unfortunately, they were not able to drink from the walls of water on either side of them, as they were made up of salt-water.

Then, a fish from that wall of water told Moses that he and his family heard the complaints of the people, but that they through their own gills could remove the salt from the water and force it out of their mouths like a fresh water fountain for the Israelites to drink from as they walked by.

Moses accepted this kindly fish's offer. But before the fish and his family began to help, they told Moses they had a demand. They and their descendants had to be always present at the seder meal that would be established to commemorate the Exodus, since they had a part in the story. When Moses agreed to this, he gave them their name which remains how they are known to this very day, for he said to them, "Go Filter Fish!"

 Till next time Gentle Reader, dust off your History book and read for your life!

 love, Denis

What we know

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

 

"How to become good without really trying"

 Dear Gentle reader,

The purpose of the Book of Job is not to answer your question "Why do bad things happen to good people" although I dare say in the reading you may find a solution, but at best it is a interim solution, not by any means the final solution. Suffering is so common that many never give it a thought of how those who suffer feel!

The purpose of the book is to give those who are capable of learning a chance to see beyond the mist and behind the suffering what lies for all. That is the is a divine purpose and what suffering and pain exercise is a gracious ministry for the godly (those who can see beyond the material into what we call the spiritual. Did you know Gentle Reader, that science has now evidence that our brain is "hardwired" to have an understanding of the existence of God. Don’t faint just because there are those who claim that since God can not be found by "scientific evidence" He can not exist! Sorry boys but if you could prove by "scientific evidence God exist then He would be much of a God, now would He?

Behind all the suffering of the godly is a high purpose of God, and beyond it all is an "afterwards" of glorious enrichment. Such suffering as we learn from This Book of Job, is not judicial, but remedial; not punitive, but corrective; not retributive, but disciplinary; not a penalty, but a ministry.

This Book and the central message of Job then may be expressed as: "BLESSING THROUGH SUFFERING" Through bitter calamity comes blessed discovery . The Book is a grand illustration of the Apostle Paul’s words. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 )

Get your head around this Gentle Reader, and get a hold of the concept that you are being transformed into very image of Christ who is the fullness of the invisible God.

Till next time,

Love,

Denis