Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today, we'll begin the book of Job,
and today's reading will be chapters 1 through
4. Chapter 1. There was a man in the land of
Uz, whose name was Job. And that man was blameless
and upright, and one who feared God and shunned
evil. And seven sons and three daughters were
born to him. Also his possessions were seven
thousand sheep. three thousand camels, five hundred
yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and
a very large household, so that this man was
the greatest of all the people of the east. And
his sons would go and feast in their houses,
each one on his appointed day, and would send
and invite their three sisters to eat and drink
with them. So it was, when the days of feasting
had run their course, that Job would send and
sanctify them, and he would rise early in the
morning and offer burnt offerings according to
the number of them all. For Job said, It may
be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in
their hearts. Thus Job did regularly. Now there
was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before God, and Satan also came among
them. And the Lord said to Satan, From where
do you come? So Satan answered the Lord and said,
From going to and fro on the earth, and from
walking back and forth on it. Then the Lord said
to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job,
that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless
and upright man, one who fears God and shuns
evil? So Satan answered the Lord and said, Does
Job fear God for nothing? Have you not made a
hedge around him, around his household, and around
all that he has on every side? You have blessed
the work of his hands, and his possessions have
increased in the land. But now stretch out your
hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely
curse you to your face. And the Lord said to
Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power.
Only do not lay a hand on his person. So Satan
went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there
was a day when his sons and daughters were eating
and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
And a messenger came to Job and said, The oxen
were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
when the Sabians raided them and took them away.
Indeed, they have killed the servants with the
edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to
tell you. While he was still speaking, another
also came and said, The fire of God fell from
heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants,
and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to
tell you. While he was still speaking, another
also came and said, The Chaldeans formed three
bands. raided the camels and took them away,
yes, and killed the servants with the edge of
the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.
While he was still speaking, another also came
and said, Your sons and daughters were eating
and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house,
and suddenly a great wind came from across the
wilderness and struck the four corners of the
house, and it fell on the young people, and they
are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.
Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his
head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped.
And he said, Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave,
and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name
of the Lord. In all this Job did not sin nor
charge God with wrong. Again there was a day
when the sons of God came to present themselves
before the Lord, and Satan came also among them
to present them before the Lord. And the Lord
said to Satan, From where do you come? Satan
answered the Lord and said, From going to and
fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth
on it. Then the Lord said to Satan, Have you
considered my servant Job, that there is none
like him on the earth, a blameless and upright
man, one who fears God and shuns evil? And still
he holds fast to his integrity, although you
incited me against him to destroy him without
cause. So Satan answered the Lord and said, Skin
for skin, yes, all that a man has he will give
for his life. But stretch out your hand now and
touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely
curse you to your face. And the Lord said to
Satan, Behold, he is in your hand, but spare
his life. So Satan went out from the presence
of the Lord and struck Job. with painful boils
from the sole of his foot to the crown of his
head. And he took for himself a potsherd with
which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst
of the ashes. Then his wife said to him, Do you
still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and
die. But he said to her, You speak as one of
the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept
good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?
In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Now
when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity
that had come upon him, each one came from his
own place, Eliphaz the Temnite, Bildad the Shuhite,
and Zophar the Nematite. For they had made an
appointment together to come and mourn with him
and to comfort him. And when they raised their
eyes from afar and did not recognize him, they
lifted their voices and wept, and each one tore
his robe. and sprinkled dust on his head toward
heaven so they sat down with him on the ground
seven days and seven nights and no one spoke
a word to him for they saw that his grief was
very great chapter three after this job opened
his mouth and cursed the day of his birth and
job spoke and said may the day perish on which
i was born and the night in which it was said
a male child is conceived. May that day be darkness.
May God above not seek it, nor the light shine
upon it. May darkness and the shadow of death
claim it. May a cloud settle on it. May the blackness
of the day terrify it. As for that night, may
darkness seize it. May it not rejoice among the
days of the year. May it not come into the number
of the month. O may that night be barren. May
no joyful shout come into it. May those curse
it who curse the day, those who are ready to
arouse Leviathan. May the stars of its morning
be dark. May it look for light but have none,
and not see the dawning of the day, because it
did not shut up the doors of my mother's womb,
nor hide sorrow from my eyes. Why did I not die
at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from
the womb? Why did the knees receive me? Or why
the breasts that I should nurse? For now I would
have lain still and been quiet. I would have
been asleep. Then I would have been at rest,
with kings and counselors of the earth, who built
ruins for themselves, or with princes who had
gold, who filled their houses with silver. Or
why was I not hidden like a stillborn child,
like infants who never saw light? There the wicked
cease from troubling, and there the weary are
at rest. There the prisoners rest together, they
do not hear the voice of the oppressor. The small
and great are there, and the servant is free
from his master. Why is light given to him who
is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul?
Who long for death, but it does not come, and
search for it more than hidden treasures, who
rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can
find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose
way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in? For
my sighing comes before I eat, and my groanings
pour out like water. For the thing I greatly
feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has
happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet.
I have no rest, for trouble comes. Chapter 4
Then Eliphaz the Temnite answered and said, If
one attempts a word with you, will you become
weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Surely you have instructed many, and you have
strengthened weak hands. Your words have upheld
him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened
the feeble knees. But now it comes upon you,
and you are weary. It touches you, and you are
troubled. Is not your reverence your confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope? Remember
now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where
were the upright ever cut off? Even as I have
seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble
reap the same. By the blast of God they perish,
and by the breath of his anger they are consumed.
The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce
lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the
cubs of the lioness are scattered. Now a word
was secretly brought to me, and my ear received
a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from
the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls
on men, fear came upon me and trembling, which
made all my bones shake. Then a spirit passed
before my face. The hair on my body stood up.
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes. There was silence.
Then I heard a voice saying, Can a mortal be
more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure
than his maker? If he puts no trust in his servants,
if he charges his angels with error, how much
more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose
foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before
a moth? They are broken in pieces from morning
till evening. They perish forever with no one
regarding. Does not their own excellence go away?
They die even without wisdom. I hope you enjoyed
today's reading as much as I did and I look forward
to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.