No 13  Walking with Giants

We established in the previous post (July 25) that Job was a righteous man just as God had declared him to be. A man is either self-righteous or righteous―not both. One cancels the other. So when Job is introduced, he is described in this manner: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil (Job 1:3). Two verses later, he is described as the greatest of all the men of the east (Job 1:3). Does this mean Job was the most religious―the most spiritual―the most righteous person of all the east? Probably not. While Job may have been the wealthiest and richest, he would not have been recognized as the spiritual leader and voice of his times. Then, if not Job, who would THAT person or THOSE persons ever have been? Good question. Here’s the answer: Noah and Shem.

Start with Abraham 

The Bible record barely mentions Shem, but, in Abraham’s time, Shem was living somewhere on the earth. That means Abraham could have personally met Shem. Abraham may have invited Shem over for dinner one Sabbath after church. Think of the things they could have sat under the shade tree and talked about. Remember--Shem rode in the boat during the Great Flood. He, in fact, helped build it. Shem was now the one commissioned by God to guard the faith and pass it on. Shem was still handing down the record he had received from his father Noah.

Shem and His Line were commissioned―

―to keep faith alive in the earth

―to keep bound together the chosen people of God

―to teach the requirements of God

―to preserve the precious revelations of God’s will

―to record and keep the history of God’s dealings with His people

―to preserve a knowledge of God’s plan of salvation

―to keep before the people the meaning of the sacrificial ceremonies

―to keep alive the hope of the advent of the Son of God as Saviour and King

Shem and his line were, of course, the keepers of God’s Law of 10 Commandments. From Shem would descend Abraham, and the people of Israel, through whom Christ―the promised Redeemer―was to come.

How long did Shem live after the Flood? 502 years (Gen 11:10,11)

How long after the Flood was Abraham born? 352 years 

What opportunity would Abraham have had to learn all about the antediluvian world? Abraham lived for 150 years contemporary with Shem, who had lived 98 years contemporary with someone who had lived 233 years with Adam. This is how the stories of God’s people were so well known by all. The very people themselves--oftentimes the actors in the stories―were passing them on to the younger generations.

Add Noah 

Let’s go further, Noah lived for 60 years after Abraham was born. So that means, Abraham could have personally met Noah himself. Picture Terah and his young Abraham sitting under that same shade tree talking with Noah and his young son Shem (young being relative, of course).

Think of it. Abraham could have learned firsthand all that these men could tell him

            about the Flood

            about the Creation

            about the Garden of Eden

            about the Fall of Adam and Eve

            about the Law of God

            about the Sabbath

            about the Promised Messiah

            and about the Plan of Salvation.

Then There’s Job

Now you can see where I’m going with this. Job, whom many Bible students believe was contemporary with Terah and Abraham, may have also sat under that same shade tree (so to speak) talking with Noah and Shem. They may have attended Camp Meeting together. They may have attended the General Conference Sessions (or its equivalent) together. Their kids may have gone to summer camp together. The written word would have been superfluous when you had the very actors of many of the great scenes and stories of the early Bible recounting them firsthand themselves. Conceivably (and not outside the realm of possibility) Noah, Shem, Terah, Abraham and Job―the five of them―may have sat together under that shade tree I proposed earlier. What a convocation!

God was Active 

God was very active in the world in these times (as He is always active in the world at all times).

❶ God is leading Terah and Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to become His separate and chosen people of faith.

❷ Abraham will go through one of the most dramatic experiences God ever asked one of His people to go through―that of sacrificing his son Isaac. My calculation of the times indicate that Shem may have lived very close to the time when Abraham was called to offer his son Isaac.

❸ God is leading Job down in Uz who will go through going one of the most dramatic experiences God ever asked one of His people to ever go through.

         Sacred History of the World 

                101 

                Instructor: Jesus Christ              

❹ We will not know until World History Class 101 in Heaven all the things going on in these very times. What a wonderful experience it will be to have our Saviour Jesus Christ Himself teach that class! Jesus has been superintending all the affairs of earth and working in the lives of these great men and woman of faith. All these people will act out―and live out―in heartbreaking form the great steps of His own sacrifice to come (as He will one day be a descendant of these very people). God is active in all the world. God is in control.

❺ But until then . . . we have Will Hardin, and each of you dear readers, who will read these great Bible stories and relive them in their hearts as we ourselves prepare to soon meet Jesus Christ in person at His Second Coming.

❻ I want to be ready. Don’t you?

Please send questions or comments to Will Hardin at P O Box 24 Owenton KY 40359.