One Story That Leads to Jesus, Day 145
Job 20
20Then Zophar the Naamathite replied.H6030H6691H5284H5592"I must reply because I am greatly disturbed.H5587H7725H23633I've had to endure your insults, but now my spirit prompts me to reply.H8085H4148H3639H7307H998H60304"Don't you realize that from the beginning of time, ever since people were first placed on the earth,H3045H5703H120H7760H7765the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary?H7445H7563H7138H8057H2611H72816Though the pride of the godless reaches to the heavens and their heads touch the clouds,H7863H5927H8064H7218H5060H56457yet they will vanish forever, thrown away like their own dung. Those who knew them will ask, 'Where are they?'H6H5331H1561H7200H559H3358They will fade like a dream and not be found. They will vanish like a vision in the night.H5774H2472H4672H5074H2384H39159Those who once saw them will see them no more. Their families will never see them again.H5869H7805H3254H4725H778910Their children will beg from the poor, for they must give back their stolen riches.H1121H7521H1800H3027H7725H20211Though they are young, their bones will lie in the dust.H6106H4390H5934H7901H608312"They enjoyed the sweet taste of wickedness, letting it melt under their tongue.H7451H4985H6310H3582H395613They savored it, holding it long in their mouths.H2550H5800H4513H8432H244114But suddenly the food in their bellies turns sour, a poisonous venom in their stomach.H3899H4578H2015H4846H6620H713015They will vomit the wealth they swallowed. God won't let them keep it down.H1104H2428H6958H410H3423H99016They will suck the poison of cobras. The viper will kill them.H3243H7219H6620H660H3956H202617They will never again enjoy streams of olive oil or rivers of milk and honey.H7200H6390H5104H5158H1706H252918They will give back everything they worked for. Their wealth will bring them no joy.H3022H7725H1104H2428H8545H596519For they oppressed the poor and left them destitute. They foreclosed on their homes.H7533H5800H1800H1497H1004H112920They were always greedy and never satisfied. Nothing remains of all the things they dreamed about.H3045H7961H990H4422H253021Nothing is left after they finish gorging themselves. Therefore, their prosperity will not endure.H400H8300H2342H289822"In the midst of plenty, they will run into trouble and be overcome by misery.H4390H4390H5607H3334H3027H6001H93523May God give them a bellyful of trouble. May God rain down his anger upon them.H4390H990H7971H2740H639H4305H389424When they try to escape an iron weapon, a bronze-tipped arrow will pierce them.H1272H1270H5402H7198H5154H249825The arrow is pulled from their back, and the arrowhead glistens with blood. The terrors of death are upon them.H8025H3318H1465H1300H1980H4846H36726Their treasures will be thrown into deepest darkness. A wildfire will devour their goods, consuming all they have left.H2822H2934H6845H784H5301H398H3415H8300H16827The heavens will reveal their guilt, and the earth will testify against them.H8064H1540H5771H776H696528A flood will sweep away their house. God's anger will descend on them in torrents.H2981H1004H1540H5064H3117H63929This is the reward that God gives the wicked. It is the inheritance decreed by God."H2506H7563H120H430H5159H561H410
Job 21
21Then Job spoke again.H347H6030H5592"Listen closely to what I am saying. That's one consolation you can give me.H8085H8085H4405H85753Bear with me, and let me speak. After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me.H5375H1696H310H1696H39324"My complaint is with God, not with people. I have good reason to be so impatient.H7879H120H7307H71145Look at me and be stunned. Put your hand over your mouth in shock.H6437H8074H7760H3027H63106When I think about what I am saying, I shudder. My body trembles.H2142H926H6427H270H13207"Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?H7563H2421H6275H1396H24288They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren.H2233H3559H6440H6631H58699Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them.H1004H7965H6343H7626H43310Their bulls never fail to breed. Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.H7794H5674H1602H6510H6403H792111They let their children frisk about like lambs. Their little ones skip and dance.H7971H5759H6629H3206H754012They sing with tambourine and harp. They celebrate to the sound of the flute.H5375H8596H3658H8055H6963H574813They spend their days in prosperity, then go down to the grave in peace.H3615H1086H3117H2896H7281H2865H5181H758514And yet they say to God, 'Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.H559H410H5493H2654H1847H187015Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?'H7706H5647H3276H629316(They think their prosperity is of their own doing, but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)H2898H3027H6098H7563H736817"Yet the light of the wicked never seems to be extinguished. Do they ever have trouble? Does God distribute sorrows to them in anger?H5216H7563H1846H935H343H2505H2256H63918Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried away by the storm like chaff? Not at all!H8401H6440H7307H4671H5492H158919"'Well,' you say, 'at least God will punish their children!' But I say he should punish the ones who sin, so that they understand his judgment.H433H6845H205H1121H7999H304520Let them see their destruction with their own eyes. Let them drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty.H5869H7200H3589H8354H2534H770621For they will not care what happens to their family after they are dead.H2656H1004H310H4557H2320H268622"But who can teach a lesson to God, since he judges even the most powerful?H3925H410H1847H8199H731123One person dies in prosperity, completely comfortable and secure,H4191H8537H6106H7946H796124the picture of good health, vigorous and fit.H5845H4390H2461H6106H8248H422125Another person dies in bitter poverty, never having tasted the good life.H4191H4751H5315H398H289626But both are buried in the same dust, both eaten by the same maggots.H7901H3162H6083H7415H368027"Look, I know what you're thinking. I know the schemes you plot against me.H3045H4284H4209H255428You will tell me of rich and wicked people whose houses have vanished because of their sins.H559H1004H5081H4908H168H756329But ask those who have been around, and they will tell you the truth.H7592H5674H1870H5234H22630Evil people are spared in times of calamity and are allowed to escape disaster.H7451H2820H3117H343H2986H3117H567831No one criticizes them openly or pays them back for what they have done.H5046H1870H6440H7999H621332When they are carried to the grave, an honor guard keeps watch at their tomb.H2986H6913H8245H143033A great funeral procession goes to the cemetery. Many pay their respects as the body is laid to rest, and the earth gives sweet repose.H7263H5158H4985H120H4900H310H4557H644034"How can your empty cliches comfort me? All your explanations are lies!"H5162H1892H8666H7604H4604
Job 22
22Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied.H464H8489H6030H559 2"Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him?H1397H5532H410H3588H7919H5532 3Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?H2656H7706H6663H1215H1870H8552 4Is it because you're so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you?H3198H3374H935H4941 5No, it's because of your wickedness! There's no limit to your sins.H7451H7227H5771H7093 6"For example, you must have lent money to your friend and demanded clothing as security. Yes, you stripped him to the bone.H2254H251H2600H6584H6174H899 7You must have refused water for the thirsty and food for the hungry.H4325H5889H8248H4513H3899H7457 8You probably think the land belongs to the powerful and only the privileged have a right to it!H2220H376H776H5375H6440H3427 9You must have sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the hopes of orphans.H7971H490H7387H2220H3490H1792 10That is why you are surrounded by traps and tremble from sudden fears.H6341H5439H6597H6343H926 11That is why you cannot see in the darkness, and waves of water cover you.H2822H7200H8229H4325H3680 12"God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.H433H1363H8064H7200H7218H3556H7311 13But you reply, 'That's why God can't see what I am doing! How can he judge through the thick darkness?H559H410H3045H8199H6205 14For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us. He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.'H5645H5643H7200H1980H2329H8064 15"Will you continue on the old paths where evil people have walked?H8104H5769H734H205H4962H1869 16They were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away.H7059H6256H3247H3332H5104 17For they said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?'H559H410H5493H7706H6466 18Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.H4390H1004H2896H6098H7563H7368 19"The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed, and the innocent will laugh in contempt.H6662H7200H8055H5355H3932 20They will say, 'See how our enemies have been destroyed. The last of them have been consumed in the fire.'H518H7009H3582H3499H784H398 21"Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you.H5532H7999H2896H935 22Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart.H3947H8451H6310H7760H561H3824 23If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored—so clean up your life.H7725H7706H1129H7368H5766H7368H168 24If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river,H7896H1220H5921H6083H211H6697H5158 25the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver!H7706H1220H8443H3701 26"Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God.H6026H7706H5375H6440H433 27You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.H6279H8085H7999H5088 28You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.H1504H562H6965H216H5050H1870 29If people are in trouble and you say, 'Help them,' God will save them.H8213H559H1466H3467H7807H5869 30Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure."H4422H336H5355H4422H1252H3709
Job 23
23Then Job spoke again.H347H6030H5592"My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud.H3117H7879H4805H3027H3513H5853If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court.H5414H3045H4672H935H84994I would lay out my case and present my arguments.H6186H4941H6440H4390H6310H84335Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me.H3045H4405H6030H995H5596Would he use his great power to argue with me? No, he would give me a fair hearing.H7378H5978H7230H3581H77607Honest people can reason with him, so I would be forever acquitted by my judge.H3477H3198H6403H5331H81998I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him.H1980H6924H268H9959I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I look to the south, but he is concealed.H8040H6213H2372H5848H3225H720010"But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.H3045H1870H5978H974H3318H209111For I have stayed on God's paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside.H7272H270H838H1870H8104H518612I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food.H4185H4687H8193H6845H561H6310H270613But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind? Whatever he wants to do, he does.H259H7725H5315H183H621314So he will do to me whatever he has planned. He controls my destiny.H7999H2706H7227H200715No wonder I am so terrified in his presence. When I think of it, terror grips me.H926H6440H995H634216God has made me sick at heart; the Almighty has terrified me.H410H3820H7401H7706H92617Darkness is all around me; thick, impenetrable darkness is everywhere.H6789H6440H2822H3680H652H6440
Psalms 140
140[For the choir director: A psalm of David.] O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Protect me from those who are violent,H5329H4210H1732H2502H3068H7451H120H5341H2555H3762those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.H2803H7451H3820H3117H1481H44213Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips. InterludeH8150H3956H5175H5919H2534H8193H55424O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.H8104H3068H3027H7563H5341H2555H376H2803H1760H64715The proud have set a trap to catch me; they have stretched out a net; they have placed traps all along the way. InterludeH1343H2934H6341H2256H6566H7568H3027H4570H7896H4170H55426I said to the Lord, “You are my God!” Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!H559H3068H410H238H6963H8469H30687O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me, you protected me on the day of battle.H3069H136H5797H3444H5526H7218H3117H54028Lord, do not let evil people have their way. Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud. InterludeH5414H3068H3970H7563H6329H2162H7311H55429Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me.H7218H4524H5999H8193H368010Let burning coals fall down on their heads. Let them be thrown into the fire or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.H1513H4131H4131H5307H784H4113H696511Don’t let liars prosper here in our land. Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.H376H3956H3559H776H7451H6679H2555H376H407312But I know the Lord will help those they persecute; he will give justice to the poor.H3045H3068H6213H1779H6041H4941H3413Surely righteous people are praising your name; the godly will live in your presence.H6662H3034H8034H3477H3427H6440
Dublin, OH
. The terrors of death are upon them.H8025
