The Berean Pursuit
Then Elihu continued:
"Hear my words, O wise men;
give ear to me, O men of learning.
For the ear tests words
as the mouth tastes food.
Let us choose for ourselves what is right;
let us learn together what is good.
For Job has declared, 'I am righteous,
yet God has deprived me of justice.
Would I lie about my case?
My wound is incurable,
though I am without transgression.'
What man is like Job,
who drinks up derision like water?
He keeps company with evildoers
and walks with wicked men.
For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing
that he should delight in God.'
Therefore listen to me,
O men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do wrong,
and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
For according to a man's deeds He repays him;
according to a man's ways He brings consequences.
Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
Who gave Him charge over the earth?
Who appointed Him over the whole world?
If He were to set His heart to it
and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
all flesh would perish together
and mankind would return to the dust.
If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to my words.
Could one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
who says to kings, 'You are worthless!'
and to nobles, 'You are wicked,'
who is not partial to princes
and does not favor rich over poor?
For they are all the work of His hands.
They die in an instant,
in the middle of the night.
The people convulse and pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.
For His eyes are on the ways of a man,
and He sees his every step.
There is no darkness or deep shadow
where the workers of iniquity can hide.
For God need not examine a man further
or have him approach for judgment.
He shatters the mighty without inquiry
and sets up others in their place.
Therefore, He recognizes their deeds;
He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
He strikes them for their wickedness
in full view,
because they turned aside from Him
and had no regard for any of His ways.
They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him,
and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
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,
that godless men should not rule
or lay snares for the people.
Suppose someone says to God,
'I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
Teach me what I cannot see;
if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.'
Should God repay you on your own terms
when you have disavowed His?
You must choose, not I;
so tell me what you know.
Men of understanding will declare to me,
and the wise men who hear me will say:
'Job speaks without knowledge;
his words lack insight.'
If only Job were tried to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man.
For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God."
And Elihu went on to say:
"Do you think this is just?
You say, 'I am more righteous than God.'
For you ask, 'What does it profit me,
and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?'
I will reply to you
and to your friends as well.
Look to the heavens and see;
gaze at the clouds high above you.
If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?
If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?
If you are righteous, what do you give Him,
or what does He receive from your hand?
Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself,
and your righteousness only a son of man.
Men cry out under great oppression;
they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.
But no one asks, 'Where is God my Maker,
who gives us songs in the night,
who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?'
There they cry out, but He does not answer,
because of the pride of evil men.
Surely God does not listen to empty pleas,
and the Almighty does not take note of it.
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,
and further, that in His anger He has not punished
or taken much notice of folly!
So Job opens his mouth in vain
and multiplies words without knowledge."
And Elihu continued:
"Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you
that there is more to be said on God's behalf.
I get my knowledge from afar,
and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
For truly my words are free of falsehood;
one perfect in knowledge is with you.
Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one;
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
He does not keep the wicked alive,
but He grants justice to the afflicted.
He does not take His eyes off the righteous,
but He enthrones them with kings
and exalts them forever.
And if men are bound with chains,
caught in cords of affliction,
then He tells them their deeds
and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
He opens their ears to correction
and commands that they turn from iniquity.
If they obey and serve Him,
then they end their days in prosperity
and their years in happiness.
But if they do not obey,
then they perish by the sword
and die without knowledge.
The godless in heart harbor resentment;
even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
They die in their youth,
among the male shrine prostitutes.
God rescues the afflicted by their affliction
and opens their ears in oppression.
Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress
to a spacious and broad place,
to a table full of richness.
But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice have seized you.
Be careful that no one lures you with riches;
do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
Can your wealth or all your mighty effort
keep you from distress?
Do not long for the night,
when people vanish from their homes.
Be careful not to turn to iniquity,
for this you have preferred to affliction.
Behold, God is exalted in His power.
Who is a teacher like Him?
Who has appointed His way for Him,
or told Him, 'You have done wrong'?
Remember to magnify His work,
which men have praised in song.
All mankind has seen it;
men behold it from afar.
Indeed, God is great-beyond our knowledge;
the number of His years is unsearchable.
For He draws up drops of water
which distill the rain from the mist,
which the clouds pour out
and shower abundantly on mankind.
Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out,
how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
See how He scatters His lightning around Him
and covers the depths of the sea.
For by these He judges the nations
and provides food in abundance.
He fills His hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.
The thunder declares His presence;
even the cattle regard the rising storm.
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.
Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth-Gog and Magog-to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore.
And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them. And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.
And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death-the lake of fire. And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.