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 22 through 26. Chapter 22 Then
Eliphaz the Temnite answered and said, Can a
man be profitable to God, though he who is wise
may be profitable to himself? Is it any pleasure
to the Almighty that you are righteous, or is
it gain to him that you make your ways blameless?
Is it because of your fear of him that he corrects
you and enters into judgment with you? Is not
your wickedness great and your iniquity without
end? For you have taken pledges from your brother
for no reason and stripped the naked of their
clothing. You have not given the weary water
to drink and you have withheld bread from the
hungry. But the mighty man possessed the land
and the honorable man dwelt in it. You have sent
widows away empty and the strength of the fatherless
was crushed. Therefore snares are all around
you, and sudden fear troubles you, or darkness
so that you cannot see, and an abundance of water
covers you. Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
And you say, what does God know? Can he judge
through the deep darkness? Thick clouds cover
him, so that he cannot see, and he walks above
the circle of heaven. Will you keep to the old
way, which wicked men have trod? who were cut
down before their time whose foundations were
swept away by a flood they said to god depart
from us what can the almighty do to them yet
he filled their houses with good things but the
counsel of the wicked is far from me the righteous
see it and are glad and the innocent laugh at
them surely our adversaries are cut down and
the fire consumes their remnant now acquaint
yourself with him and be at peace thereby good
will come to you receive please instruction from
his mouth and lay up his words in your heart
if you return to the almighty you will be built
up you will remove iniquity far from your tents
then you will lay your gold in the dust and the
gold of offer among the stones of the brooks
yes the almighty will be your gold and your precious
silver for then you will have your delight in
the almighty and lift up your face to god you
will make your prayer to him He will hear you,
and you will pay your vows. You will also declare
a thing, and it will be established for you.
So light will shine on your ways when they cast
you down, and you say, Exaltation will come.
Then he will save the humble person. He will
even deliver one who is not innocent. Yes, he
will be delivered by the purity of your hands.
Even today my complaint is bitter. My hand is
listless because of my groaning. Oh, that I knew
where I might find him, that I might come to
his seat. I would present my case before him,
and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know
the words which he would answer me, and understand
what he would say to me. Would he contend with
me in his great power? No, but he would take
note of me. There the upright could reason with
him. and I would be delivered forever from my
judge. Look, I go forward, but he is not there.
I am backward, but I cannot perceive him. When
he works on the left hand, I cannot behold him.
When he turns to the right hand, I cannot see
him. But he knows the way that I take. When he
has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My
foot has held fast to his steps. I have kept
his way and not turned aside. I have not departed
from the commandment of his lips. I have treasured
the words of his mouth more than any necessary
food. But he is unique, and who can make him
change? And whatever his soul desires, that he
does. For he performs what is appointed for me,
and many such things are with him. Therefore
I am terrified at his presence. When I consider
this, I am afraid of him. For God made my heart
weak, and the Almighty terrifies me. Because
I was not cut off from the presence of darkness,
and he did not hide deep darkness from my face.
Chapter 24 Since times are not hidden from the
Almighty, why do those who know him see not his
days? Some remove landmarks. They seize flocks
violently and feed on them. They drive away the
donkey of the fatherless. They take the widow's
ox as a pledge. They push the needy off the road.
All the poor of the land are forced to hide,
indeed like wild donkeys in the desert. They
go out to their work, searching for food. The
wilderness yields food for them and for their
children. They gather their fodder in the field
and glean in the vineyard of the wicked. They
spend the night naked without clothing and have
no covering in the cold. They are wet with the
showers of the mountains and huddle around the
rock for want of shelter. Some snatch the fatherless
from the breast and take a pledge from the poor.
They cause the poor to go naked without clothing,
and they take away the sheaves from the hungry.
They press out oil within their walls and tread
wine presses, yet suffer thirst. The dying groan
in the city, and the souls of the wounded cry
out, yet God does not charge them with wrong.
There are those who rebel against the light.
They do not know its ways, nor abide in its paths.
The murderer rises with the light, he kills the
poor and needy, and in the night he is like a
thief. The eye of the adulterer waits for the
twilight, saying no eye will see me, and he disguises
his face. In the dark they break into houses,
which they marked for themselves in the daytime.
They do not know the light, for the morning is
the same to them as the shadow of death. If someone
recognizes them, they are in the terrors of the
shadow of death. They should be swift on the
face of the waters. Their portion should be cursed
in the earth, so that no one would turn into
the way of their vineyards. As drought and heat
consume the snow waters, so the grave consumes
those who have sinned. The womb should forget
him. The worm should feed sweetly on him. He
should be remembered no more, and wickedness
should be broken like a tree. For he preys on
the barren who do not bear and does no good for
the widow. But God draws the mighty away with
his power. And make my speech worth nothing.
Chapter 25 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and
said, Dominion and fear belong to him. He makes
peace in his high places. Is there any number
to his armies? Upon whom does his light not rise?
How then can man be righteous before God? Or
how can he be pure who is born of a woman? If
even the moon does not shine and the stars are
not pure in his sight, how much less man who
is a maggot and a son of man who is a worm? Chapter
26 But Job answered and said, How have you helped
him who is without power? How have you saved
the arm that has no strength? How have you counseled
one who has no wisdom? And how have you declared
sound advice to many? To whom have you uttered
words, and whose spirit came from you? The dead
tremble, those under the waters, and those inhabiting
them. Sheol is naked before him, and destruction
has no covering. He stretches out the north over
empty space. He hangs the earth on nothing. He
binds up the water in his thick clouds, yet the
clouds are not broken under it. He covers the
face of his throne and spreads his cloud over
it. He drew a circular horizon on the face of
the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness.
The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished
at his rebuke. He stirs up the sea with his power,
and by his understanding he breaks up the storm.
By his spirit he adorned the heavens, his hand
pierced the fleeing serpent. Indeed, these are
the mere edges of his ways, and how small a whisper
we hear of him. But the thunder of his power,
who can understand? 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.