Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Job, chapters 18 through 21. Chapter 18 Then
Bildad the Shuhite answered and said, How long
till you put an end to words? Gain understanding,
and afterward we will speak. Why are we counted
as beasts and regarded as stupid in your sight?
You who tear yourself in anger. Shall the earth
be forsaken for you, or shall the rock be removed
from its place? The light of the wicked indeed
goes out, and the flame of his fire does not
shine. The light is dark in his tent, and his
lamp beside him is put out. The steps of his
strength are shortened, and his own counsel casts
him down. For he is cast into a net by his own
feet, and he walks into a snare. The net takes
him by the heel, and a snare lays hold of him.
A noose is hidden for him on the ground, and
a trap for him in the road. Terrors frighten
him on every side, and drive him to his feet.
His strength is starved, and destruction is ready
at his side. It devours patches of his skin.
The firstborn of death devours his limbs. He
is uprooted from the shelter of his tent, and
they parade him before the king of terrors. They
dwell in his tent, who are none of his. Brimstone
is scattered on his dwelling, his roots are dried
out below, and his branch withers above. The
memory of him perishes from the earth, and he
has no name among the renowned. He is driven
from light into darkness, and chased out of the
world. He has neither sun nor posterity among
his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings.
Those in the west are astonished at his day,
as those in the east are frightened. Surely such
are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is
the place of him who does not know God. Chapter
19 Then Job answered and said, How long will
you torment my soul and break me in pieces with
words? These ten times you have reproached me.
You are not ashamed that you have wronged me.
And if indeed I have erred, my error remains
with me. If indeed you exalt yourselves against
me and plead my disgrace against me, know then
that God has wronged me and has surrounded me
with his net. If I cry out concerning wrong,
I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice.
He has fenced up my way so that I cannot pass,
and he has set darkness in my path. He has stripped
me of my glory and taken the crown from my head.
He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone.
My hope he has uprooted like a tree. He has also
kindled his wrath against me, and he counts me
as one of his enemies. His troops come together
and build up their road against me. They encamp
all around my tent. He has removed my brothers
far from me, and my acquaintances are completely
estranged from me. My relatives have failed,
and my close friends have forgotten me. Those
who dwell in my house and my maidservants count
me as a stranger. I am an alien in their sight.
I call my servant, but he gives no answer. I
beg him with my mouth. My breath is offensive
to my wife, and I am repulsive to the children
of my own body. Even young children despise me.
I arise and they speak against me. All my close
friends abhor me, and those whom I love have
turned against me. My bone clings to my skin
and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin
of my teeth. Have pity on me, have pity on me,
O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck
me. Why do you persecute me as God does, and
are not satisfied with my flesh? O that my words
were written, O that they were inscribed in a
book, that they were engraved on a rock with
an iron pen and lead forever. for i know that
my redeemer lives and he shall stand at last
on the earth and after my skin is destroyed this
i know that in my flesh i shall see god whom
i shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold
and not another how my heart yearns within me
if you should say how shall we persecute him
since the root of the matter is found in me Be
afraid of the sword for yourselves, for wrath
brings the punishment of the sword, that you
may know there is a judgment. Chapter 20 that
the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the
joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment? Though
his haughtiness mounts up to the heavens, and
his head reaches to the clouds, yet he will perish
forever, like his own refuse. Those who have
seen him will say, Where is he? He will fly away
like a dream, and not be found. Yes, he will
be chased away like a vision of the night. The
eye that saw him will see him no more, nor will
his place behold him any more. His children will
seek the favor of the poor, and his hands will
restore his wealth. His bones are full of his
youthful vigor, but it will lie down with him
in the dust. Though evil is sweet in his mouth,
and he hides it under his tongue, though he spares
it and does not forsake it, but still keeps it
in his mouth. Yet his food in his stomach turns
sour. It becomes cobra venom within him. He swallows
down riches and vomits them up again. god casts
them out of his belly he will suck the poison
of cobras the viper's tongue will slay him he
will not see the streams the rivers flowing with
honey and cream he will restore that for which
he labored and will not swallow it down from
the proceeds of business he will get no enjoyment
for he has oppressed and forsaken the poor he
has violently seized the house which he did not
build Because he knows no quietness in his heart,
he will not save anything he desires. Nothing
is left for him to eat. Therefore his well -being
will not last. In his self -sufficiency he will
be in distress. Every hand of misery will come
against him. When he is about to fill his stomach,
God will cast on him the fury of his wrath and
will rain it on him while he is eating. He will
flee from the iron weapon. A bronze bow will
pierce him through. It is drawn and comes out
of the body. Yes, the glittering point comes
out of his gall. Terrors come upon him. Total
darkness is reserved for his treasures. An unfanned
fire will consume him. It shall go ill with him
who is left in his tent. The heavens will reveal
his iniquity and the earth will rise up against
him. The increase of his house will depart and
his goods will flow away in the day of his wrath.
This is the portion from God for a wicked man.
the heritage appointed to him by God. Then Job
answered and said, Listen carefully to my speech,
and let this be your consolation. Bear with me
that I may speak, and after I have spoken, keep
mocking. As for me, is my complaint against man?
And if it were, why should I not be impatient?
Look at me and be astonished. Put your hand over
your mouth. Even when I remember, I am terrified,
and trembling takes hold of my flesh. Why do
the wicked live and become old, yes, become mighty
in power? Their descendants are established with
them in their sight, and their offspring before
their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear,
neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull
breathes without failure, their cow calves without
miscarriage. They send forth their little ones
like a flock, and their children dance. They
sing to the tambourine and harp, and rejoice
to the sound of the flute. They spend their days
in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.
Yet they say to God, Depart from us, for we do
not desire the knowledge of your ways. Who is
the Almighty that we should serve him? And what
profit do we have if we pray to him? Indeed,
their prosperity is not in their hand. The counsel
of the wicked is far from me. How often is the
lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their
destruction come upon them, the sorrows God distributes
in his anger? They are like straw before the
wind, and like chaff that a storm carries away.
They say, God lays up one's iniquity for his
children. Let him recompense him, that he may
know it. Let his eyes see his destruction, and
let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty. For
what does he care about his household after him,
when the number of his month is cut in half?
Can anyone teach God knowledge, since he judges
those on high? One dies in his full strength,
being wholly at ease and secure. His pails are
full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is
moist. Another man dies in the bitterness of
his soul, never having eaten with pleasure. They
lie down alike in the dust, and worms cover them.
Look, I know your thoughts, and the schemes with
which you would wrong me. For you say, Where
is the house of the prince? And where is the
tent, the dwelling place of the wicked? Have
you not asked those who travel the road? And
do you not know their signs? For the wicked are
reserved for the day of doom. They shall be brought
out on a day of wrath. Who condemns his way to
his face? And who repays him for what he has
done? Yet he shall be brought to the grave, and
a vigil kept over the tomb. The clods of the
valley shall be sweet to him. Everyone shall
follow him. as countless have gone before him.
How then can you comfort me with empty words,
since falsehood remains in your answers? 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.