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 32 through 37. Chapter 32. So these
three men ceased answering Job, because he was
righteous in his own eyes. Then the wrath of
Elihu, the son of Barakel the Buzite, of the
family of Ram, was aroused against Job. His wrath
was aroused because he justified himself rather
than God. Also against his three friends, his
wrath was aroused because they had found no answer
and yet had condemned Job. Now because they were
years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak
to Job. When Elihu saw that there was no answer
in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was
aroused. So Elihu, the son of Barakel the Buzite,
answered and said i am young in years and you
are very old therefore i was afraid and dared
not declare my opinion to you i said age should
speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom
but there is a spirit in man and the breath of
the almighty gives him understanding great men
are not always wise nor do the aged always understand
justice therefore i say listen to me i also will
declare my opinion Indeed, I waited for your
words. I listened to your reasonings while you
searched out what to say. I paid close attention
to you, and surely not one of you convinced Job
or answered his words, lest you say, We have
found wisdom. God will vanquish him, not man.
Now he has not directed his words against me,
so I will not answer him with your words. They
are dismayed and answer no more. Words escape
them. And I have waited because they did not
speak, because they stood still and answered
no more. I also will answer my part. I too will
declare my opinion, for I am full of words. The
spirit within me compels me. Indeed, my belly
is like wine that has no vent. It is ready to
burst like new wineskins. I will speak that I
may find relief. I must open my lips and answer.
Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone,
nor let me flatter any man. for I do not know
how to flatter, else my Maker would soon take
me away. Chapter 33 But please, Job, hear my
speech, and listen to all my words. Now I open
my mouth, my tongue speaks in my mouth. My words
come from my upright heart, my lips utter pure
knowledge. The Spirit of God has made me, and
the breath of the Almighty gives me life. If
you can answer me, set your words in order before
me. Take your stand. Truly I am as your spokesman
before God. I also have been formed out of clay.
Surely no fear of me will terrify you, nor will
my hand be heavy on you. Surely you have spoken
in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of
your words, saying, I am pure without transgression.
I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
Yet he finds occasions against me, he counts
me as his enemy. He puts my feet in the stocks,
he watches all my paths. Look, in this you are
not righteous. I will answer you, for God is
greater than man. Why do you contend with him?
For he does not give an accounting of any of
his words. For God may speak in one way or in
another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream,
in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls
upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then
he opens the ears of men and seals their instruction.
in order to turn man from his deed and conceal
pride from man he keeps back his soul from the
pit and his life from perishing by the sword
man is also chastened with pain on his bed and
with strong pain in many of his bones so that
his life abhors bread and his soul succulent
food his flesh wastes away from sight and his
bones stick out which once were not seen Yes,
his soul draws near the pit, and his life to
the executioners. If there is a messenger for
him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show
man his uprightness, then he is gracious to him
and says, Deliver him from going down to the
pit. I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be
young like a child's. He shall return to the
days of his youth. He shall pray to God, and
he will delight in him. He shall see his face
with joy, for he restores to man his righteousness.
Then he looks at men and says, I have sinned
and perverted what was right, and it did not
profit me. He will redeem his soul from going
down to the pit, and his life shall see the light.
Behold, God works all these things, twice in
fact, three times with a man, to bring back his
soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened
with the light of life. Give ear, Job, listen
to me. Hold your peace, and I will speak. If
you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for
I desire to justify you. If not, listen to me.
Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.
Chapter 34 Elihu further answered and said, Hear
my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who
have knowledge. For the ear tests words, as the
palate tastes food. Let us choose justice for
ourselves. Let us know among ourselves what is
good. For Job has said, I am righteous, but God
has taken away my justice. Should I lie concerning
my right? My wound is incurable, though I am
without transgression. What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water, who goes in company
with the workers of iniquity, and walks with
wicked men? For he has said, It profits a man
nothing that he should delight in God. Therefore
listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be
it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty
to commit iniquity. For he repays man according
to his work, and makes man to find a reward according
to his way. Surely God will never do wickedly,
nor will the Almighty pervert justice. Who gave
him charge over the earth, or who appointed him
over the whole world? If he should set his heart
on it, if he should gather to himself his spirit
and his breath, all flesh would perish together,
and man would return to dust. If you have understanding,
hear this. Listen to the sound of my words. Should
one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn
him who is most just? Is it fitting to say to
a king, you are worthless, and to nobles, you
are wicked? Yet he is not partial to princes,
nor does he regard the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands. In a
moment they die, in the middle of the night.
The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty
are taken away without a hand, for his eyes are
on the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.
There is no darkness nor shadow of death, where
the workers of iniquity may hide themselves,
for he need not further consider a man that he
should go before God. in judgment. He breaks
in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and sets
others in their place. Therefore he knows their
works, he overthrows them in the night, and they
are crushed. He strikes them as wicked men in
the open sight of others, because they turn back
from him, and would not consider any of his ways,
so that they cause the cry of the poor to come
to him. For he hears the cry of the afflicted.
When he gives quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when he hides his face, who then can see
him, whether it is against the nation or a man
alone? That the hypocrite should not reign, lest
the people be ensnared. For has anyone said to
God, I have borne chastening, I will offend no
more, teach me what I do not see. If I have done
iniquity, I will do no more. Should he repay
it according to your terms, just because you
disavow it? You must choose and not I. Therefore
speak what you know. Men of understanding say
to me, wise men who listen to me, Job speaks
without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.
O that Job were tried to the utmost, because
his answers are like those of wicked men. For
he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands
among us and multiplies his words against God.
Chapter 35 Moreover Elihu answered and said,
Do you think this is right? Do you say, My righteousness
is more than God's? For you say, What advantage
will it be to you? What profit shall I have more
than if I had sinned? I will answer you and your
companions with you. Look to the heavens and
sea, and behold the clouds. They are higher than
you. If you sin, what do you accomplish against
them? Or if your transgressions are multiplied,
what do you do to him? If you are righteous,
what do you give him? or what does he receive
from your hand? Your wickedness affects a man
such as you, and your righteousness a son of
man. Because of the multitude of oppressions,
they cry out. They cry out for help because of
the arm of the mighty. But no one says, Where
is God my maker, who gives songs in the night,
who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?
There they cry out. But he does not answer, because
of the pride of evil men. Surely God will not
listen to empty talk, nor will the Almighty regard
it. Although you say you do not see him, yet
justice is before him, and you must wait for
him. And now, because he has not punished in
his anger, nor taken much notice of folly, therefore
Job opens his mouth in vain. He multiplies words
without knowledge. Elihu also proceeded and said,
He is mighty in strength of understanding. He
does not preserve the life of the wicked, but
gives justice to the oppressed. He does not withdraw
his eyes from the righteous, but they are on
the throne with kings. For he has seated them
forever, and they are exalted. And if they are
bound in fetters, held in the cords of affliction,
then he tells them their work and their transgressions,
that they have acted defiantly. He also opens
their ear to instruction, and commands that they
turn from iniquity. If they obey and serve him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity, and
their years in pleasures. But if they do not
obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they
shall die without knowledge. But the hypocrites
in heart store up wrath. They do not cry for
help when he binds them. They die in youth, and
their life ends among the perverted persons.
He delivers the poor in their affliction, and
opens their ears in oppression. Indeed he would
have brought you out of dire distress. into a
broad place where there is no restraint, and
what is set on your table would be full of richness.
But you are filled with the judgment due the
wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you,
because there is wrath. Beware lest he take you
away with one blow, for a large ransom would
not help you avoid it. Will your riches or all
the mighty forces keep you from distress? Do
not desire the night when people are cut off
in their place. take heed do not turn to iniquity
for you have chosen this rather than affliction
behold god is exalted by his power who teaches
like him who has assigned him his way or who
has said you have done wrong remember to magnify
his work of which men have sung everyone has
seen it man looks on it from afar behold god
is great and we do not know him nor can the number
of his years be discovered. For he draws up drops
of water, which distill as rain from the mist,
which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly
on man. Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading
of clouds, the thunder from his canopy? Look,
he scatters his light upon it and covers the
depth of the sea. For by these he judges the
peoples, he gives food in abundance. He covers
his hands with lightning and commands it to strike.
His thunder declares it, the cattle also concerning
the rising storm. Chapter 37 At this also my
heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Hear
attentively the thunder of his voice, and the
rumbling that comes from his mouth. He sends
it forth under the whole heaven, his lightning
to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars.
He thunders with his majestic voice, and he does
not restrain them when his voice is heard. God
thunders marvelously with his voice. He does
great things which we cannot comprehend. For
he says to the snow, Fall on the earth. Likewise
to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of his
strength. He seals the hand of every man, that
all men may know his work. The beasts go into
dens and remain in their layers. From the chamber
of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold from
the scattering winds of the north. By the breath
of God ice is given, and the broad waters are
frozen. Also with moisture he saturates the thick
clouds. He scatters his bright clouds, and they
swirl about, being turned by his guidance, that
they may do whatever he commands them on the
face of the whole earth. He causes it to come.
whether for correction or for his land or for
mercy. Listen to this, O Job. Stand still and
consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know
when God dispatches them and causes the light
of his cloud to shine? Do you know how the clouds
are balanced, those wondrous works of him who
is perfect in knowledge? Why are your garments
hot when he quiets the earth by the south wind?
With him have you spread out the skies, strong
as a cast metal mirror? Teach us what we should
say to him, for we can prepare nothing because
of the darkness. Should he be told that I wish
to speak? If a man were to speak, surely he would
be swallowed up. Even now men cannot look at
the light when it is bright in the skies, when
the wind has passed and cleared them. He comes
from the north as golden splendor, with God his
awesome majesty. As for the Almighty, we cannot
find him. He is excellent in power, in judgment
and abundant justice. He does not oppress. Therefore,
men fear him. He shows no partiality to any who
are wise of heart. 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.