JOB 31-33

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Job Asserts His Integrity31:1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes;

How then could I gaze at a virgin?

2 “And what is the portion of God from above

Or the heritage of the Almighty from on high?

3 “Is it not calamity to the unjust

And disaster to those who work iniquity?

4 “Does He not see my ways

And number all my steps?

5 “If I have walked with falsehood,

And my foot has hastened after deceit,

6 Let Him weigh me with accurate scales,

And let God know my integrity.

7 “If my step has turned from the way,

Or my heart followed my eyes,

Or if any spot has stuck to my hands,

8 Let me sow and another eat,

And let my crops be uprooted.

9 “If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

Or I have lurked at my neighbor’s doorway,

10 May my wife grind for another,

And let others kneel down over her.

11 “For that would be a lustful crime;

Moreover, it would be an iniquity punishable by judges.

12 “For it would be fire that consumes to Abaddon,

And would uproot all my increase.

13 “If I have despised the claim of my male or female slaves

When they filed a complaint against me,

14 What then could I do when God arises?

And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him?

15 “Did not He who made me in the womb make him,

And the same one fashion us in the womb?

16 “If I have kept the poor from their desire,

Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

17 Or have eaten my morsel alone,

And the orphan has not shared it

18 (But from my youth he grew up with me as with a father,

And from infancy I guided her),

19 If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

Or that the needy had no covering,

20 If his loins have not thanked me,

And if he has not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep,

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the orphan,

Because I saw I had support in the gate,

22 Let my shoulder fall from the socket,

And my arm be broken off at the elbow.

23 “For calamity from God is a terror to me,

And because of His majesty I can do nothing.

24 “If I have put my confidence in gold,

And called fine gold my trust,

25 If I have gloated because my wealth was great,

And because my hand had secured so much;

26 If I have looked at the sun when it shone

Or the moon going in splendor,

27 And my heart became secretly enticed,

And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth,

28 That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,

For I would have denied God above.

29 “Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy,

Or exulted when evil befell him?

30 “No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin

By asking for his life in a curse.

31 “Have the men of my tent not said,

‘Who can find one who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

32 “The alien has not lodged outside,

For I have opened my doors to the traveler.

33 “Have I covered my transgressions like Adam,

By hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

34 Because I feared the great multitude,

And the contempt of families terrified me,

And kept silent and did not go out of doors?

35 “Oh that I had one to hear me!

Behold, here is my signature;

Let the Almighty answer me!

And the indictment which my adversary has written,

36 Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,

I would bind it to myself like a crown.

37 “I would declare to Him the number of my steps;

Like a prince I would approach Him.

38 “If my land cries out against me,

And its furrows weep together;

39 If I have eaten its fruit without money,

Or have caused its owners to lose their lives,

40 Let briars grow instead of wheat,

And stinkweed instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Elihu in Anger Rebukes Job  32:1 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.
    6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said,

“I am young in years and you are old;

Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.

7 “I thought age should speak,

And increased years should teach wisdom.

8 “But it is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

9 “The abundant in years may not be wise,

Nor may elders understand justice.

10 “So I say, ‘Listen to me,

I too will tell what I think.’

11 “Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened to your reasonings,

While you pondered what to say.

12 “I even paid close attention to you;

Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,

Not one of you who answered his words.

13 “Do not say,

‘We have found wisdom;

God will rout him, not man.’

14 “For he has not arranged his words against me,

Nor will I reply to him with your arguments.

15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer;

Words have failed them.

16 “Shall I wait, because they do not speak,

Because they stop and no longer answer?

17 “I too will answer my share,

I also will tell my opinion.

18 “For I am full of words;

The spirit within me constrains me.

19 “Behold, my belly is like unvented wine,

Like new wineskins it is about to burst.

20 “Let me speak that I may get relief;

Let me open my lips and answer.

21 “Let me now be partial to no one,

Nor flatter any man.

22 “For I do not know how to flatter,

Else my Maker would soon take me away.

Elihu Claims to Speak for God33:1 “However now, Job, please hear my speech,

And listen to all my words.

2 “Behold now, I open my mouth,

My tongue in my mouth speaks.

3 “My words are from the uprightness of my heart,

And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

4 “The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5 “Refute me if you can;

Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

6 “Behold, I belong to God like you;

I too have been formed out of the clay.

7 “Behold, no fear of me should terrify you,

Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

And I have heard the sound of your words:

9 ‘I am pure, without transgression;

I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

10 ‘Behold, He invents pretexts against me;

He counts me as His enemy.

11 ‘He puts my feet in the stocks;

He watches all my paths.’

12 “Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,

For God is greater than man.

13 “Why do you complain against Him

That He does not give an account of all His doings?

14 “Indeed God speaks once,

Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15 “In a dream, a vision of the night,

When sound sleep falls on men,

While they slumber in their beds,

16 Then He opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction,

17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct,

And keep man from pride;

18 He keeps back his soul from the pit,

And his life from passing over into Sheol.

19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed,

And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

20 So that his life loathes bread,

And his soul favorite food.

21 “His flesh wastes away from sight,

And his bones which were not seen stick out.

22 “Then his soul draws near to the pit,

And his life to those who bring death.

23 “If there is an angel as mediator for him,

One out of a thousand,

To remind a man what is right for him,

24 Then let him be gracious to him, and say,

‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,

I have found a ransom’;

25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

26 Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,

That he may see His face with joy,

And He may restore His righteousness to man.

27 “He will sing to men and say,

‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,

And it is not proper for me.

28 ‘He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,

And my life shall see the light.’

29 “Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men,

30 To bring back his soul from the pit,

That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31 “Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

Keep silent, and let me speak.

32 “Then if you have anything to say, answer me;

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

33 “If not, listen to me;

Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

PSALM 102

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Prayer of an Afflicted Man for Mercy on Himself and on Zion.A Prayer of the Afflicted when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the LORD.
102:1 Hear my prayer, O LORD!

And let my cry for help come to You.

2 Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress;

Incline Your ear to me;

In the day when I call answer me quickly.

3 For my days have been consumed in smoke,

And my bones have been scorched like a hearth.

4 My heart has been smitten like grass and has withered away,

Indeed, I forget to eat my bread.

5 Because of the loudness of my groaning

My bones cling to my flesh.

6 I resemble a pelican of the wilderness;

I have become like an owl of the waste places.

7 I lie awake,

I have become like a lonely bird on a housetop.

8 My enemies have reproached me all day long;

Those who deride me have used my name as a curse.

9 For I have eaten ashes like bread

And mingled my drink with weeping

10 Because of Your indignation and Your wrath,

For You have lifted me up and cast me away.

11 My days are like a lengthened shadow,

And I wither away like grass.

12 But You, O LORD, abide forever,

And Your name to all generations.

13 You will arise and have compassion on Zion;

For it is time to be gracious to her,

For the appointed time has come.

14 Surely Your servants find pleasure in her stones

And feel pity for her dust.

15 So the nations will fear the name of the LORD

And all the kings of the earth Your glory.

16 For the LORD has built up Zion;

He has appeared in His glory.

17 He has regarded the prayer of the destitute

And has not despised their prayer.

18 This will be written for the generation to come,

That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.

19 For He looked down from His holy height;

From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth,

20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner,

To set free those who were doomed to death,

21 That men may tell of the name of the LORD in Zion

And His praise in Jerusalem,

22 When the peoples are gathered together,

And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

23 He has weakened my strength in the way;

He has shortened my days.

24 I say, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days,

Your years are throughout all generations.

25 “Of old You founded the earth,

And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

26 “Even they will perish, but You endure;

And all of them will wear out like a garment;

Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed.

27 “But You are the same,

And Your years will not come to an end.

28 “The children of Your servants will continue,

And their descendants will be established before You.”

REVELATION 19

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The Fourfold Hallelujah  19:1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
    “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2 BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER.” 3 And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying,
    “Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” 6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,
    “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
Marriage of the Lamb7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
    9 Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The Coming of Christ    11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
    17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.”
    19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
Doom of the Beast and False Prophet20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.