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Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2016 December 5
Prophet Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta (1630s)
Bernardo Strozzi (c. 1581 - 1644)
Baroque Style
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In James 5, James tells the rich to weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon them. Their riches, their garments, their gold, and their silver are destroyed. They have heaped up treasure for the last days. They have withheld wages. Those treasures cry out against them. And the laborers who have been defrauded cry out. And the cries have entered into the ears of the Lord of Armies (sabaoth). They have lived in pleasure. They condemned and killed the just, and they do not resist (1-6).
Therefore, James tells those who have suffered, to be patient (longsuffering) until the Lord returns. As the farmer waits for the crop to come in, so they should be longsuffering until the Lord comes. Moreover they should not hold grudges against one another lest they be condemned. The Judge is at the door. They should follow the examples of the prophets in their afflictions and of Job in his suffering. Their examples, particularly the example of Job, show that the Lord is very compassionate and of tender mercy (7-11).
They must not take oaths. Their yes should be yes, and their no should be no. Otherwise they may fall into condemnation (12).
If they are afflicted, they should pray. If they are happy, they should sing psalms. If anyone is sick they should call the elders and have them pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will deliver the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up and will forgive him if he has committed sin. They should confess their faults one to another, and pray for one another, that they may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah, for example, was a man who had a weak nature like ours. But he prayed and the heavens were shut. Three years and six months later, he prayed again and the heaven gave rain (13-18).
They also have a duty to do spiritual service for one another. If someone wanders from the truth, and someone brings him back, he will save the soul of the wandered and will cover a multitude of sins (19-20).]
[Sermons: Sinclair B Ferguson 1. Sinclair B Ferguson 2. Sinclair B Ferguson 3. Sinclair B Ferguson 4. Various. ]
[Illustration: Today's painting depicts an incident which took place during the seven year drought mentioned in today's chapter. It shows one means by which Elijah was sustained during the drought. A miracle sustained Elijah and the widow. The drought started and ended with a miracle. Elijah suffered during the drought, because of his human weakness, but God sustained him from beginning to end. James makes the point that God sustains and delivers us also, whether by miracles or otherwise, so we should pray in confidence for his deliverance. ]
RESOURCES
[THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: James 5: Proverbs 16:27; Job 1:21-22; Job 42:1-17; 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:41. ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
[ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
[ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]
*** For Additional word studies use one of the Greek Interlinear Bibles below. ***
Book Outline:
JAMES (COVENANT LIVING: How to Properly Care for One Another)
1. Exhortations to all With Particular Application to the Poor & Rich (James 1:1 - James 1:27) - 40 A.D. Israel
2. Exhortations to the Church Leaders (James 2:1 - James 4:17) - 40 A.D. Israel
3. Exhortations to the Rich (James 5:1 - James 5: 6) - 40 A.D. Israel
4. Exhortations to the Poor (James 5:7 - James 5:12) - 40 A.D. Israel
5. Exhortations to all with Particular Application to the Leaders (James 5:13 - James 5:20) - 40 A.D. Israel
James 5
3. Exhortations to the Rich (James 5:1 - James 5:6) - 40 A.D. Israel
1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
4. Exhortations to the Poor (James 5:7 - James 5:12) - 40 A.D. Israel
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
5. Exhortations to all with Particular Application to the Leaders (James 5:13 - James 5:20) - 40 A.D. Israel
13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
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