August 31: Job 31–32; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–12; Psalm 57; Proverbs 22:16

Job 31–32 (Listen)

Job’s Final Appeal

31   “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
    how then could I gaze at a virgin?
2   What would be my portion from God above
    and my heritage from the Almighty on high?
3   Is not calamity for the unrighteous,
    and disaster for the workers of iniquity?
4   Does not he see my ways
    and number all my steps?
5   “If I have walked with falsehood
    and my foot has hastened to deceit;
6   (Let me be weighed in a just balance,
    and let God know my integrity!)
7   if my step has turned aside from the way
    and my heart has gone after my eyes,
    and if any spot has stuck to my hands,
8   then let me sow, and another eat,
    and let what grows for me¹ be rooted out.
9   “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,
    and I have lain in wait at my neighbor’s door,
10   then let my wife grind for another,
    and let others bow down on her.
11   For that would be a heinous crime;
    that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;
12   for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,
    and it would burn to the root all my increase.
13   “If I have rejected the cause of my manservant or my maidservant,
    when they brought a complaint against me,
14   what then shall I do when God rises up?
    When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?
15   Did not he who made me in the womb make him?
    And did not one fashion us in the womb?
16   “If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,
    or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
17   or have eaten my morsel alone,
    and the fatherless has not eaten of it
18   (for from my youth the fatherless² grew up with me as with a father,
    and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow³),
19   if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,
    or the needy without covering,
20   if his body has not blessed me,⁴
    and if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep,
21   if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,
    because I saw my help in the gate,
22   then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,
    and let my arm be broken from its socket.
23   For I was in terror of calamity from God,
    and I could not have faced his majesty.
24   “If I have made gold my trust
    or called fine gold my confidence,
25   if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
    or because my hand had found much,
26   if I have looked at the sun⁵ when it shone,
    or the moon moving in splendor,
27   and my heart has been secretly enticed,
    and my mouth has kissed my hand,
28   this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
    for I would have been false to God above.
29   “If I have rejoiced at the ruin of him who hated me,
    or exulted when evil overtook him
30   (I have not let my mouth sin
    by asking for his life with a curse),
31   if the men of my tent have not said,
    ‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’
32   (the sojourner has not lodged in the street;
    I have opened my doors to the traveler),
33   if I have concealed my transgressions as others do⁶
    by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
34   because I stood in great fear of the multitude,
    and the contempt of families terrified me,
    so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—
35   Oh, that I had one to hear me!
    (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)
    Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
36   Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;
    I would bind it on me as a crown;
37   I would give him an account of all my steps;
    like a prince I would approach him.
38   “If my land has cried out against me
    and its furrows have wept together,
39   if I have eaten its yield without payment
    and made its owners breathe their last,
40   let thorns grow instead of wheat,
    and foul weeds instead of barley.”

The words of Job are ended.

Elihu Rebukes Job’s Three Friends

32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. 3 He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

  “I am young in years,
    and you are aged;
  therefore I was timid and afraid
    to declare my opinion to you.
7   I said, ‘Let days speak,
    and many years teach wisdom.’
8   But it is the spirit in man,
    the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.
9   It is not the old⁷ who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand what is right.
10   Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
    let me also declare my opinion.’
11   “Behold, I waited for your words,
    I listened for your wise sayings,
    while you searched out what to say.
12   I gave you my attention,
    and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
    or who answered his words.
13   Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
    God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14   He has not directed his words against me,
    and I will not answer him with your speeches.
15   “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
    they have not a word to say.
16   And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
    because they stand there, and answer no more?
17   I also will answer with my share;
    I also will declare my opinion.
18   For I am full of words;
    the spirit within me constrains me.
19   Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
    like new wineskins ready to burst.
20   I must speak, that I may find relief;
    I must open my lips and answer.
21   I will not show partiality to any man
    or use flattery toward any person.
22   For I do not know how to flatter,
    else my Maker would soon take me away.

(ESV)

2 Thessalonians 2:1–12 (Listen)

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers,¹2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness² is revealed, the son of destruction,³4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

(ESV)

Psalm 57 (Listen)

Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam¹ of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

57   Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
  in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
2   I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3   He will send from heaven and save me;
    he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
  God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!
4   My soul is in the midst of lions;
    I lie down amid fiery beasts—
  the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.
5   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!
6   They set a net for my steps;
    my soul was bowed down.
  They dug a pit in my way,
    but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7   My heart is steadfast, O God,
    my heart is steadfast!
  I will sing and make melody!
8     Awake, my glory!²
  Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
9   I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10   For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
11   Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!

(ESV)

Proverbs 22:16 (Listen)

16   Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth,
    or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.

(ESV)