Well I confess despite Sheltering in Place, it is all too easy to neglect and even more difficult to keep up with my Ten List’s Bible Reading. Just finishing 630 chapter today the half way point of the year. And since there are just under 1,200 chapters in the Bible, I am barely keeping up a chapter a day let alone ten.
I was struck by these two readings… you can listen to Max McLain read here and here.
Particularly note how Satan was given power to use: People (Sabeans v15 and Chaldeans v17) to bring havoc and destruction. Natural forces, the wind v19. And even, Fire from Heaven v16.
Even unto Jesus day we see Satan has power and authority in this world..
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Luke 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
As Job 1 ends we see Job remaining faithful to God.
Job 1:20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Psalm 63 continues that level of praise with these words of David.
Psa 63:1 A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
Psa 63:2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psa 63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
Psa 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Psa 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Psa 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
Psa 63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.
Psa 63:9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Psa 63:10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.
Psa 63:11 But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
Great praise of God. But the Psalm ends with a word of warning about lying.
Old John Gill writes: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped; such as Saul’s courtiers, who invented and spread lies of David; but now upon the death of Saul, and David’s advancement to the throne, would be silent; their mouths being stopped either by death, or through fear: and so all the followers of antichrist, that make and believe a lie, will have their mouths stopped, when cast into the lake of fire, Rev 21:8.
Interestingly the Bible speaks directly about lying:
Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
And also names Satan as the father of lies..
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
And of course the first instance was right from the beginning. Satan challenged our understanding of God’s word.
Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
The reference from Gill above, points to the ultimate conclusion of lying…and it’s not pretty.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rainbow Trout 