"They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Therefore they say into God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?"
2006-07-13 09:29:45 · 13 answers · asked by Brigid O' Somebody 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
In Job 21, Job himself was speaking.
2006-07-13 09:39:18 · update #1
It is speaking of men(people) who have creature comforts and pleasure here on earth.
It goes on to tell of why they do not feel they need to serve a God, when all is well in their life according to them.
They want to know what they could get that was any better than what they have.
My answer to this, because it is as true today as it was then is this.
For you my friend this life is as good as it ever gets, for me and my fellow believers, this life is as bad as it ever gets.
I will pick eternity, for while for me things are not so bad here on earth, I certainly do not live with untold weath here, but will have everything there could be when time ceases to be for me.
2006-07-13 09:40:15 · answer #1 · answered by cindy 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
For some reason that sound like a quote from a different book, but I'll go with it for now....
Basically, people spend their lives seeking and gathering wealth, yet in the end...this life is as its described elsewhere, like a mist...were here for a moment and then were gone.
But over all its two different things being said, as part of a whole. On one hand the wealthy who spend their days going after money are being condemned, while following it, we are being given an account of the attitudes of those same people...and how they end up in the grave.
Sorry just read it....Job is lamenting about two things...first off that the things his friends have just said are worthless to him, and he is making a point of stating how other men, wicked men, prosper while he is suffering after having done nothing wrong. They treat God badly but suffer nothing like he has....
2006-07-13 09:40:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would interpret that to be talking about people that are more concerned with the material things of the world than with serving God. They want to know what's in it for them materialistically before they serve God. The first part makes the point that the days spent in wealth here on earth are short - "In a moment" they go down to the grave.
2006-07-13 09:34:50 · answer #3 · answered by Snark 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
JOB 1:1-5
1)But Job answered and said,
2) Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.
3) Suffer me that I may speak; and after that i have spoken, mock on.
4) As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
5) Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
Job's reply was to the self-starting prosperity teaching churches, and all of who which established themselves out of their own understanding. Only seeking part of truth and using it to gain wealth. so in
JOB 21:14
14) Therefore they say unto God, depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
Which is to say they desire not to be in total obedience and subjection.( Aw the bible don't say all that, Just keep sending your love gifts and we'll keep praying for you at a low cost of 20.00 dollars. Now if you do not give then God will not bless you. And you people fall into this, help me to understand) They lean into their own understanding and use scripture in the way they see fit for their own church. That's why people feel that their prayers are being unanswered and they continue to seek a church home. that's why Job said in
JOB 21:13
13) they spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Talking about your churches. Look at your big churches and how these pastors and preachers and doctors of doctrine are getting caught up in all the mess they were trying to hide from you church folk. Look at these church conventions where you pay to hear a preacher teach, then offer up all your money, because by the end of the convention the preacher has just made what, a cool million, then you go home broke and haven't learned a thing. So you start searching for God, and by the time you start searching, you have already given up and feel there is not profit in your praying.
So Give thanks to all those false teachers that you keep running to, instead of going to the real church which is the bible to seek true understanding. Pick up the original King James version and start reading and praying. I pray for you. Amen
P.S
All of these false, get rich scheming, blind leading, crept in unaware preachers, you can best believe ALL of these churches will fall. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
2006-07-13 10:48:46 · answer #4 · answered by Brother Marland H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think it meant this,
People walk around on the Earth, Eating, Drinking, Shopping, all of these great things we do and then just like that when its our time bam, We are dead and put in the grave.
Most people just ignore God or Don't believe in God and they don't want to Follow the Ten Commandments or is Value's and so they are telling God I am not listeing to you.
Who is God, Why should we do anything for him, and if we do what do we Get for it, How much do i get paid.
thats what i think anyways!
2006-07-13 09:43:00 · answer #5 · answered by Mydogsrcute 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are verses that when taken out of context loose their meaning to everyone except to someone who has studied the scripture. Most of these sayings can be atributed to the so called friends of Job who were trying to make light of his committment to God when God was testing him. If you will read the chapter that each of these verses were taken from then you will get their full meaning.
2006-07-13 09:36:12 · answer #6 · answered by racam_us 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the book of Job is a debate going back and forth between several people. Therefore, you'll have to read it in the full context for it to make a lot of sense and see how it resolves.
2006-07-13 09:38:49 · answer #7 · answered by pax_rock2004 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm an atheist but I still like that particular book...
I think these verses simply make the case that wealthy people - those not beset by adversity - tend not to see a purpose for a god in their life.
2006-07-13 10:03:08 · answer #8 · answered by Ethan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People put their trust into their material things, hoping that it will bring them happiness, satisfaction, and perhaps even life.
Because of this, they see no reason to serve God. In the end, they leave life with the same things that they brought into life- nothing.
2006-07-13 09:33:46 · answer #9 · answered by johnusmaximus1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you read them in context, Job is talking about the wicked, their ways, how they reject God and the results of their error.
2006-07-13 14:28:27 · answer #10 · answered by ManoGod 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋