Trust and waiting for the work of the Lord.

Job 34:21-37
His eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step. There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness, where evildoers can hide. 
But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over individual and nation alike,
Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’ Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man! To his sin he adds rebellion;
Job has added to his. other sins resentment and rebellion against God.
Why?
God sees all the activities of human beings, no one can escape from God.
But no one can see God if God is hidden.
Elihu criticized Job without knowledge, and should not quarry the Lord。
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神除了有絕對權柄外，也以公義審判人，治理萬有。
因為他公義，所以不看王子情面。

How?
Honor the name of the Lord, keep faith and waiting for the work of the Lord.

It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.

Job 34:1-20
He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves.
It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.
Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
Who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor,  for they are all the work of his hands? They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
Job has said God is in the wrong, and there is nothing to be gained by making him our delight. But God is the judge of all people; superme, just, impartial.
Why?
Elihu is devide Go's word in justice and evildoer has worse feedback. But all of these are not suit to Job. Job is righteousness, his suffering is different with others.
Elihu says a right word, "It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice."
God is righteousness and full of love, and we cann't image God's way and his wisdom.
以利戶賣弄自己以為是的知識。
約伯說惡人會求告人有什麼益處，不是人求告神有什麼益處。很有智慧要聽我的話，其實是罵人無知道，愚昧。
神在這裡全地是最有権柄的，神無須對全世界的人負責。沒有錯的問題。即對錯，公平是從有權柄來看，把神當作霸主。神訂下法則，公平，正義，公理，信實，良善，信實，神自己不會破壞法則。把一些事推到極端化，將神簡化，想用一兩個定律或幾句話來斷定一切。
人與神不同等，但是神可以與神同等。
神不是我們擁有6簡單化，許多異端就是太簡單化了。
How?
Trust and follow the word of the Lord, obey his command more than ask why is the best way to us.

For God is greater than any mortal

Job 33:1-33
“But you have said in my hearing— I heard the very words— ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy. He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.’
“But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal. Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one’s words?
If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Job has declared himself the innocent victim of God; but God will not answer his charge. Elihu says God speaks to us through warning dreams and through suffering - in order to save, not destroy us.
Why?
God warns us in many ways, and God's wisdom beyond us. But Elihu still said the wrong word, that we can not answer anything for the Lord.
God is greater than any mortal so no one can imitate the mind of the Lord.
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以利戶反駁約伯說神攻擊人。神要教導提醒人，但是人不聽，所以神用苦難來教導人，為了救人脫離深坑，走在神的道路。脫胎換骨。
如以色列人一直在拜偶像。次救恩的觀點很接近約伯。但是約伯不是走到了盡頭。因為約伯並沒有行惡，自以為有智慧來指責約伯。他們根本沒有答案，卻不願意承認。
神很多事情不對人說，說了人也停不懂。我們不明白的是屬於神。神告訴我們的事就是我們該知道與遵行。人想知道卻難遵循。我不知道明日將如何，但是我知道主掌管明天

How?
Be humble and honor the name of the Lord, carefully listen to the Holy Spirit.

t is not only the old[c] who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.

Job 32: 1-22
Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said: It is not only the old[c] who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong; none of you has answered his arguments.
I will show no partiality, nor will I flatter anyone; for if I were skilled in flattery, my Maker would soon take me away.
Elihu has not been mentioned or spoken, before. He has been a silent bystander, holding back out of deference to his elders. But he can bear it no longer. His pent-up thoughts burst out in a long, unstoppable tirade.
Elihu is the original angry young man. His elders are lost for words, but he is simply bursting with indignation at Job's attitude, dying to have his say.
Why?
It is not only the old who are wise, not only the aged who understand what is right. so as a young man neither.
God's wisdom and way beyond ours.
Elihu spoke for his angry that no one can prove Job wrong, for his angry and his arguments.
No one responded to his answer so word of Elihu could not say right or wrong. But it is not important.
Word of Elihu is not to comfort Job, but only proud of his word and his expression.
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以利戶說話
以己為義，不以神為義。內容似乎比較正確，但是在神眼中仍是偏頗的。
這裡前面是開場白。
年紀大不見得有智慧。職位高也不代表聰明。
聰明智慧是從神而來。然而謙卑話語中帶著針。年輕也不是聰明智慧。要省查自己，不能以偏概全，是否想法有偏差？
How?
Be humble, no one is smart and understanding than any other.

How many of us could honestly do the same as Job?

Job 29:40
If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him—
If I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside—
but no stranger had to spend the night in the street,  for my door was always open to the traveler—
Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. I would give him an account of my every step; I would present it to him as to a ruler.)—
The words of Job are ended.
All this has befallen a man who has avoided immorality, even in his thinking; turned on one from his door; harboured no secret sins; never kept quiet for fear of what others might think or how they might react. Job is prepared to swear to all this before. How many of us could honestly do the same?
Why?
How many of us could honestly do the same as Job?  No one in the world. 
I will rejoice at my enemy's misfortune. I will conceal my sin as people do. My door is not always open to the traveller...
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看顧孤兒寡婦是神看重的。
不依靠錢財，偶像。看到萬象的奇妙也不會去拜，完全敬畏神。
約伯指出如果他有做這些惡事，他寧願遭禍。
約伯要說，該說的就沒有什麼說的，無話可說。沒有因為行惡而受苦的。
結果好像沒有結果。
詩篇中，所遭遇的若出於神，我就默然不語。知道盼望而來
若我們相信神，就專心等候神。

How?
I am a sinner. Thank God saved me. And give us the bible may understand the command of the Lord.
Be humble always!

God sees my ways and count my every step

Job 31:1-28
I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? Does he not see my ways and count my every step?
If I have walked with falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit—
If my heart has been enticed by a woman,
If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me,
If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
All this has befallen a man who has avoided immorality, even in his thinking(1); who has played fair with his employees(13); been generous in relieving need(16); never become obsessed with money(24) or turned idolater(26-27);
Why?
Job states his case and checks his deed if he has done anything wrong or hurt anyone, he likes to be judged and punished for his sin.
Job believed he did not turn away from the Lord to any idol or gold.
Job is a righteous man in the world. No one likes him except Jesus Christ.
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約伯具體的說明他的清白。好像說自己多麼屬靈的法利賽人，好像在彰顯自己的義，其實希望神鑑察光照他，是否還有什麼地方得罪神?
不僅行為正直，連非分之想也沒有。
絕對沒有犯姦淫，特別在情色之事上。
善待僕人，人常常用資歷、身份來強壓人。約伯尊重每個人。
若是行惡，願受責罰。約伯表明無辜，向善受苦依然甘心，討主的喜悅，不是討人的喜悅。
------------------------
How?
Without the mercy of the Lord, no one can live peacefully in the world and stand before the Lord.

Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness

Job 30:1-31
But now they mock me, men younger than I, whose fathers I would have disdained to put with my sheep dogs.
And now those young men mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. They detest me and keep their distance;  they do not hesitate to spit in my face.
Terrors overwhelm me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud.
I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up, but you merely look at me. You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand you attack me. You snatch me up and drive me before the wind; you toss me about in the storm. I know you will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.
Yet when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness. The churning inside me never stops; days of suffering confront me.
But Now: he returns to the bitter present, which has made him the butt of all, an outcast, incessantly gnawed by pain. All this God has done to him, yet will never tell him why.
Why?
Job was suffering not only word of his three friends, but he was also a target of his other neighbors, young men.
Job asked the Lord, but there is no answer. He hoped for good, evil came. How sad to a man like Job suffering.
--------------
約伯的光景： 神要把他打到最低下的地方。將他所有的都全部除去，一無所有。僅能擁有人一切羞辱、人間棄絕。這是十字架的道路，為神的義受苦。約伯是義人，但是人的義不能得救，神要約伯得到更好的尊榮，得神的義，上帝安排約伯承擔苦難，讓撒旦閉嘴、無言，是上帝的安排，神知道約伯有能力承擔這個苦難的挑戰，這是捨已的苦，如果耶穌。約伯所受的是靈魂體的苦。
----------------
多麼期待這個苦難趕快過去。
世上卑微的人渺視我。這些人連看守羊群的狗都不如。人人唾棄的地步，竟然也渺親我。這些人把我當作笑話。這些僕人也反過來羞辱他。
神正在消滅我：這些苦難都是從神而來的。
等不到神的回應：神在看著他，那個人遇災難不求救呢?我都會顧念那些遭難的人，為什麼神不理他。他如野狗一般。約伯的處境，很像耶穌受審判的時候一樣，受到譏笑，羞辱。神也不回應。神不回應，也是神的反應。這是一切屬靈的爭戰，讓約伯得勝，成就神更大的榮耀。孩子，你要持續堅守下去，將來的榮耀大過現在的，大過撒旦所能誇耀的。
神即使不回應我們也是愛著我們。
How?
We don't know why suffering come, but I trust in the Lord who knows us and give us the way to go.

How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me

Job 29:1-25
Job continued his discourse: How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me, when his lamp shone on my head and by his light, I walked through darkness! Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me, when my path was drenched with cream and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil.
People listened to me expectantly, waiting in silence for my counsel. After I had spoken, they spoke no more; my words fell gently on their ears. They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain. When I smiled at them, they scarcely believed it; the light of my face was precious to them.  I chose the way for them and sat as their chief; I dwelt as a king among his troops; I was like one who comforts mourners.
Job puts his case together in this final statement. 'If only...' Job looks back longingly to the golden days of God's favor - past enjoyment of the home, of success in business, of universal respect. He speaks movingly of his good deeds done in fulfillment of God's laws. He had expected long life and a good death - the signs of God's favor.
Why?
Job did many good things and tender to the needy men and helpless people.
Job had the wisdom to say right word comforted many people from young to old. All of these are the grace of the Lord with him. So same to me, when God's grace and wisdom with me, I could be a comforter and speak wisdom word to everyone.
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v1-6: 約伯想到以前的生活美滿，快樂。神同在的美滿，幸福。成功神學也是我們內心的期待。與神親近也會陷入困惑中
v7-11: 約伯有身份、地位。受到敬仰！喜歡約伯說話。
v12-17:約伯行公義好憐憫，為人伸冤。這樣的人怎麼受到苦難呢，若如此想，也會陷入約伯一樣的困惑
v18-20: 源源不絕的吸取養分、財富不斷。苦難中我們都會想到過去的甜美，只要能快快脫離苦難，其他都不重要了。約伯害怕的是用黑暗蒙他的臉，不是求快脫離苦難。神難尋才是問題。我們都會有這樣子的過程。明明知道尋見神比苦難重要，但是我們卻更盼望早點離開苦難。
V21-25:只要神正在看著我們，神在暗中加力量給我們，讓我們可以爭脫。一休唯有苦難，早晨必歡呼喜樂。
--------------------------
How?
I confess that I am nothing if the Lord does not with me.

The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.

Job 28:1-28
They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures. They search the sources of the rivers and bring hidden things to light.
But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; t cannot be bought with pure gold.
Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky.
God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.
And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”
In praise of wisdom: Is Job or the author speaking in this chapter? The text does not say. But the heart of Job's problem is how to understand the inscrutable ways of God. No minder can uncover a vein of wisdom; all the wealth in the world will not buy it. Only God knows where to find it. And people become wise through reverence for God and by rejecting evil.
Why?
Wisdom like word of the Lord needs to struggle to get it like get gold and silver from the miner.
For wisdom is hidden to every living thing.
Where does wisdom come from? It comes from the Lord who created the world and everything.
The fear of the Lord that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding. This is God's word to human beings
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智慧本身何奇難尋。約伯領受到他也有不知道的事情。
v1-11 智慧到底在那裏，以開礦煉金為例。礦物可以找到，雖然難找。挖開地面也不一定挖到礦物，但是依然願意不惜代價去尋找。
v12- 19   智慧的價值勝過人所開採的。人可以找到礦物的東西寶貴。但是這些寶物遠不及智慧的價值。智慧的價值人卻不知道。就算人知道願意付代價去找智慧嗎？我們知道神的話語遠遠超過一切，但是我們是否願意盡心、殷勤去追求嗎？聖經讀不懂就是不想讀了。智慧的價值值得我們付代價去找。智慧不是用人的方法或是科學可以找到的。也買不到，買不起。
人靠自己的智慧所找到的是比較低一等的。
v20-28  智慧的來源於神。神不僅曉得智慧所在，神本身就是智慧，神的智慧定下自然的定律，不像人由自然找到定律。敬畏主就是聰明，遠離惡事就是智慧。降服神才能領受神的智慧，智慧是領受來的。我們百思不得其解的時候，一定有我們還不懂的地方，如解數學、物理、化學題目。
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How?
Fear the Lord and obey God's word is wisdom to all of us.

My lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies.

Job 27:1-23
As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made my life bitter, as long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies.
I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity.
For what hope have the godless when they are cut off, when God takes away their life? Does God listen to their cry when distress comes upon them?
Here is the fate God allots to the wicked, the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty: However many his children, their fate is the sword; his offspring will never have enough to eat. ...
The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon, like a hut made by a watchman. He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more; when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
His friends want him to deny his integrity, but Job will not perjure himself. V 13-23 sounds strange coming from Job. This has previously been the argument his friends have put forward, Either Job's thinking has changed, or this passage really belongs to one of the others.
Why?
Job won't deny his integrity, and he would not say any lies. Job insists on his faith in the righteous.
The fate of the evil men, they may have sometimes temporary, but when trouble comes, or disaster comes, they have no hope, they are pass away and no one remembers him. Money, house, heritage are blown away by the wind.
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我們不明白自然界的事，怎麼能夠解釋人的道路呢?
約伯知道知己所行的沒有不義。惡人大禍臨頭時，想禱告神也不會聽。他們也不會禱告，就是他們絕望的時候。約伯說惡人所得的必失去，與前面21章所說的不同。不得安息。他們希望如此報應，但是他又看不到，因此陷入不明白當中。因此他發現人不能明白智慧。
28章述說，智慧如礦，在地面看不到。約伯處在 矛盾中，卻漸漸找到出路，人是找不到智慧。只有神明白智慧的路。就像信仰不是理性的，我們不明白，但是我們可以接受。約伯雖然不明白，但是漸漸也接受，並且持續自己的義。v4我的嘴決不說非義之言；我的舌也不說詭詐之語。My lips will not say anything wicked, and my tongue will not utter lies.
感謝主讓我們明白主要我們明白的。
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How?
Keep the faith to the Lord, only God is my hope, my way, and joy forever.

how faint the whisper we hear of him!

Job 25:1-26:14
Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: How then can a mortal be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? how much less a mortal, who is but a maggot— a human being, who is only a worm!
Then Job replied: How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the arm that is feeble! What advice you have offered to one without wisdom! And what great insight you have displayed!
He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?”
If the speech is complete as it stands, Job's friends have exhausted their argument. They have nothing more to say. Bildad merely reiterates the obvious truth that no one is 1-- percent perfect in God's sight. This does not help Job. What point is there in godly living if God's punishment falls equally on good and bad?
May be Job interrupting Bildad, who then continues to speak of God's power, to the end of the chapter in another hymn, like that of Jon 9, with images drawn from ancient creation stories. In the created universe we catch a glimpse of God's dynamic power. But who can think to comprehend that power in all its fullness?
Why?
Bildad mentioned again said a man could not be righteous before the Lord.
Bildad said these are useless words.
Job mentioned the God's power in the creation of the world. 
How wonderful the creation of the Lord, how can we fully understand the work of the Lord? No one can understand.
How?
Worship the Lord, how little we are, but God's love and grace will be with us through Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.