Job 35-38 - Prayer Tents

Job 35

Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Justice

35Then Elihu said.H453H6030H5592"Do you think it is right for you to claim, 'I am righteous before God'?H2803H4941H559H6664H4103For you also ask, 'What's in it for me? What's the use of living a righteous life?'H559H5532H3276H24034"I will answer you and all your friends, too.H7725H4405H74535Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you.H5027H8064H7200H7789H7834H13616If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him?H2398H6466H6588H7231H62137If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him?H6663H5414H3947H30278No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans.H7562H376H6666H1121H1209"People cry out when they are oppressed. They groan beneath the power of the mighty.H7230H6217H2199H7768H2220H722710Yet they don't ask, 'Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night?H559H433H6213H5414H2158H391511Where is the one who makes us smarter than the animals and wiser than the birds of the sky?'H502H929H776H2449H5775H806412And when they cry out, God does not answer because of their pride.H6817H6030H6440H1347H745113But it is wrong to say God doesn't listen, to say the Almighty isn't concerned.H410H8085H7723H7706H778914You say you can't see him, but he will bring justice if you will only wait

.H637H559H7789H1779H6440H234215You say he does not respond to sinners with anger and is not greatly concerned about wickedness

.H6485H639H3045H3966H658016But you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool."H347H6475H6310H1892H3527H4405H1097H1847

Job 36

36Elihu continued speaking.H453H3254H5592"Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not finished defending God!H3803H2191H2331H4405H4333I will present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator.H5375H1843H7350H5414H6664H64664I am telling you nothing but the truth, for I am a man of great knowledge.H551H4405H8267H8549H18445"God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding.H410H3524H3988H3524H3581H38206He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted.H2421H7563H5414H4941H60417He never takes his eyes off the innocent, but he sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever.H1639H5869H6662H4428H3678H3427H5331H13618If they are bound in chains and caught up in a web of trouble,H631H2131H3920H2256H60409he shows them the reason. He shows them their sins of pride.H5046H6467H6588H139610He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil.H1540H241H4148H559H7725H20511"If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant.H8085H5647H3615H3117H2896H8141H527312But if they refuse to listen to him, they will be killed by the sword

and die from lack of understanding.H8085H5674H7973H1478H184713For the godless are full of resentment. Even when he punishes them, they refuse to cry out to him for help.H2611H3820H7760H639H7768H63114They die when they are young, after wasting their lives in immoral living.H5315H4191H5290H2416H694515But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.H2502H6041H6040H1540H241H390616"God is leading you away from danger, Job, to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best food.H5496H6310H6862H7338H8478H4164H5183H7979H4390H188017But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged. Don't worry, judgment and justice will be upheld.H4390H1779H7563H1779H4941H855118But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth

. Don't let yourself be bribed into sin.H2534H5496H5607H7230H3724H518619Could all your wealth

or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress?H6186H7769H1222H3981H358120Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed

.H7602H3915H5971H592721Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil.H8104H6437H205H977H6040

Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Power

22"Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him?H410H7682H3581H338423No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, 'You have done wrong.'H6485H1870H559H6466H576624Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise.H2142H7679H6467H582H789125Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance.H120H2372H582H5027H735026"Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.H410H7689H3045H4557H8141H271427He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain.H1639H5198H4325H2212H4306H10828The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits.H7834H5140H7491H120H722729Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?H995H4666H5645H8663H552130See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea.H6566H216H3680H8328H322031By these mighty acts he nourishes

the people, giving them food in abundance.H1777H5971H5414H400H434232He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target.H3709H3680H216H6680H629333The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger

.H7452H5046H4735H5927

Job 37

37"My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me.H2063H3820H2729H5425H47252Listen carefully to the thunder of God's voice as it rolls from his mouth.H8085H8085H7267H6963H1899H3318H63103It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes in every direction.H3474H8281H8064H216H3671H7764Then comes the roaring of the thunder—the tremendous voice of his majesty. He does not restrain it when he speaks.H310H6963H7580H7481H6963H1347H6117H6963H80855God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We can't even imagine the greatness of his power.H410H7481H6381H6963H1419H6213H30456"He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.H559H7950H1933H776H4306H1653H4306H1653H57977Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power.H2856H3027H120H582H3045H46398The wild animals take cover and stay inside their dens.H2416H935H1119H695H7931H45859The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold.H2315H935H5492H7135H421510God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water.H5397H410H7140H5414H7341H4325H416411He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning.H7377H2959H5645H6327H216H605112The clouds churn about at his direction. They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.H2015H4524H8458H6467H6680H6440H8398H77613He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.H4672H7626H776H261714"Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!H238H347H5975H995H6381H41015Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds?H3045H433H7760H216H6051H331316Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill?H3045H4657H5645H4652H8549H184317When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still,H899H2525H8252H776H186418he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror.Can you do that?H7554H7834H2389H3332H720919"So teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments.H3045H559H6186H6440H282220Should God be notified that I want to speak? Can people even speak when they are confused?

H5608H1696H376H559H110421We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds.H7200H925H216H7834H7307H5674H289122So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor.H2091H857H6828H433H3372H193523We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us.H7706H4672H7689H3581H4941H7230H6666H603124No wonder people everywhere fear him. All who are wise show him reverence."H582H3372H7200H2450H3820

Job 38

The Lord Challenges Job

38Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind.H3068H6030H347H5591H5592"Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?H2821H6098H4405H18473Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.H247H2504H1397H7592H30454"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.H375H3245H776H5046H3045H9985Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?H7760H4461H3045H5186H69576What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstoneH134H2883H3384H6438H687as the morning stars sang together and all the angels

shouted for joy?H1242H3556H7442H3162H1121H430H73218"Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb,H5526H3220H1817H1518H3318H73589and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?H7760H6051H3830H6205H285410For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores.H7665H2706H7760H1280H181711I said, 'This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!'H559H5704H6311H935H3254H1347H1530H789612"Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east?H6680H1242H3117H7837H3045H472513Have you made daylight spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night's wickedness?H270H3671H776H7563H528714As the light approaches, the earth takes shape like clay pressed beneath a seal; it is robed in brilliant colors

.H2015H2563H2368H3320H383015The light disturbs the wicked and stops the arm that is raised in violence.H7563H216H4513H7311H2220H766516"Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you explored their depths?H935H5033H3220H1980H2714H841517Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?H8179H4194H1540H7200H8179H675718Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!H995H7338H776H5046H304519"Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?H1870H216H7931H2822H472520Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there?H3947H1366H995H5410H100421But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!H3045H3205H4557H3117H722722"Have you visited the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of hail?H935H214H7950H7200H214H125923(I have reserved them as weapons for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war.)H2820H6256H6862H3117H7128H442124Where is the path to the source of light? Where is the home of the east wind?H335H1870H216H2505H6327H6921H77625"Who created a channel for the torrents of rain? Who laid out the path for the lightning?H6385H8585H7858H1870H2385H696326Who makes the rain fall on barren land, in a desert where no one lives?H4305H776H376H4057H12027Who sends rain to satisfy the parched ground and make the tender grass spring up?H7646H7722H4875H4161H1877H677928"Does the rain have a father? Who gives birth to the dew?H3426H4306H1H3205H96H291929Who is the mother of the ice? Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens?H990H3318H7140H3713H8064H320530For the water turns to ice as hard as rock, and the surface of the water freezes.H4325H2244H68H6440H8415H392031"Can you direct the movement of the stars—binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion?H7194H4575H3598H6605H4189H368532Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?H3318H4216H6256H5148H5906H112133Do you know the laws of the universe? Can you use them to regulate the earth?H3045H2708H8064H7760H4896H77634"Can you shout to the clouds and make it rain?H7311H6963H5645H8229H4325H368035Can you make lightning appear and cause it to strike as you direct?H7971H1300H3212H55936Who gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind?H7896H2451H2910H5414H998H790737Who is wise enough to count all the clouds? Who can tilt the water jars of heavenH5608H7834H2451H7901H5035H806438when the parched ground is dry and the soil has hardened into clods?H6083H3332H4165H7263H169239"Can you stalk prey for a lioness and satisfy the young lions' appetitesH6679H2964H3833H4390H2416H371540as they lie in their dens or crouch in the thicket?H7817H4585H3427H5521H3926H69541Who provides food for the ravens when their young cry out to God and wander about in hunger?H3559H6158H6718H3206H7768H410H8582H1097H400