One Year Bible

Job 34:1-36:33

Elihu Confirms God’s Justice

1 Then Elihu continued:

2“Hear my words, O wise men;

give ear to me, O men of learning.

3 For the ear tests words

as the mouth tastes food.

4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right;

let us learn together what is good.

5 For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous,

yet God has deprived me of justice.

6 Would I lie about my case?

My wound is incurable,

though I am without transgression.’

7 What man is like Job,

who drinks up derision like water?

8 He keeps company with evildoers

and walks with wicked men.

9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

that he should delight in God.’

10 Therefore listen to me,

O men of understanding.

Far be it from God to do wrong,

and from the Almighty to act unjustly.

11 For according to a man’s deeds He repays him;

according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.

12 Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly,

and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

13 Who gave Him charge over the earth?

Who appointed Him over the whole world?

14 If He were to set His heart to it

and withdraw His Spirit and breath,

15 all flesh would perish together

and mankind would return to the dust.

16 If you have understanding, hear this;

listen to my words.

17 Could one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn the just and mighty One,

18 who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’

and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’

19 who is not partial to princes

and does not favor rich over poor?

For they are all the work of His hands.

20 They die in an instant,

in the middle of the night.

The people convulse and pass away;

the mighty are removed without human hand.

21 For His eyes are on the ways of a man,

and He sees his every step.

22 There is no darkness or deep shadow

where the workers of iniquity can hide.

23 For God need not examine a man further

or have him approach for judgment.

24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry

and sets up others in their place.

25 Therefore, He recognizes their deeds;

He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

26 He strikes them for their wickedness

in full view,

27 because they turned aside from Him

and had no regard for any of His ways.

28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him,

and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

29 But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him?

When He hides His face, who can see Him?

Yet He watches over both man and nation,

30 that godless men should not rule

or lay snares for the people.

31 Suppose someone says to God,

‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.

32 Teach me what I cannot see;

if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’

33 Should God repay you on your own terms

when you have disavowed Him?

You must choose, not I;

so tell me what you know.

34 Men of understanding will declare to me,

and the wise men who hear me will say:

35‘Job speaks without knowledge;

his words lack insight.’

36 If only Job were tried to the utmost

for answering like a wicked man.

37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands among us

and multiplies his words against God.”

Elihu Recalls God’s Justice

1 And Elihu went on to say:

2“Do you think this is just?

You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’

3 For you ask, ‘What does it profit me,

and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’

4 I will reply to you

and to your friends as well.

5 Look to the heavens and see;

gaze at the clouds high above you.

6 If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?

If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give Him,

or what does He receive from your hand?

8 Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself,

and your righteousness only a son of man.

9 Men cry out under great oppression;

they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.

10 But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker,

who gives us songs in the night,

11 who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth

and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’

12 There they cry out, but He does not answer,

because of the pride of evil men.

13 Surely God does not listen to empty pleas,

and the Almighty does not take note of it.

14 How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him,

that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,

15 and further, that in His anger He has not punished

or taken much notice of folly!

16 So Job opens his mouth in vain

and multiplies words without knowledge.”

Elihu Describes God’s Power

1 And Elihu continued:

2“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you

that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.

3 I get my knowledge from afar,

and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

4 For truly my words are free of falsehood;

one perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one;

He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 He does not keep the wicked alive,

but He grants justice to the afflicted.

7 He does not take His eyes off the righteous,

but He enthrones them with kings

and exalts them forever.

8 And if men are bound with chains,

caught in cords of affliction,

9 then He tells them their deeds

and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

10 He opens their ears to correction

and commands that they turn from iniquity.

11 If they obey and serve Him,

then they end their days in prosperity

and their years in happiness.

12 But if they do not obey,

then they perish by the sword

and die without knowledge.

13 The godless in heart harbor resentment;

even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.

14 They die in their youth,

among the male shrine prostitutes.

15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction

and opens their ears in oppression.

16 Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress

to a spacious and broad place,

to a table full of richness.

17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;

judgment and justice have seized you.

18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches;

do not let a large bribe lead you astray.

19 Can your wealth or all your mighty effort

keep you from distress?

20 Do not long for the night,

when people vanish from their homes.

21 Be careful not to turn to iniquity,

for this you have preferred to affliction.

22 Behold, God is exalted in His power.

Who is a teacher like Him?

23 Who has appointed His way for Him,

or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 Remember to magnify His work,

which men have praised in song.

25 All mankind has seen it;

men behold it from afar.

26 Indeed, God is great — beyond our knowledge;

the number of His years is unsearchable.

27 For He draws up drops of water

which distill the rain from the mist,

28 which the clouds pour out

and shower abundantly on mankind.

29 Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out,

how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

30 See how He scatters His lightning around Him

and covers the depths of the sea.

31 For by these He judges the nations

and provides food in abundance.

32 He fills His hands with lightning

and commands it to strike its mark.

33 The thunder declares His presence;

even the cattle regard the rising storm.’’

2 Corinthians 4:1-12

The Light of the Gospel

1 Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

(Romans 6:1–14)

7 Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Psalm 44:1-8

1 For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

We have heard with our ears, O God;

our fathers have told us

the work You did in their days,

in the days of old.

2 With Your hand You drove out the nations

and planted our fathers there;

You crushed the peoples

and cast them out.

3 For it was not by their sword that they took the land;

their arm did not bring them victory.

It was by Your right hand,

Your arm, and the light of Your face,

because You favored them.

4 You are my King, O God,

who ordains victories for Jacob.

5Through You we repel our foes;

through Your name we trample our enemies.

6 For I do not trust in my bow,

nor does my sword save me.

7 For You save us from our enemies;

You put those who hate us to shame.

8 In God we have boasted all day long,

and Your name we will praise forever.

Selah

Proverbs 22:10-12

10 Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart;

even quarreling and insults will cease.

11 He who loves a pure heart and gracious lips

will have the king for a friend.

12 The Lord’s eyes keep watch over knowledge,

but He frustrates the words of the faithless.

sozo church

One Year Bible

Job 34:1-36:33

2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Psalm 44:1-8

Proverbs 22:10-12