Job 38-39

Job 38

God Confronts Job

Have You Gotten to the Bottom of Things?

 ¹ And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:

 ^2-11 "Why do you confuse the issue?
   Why do you talk without knowing what you're talking about?
Pull yourself together, Job!
   Up on your feet! Stand tall!
I have some questions for you,
   and I want some straight answers.
Where were you when I created the earth?
   Tell me, since you know so much!
Who decided on its size? Certainly you'll know that!
   Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?
How was its foundation poured,
   and who set the cornerstone,
While the morning stars sang in chorus
   and all the angels shouted praise?
And who took charge of the ocean
   when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb?
That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds,
   and tucked it in safely at night.
Then I made a playpen for it,
   a strong playpen so it couldn't run loose,
And said, 'Stay here, this is your place.
   Your wild tantrums are confined to this place.'

 ^12-15 "And have you ever ordered Morning, 'Get up!'
   told Dawn, 'Get to work!'
So you could seize Earth like a blanket
   and shake out the wicked like cockroaches?
As the sun brings everything to light,
   brings out all the colors and shapes,
The cover of darkness is snatched from the wicked—
   they're caught in the very act!

 ^16-18 "Have you ever gotten to the true bottom of things,
   explored the labyrinthine caves of deep ocean?
Do you know the first thing about death?
   Do you have one clue regarding death's dark mysteries?
And do you have any idea how large this earth is?
   Speak up if you have even the beginning of an answer.

 ^19-21 "Do you know where Light comes from
   and where Darkness lives
So you can take them by the hand
   and lead them home when they get lost?
Why, of course you know that.
   You've known them all your life,
   grown up in the same neighborhood with them!

 ^22-30 "Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,
   seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,
The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness
   for times of trouble and battle and war?
Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,
   or to the place from which the wind blows?
Who do you suppose carves canyons
   for the downpours of rain, and charts
   the route of thunderstorms
That bring water to unvisited fields,
   deserts no one ever lays eyes on,
Drenching the useless wastelands
   so they're carpeted with wildflowers and grass?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
   the mother of ice and frost?
You don't for a minute imagine
   these marvels of weather just happen, do you?

 ^31-33 "Can you catch the eye of the beautiful Pleiades sisters,
   or distract Orion from his hunt?
Can you get Venus to look your way,
   or get the Great Bear and her cubs to come out and play?
Do you know the first thing about the sky's constellations
   and how they affect things on Earth?

 ^34-35 "Can you get the attention of the clouds,
   and commission a shower of rain?
Can you take charge of the lightning bolts
   and have them report to you for orders?

What Do You Have to Say for Yourself?

 ^36-38 "Who do you think gave weather-wisdom to the ibis,
   and storm-savvy to the rooster?
Does anyone know enough to number all the clouds
   or tip over the rain barrels of heaven
When the earth is cracked and dry,
   the ground baked hard as a brick?

 ^39-41 "Can you teach the lioness to stalk her prey
   and satisfy the appetite of her cubs
As they crouch in their den,
   waiting hungrily in their cave?
And who sets out food for the ravens
   when their young cry to God,
   fluttering about because they have no food?"

Job 39

    "Do you know the month when mountain goats give birth? Have you ever watched a doe bear her fawn?
Do you know how many months she is pregnant?
   Do you know the season of her delivery,
   when she crouches down and drops her offspring?
Her young ones flourish and are soon on their own;
   they leave and don't come back.

 ^5-8 "Who do you think set the wild donkey free,
   opened the corral gates and let him go?
I gave him the whole wilderness to roam in,
   the rolling plains and wide-open places.
He laughs at his city cousins, who are harnessed and harried.
   He's oblivious to the cries of teamsters.
He grazes freely through the hills,
   nibbling anything that's green.

 ^9-12 "Will the wild buffalo condescend to serve you,
   volunteer to spend the night in your barn?
Can you imagine hitching your plow to a buffalo
   and getting him to till your fields?
He's hugely strong, yes, but could you trust him,
   would you dare turn the job over to him?
You wouldn't for a minute depend on him, would you,
   to do what you said when you said it?

 ^13-18 "The ostrich flaps her wings futilely—
   all those beautiful feathers, but useless!
She lays her eggs on the hard ground,
   leaves them there in the dirt, exposed to the weather,
Not caring that they might get stepped on and cracked
   or trampled by some wild animal.
She's negligent with her young, as if they weren't even hers.
   She cares nothing about anything.
She wasn't created very smart, that's for sure,
   wasn't given her share of good sense.
But when she runs, oh, how she runs,
   laughing, leaving horse and rider in the dust.

 ^19-25 "Are you the one who gave the horse his prowess
   and adorned him with a shimmering mane?
Did you create him to prance proudly
   and strike terror with his royal snorts?
He paws the ground fiercely, eager and spirited,
   then charges into the fray.
He laughs at danger, fearless,
   doesn't shy away from the sword.
The banging and clanging
   of quiver and lance don't faze him.
He quivers with excitement, and at the trumpet blast
   races off at a gallop.
At the sound of the trumpet he neighs mightily,
   smelling the excitement of battle from a long way off,
   catching the rolling thunder of the war cries.

 ^26-30 "Was it through your know-how that the hawk learned to fly,
   soaring effortlessly on thermal updrafts?
Did you command the eagle's flight,
   and teach her to build her nest in the heights,
Perfectly at home on the high cliff face,
   invulnerable on pinnacle and crag?
From her perch she searches for prey,
   spies it at a great distance.
Her young gorge themselves on carrion;
   wherever there's a roadkill, you'll see her circling."

Job 38-39, The Message

When I first read this passage, looking at it through my dysfunctional grid of reality, I thought God was bullying Job, letting loose with a litany of what are truths, but stated with a boatload of snark. But then I read it again, and I noticed 38:3, where He sets the tone for all that follows by saying, "Pull yourself together, Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall!" Young's Literal Translation of 38:3a reads, "Gird, I pray thee, as a man, thy loins…"; the Hebrew word translated "man" is geber, which Strong's Concordance explains as "man, strong man, warrior (emphasizing strength or ability to fight)."

Hardly the sort of language and imagery to demean or humiliate someone, is it?

I think God was urging Job to embrace the man He created him to be and, at the same time, to rest in how infinitely more omnipotent, omnipresent, creative, and limitlessly intelligent  He is. In essence, He said, "Man up, Job; grow a pair; steel your spine. Then listen to who I am and remember that I want to live through you."

God wasn't out to humiliate Job for crying out about his suffering, but was rather inviting him to trust Him more fully. I suspect Job's reaction was something like mine is when I go to the beach and lose myself in the roar of the waves, the feel of the wind, and the salty smell of the air. Something in me relaxes as I am reminded of God's power, and I am able to worship.

Job 35-37

Job 35

Elihu's Third Speech

When God Makes Creation a Classroom

 ^1-3 Elihu lit into Job again: "Does this kind of thing make any sense?
   First you say, 'I'm perfectly innocent before God.'
And then you say, 'It doesn't make a bit of difference
   whether I've sinned or not.'

 ^4-8 "Well, I'm going to show you
   that you don't know what you're talking about,
   neither you nor your friends.
Look up at the sky. Take a long hard look.
   See those clouds towering above you?
If you sin, what difference could that make to God?
   No matter how much you sin, will it matter to him?
Even if you're good, what would God get out of that?
   Do you think he's dependent on your accomplishments?
The only ones who care whether you're good or bad
   are your family and friends and neighbors.
   God's not dependent on your behavior.

 ^9-15 "When times get bad, people cry out for help.
   They cry for relief from being kicked around,
But never give God a thought when things go well,
   when God puts spontaneous songs in their hearts,
When God sets out the entire creation as a science classroom,
   using birds and beasts to teach wisdom.
People are arrogantly indifferent to God—
   until, of course, they're in trouble,
   and then God is indifferent to them.
There's nothing behind such prayers except panic;
   the Almighty pays them no mind.
So why would he notice you
   just because you say you're tired of waiting to be heard,
Or waiting for him to get good and angry
   and do something about the world's problems?

 ¹⁶ "Job, you talk sheer nonsense—
   nonstop nonsense!"

Job 36

Those Who Learn from Their Suffering

 ^1-4 Here Elihu took a deep breath, but kept going: "Stay with me a little longer. I'll convince you.
   There's still more to be said on God's side.
I learned all this firsthand from the Source;
   everything I know about justice I owe to my Maker himself.
Trust me, I'm giving you undiluted truth;
   believe me, I know these things inside and out.

 ^5-15 "It's true that God is all-powerful,
   but he doesn't bully innocent people.
For the wicked, though, it's a different story—
   he doesn't give them the time of day,
   but champions the rights of their victims.
He never takes his eyes off the righteous;
   he honors them lavishly, promotes them endlessly.
When things go badly,
   when affliction and suffering descend,
God tells them where they've gone wrong,
   shows them how their pride has caused their trouble.
He forces them to heed his warning,
   tells them they must repent of their bad life.
If they obey and serve him,
   they'll have a good, long life on easy street.
But if they disobey, they'll be cut down in their prime
   and never know the first thing about life.
Angry people without God pile grievance upon grievance,
   always blaming others for their troubles.
Living it up in sexual excesses,
   virility wasted, they die young.
But those who learn from their suffering,
   God delivers from their suffering.

Obsessed with Putting the Blame on God

 ^16-21 "Oh, Job, don't you see how God's wooing you
   from the jaws of danger?
How he's drawing you into wide-open places—
   inviting you to feast at a table laden with blessings?
And here you are laden with the guilt of the wicked,
   obsessed with putting the blame on God!
Don't let your great riches mislead you;
   don't think you can bribe your way out of this.
Did you plan to buy your way out of this?
   Not on your life!
And don't think that night,
   when people sleep off their troubles,
   will bring you any relief.
Above all, don't make things worse with more evil—
   that's what's behind your suffering as it is!

 ^22-25 "Do you have any idea how powerful God is?
   Have you ever heard of a teacher like him?
Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do,
   or correct him, saying, 'You did that all wrong!'?
Remember, then, to praise his workmanship,
   which is so often celebrated in song.
Everybody sees it;
   nobody is too far away to see it.

No One Can Escape from God

 ²⁶ "Take a long, hard look. See how great he is—infinite,
   greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!

 ^27-33 "He pulls water up out of the sea,
   distills it, and fills up his rain-cloud cisterns.
Then the skies open up
   and pour out soaking showers on everyone.
Does anyone have the slightest idea how this happens?
   How he arranges the clouds, how he speaks in thunder?
Just look at that lightning, his sky-filling light show
   illumining the dark depths of the sea!
These are the symbols of his sovereignty,
   his generosity, his loving care.
He hurls arrows of light,
   taking sure and accurate aim.
The High God roars in the thunder,
   angry against evil."

Job 37

    "Whenever this happens, my heart stops— I'm stunned, I can't catch my breath.
Listen to it! Listen to his thunder,
   the rolling, rumbling thunder of his voice.
He lets loose his lightnings from horizon to horizon,
   lighting up the earth from pole to pole.
In their wake, the thunder echoes his voice,
   powerful and majestic.
He lets out all the stops, he holds nothing back.
   No one can mistake that voice—
His word thundering so wondrously,
   his mighty acts staggering our understanding.
He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!'
   and the rain, 'Soak the whole countryside!'
No one can escape the weather—it's there.
   And no one can escape from God.
Wild animals take shelter,
   crawling into their dens,
When blizzards roar out of the north
   and freezing rain crusts the land.
It's God's breath that forms the ice,
   it's God's breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
And yes, it's God who fills clouds with rainwater
   and hurls lightning from them every which way.
He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that—
   commands them to do what he says all over the world.
Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love,
   he makes sure they make their mark.

A Terrible Beauty Streams from God

 ^14-18 "Job, are you listening? Have you noticed all this?
   Stop in your tracks! Take in God's miracle-wonders!
Do you have any idea how God does it all,
   how he makes bright lightning from dark storms,
How he piles up the cumulus clouds—
   all these miracle-wonders of a perfect Mind?
Why, you don't even know how to keep cool
   on a sweltering hot day,
So how could you even dream
   of making a dent in that hot-tin-roof sky?

 ^19-22 "If you're so smart, give us a lesson in how to address God.
   We're in the dark and can't figure it out.
Do you think I'm dumb enough to challenge God?
   Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?
No one in his right mind stares straight at the sun
   on a clear and cloudless day.
As gold comes from the northern mountains,
   so a terrible beauty streams from God.

 ^23-24 "Mighty God! Far beyond our reach!
   Unsurpassable in power and justice!
   It's unthinkable that he'd treat anyone unfairly.
So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all!
   If you're wise, you'll most certainly worship him."

Job 35-37, The Message

My initial reaction to Elihu's third speech is to take him to task and point out that, though he understands God as a mighty Creator, he seems to be completely unaware of His heart of compassion that delights in intimate fellowship with each of us. But then I realize that is apparently what my heart believes about God–at least most of the time–and I think that view of Him largely fuels how I live. Ugh.

What good is intellectual knowledge about God unless I allow my heart to believe it and therefore allow it to change how I love both Him and other people?

Job 32-34

Job 32

Elihu Speaks

God's Spirit Makes Wisdom Possible

 ^1-5 Job's three friends now fell silent. They were talked out, stymied because Job wouldn't budge an inch—wouldn't admit to an ounce of guilt. Then Elihu lost his temper. (Elihu was the son of Barakel the Buzite from the clan of Ram.) He blazed out in anger against Job for pitting his righteousness against God's. He was also angry with the three friends because they had neither come up with an answer nor proved Job wrong. Elihu had waited with Job while they spoke because they were all older than he. But when he saw that the three other men had exhausted their arguments, he exploded with pent-up anger.

 ^6-10 This is what Elihu, son of Barakel the Buzite, said:

   "I'm a young man,
   and you are all old and experienced.
That's why I kept quiet
   and held back from joining the discussion.
I kept thinking, 'Experience will tell.
   The longer you live, the wiser you become.'
But I see I was wrong—it's God's Spirit in a person,
   the breath of the Almighty One, that makes wise human insight possible.
The experts have no corner on wisdom;
   getting old doesn't guarantee good sense.
So I've decided to speak up. Listen well!
   I'm going to tell you exactly what I think.

 ^11-14 "I hung on your words while you spoke,
   listened carefully to your arguments.
While you searched for the right words,
   I was all ears.
And now what have you proved? Nothing.
   Nothing you say has even touched Job.
And don't excuse yourselves by saying, 'We've done our best.
   Now it's up to God to talk sense into him.'
Job has yet to contend with me.
   And rest assured, I won't be using your arguments!

 ^15-22 "Do you three have nothing else to say?
   Of course you don't! You're total frauds!
Why should I wait any longer,
   now that you're stopped dead in your tracks?
I'm ready to speak my piece. That's right!
   It's my turn—and it's about time!
I've got a lot to say,
   and I'm bursting to say it.
The pressure has built up, like lava beneath the earth.
   I'm a volcano ready to blow.
I have to speak—I have no choice.
   I have to say what's on my heart,
And I'm going to say it straight—
   the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
I was never any good at bootlicking;
   my Maker would make short work of me if I started in now!"

Job 33

 ^1-4"So please, Job, hear me out, honor me by listening to me.
What I'm about to say
   has been carefully thought out.
I have no ulterior motives in this;
   I'm speaking honestly from my heart.
The Spirit of God made me what I am,
   the breath of God Almighty gave me life!

God Always Answers, One Way or Another

 ^5-7 "And if you think you can prove me wrong, do it.
   Lay out your arguments. Stand up for yourself!
Look, I'm human—no better than you;
   we're both made of the same kind of mud.
So let's work this through together;
   don't let my aggressiveness overwhelm you.

 ^8-11 "Here's what you said.
   I heard you say it with my own ears.
You said, 'I'm pure—I've done nothing wrong.
   Believe me, I'm clean—my conscience is clear.
But God keeps picking on me;
   he treats me like I'm his enemy.
He's thrown me in jail;
   he keeps me under constant surveillance.'

 ^12-14 "But let me tell you, Job, you're wrong, dead wrong!
   God is far greater than any human.
So how dare you haul him into court,
   and then complain that he won't answer your charges?
God always answers, one way or another,
   even when people don't recognize his presence.

 ^15-18 "In a dream, for instance, a vision at night,
   when men and women are deep in sleep,
   fast asleep in their beds—
God opens their ears
   and impresses them with warnings
To turn them back from something bad they're planning,
   from some reckless choice,
And keep them from an early grave,
   from the river of no return.

 ^19-22 "Or, God might get their attention through pain,
   by throwing them on a bed of suffering,
So they can't stand the sight of food,
   have no appetite for their favorite treats.
They lose weight, wasting away to nothing,
   reduced to a bag of bones.
They hang on the cliff-edge of death,
   knowing the next breath may be their last.

 ^23-25 "But even then an angel could come,
   a champion—there are thousands of them!—
   to take up your cause,
A messenger who would mercifully intervene,
   canceling the death sentence with the words:
   'I've come up with the ransom!'
Before you know it, you're healed,
   the very picture of health!

 ^26-28 "Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God's delight!
   You'll see God's smile and celebrate,
   finding yourself set right with God.
You'll sing God's praises to everyone you meet,
   testifying, 'I messed up my life—
   and let me tell you, it wasn't worth it.
But God stepped in and saved me from certain death.
   I'm alive again! Once more I see the light!'

 ^29-30 "This is the way God works.
   Over and over again
He pulls our souls back from certain destruction
   so we'll see the light—and live in the light!

 ^31-33 "Keep listening, Job.
   Don't interrupt—I'm not finished yet.
But if you think of anything I should know, tell me.
   There's nothing I'd like better than to see your name cleared.
Meanwhile, keep listening. Don't distract me with interruptions.
   I'm going to teach you the basics of wisdom."

Job 34

Elihu's Second Speech

It's Impossible for God to Do Evil

 ^1-4Elihu continued: "So, my fine friends—listen to me,
   and see what you think of this.
Isn't it just common sense—
   as common as the sense of taste—
To put our heads together
   and figure out what's going on here?

 ^5-9 "We've all heard Job say, 'I'm in the right,
   but God won't give me a fair trial.
When I defend myself, I'm called a liar to my face.
   I've done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.'
Have you ever heard anything to beat this?
   Does nothing faze this man Job?
Do you think he's spent too much time in bad company,
   hanging out with the wrong crowd,
So that now he's parroting their line:
   'It doesn't pay to try to please God'?

 ^10-15 "You're veterans in dealing with these matters;
   certainly we're of one mind on this.
It's impossible for God to do anything evil;
   no way can the Mighty One do wrong.
He makes us pay for exactly what we've done—no more, no less.
   Our chickens always come home to roost.
It's impossible for God to do anything wicked,
   for the Mighty One to subvert justice.
He's the one who runs the earth!
   He cradles the whole world in his hand!
If he decided to hold his breath,
   every man, woman, and child would die for lack of air.

God Is Working Behind the Scenes

 ^16-20 "So, Job, use your head;
   this is all pretty obvious.
Can someone who hates order, keep order?
   Do you dare condemn the righteous, mighty God?
Doesn't God always tell it like it is,
   exposing corrupt rulers as scoundrels and criminals?
Does he play favorites with the rich and famous and slight the poor?
   Isn't he equally responsible to everybody?
Don't people who deserve it die without notice?
   Don't wicked rulers tumble to their doom?
When the so-called great ones are wiped out,
   we know God is working behind the scenes.

 ^21-28 "He has his eyes on every man and woman.
   He doesn't miss a trick.
There is no night dark enough, no shadow deep enough,
   to hide those who do evil.
God doesn't need to gather any more evidence;
   their sin is an open-and-shut case.
He deposes the so-called high and mighty without asking questions,
   and replaces them at once with others.
Nobody gets by with anything; overnight,
   judgment is signed, sealed, and delivered.
He punishes the wicked for their wickedness
   out in the open where everyone can see it,
Because they quit following him,
   no longer even thought about him or his ways.
Their apostasy was announced by the cry of the poor;
   the cry of the afflicted got God's attention.

Because You Refuse to Live on God's Terms

 ^29-30 "If God is silent, what's that to you?
   If he turns his face away, what can you do about it?
But whether silent or hidden, he's there, ruling,
   so that those who hate God won't take over
   and ruin people's lives.

 ^31-33 "So why don't you simply confess to God?
   Say, 'I sinned, but I'll sin no more.
Teach me to see what I still don't see.
   Whatever evil I've done, I'll do it no more.'
Just because you refuse to live on God's terms,
   do you think he should start living on yours?
You choose. I can't do it for you.
   Tell me what you decide.

 ^34-37 "All right-thinking people say—
   and the wise who have listened to me concur—
'Job is an ignoramus.
   He talks utter nonsense.'
Job, you need to be pushed to the wall and called to account
   for wickedly talking back to God the way you have.
You've compounded your original sin
   by rebelling against God's discipline,
Defiantly shaking your fist at God,
   piling up indictments against the Almighty One."

Job 32-34, The Message

Wow. Elihu lays out his theology for all to see. On the surface, perhaps, it sounds pretty orthodox, but chapter 34:29-37 are very telling. These last verses in this passage indicate Elihu believes God to be a distant, disconnected, somewhat benevolent judge, rather than who Job knows Him to be: a Father who longs for and delights in intimate relationship with His children.

I know intellectually that Job's view of God is who He really is, and that who Elihu believes Him to be is small, safe, predictable, and…well…boring. At the same time, though, I must admit that a part of me wants Him to be that domesticated god, rather than the wild, passionate, and thoroughly unpredictable Lover of my soul. All too often I live as though He is Elihu's god rather than Job's Yahweh, his Adonai. I am terrified to, as my friend Carl puts it, let Him be God, to trust that His plans for me are infinitely more glorious than anything I could ever hope to concoct for myself. I'm a bit embarrassed at seeing the situation spelled out like this in black and white; it seems illogical and silly. But it's my reality, and the pace at which I am turning my back on it seems glacially slow.

I feel a pull to wrap up this post with a nice, Christian-ese bow by saying something like, "All this makes me yearn for Heaven more, and I know this is all part of my sanctification." Of course those things are true, but I'm not resting in them right now. I feel unsettled, as though I'm missing an important piece of the puzzle that is my relationship with God. And I suspect that's exactly where I need to be, exactly where He will meet me if I have the emotional and intellectual honesty to stay in that tension. 

Job 29-31

Job 29

When God Was Still by My Side

 ^1-6 Job now resumed his response: "Oh, how I long for the good old days,
   when God took such very good care of me.
He always held a lamp before me
   and I walked through the dark by its light.
Oh, how I miss those golden years
   when God's friendship graced my home,
When the Mighty One was still by my side
   and my children were all around me,
When everything was going my way,
   and nothing seemed too difficult.

 ^7-20 "When I walked downtown
   and sat with my friends in the public square,
Young and old greeted me with respect;
   I was honored by everyone in town.
When I spoke, everyone listened;
   they hung on my every word.
People who knew me spoke well of me;
   my reputation went ahead of me.
I was known for helping people in trouble
   and standing up for those who were down on their luck.
The dying blessed me,
   and the bereaved were cheered by my visits.
All my dealings with people were good.
   I was known for being fair to everyone I met.
I was eyes to the blind
   and feet to the lame,
Father to the needy,
   and champion of abused aliens.
I grabbed street thieves by the scruff of the neck
   and made them give back what they'd stolen.
I thought, 'I'll die peacefully in my own bed,
   grateful for a long and full life,
A life deep-rooted and well-watered,
   a life limber and dew-fresh,
My soul suffused with glory
   and my body robust until the day I die.'

 ^21-25 "Men and women listened when I spoke,
   hung expectantly on my every word.
After I spoke, they'd be quiet,
   taking it all in.
They welcomed my counsel like spring rain,
   drinking it all in.
When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it;
   their faces lit up, their troubles took wing!
I was their leader, establishing the mood
   and setting the pace by which they lived.
   Where I led, they followed."

Job 30

The Pain Never Lets Up

 ^1-8"But no longer. Now I'm the butt of their jokes— young ruffians! whippersnappers!
Why, I considered their fathers
   mere inexperienced pups.
But they are worse than dogs—good for nothing,
   stray, mangy animals,
Half-starved, scavenging the back alleys,
   howling at the moon;
Homeless guttersnipes
   chewing on old bones and licking old tin cans;
Outcasts from the community,
   cursed as dangerous delinquents.
Nobody would put up with them;
   they were driven from the neighborhood.
You could hear them out there at the edge of town,
   yelping and barking, huddled in junkyards,
A gang of beggars and no-names,
   thrown out on their ears.

 ^9-15 "But now I'm the one they're after,
   mistreating me, taunting and mocking.
They abhor me, they abuse me.
   How dare those scoundrels—they spit in my face!
Now that God has undone me and left me in a heap,
   they hold nothing back. Anything goes.
They come at me from my blind side,
   trip me up, then jump on me while I'm down.
They throw every kind of obstacle in my path,
   determined to ruin me—
   and no one lifts a finger to help me!
They violate my broken body,
   trample through the rubble of my ruined life.
Terrors assault me—
   my dignity in shreds,
   salvation up in smoke.

 ^16-19 "And now my life drains out,
   as suffering seizes and grips me hard.
Night gnaws at my bones;
   the pain never lets up.
I am tied hand and foot, my neck in a noose.
   I twist and turn.
Thrown facedown in the muck,
   I'm a muddy mess, inside and out.

What Did I Do to Deserve This?

 ^20-23 "I shout for help, God, and get nothing, no answer!
   I stand to face you in protest, and you give me a blank stare!
You've turned into my tormenter—
   you slap me around, knock me about.
You raised me up so I was riding high
   and then dropped me, and I crashed.
I know you're determined to kill me,
   to put me six feet under.

 ^24-31 "What did I do to deserve this?
   Did I ever hit anyone who was calling for help?
Haven't I wept for those who live a hard life,
   been heartsick over the lot of the poor?
But where did it get me?
   I expected good but evil showed up.
   I looked for light but darkness fell.
My stomach's in a constant churning, never settles down.
   Each day confronts me with more suffering.
I walk under a black cloud. The sun is gone.
   I stand in the congregation and protest.
I howl with the jackals,
   I hoot with the owls.
I'm black-and-blue all over,
   burning up with fever.
My fiddle plays nothing but the blues;
   my mouth harp wails laments."

Job 31

What Can I Expect from God?

 ^1-4"I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes.
So what can I expect from God?
   What do I deserve from God Almighty above?
Isn't calamity reserved for the wicked?
   Isn't disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong?
Isn't God looking, observing how I live?
   Doesn't he mark every step I take?

 ^5-8 "Have I walked hand in hand with falsehood,
   or hung out in the company of deceit?
Weigh me on a set of honest scales
   so God has proof of my integrity.
If I've strayed off the straight and narrow,
   wanted things I had no right to,
   messed around with sin,
Go ahead, then—
   give my portion to someone who deserves it.

 ^9-12 "If I've let myself be seduced by a woman
   and conspired to go to bed with her,
Fine, my wife has every right to go ahead
   and sleep with anyone she wants to.
For disgusting behavior like that,
   I'd deserve the worst punishment you could hand out.
Adultery is a fire that burns the house down;
   I wouldn't expect anything I count dear to survive it.

 ^13-15 "Have I ever been unfair to my employees
   when they brought a complaint to me?
What, then, will I do when God confronts me?
   When God examines my books, what can I say?
Didn't the same God who made me, make them?
   Aren't we all made of the same stuff, equals before God?

 ^16-18 "Have I ignored the needs of the poor,
   turned my back on the indigent,
Taken care of my own needs and fed my own face
   while they languished?
Wasn't my home always open to them?
   Weren't they always welcome at my table?

 ^19-20 "Have I ever left a poor family shivering in the cold
   when they had no warm clothes?
Didn't the poor bless me when they saw me coming,
   knowing I'd brought coats from my closet?

 ^21-23 "If I've ever used my strength and influence
   to take advantage of the unfortunate,
Go ahead, break both my arms,
   cut off all my fingers!
The fear of God has kept me from these things—
   how else could I ever face him?

If Only Someone Would Give Me a Hearing!

 ^24-28 "Did I set my heart on making big money
   or worship at the bank?
Did I boast about my wealth,
   show off because I was well-off?
Was I ever so awed by the sun's brilliance
   and moved by the moon's beauty
That I let myself become seduced by them
   and worshiped them on the sly?
If so, I would deserve the worst of punishments,
   for I would be betraying God himself.

 ^29-30 "Did I ever crow over my enemy's ruin?
   Or gloat over my rival's bad luck?
No, I never said a word of detraction,
   never cursed them, even under my breath.

 ^31-34 "Didn't those who worked for me say,
   'He fed us well. There were always second helpings'?
And no stranger ever had to spend a night in the street;
   my doors were always open to travelers.
Did I hide my sin the way Adam did,
   or conceal my guilt behind closed doors
Because I was afraid what people would say,
   fearing the gossip of the neighbors so much
That I turned myself into a recluse?
   You know good and well that I didn't.

 ^35-37 "Oh, if only someone would give me a hearing!
   I've signed my name to my defense—let the
      Almighty One answer!
   I want to see my indictment in writing.
Anyone's welcome to read my defense;
   I'll write it on a poster and carry it around town.
I'm prepared to account for every move I've ever made—
   to anyone and everyone, prince or pauper.

 ^38-40 "If the very ground that I farm accuses me,
   if even the furrows fill with tears from my abuse,
If I've ever raped the earth for my own profit
   or dispossessed its rightful owners,
Then curse it with thistles instead of wheat,
   curse it with weeds instead of barley."

The words of Job to his three friends were finished.

Job 29-31, The Message

There is one aspect of Job's personality that simply does not resonate with me: he steadfastly proclaimed his own righteousness, integrity, and purity of heart. But then, he mentions that  he did perform regular sacrifices, so I suppose in this he acknowledged his own innate sinfulness.

Still, though, I cannot bring myself to similarly represent myself; I am painfully aware of how I fail to love both God and other people, and it seems as though any progress I make in that arena is glacially slow.

I think Job knew the depth of God's love for him much better than I do, understood that in His holiness He intensely desires intimate fellowship with each person whom He has spoken into being. O, for the ability to truly live out of that knowledge, to know that truth not merely in my brain, but in my heart, in the very core of my being!

Job 24-28

Job 24

An Illusion of Security

 ^1-12"But if Judgment Day isn't hidden from the Almighty, why are we kept in the dark?
There are people out there getting by with murder—
   stealing and lying and cheating.
They rip off the poor
   and exploit the unfortunate,
Push the helpless into the ditch,
   bully the weak so that they fear for their lives.
The poor, like stray dogs and cats,
   scavenge for food in back alleys.
They sort through the garbage of the rich,
   eke out survival on handouts.
Homeless, they shiver through cold nights on the street;
   they've no place to lay their heads.
Exposed to the weather, wet and frozen,
   they huddle in makeshift shelters.
Nursing mothers have their babies snatched from them;
   the infants of the poor are kidnapped and sold.
They go about patched and threadbare;
   even the hard workers go hungry.
No matter how backbreaking their labor,
   they can never make ends meet.
People are dying right and left, groaning in torment.
   The wretched cry out for help
   and God does nothing, acts like nothing's wrong!

 ^13-17 "Then there are those who avoid light at all costs,
   who scorn the light-filled path.
When the sun goes down, the murderer gets up—
   kills the poor and robs the defenseless.
Sexual predators can't wait for nightfall,
   thinking, 'No one can see us now.'
Burglars do their work at night,
   but keep well out of sight through the day.
   They want nothing to do with light.
Deep darkness is morning for that bunch;
   they make the terrors of darkness their companions in crime.

 ^18-25 "They are scraps of wood floating on the water—
   useless, cursed junk, good for nothing.
As surely as snow melts under the hot, summer sun,
   sinners disappear in the grave.
The womb has forgotten them, worms have relished them—
   nothing that is evil lasts.
Unscrupulous,
   they prey on those less fortunate.
However much they strut and flex their muscles,
   there's nothing to them. They're hollow.
They may have an illusion of security,
   but God has his eye on them.
They may get their brief successes,
   but then it's over, nothing to show for it.
Like yesterday's newspaper,
   they're used to wrap up the garbage.
You're free to try to prove me a liar,
   but you won't be able to do it."

Job 25

Bildad's Third Attack

Even the Stars Aren't Perfect in God's Eyes

 ^1-6 Bildad the Shuhite again attacked Job: "God is sovereign, God is fearsome—
   everything in the cosmos fits and works in his plan.
Can anyone count his angel armies?
   Is there any place where his light doesn't shine?
How can a mere mortal presume to stand up to God?
   How can an ordinary person pretend to be guiltless?
Why, even the moon has its flaws,
   even the stars aren't perfect in God's eyes,
So how much less, plain men and women—
   slugs and maggots by comparison!"

Job 26

Job's Defense

God Sets a Boundary Between Light and Darkness

 ^1-4 Job answered: "Well, you've certainly been a great help to a helpless man!
   You came to the rescue just in the nick of time!
What wonderful advice you've given to a mixed-up man!
   What amazing insights you've provided!
Where in the world did you learn all this?
   How did you become so inspired?

 ^5-14 "All the buried dead are in torment,
   and all who've been drowned in the deep, deep sea.
Hell is ripped open before God,
   graveyards dug up and exposed.
He spreads the skies over unformed space,
   hangs the earth out in empty space.
He pours water into cumulus cloud-bags
   and the bags don't burst.
He makes the moon wax and wane,
   putting it through its phases.
He draws the horizon out over the ocean,
   sets a boundary between light and darkness.
Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies.
   Listen! It's God raising his voice!
By his power he stills sea storms,
   by his wisdom he tames sea monsters.
With one breath he clears the sky,
   with one finger he crushes the sea serpent.
And this is only the beginning,
   a mere whisper of his rule.
   Whatever would we do if he really raised his voice!"

Job 27

No Place to Hide

 ^1-6 Having waited for Zophar, Job now resumed his defense: "God-Alive! He's denied me justice!
   God Almighty! He's ruined my life!
But for as long as I draw breath,
   and for as long as God breathes life into me,
I refuse to say one word that isn't true.
   I refuse to confess to any charge that's false.
There is no way I'll ever agree to your accusations.
   I'll not deny my integrity even if it costs me my life.
I'm holding fast to my integrity and not loosening my grip—
   and, believe me, I'll never regret it.

 ^7-10 "Let my enemy be exposed as wicked!
   Let my adversary be proven guilty!
What hope do people without God have when life is cut short?
   when God puts an end to life?
Do you think God will listen to their cry for help
   when disaster hits?
What interest have they ever shown in the Almighty?
   Have they ever been known to pray before?

 ^11-12 "I've given you a clear account of God in action,
   suppressed nothing regarding God Almighty.
The evidence is right before you. You can all see it for yourselves,
   so why do you keep talking nonsense?

 ^13-23 "I'll quote your own words back to you:    "'This is how God treats the wicked,
   this is what evil people can expect from God Almighty:
Their children—all of them—will die violent deaths;
   they'll never have enough bread to put on the table.
They'll be wiped out by the plague,
   and none of the widows will shed a tear when they're gone.
Even if they make a lot of money
   and are resplendent in the latest fashions,
It's the good who will end up wearing the clothes
   and the decent who will divide up the money.
They build elaborate houses
   that won't survive a single winter.
They go to bed wealthy
   and wake up poor.
Terrors pour in on them like flash floods—
   a tornado snatches them away in the middle of the night,
A cyclone sweeps them up—gone!
   Not a trace of them left, not even a footprint.
Catastrophes relentlessly pursue them;
   they run this way and that, but there's no place to hide—
Pummeled by the weather,
   blown to kingdom come by the storm.'"

Job 28

Where Does Wisdom Come From?

 ^1-11"We all know how silver seams the rocks, we've seen the stuff from which gold is refined,
We're aware of how iron is dug out of the ground
   and copper is smelted from rock.
Miners penetrate the earth's darkness,
   searching the roots of the mountains for ore,
   digging away in the suffocating darkness.
Far from civilization, far from the traffic,
   they cut a shaft,
   and are lowered into it by ropes.
Earth's surface is a field for grain,
   but its depths are a forge
Firing sapphires from stones
   and chiseling gold from rocks.
Vultures are blind to its riches,
   hawks never lay eyes on it.
Wild animals are oblivious to it,
   lions don't know it's there.
Miners hammer away at the rock,
   they uproot the mountains.
They tunnel through the rock
   and find all kinds of beautiful gems.
They discover the origins of rivers,
   and bring earth's secrets to light.

 ^12-19 "But where, oh where, will they find Wisdom?
   Where does Insight hide?
Mortals don't have a clue,
   haven't the slightest idea where to look.
Earth's depths say, 'It's not here';
   ocean deeps echo, 'Never heard of it.'
It can't be bought with the finest gold;
   no amount of silver can get it.
Even famous Ophir gold can't buy it,
   not even diamonds and sapphires.
Neither gold nor emeralds are comparable;
   extravagant jewelry can't touch it.
Pearl necklaces and ruby bracelets—why bother?
   None of this is even a down payment on Wisdom!
Pile gold and African diamonds as high as you will,
   they can't hold a candle to Wisdom.

 ^20-22 "So where does Wisdom come from?
   And where does Insight live?
It can't be found by looking, no matter
   how deep you dig, no matter how high you fly.
If you search through the graveyard and question the dead,
   they say, 'We've only heard rumors of it.'

 ^23-28 "God alone knows the way to Wisdom,
   he knows the exact place to find it.
He knows where everything is on earth,
   he sees everything under heaven.
After he commanded the winds to blow
   and measured out the waters,
Arranged for the rain
   and set off explosions of thunder and lightning,
He focused on Wisdom,
   made sure it was all set and tested and ready.
Then he addressed the human race: 'Here it is!
   Fear-of-the-Lord—that's Wisdom,
   and Insight means shunning evil.'"

(Job 24-28, The Message)

Bildad reiterates his, Eliphaz, and Zophar's position: God always blesses the righteous and punishes the sinner. He is predictable. Job knows better, though. He realizes that God transcends mere moral codes, that His primary goal for us is not behavior modification. Rather, He woos our hearts to Himself with His unpredictability; alternately dismaying and delighting us, dashing our long-held-but-too-small dreams and replacing them with glorious reality we could never imagine–let alone accomplish–without Him.

Terry Scott Taylor's Yer Little Gawd embodies what Job knew about God and what He said to his friends:



                            
Read the lyrics here.

Job 21-23

Job 21

Job's Response

Why Do the Wicked Have It So Good?

 ^1-3Job replied: "Now listen to me carefully, please listen,
   at least do me the favor of listening.
Put up with me while I have my say—
   then you can mock me later to your heart's content.

 ^4-16 "It's not you I'm complaining to—it's God.
   Is it any wonder I'm getting fed up with his silence?
Take a good look at me. Aren't you appalled by what's happened?
   No! Don't say anything. I can do without your comments.
When I look back, I go into shock,
   my body is racked with spasms.
Why do the wicked have it so good,
   live to a ripe old age and get rich?
They get to see their children succeed,
   get to watch and enjoy their grandchildren.
Their homes are peaceful and free from fear;
   they never experience God's disciplining rod.
Their bulls breed with great vigor
   and their cows calve without fail.
They send their children out to play
   and watch them frolic like spring lambs.
They make music with fiddles and flutes,
   have good times singing and dancing.
They have a long life on easy street,
   and die painlessly in their sleep.
They say to God, 'Get lost!
   We've no interest in you or your ways.
Why should we have dealings with God Almighty?
   What's there in it for us?'
But they're wrong, dead wrong—they're not gods.
   It's beyond me how they can carry on like this!

 ^17-21 "Still, how often does it happen that the wicked fail,
   or disaster strikes,
   or they get their just deserts?
How often are they blown away by bad luck?
   Not very often.
You might say, 'God is saving up the punishment for their children.'
   I say, 'Give it to them right now so they'll know what
      they've done!'
They deserve to experience the effects of their evil,
   feel the full force of God's wrath firsthand.
What do they care what happens to their families
   after they're safely tucked away in the grave?

Fancy Funerals with All the Trimmings

 ^22-26 "But who are we to tell God how to run his affairs?
   He's dealing with matters that are way over our heads.
Some people die in the prime of life,
   with everything going for them—
   fat and sassy.
Others die bitter and bereft,
   never getting a taste of happiness.
They're laid out side by side in the cemetery,
   where the worms can't tell one from the other.

 ^27-33 "I'm not deceived. I know what you're up to,
   the plans you're cooking up to bring me down.
Naively you claim that the castles of tyrants fall to pieces,
   that the achievements of the wicked collapse.
Have you ever asked world travelers how they see it?
   Have you not listened to their stories
Of evil men and women who got off scot-free,
   who never had to pay for their wickedness?
Did anyone ever confront them with their crimes?
   Did they ever have to face the music?
Not likely—they're given fancy funerals
   with all the trimmings,
Gently lowered into expensive graves,
   with everyone telling lies about how wonderful they were.

 ³⁴ "So how do you expect me to get any comfort from your nonsense?
   Your so-called comfort is a tissue of lies."

Job 22

Eliphaz Attacks Job—The Third Round

Come to Terms with God

 ^1-11 Once again Eliphaz the Temanite took up his theme:

"Are any of us strong enough to give God a hand,
   or smart enough to give him advice?
So what if you were righteous—would God Almighty even notice?
   Even if you gave a perfect performance, do you think
      he'd applaud?
Do you think it's because he cares about your purity
   that he's disciplining you, putting you on the spot?
Hardly! It's because you're a first-class moral failure,
   because there's no end to your sins.
When people came to you for help,
   you took the shirts off their backs, exploited their helplessness.
You wouldn't so much as give a drink to the thirsty,
   or food, not even a scrap, to the hungry.
And there you sat, strong and honored by everyone,
   surrounded by immense wealth!
You turned poor widows away from your door;
   heartless, you crushed orphans.
Now you're the one trapped in terror, paralyzed by fear.
   Suddenly the tables have turned!
How do you like living in the dark, sightless,
   up to your neck in flood waters?

 ^12-14 "You agree, don't you, that God is in charge?
   He runs the universe—just look at the stars!
Yet you dare raise questions: 'What does God know?
   From that distance and darkness, how can he judge?
He roams the heavens wrapped in clouds,
   so how can he see us?'

 ^15-18 "Are you going to persist in that tired old line
   that wicked men and women have always used?
Where did it get them? They died young,
   flash floods sweeping them off to their doom.
They told God, 'Get lost!
   What good is God Almighty to us?'
And yet it was God who gave them everything they had.
   It's beyond me how they can carry on like this!

 ^19-20 "Good people see bad people crash, and call for a celebration.
   Relieved, they crow,
'At last! Our enemies—wiped out.
   Everything they had and stood for is up in smoke!'

 ^21-25 "Give in to God, come to terms with him
   and everything will turn out just fine.
Let him tell you what to do;
   take his words to heart.
Come back to God Almighty
   and he'll rebuild your life.
Clean house of everything evil.
   Relax your grip on your money
   and abandon your gold-plated luxury.
God Almighty will be your treasure,
   more wealth than you can imagine.

 ^26-30 "You'll take delight in God, the Mighty One,
   and look to him joyfully, boldly.
You'll pray to him and he'll listen;
   he'll help you do what you've promised.
You'll decide what you want and it will happen;
   your life will be bathed in light.
To those who feel low you'll say, 'Chin up! Be brave!'
   and God will save them.
Yes, even the guilty will escape,
   escape through God's grace in your life."

Job 23

Job's Defense

I'm Completely in the Dark

 ^1-7 Job replied:

"I'm not letting up—I'm standing my ground.
   My complaint is legitimate.
God has no right to treat me like this—
   it isn't fair!
If I knew where on earth to find him,
   I'd go straight to him.
I'd lay my case before him face-to-face,
   give him all my arguments firsthand.
I'd find out exactly what he's thinking,
   discover what's going on in his head.
Do you think he'd dismiss me or bully me?
   No, he'd take me seriously.
He'd see a straight-living man standing before him;
   my Judge would acquit me for good of all charges.

 ^8-9 "I travel East looking for him—I find no one;
   then West, but not a trace;
I go North, but he's hidden his tracks;
   then South, but not even a glimpse.

 ^10-12 "But he knows where I am and what I've done.
   He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I'll pass the test
      with honors.
I've followed him closely, my feet in his footprints,
   not once swerving from his way.
I've obeyed every word he's spoken,
   and not just obeyed his advice—I've treasured it.

 ^13-17 "But he is singular and sovereign. Who can argue with him?
   He does what he wants, when he wants to.
He'll complete in detail what he's decided about me,
   and whatever else he determines to do.
Is it any wonder that I dread meeting him?
   Whenever I think about it, I get scared all over again.
God makes my heart sink!
   God Almighty gives me the shudders!
I'm completely in the dark,
   I can't see my hand in front of my face."

(Job 21-23, The Message)

Finally, after beating about the bush for all this time, Eliphaz comes out and says straight-out what he, Bildad, and Zophar have been implying: "Do you think it's because he cares about your purity that he's disciplining you, putting you on the spot? Hardly! It's because you're a first-class moral failure, because there's no end to your sins." (22:4-5) Ouch. Eliphaz was convinced he was speaking the truth (he wasn't), but he certainly didn't speak it in love. Even though he knew Job to be a good man whose heart thirsted for God, he was unable to let that evidence penetrate–never mind contradict–his tightly held belief that God materially rewards the righteous and punishes the unrighteous. Period. Without exception. Instead he impugned his friend's character. I can only imagine the betrayal Job must have felt.

Even though Job was confident that he had lived in obedience to God, he still trembled at the prospect of standing before Him (23:13-17)–a good reminder, I think, that, though He created us for relationship with Him, He is infinitely more holy than any of us will ever be this side of Heaven.