Through My Bible Yr 01 – August 12

Through My Bible – August 12

Job 36 – 37 (EHV)

See series: Through My Bible

² Be patient with me a little longer.
I intend to inform you further,
since I have more to say on God’s behalf.
³ I will provide you with comprehensive knowledge,
and I will justify my Maker.
⁴ You can be sure that none of my words are false.
A man with complete knowledge is here with you.
⁵ Yes, God is mighty, but he does not despise people.
He is mighty and has great understanding. ^[1]
6 He does not keep a wicked man alive,
but he does give justice to the oppressed.
⁷ He does not turn his eyes away from the righteous.
He seats them on thrones with kings
and exalts them forever.
⁸ But if people are bound in chains,
and they are held captive by cords of affliction,
⁹ he declares to them what they have done—
how arrogantly they have committed rebellious deeds.
¹⁰ He opens their ears to accept discipline, ^[2]
and he tells them to turn back from wickedness.
¹¹ If they listen and serve him,
they will complete their days in prosperity,
and their years will end in pleasure.
¹² But if they do not listen,
they will be overwhelmed by a stream. ^[3]
They will breathe their last without knowledge.
¹³ Godless hearts nourish anger.
They do not cry out for help even when he imprisons them.
¹⁴ Their souls die while they are still young,
and they end their lives among the male prostitutes at their shrines.

¹⁵ God delivers the afflicted by means of their affliction,
and he gets their attention through their suffering.
¹⁶ Certainly he is drawing you out of the jaws of distress
    to a wide-open place, where you will not be hemmed in.
You will be comfortable at your table covered with rich food.
¹⁷ But now you are caught up with the judgment of the wicked,
and judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
¹⁸ Watch out, so that no one lures you with luxury.
Do not let a large payment turn you aside.
¹⁹ Can your affluence arrange for your security,
    so that you do not suffer want?
Can even your strongest efforts accomplish that?
²⁰ Do not long for night time, when nations vanish from their place. ^[4]
21 Watch out. Do not turn to evil,
because that is why you have been tested by affliction. ^[5]
22 Listen to me. God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
²³ Who has dictated his way for him?
Who has said, “You have done wrong”?
²⁴ Remember that you should praise his work,
    which people have celebrated in song.
²⁵ All mankind has observed it.
People can look at it from a distance.
²⁶ Yes, God is exalted far beyond our comprehension.
The number of his years is beyond investigation.
²⁷ He draws up drops of water from the sea,
and he distills the raindrops to form mist,
²⁸ which flow down from the clouds
and pour down abundantly on mankind.
²⁹ Indeed, who understands how the clouds spread out?
Who understands how the thunder rumbles out from his shelter?
³⁰ Look how he spreads his light ^[6] all around him,
and he covers the bottom ^[7] of the sea.
³¹ He uses this to bring judgment on peoples
and to provide abundant food.
³² With his hands he grasps the lightning,
and he gives it orders as it advances.
³³ Through the thunder he sounds his war cry.
The herds sense the coming of the rising storm. ^[8]

Job 37

¹ When I hear this, my heart races
and leaps from its place.
² Listen! Listen to the booming thunder of his voice,
to the rumble that goes out from his mouth.
³ He turns it loose across the whole sky,
and his light reaches the ends of the earth.
⁴ After the lightning, a voice roars.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
He does not restrain the lightning.
Then his voice is heard!
⁵ God thunders with his voice in wonderful ways.
He does great things that we do not understand.
⁶ To the snow he says, “Fall on the earth.”
To the pouring rain, the torrential downpours of rain,
    he says, “Be strong.” ^[9]
7 He brings an end to all the work of men’s hands,
    so that they recognize his work.
⁸ The wild animals take shelter in their lairs.
They remain in their dens.
⁹ A winter wind comes out from its room,
and driving winds bring icy cold.
¹⁰ The breath of God produces ice.
The wide surface of the water turns solid.
¹¹ Yes, he loads dark clouds with moisture,
and he fills the clouds with his light.
¹² The clouds swirl around at his direction.
They do whatever he commands them
    over the face of the whole inhabited world.
¹³ Whether their purpose is to bring punishment or mercy to the world,
    he makes them achieve their goal.

¹⁴ Listen to this, Job! Stand still and recognize the wonders of God!
¹⁵ Do you know how God arranges them?
Do you know how he makes his light shine out from his clouds?
¹⁶ Do you know how the clouds float in the sky,
    those marvels produced by perfect knowledge?
¹⁷ You, whose clothing is too hot for you
    when the land rests quietly because of the hot south wind,
¹⁸ can you help him spread out the clouds
    when the sky is as hard as a metal mirror?
¹⁹ Teach us what we should say to him!
We are not able to prepare our case because of the darkness.
²⁰ Should he be notified that I want to speak?
Or would a man who said that be swallowed up?

²¹ But no one can look at the sun.
It is too bright when the wind has cleared the sky of the clouds.
²² God’s golden splendor comes from the north.
God is surrounded by awesome majesty.
²³ As for the Almighty, we cannot comprehend him.
He is exalted in power,
but he does not violate justice and great righteousness.
²⁴ Therefore men should revere him,
because he has regard for all those who are wise in heart. ^[10]

Footnotes

1. Job 36:5 Or resolve
2. Job 36:10 Or correction
3. Job 36:12 Or weapon
4. Job 36:20 The meaning of this verse is uncertain.
5. Job 36:21 Or though you seem to prefer it to affliction. The meaning of this verse is uncertain.
6. Job 36:30 Or lightning. In Job the same word is used for both light and lightning.
7. Job 36:30 Literally the roots
8. Job 36:33 The meaning of this line is uncertain.
9. Job 37:6 This line is difficult.
10. Job 37:24 Or, reading with the Greek, those who are wise in heart fear him