Job 34
Elihu Proclaims God's Justice
1 Furthermore Elihu answered and said:
2 "Hear my words, O you wise men;
and give ear unto me, you that have knowledge.
3 For the ear tests words,
as the mouth tastes food.
4 Let us choose justice for ourselves;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 "For Job has said, 'I am righteous,
but God has taken away my judgment.
6 Should I lie concerning my right?
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7 What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water,
8 who goes in company with the workers of iniquity
and walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing
that he should delight himself in God.'
10 "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
Far be it from God that He should do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that He should commit iniquity.
11 He will repay a man for his work,
and cause every man to find what is according to his ways.
12 Yes, surely God will not do wickedly,
nor will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who has given Him charge over the earth?
Or who has set in order the whole world?
14 If He sets His heart on man,
if He gathers unto Himself His Spirit and His breath,
15 all flesh will perish together,
and man will turn again to dust.
16 "If now you have understanding, hear this;
listen to the voice of my words:
17 Should he who hates justice govern?
And will you condemn Him who is most just?
18 Is it fitting to say to a king, 'You are wicked'?
And to princes, 'You are ungodly'?
19 Yet He is not partial to princes,
nor does He regard the rich more than the poor.
For they all are the work of His hands.
20 In a moment they will die,
and the people will be troubled at midnight and pass away,
and the mighty will be taken away without a hand.
21 "For His eyes are upon the ways of man,
and He sees all his goings.
22 There is no darkness nor shadow of death
where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For He will not lay upon man more than right,
that he should enter into judgment with God.
24 He will break in pieces mighty men without number,
and set others in their place.
25 Therefore He knows their works,
and He overturns them in the night
so that they are destroyed.
26 He strikes them as wicked men
in the open sight of others,
27 because they turned back from Him
and would not consider any of His ways,
28 so that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto Him;
and He hears the cry of the afflicted.
29 When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him,
whether it is done against a nation or against a man only?
30 That the hypocrite should not reign,
lest the people be ensnared.
31 "Should anyone say to God,
'I have borne chastisement, I will offend no more;
32 teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do no more'?
33 Should it be according to your mind?
He will repay it, whether you refuse or whether you choose,
and not I; therefore speak what you know.
34 "Let men of understanding say to me,
wise men who listen to me:
35 'Job has spoken without knowledge,
and his words were without wisdom.'
36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion unto his sin;
he claps his hands among us,
and multiplies his words against God."
Job 34
1 Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
2 Hear my words, O ye wise men;
And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 For the ear trieth words,
As the mouth tasteth meat.
4 Let us choose to us judgment:
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job hath said, I am righteous:
And God hath taken away my judgment.
6 Should I lie against my right?
My wound is incurable without transgression.
7 What man is like Job,
Who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walketh with wicked men.
9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing
That he should delight himself with God.
10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding:
Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness;
And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him,
And cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly,
Neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth?
Or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he set his heart upon man,
If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh shall perish together,
And man shall turn again unto dust.
16 If now thou hast understanding, hear this:
Hearken to the voice of my words.
17 Shall even he that hateth right govern?
And wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked?
and to princes, Ye are ungodly?
19 How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes,
Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor?
For they all are the work of his hands.
20 In a moment shall they die,
And the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away:
And the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man,
And he seeth all his goings.
22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death,
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he will not lay upon man more than right;
That he should enter into judgment with God.
24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number,
And set others in their stead.
25 Therefore he knoweth their works,
And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 He striketh them as wicked men
In the open sight of others;
27 Because they turned back from him,
And would not consider any of his ways:
28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him,
And he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him?
Whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:
30 That the hypocrite reign not,
Lest the people be ensnared.
31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God,
I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:
32 That which I see not teach thou me:
If I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
33 Should it be according to thy mind?
He will recompense it, whether thou refuse,
Or whether thou choose; and not I:
Therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 Let men of understanding tell me,
And let a wise man hearken unto me.
35 Job hath spoken without knowledge,
And his words were without wisdom.
36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end
Because of his answers for wicked men.
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin,
He clappeth his hands among us,
And multiplieth his words against God.
(But show some more respect to your elders)
2) Our Daily Bread for 10 January 2026 titled
Today Is Precious by Kirsten Holmberg
James 4:13-17
Warning Against Boasting
13 (Pr 27:1; Jas 5:1) Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow
we will go into this city, spend a year there, buy and sell,
and make a profit,"
14 (Ps 102:3; 39:5) whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.
What is your life? It is just a vapor that appears for a little while
and then vanishes away.
15 (Ac 18:21) Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills,
we shall live and do this or that."
16 (1Co 5:6) But now you are rejoicing in your boastings.
All such rejoicing is evil.
17 (Jn 9:41; Lk 12:47-48) Therefore, to him who knows to do good
and does not do it, it is sin.
[13] Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a
city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
[14] Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life?
It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth
away.
[15] For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this,
or that.
[16] But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
[17] Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it
is sin.
Vietnamese collector Pham has salvaged twenty church clocks from around
Europe, many of which had been replaced with electronic versions. One clock,
made in Italy, dates back to 1750 and, remarkably, still keeps time
accurately. Pham enjoys restoring and preserving the timepieces, saying they
remind him of how precious time is and to savour each moment.
In James 4, the writer encouraged his readers to recognise the preciousness of
time by reminding them that their lives are like "a mist that appears for a
little while" before vanishing (James 4:14). James warned against making plans
to "go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make
money" (v. 13) without consulting God. Instead of presuming on God for the
timing and success of their ventures, he reminded them that they
"do not even know what will happen tomorrow" (v. 14). Designing our own
successes is actually boastful and arrogant if it leaves
God out of the picture.
When we recognize the brevity of our lives, we're able to hold our plans for
the future more loosely and better embrace the present moment. We live and
work according to God's design and purpose, which means we can humbly entrust
our future to Him and savor each day as the gift from Him it truly is - no
matter what it may hold.
Reflect & Pray
When have you left God out of your plans?
How can you embrace today for the gift it is?
Thank You, God, for the gift of today. I trust my future to You.
Discover more by reading Making Decisions God's Way.