"My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin." – Job 14:17
When i read Job 14 yesterday that one verse reminded me of Wilderness– a week-long backpacking trip, put on by Young Life, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. This is kind of gross, but i'll share anyway. During this wonderfully exhausting week, me and eleven other city girls had to humble ourselves to conditions we weren't exactly used to, including no showers or deodorant, one change of clothes, sleeping on a mat under a tarp, and carrying our meals on our backs. Along with meals, we carried a gallon-sized ziplock bag that was completely covered in duct tape. This was used to hold toilet paper, since we were out in the mountains and couldn't leave anything behind. The duct tape made sure the bag didn't tear and made it not transparent. Maybe i just figured that duct tape bag was what it looked like
for God to seal up my offenses.
Job wasn't talking about a bag of toilet paper when he speaks to God in this chapter. Job was a honest, righteous man who loved the Lord and was very prosperous until, "unknown to him, Job was involved in a cosmic test" (NIV Student Bible, Job intro). Satan believed Job only loved God because of the gifts He had given him, so God allowed Satan to take everything away, knowing Job would remain faithful. After raiders took his belongings and slaughtered his servants, fire from the sky burned his sheep; then winds destroyed his house and killed his family. Lastly Job got a painful disease as he sat in the ashes of his life. His friends came but provided no comfort, so he listened to their lies and replied to them and to God with questioning and hurt, but never betrayal of trust in his Lord's plans.
One thing Job's friends didn't hold back was their belief that God was punishing Job for some hidden sin in his life. They doubted his story although Job knew he was innocent.
"All the days of my hard service i will wait for my release to come.
You will call and i will answer you;
you will long for the creature your hands have made.
Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sins."
– Job 14:14-16
This is right before he says his offenses will be sealed in a bag. Job trusts that God is not done with him yet. That God will call on his precious handmade creature and guide him to safety. Multiple times Job refers to this rescue mission without knowing that Jesus is coming. He knew that his God was big enough to make a bag where no one could see the contents and that wouldn't break or be too small.
i can't believe i complained about carrying that gallon bag for a few days after comparing it to the burden Christ carried for us. We're broken and dirty and God sacrificed His Son in order to wash us clean.
"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved
and those who are perishing."
– 2 Corinthians 2:15
God sees us as the subtle quality of Jesus: the fragrance or atmosphere of His workmanship on Earth.
for God to seal up my offenses.
Job wasn't talking about a bag of toilet paper when he speaks to God in this chapter. Job was a honest, righteous man who loved the Lord and was very prosperous until, "unknown to him, Job was involved in a cosmic test" (NIV Student Bible, Job intro). Satan believed Job only loved God because of the gifts He had given him, so God allowed Satan to take everything away, knowing Job would remain faithful. After raiders took his belongings and slaughtered his servants, fire from the sky burned his sheep; then winds destroyed his house and killed his family. Lastly Job got a painful disease as he sat in the ashes of his life. His friends came but provided no comfort, so he listened to their lies and replied to them and to God with questioning and hurt, but never betrayal of trust in his Lord's plans.
One thing Job's friends didn't hold back was their belief that God was punishing Job for some hidden sin in his life. They doubted his story although Job knew he was innocent.
"All the days of my hard service i will wait for my release to come.
You will call and i will answer you;
you will long for the creature your hands have made.
Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sins."
– Job 14:14-16
This is right before he says his offenses will be sealed in a bag. Job trusts that God is not done with him yet. That God will call on his precious handmade creature and guide him to safety. Multiple times Job refers to this rescue mission without knowing that Jesus is coming. He knew that his God was big enough to make a bag where no one could see the contents and that wouldn't break or be too small.
i can't believe i complained about carrying that gallon bag for a few days after comparing it to the burden Christ carried for us. We're broken and dirty and God sacrificed His Son in order to wash us clean.
"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved
and those who are perishing."
– 2 Corinthians 2:15
God sees us as the subtle quality of Jesus: the fragrance or atmosphere of His workmanship on Earth.
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