Job 30:1  But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.
2  Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished?
3  For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.
4  Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.
5  They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)
6  To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.
7  Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

This week it was reported that a Catholic church is studying a supposed miracle that happened. They claim that the wafers they use for their “eucharist” double in quantity after the priest blessed them. They will take two weeks to examine this matter and see if it was real. An important reality that needs to be considered by those who want to believe these hoaxes is: you are being groomed for the coming of the antichrist.

II Thessalonians 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

These types of hoaxes have been taking place for a long time. It is not just the Catholics that are good at them. The Charismatics are also very good at perpetrating them. If a person does not want to build their life on the truth, they will fall for any one of the many lies the devil is concocting.
As we continue our study of the book of Job, we know that he had three friends that claimed to be religious scholars who took time out of their “busy” lives to give counsel to him. Job rejected their counsel. He knew better than what they were trying to pass off as truth. In chapter 30 he continued to lay out his case. His hope was to gain the attention of God. Job was lacking some necessary facts about God. He would be given them soon. In the opening verses of this chapter he described the attitude of those who had known him in the past.
In verse 1 Job contrasted the difference between how younger people were looking at him now as to when he was doing well materially. Job noted that these young people were raised by fathers who lacked respect themselves. Their fathers were not even good enough to be trusted to look after his sheep. To be likened to a dog was not an honour. Today, many people treat their dogs better than they treat people. Things are very twisted in our world.
God created the dogs, but they are not people and they are not equal to people. They can be useful as watch dogs and on the farm in looking after livestock, etc. We need to understand God’s creation and not mix things up and get out of balance.
In verses 2-4 Job further described these scoffers. Job was an observant man. He was not a self-righteous man. He had been in a place of great respect not long before this. He had been able to observe many different people who would either come to him for counsel or for help of some type. He looked honestly at what he saw and he made right assessments of things and people.
He noted that these younger people were raised by fathers who could barely make ends meet. They were not industrious in a proper way and they lived like vagabonds who scrounged in the bush just to find something to eat. They were a little more industrious than those we see now-a-days walking along boulevards with their signs, begging for money. They are healthy enough to go and work, but they do not want to work. They would rather deceive people with their signs and sadly, there are many enablers in our society who cannot see that they are not helping these people.
Job knew that these people he is describing could have done better for themselves if they would have known the fear of God. When a person rejects the true God, they have completely wrong priorities.
Job continued to describe the background of these younger people who lack respect and do not know the fear of God. They grew up in poverty but they demonstrate the evil nature of pride. A person does not have to “be somebody” in order to be proud. A person just needs to assume they are somebody. That is the essence of pride. Every person needs to deal with pride. The fact that every person rejects the true God for a time is evidence of pride. The fact that so many develop a false religion as we noted in the beginning of this devotional is an evidence of pride. Any time a person chooses to believe a lie over the truth is evidence of pride. Pride expresses itself by suggesting that: ‘I know better than God does’. It is an evil that has been around since the fall of man. The only hope for man is to be humbled before God and understand that He is much wiser than man will ever be.
Job was struggling in his relationship with God. However, he was not pushing God away. He thought that God was not paying attention to what he was facing. He assumed that God had some reason for inflicting pain and trouble upon Job, but he did not know why.
Job expressed thoughts that we could easily have as well. Even those who know the fear of God in their hearts can lack wisdom. Those who are saved need to be ready and willing to learn from the Lord at all times. Job was such a man. When God began to address him, he did not argue with Him. He humbled himself and he repented of his folly. Job’s three friends were not like that. These people he is describing in this text were not like that either.
We are constantly choosing what we will believe. The question is: upon what basis are we making our choices. Are we choosing wisely, based on the Word of God, or are we choosing foolishly based on the words and experiences of man? God alone is true.

II Corinthians 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

The priority is to know the Lord first of all. We cannot even identify imaginations until and unless we are saved. Then we will not be guilty of looking at others through a humanistic lens that is always distorted. We will actually be able to help others as we see and address their needs in the light of God’s Word. We will be able to do this when we, first of all are obedient to God’s Word in our own lives.
Pastor Bartel