PM June 23rd Job 37

June 23rd Job, 37

1: At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2: Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3: He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4: After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5: God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6: For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 7: He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. 8: Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. 9: Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. 10: By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 11: Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 12: And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13: He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. 14: Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 15: Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? 16: Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? 17: How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind? 18: Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass? 19: Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. 20: Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up. 21: And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. 22: Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty. 23: Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. 24: Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

Job, 38

38v1-41v34 God speaks to Job

1: Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2: Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3: Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 4: Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5: Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6: Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7: When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8: Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9: When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10: And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, 11: And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? 12: Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; 13: That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? 14: It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment. 15: And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken. 16: Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth? 17: Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? 18: Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all. 19: Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof, 20: That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof? 21: Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great? 22: Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 23: Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? 24: By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? 25: Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; 26: To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; 27: To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? 28: Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew? 29: Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? 30: The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. 31: Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 32: Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? 33: Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth? 34: Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? 35: Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? 36: Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart? 37: Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven, 38: When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together? 39: Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions, 40: When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? 41: Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Job, 39

1: Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? 2: Canst thou number the months that they fulfill? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? 3: They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows. 4: Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them. 5: Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass? 6: Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings. 7: He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver. 8: The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing. 9: Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? 10: Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? 11: Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? 12: Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn? 13: Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? 14: Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, 15: And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. 16: She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear; 17: Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. 18: What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider. 19: Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? 20: Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. 21: He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. 22: He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. 23: The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. 24: He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. 25: He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. 26: Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? 27: Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? 28: She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. 29: From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. 30: Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

Today we read of Elihu’s continued speech. And the LORD speaks to Job. Finally we might have some common sense! So back to Elihu. He speaks of the mightiest works of the Lord - the lightening and the thunder. He says effectively who can understand the Lord? He calls for the snow to fall and light and heavy rain. The beasts retreat into their dens. The Lord brings great tornados from the south and blizzards from the north. The Lord brings frost from the breath of his mouth. The Lord controls the weather by his command. So listen, Job. Stand still and think about the wonderful works of the Lord. Do you know how the clouds are held in balance? And how he brings in warm weather from the desert? Have you spread out the sky? We know so little. Even if we speak we know so little. Touching the Almighty we cannot understand him he exceeds everything in his power and in judgment and in al his judgments he will not inflict. Men generally fear him but he does not give honour to the wise. Then finally the Lord speaks to Job from out of a tornado. He says who is this man that makes understanding obscure by speaking when he knows nothing? What a great statement that is. I am going to talk to you so listen carefully. Where were you Job, when l laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me what you know - if you know anything! Who surveyed the earth to build its mountains? Do you know? Who measured it? The place where the foundations of the earth were fixed? Who laid the corner stone of the earth? Where you there when the morning stars sang in unison and all the angels shouted in the joy of the Lord? Who was there to see the seas shut up with flood gates and when they broke forth as if it came from a womb? When l made clouds a garment for the floods and made darkness the baby clothes for it. When l told the seas you may come so far and no further. When the proud waters were halted. Did you command the morning to begin? So that the whole earth is bathed in light and the wicked are shaken out of it? It is like clay to a seal and they stand as a covering. The wicked live in darkness and their strong arms are broken. Have you entered into the springs of the sea? And have you walked at the very bottom of the deepest sea? Have the gates of death been opened for you to go through? Have you see the doors of the shadow of death? Do you know exactly how big the earth is? Tell me if you know? Where is the place were light lives and where does darkness live? Do you know the way to the place where they live? Have you understood the treasures of the snow? And have you understood the treasures of the hail? And so the Lord goes on and on exposing the complete ignorance of Job. He speaks of rain, dew, frost and ice. Then he speaks of the stars, Pleiades, Orion, Mazzaroth and Arturus. The seasons, wild animals, lions and their divine provision. He speaks of wild goats, hinds calves; He says do you know the time of their gestation? Then he speaks of wild asses and describes their habitat and habits. Then he speaks of the unicorn (perhaps he is describing the Rhinoceros. He speaks of the wings of the peacocks and the ostrich. He speaks of horses and grasshoppers, hawks and eagles. This must have left Job feeling rather small and ignorant.

Steve