Job 36: Kings in Fetters (Part 4)
We continue from Part 3 where we left off, and we came to the question: Does a born again believer struggle with sin?
Job 36:7-9 "He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. 8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction; 9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded."
Sin is the transgression of the law. According to this passage, even after a person is born again, he will continue to struggle with sin. “They” in the context of verse 8 was referring to the “kings” in verse 7. A born again believer is a king even as Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is also a son of God even as Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Angels are also sons of God (Genesis 6:2; Job 1:6, 2:1, 38:7; Psalms 82:6), but God made man a little lower than angels.
Hebrews 2:7 "Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:"
Notice that word “crownedst” in this verse, which implies kingship and dominion? This verse is a reference to:
Psalms 8:5-6 "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:"
So, while angels are made a little higher than man, the word “crowned” tells us that God has made every born again believer a king. In fact, Paul tells us in:
1 Corinthians 6:3 "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?"
Someday, God will even put angels under the dominion of born again believers, and we shall judge them. While God made angels a little higher than man, he does not treat angels and man alike.
Hebrews 2:2-3 "For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;"
This passages tells us that angels "received a just recompence of reward" for every transgression and disobedience. While angels are made a little higher than man, there is no pardon for them if they sin against God.
Hebrews 2:5 "For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak."
Also, God has not given angels the dominion that he has given unto man. Every born again believer is not only a son of God, but he is also a king. What is a "king"?
1 Peter 2:9-10 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."
First and foremost, born again believers are a chosen generation. God made man in his own image, and of all the men, he made kings out of those who are born again. Notice the term is “royal priesthood”. A born again believer is not only a king, but he is also a priest.
Genesis 14:18 "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God."
Every born again believer is of the order of Melchizedek, who is both a king and the priest of the most high God.
Hebrews 5:8-10 "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."
Jesus is the high priest after the order of Melchisedec, and he is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, so every born again believer is a king and a priest.
Revelation 1:5-6 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
Notice the phrase here is “hath made us kings and priest”? Born again believers did not become kings and priests because they work their way to the throne. God made whosoever believeth in the Son of God kings and priests.
Hebrews 2:16 "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham."
While angels are also sons of God, Jesus did not taste death for them. The Bible is clear in this aspect: God’s grace is only extended towards the sons of men, but angels which were made a little higher than man cannot be saved if they sin against God. God extends his mercy towards man, but even a born again believer will sin.
1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
When we read the Old Testament, we may sometimes come across accounts of Old Testament saints who sinned against God, and God chastised them for it. For example, in:
2 Samuel 12:13 "And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die."
In the context of this passage, David committed adultery with Bath-sheba, and got her husband Uriah the Hittite killed in order to cover up his sins. No doubt David was a born again believer, because we also read in the same verse which says “The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” God’s mercy towards a born again believer is everlasting, but that does not mean that he will not chastise him for his sins, as a father to a son. This goes along with:
Job 36:10-12 "He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. 11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge."
I’m getting ahead of myself, but this passage is the gist of it. God will show a born again believer from the 66 books of the Holy Bible, where they have sinned, and command that they repent from it. This was in the case of David, when God sent prophet Nathan to show him where he had sinned and commanded that he return from his iniquity.
To be continued in Part 5.