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 38 through 41. Chapter 38 Then
the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and
said, Who is this who darkens counsel by words
without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like
a man, I will question you, and you will answer
me. Where were you when I laid the foundations
of the earth? tell me if you have understanding
who determined its measurements surely you know
or who stretched the line upon it to what were
its foundations fastened or who laid its corner
-stone when the morning stars sank together and
all the sons of god shouted for joy or who shut
in the sea with doors when it burst forth and
issued from the womb when i made the clouds its
garment and thick darkness its swaddling band
when i fixed my limit for it and set bars and
doors when i said this far you may come but no
farther and here your proud waves must stop have
you commanded the morning since your days began
and caused the dawn to know its place that it
might take hold of the ends of the earth and
the wicked be shaken out of it it takes on form
like clay under a seal and stands out like a
garment. From the wicked their light is withheld,
and the upraised arm is broken. Have you entered
the springs of the sea, or have you walked in
search of the depth? Have the gates of death
been revealed to you, or have you seen the doors
of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended
the breadth of the earth? Tell me if you know
all this. Where is the way to the dwelling of
light and darkness? Where is its place, that
you may take it to its territory, that you may
know the paths to its home? Do you know it, because
you were born then, or because the number of
your days is great? Have you entered the treasury
of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail,
which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
for the day of battle and war? By what way is
light diffused, or the east wind scattered over
the earth? Who has divided a channel for the
overflowing water, or a path for the thunderbolt,
to cause it to rain on a land where there is
no one, a wilderness in which there is no man,
to satisfy the desolate waste, and cause to spring
forth the growth of tender grass? Has the rain
a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew?
From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost
of heaven, who gives it birth? The waters harden
like stone, and the surface of the deep is frozen.
Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or
loose the belt of Orion? Can you bring out Maserat
in its season, or can you guide the great bear
with its cubs? Do you know the ordinances of
the heavens? Can you set their dominion over
the earth? Can you lift up your voice to the
clouds, that an abundance of water may cover
you? Can you send out lightnings, that they may
go and say to you, Here we are. Who has put wisdom
in the mind? Or who has given understanding to
the heart? Who can number the clouds by wisdom?
Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven when
the dust hardens in clumps and the clods cling
together? Can you hunt the prey for the lion
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions when
they crouch in their dens or lurk in their lairs
to lie in wait? Who provides food for the raven?
when its young ones cry to God and wander about
for lack of food. Chapter 39 Do you know the
time when the wild mountain goats bear young?
Or can you mark when a deer gives birth? Can
you number the month that they fulfill? Or do
you know the time when they bear young? They
bow down, they bring forth their young, they
deliver their offspring. Their young ones are
healthy. They grow strong with grain, they depart
and do not return to them. Who set the wild donkey
free? Who loosed the bonds of the onager? Whose
home I have made the wilderness, and the barren
land his dwelling? He scorns the tumult of the
city, he does not heed the shouts of the driver.
The range of the mountains is his pasture, and
he searches after every green thing. Will the
wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he bed
by your manger? can you bind the wild ox in the
furrow with ropes or will he plough the valleys
behind you will you trust him because his strength
is great or will you leave your labor to him
will you trust him to bring home your grain and
gather it to your threshing -floor the wings
of the ostrich wave proudly but are her wings
and pinions like the kindly stork's for she leaves
her eggs on the ground and warms them in the
dust She forgets that a foot may crush them or
that a wild beast may break them. She treats
her young harshly as though they were not hers.
Her labor is in vain without concern because
God deprived her of wisdom and did not endow
her with understanding. When she lifts herself
on high, she scorns the horse and its rider.
Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed
his neck with thunder? Can you frighten him like
a locust? His majestic snorting strikes terror.
He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength.
He gallops into the clash of arms. He mocks at
fear and is not frightened, nor does he turn
back from the sword. The quiver rattles against
him, the glittering spear and javelin. He devours
the distance with fierceness and rage. Nor does
he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded.
At the blast of the trumpet he says, Aha! He
smells the battle from afar. The thunder of captains
and shouting. Does the hawk fly by your wisdom?
And spread its wings toward the south? Does the
eagle mount up at your command and make its nest
on high? On the rock it dwells and resides, on
the crag of the rock and the stronghold. From
there it spies out the prey. Its eyes observe
from afar. Its young ones suck up blood. And
where the slain are, there it is. moreover the
lord answered job and said shall the one who
contends with the almighty correct him he who
rebukes god let him answer it then job answered
the lord and said behold i am vile what shall
i answer you i lay my hand over my mouth once
i have spoken but i will not answer yes twice
but i will proceed no further then the lord answered
job out of the whirlwind and said now prepare
yourself like a man I will question you, and
you shall answer me. Would you indeed annul my
judgment? Would you condemn me that you may be
justified? Have you an arm like God, or can you
thunder with a voice like his? Then adorn yourself
with majesty and splendor, and array yourself
with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your
wrath. Look on everyone who is proud and humble
him. Look on everyone who is proud and bring
him low. Tread down the wicked in their place.
Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces
in hidden darkness. Then I will also confess
to you that your own right hand can save you.
Look now at the behemoth, which I made along
with you. He eats grass like an ox. See now his
strength is in his hips, and his power is in
his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a
cedar. The sinews of his thighs are tightly knit.
His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs
like bars of iron. he is the first of the ways
of god only he who made him can bring near his
sword surely the mountains yield food for him
and all the beasts of the field play there he
lies under the lotus trees in a covert of reeds
and march the lotus trees cover him with their
shade the willows by the brook surround him Indeed
the river may rage, yet he is not disturbed.
He is confident, though the Jordan gushes into
his mouth, though he takes it in his eyes, or
one pierces his nose with a snare. Chapter 41
Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, or snare
his tongue with a line which you lower? Can you
put a reed through his nose, or pierce his jaw
with a hook? Will he make many supplications
to you? will he speak softly to you will he make
a covenant with you will you take him as a servant
forever will you play with him as with a bird
or will you leash him for your maidens will your
companions make a banquet of him will they apportion
him among the merchants can you fill his skin
with harpoons or his head with fishing -spears
lay your hand on him remember the battle never
do it again Indeed, any hope of overcoming him
is false. Shall one not be overwhelmed at the
sight of him? No one is so fierce that he would
dare stir him up. Who then is able to stand against
me? Who has preceded me that I should pay him?
Everything under heaven is mine. I will not conceal
his limbs, his mighty power, or his graceful
proportions. Who can remove his outer coat? Who
can approach him with a double bridle? who can
open the doors of his face with his terrible
teeth all around his rows of scales are his pride
shut up tightly as with a seal one is so near
another that no air can come between them they
are joined one to another they stick together
and cannot be parted his sneezings flash forth
light and his eyes are like the eyelids of the
morning out of his mouth go burning lights sparks
of fire shoot out smoke goes out of his nostrils
as from a boiling pot and burning rushes his
breath kindles coals and a flame goes out of
his mouth strength dwells in his neck and sorrow
dances before him the folds of his flesh are
joined together they are firm on him and cannot
be moved his heart is as hard as stone even as
hard as the lower millstone when he raises himself
up the mighty are afraid because of his crashings
they are beside themselves though the sword reaches
him it cannot avail nor does spear dart or javelin
he regards iron as straw and bronze as rotten
wood the arrow cannot make him flee slingshots
become like stubble to him darts are regarded
as straw he laughs at the threat of javelins
His undersides are like sharp potsherds. He spreads
pointed marks in the mire. He makes the deep
boil like a pot. He makes the sea like a pot
of ointment. He leaves a shining wake behind
him. One would think the deep had white hair.
On the earth there is nothing like him, which
is made without fear. He beholds every high thing.
He is king over all the children of pride. 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.