20141101 Saturday, November 1 2014
Job 22: Precept Upon Precept, Line Upon Line

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God"

The Holy Bible is the Sacred Word of God (see What Does Word of God Mean To You?) that has been translated into the many tongues (i.e. languages; see The Word Of God In The Tongues Of Man; see also Aramaic: The Syrian Tongue Of Jesus) of humanity. It is to be used for worthy teaching and understanding - the basis from which the righteous path may be found (see Strait Is The Gate And Narrow Is The Way and The Messiah's Teachings About Gates).

"3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV)

As stated above, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." The emphasis is on the word all which does not mean that every single verse alone can necessarily be taken out of context and used as whole Truth. The Bible is a whole book from which the whole Truth may be found.

The Holy Scriptures should always be quoted in full context i.e. read the entire Bible and quote any single verse with the depth and understanding provided by all Scripture.

"28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10 KJV)

A prime example of why "precept must be upon precept" was when the Messiah told Peter that He was going to be killed in Jerusalem. Peter, who was yet to fully understand what the Messiah was teaching them, responded with a vehement "this shall not be unto thee."

"16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:21-26 KJV)

Could the Bible be wrongfully quoted as saying that Peter opposed the Messiah being sacrificed? Yes, that's what he said, while he was still blinded by Satan ("But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me"), before he later understood fully. Peter himself would not have agreed with his earlier quotation because although his "heart" was right, his understanding was not yet fulfilled (see Their Eyes Opened After Christ's Tomb Did).

"2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." (Acts 2:22-24 KJV)

The Holy Scriptures are filled with verses that can be quoted out of context - with the result of making the Bible "plainly" seem to say what it really doesn't say - a situation that does not occur for those whose understanding is based upon all Scripture, "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." That includes many of the verses in the Book of Job whereby his friends wrongly accused Job of evil. They saw only the destruction - not who actually caused it and the reason why (see the Fact Finder question below).

"22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

22:2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 22:3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

22:4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment? 22:5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? 22:6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. 22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. 22:8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. 22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 22:10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; 22:11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 22:13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? 22:14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. 22:15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 22:16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 22:17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? 22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 22:20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. 22:22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 22:25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. 22:26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. 22:27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. 22:30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands." (Job 22:1-30 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why did Satan want to attack Job? What was Satan's goal?
See How Did The Devil Challenge Job To Commit A Satan?, What Was In The Heart Of Job's Tabernacle?, What Did Satan Do To Job's Soul? and Satan's Calling