The Book of Job
Chapter
21
¹ Then Job answered; ² "Listen carefully to my words, and let this be your consolation.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verses 1 to 2)
Oh God my beloved Father today in 2018 You are telling us the same thing. You are telling us to take off our headphones and mobiles and tune on to the same channel as Yourself. In such a period of alienation, You are asking us to listen and not to judge or ridicule Your Word, which can change us if we give it the opportunity to make the necessary changes.
Moreover, my Lord and God, even though today there is a boost of knowledge and intelligence this is not being strong enough to heal us of our sinful self and negative inclinations. Instead, it is leaving our souls empty and our thirst for You is increasing however we are under the spell of the world and are trying to quench our thirst with the ways of the world instead of by You Amen. We are chosen the finite which has an end over the infinite which has no end. Amen.
³ Bear with me, and I will speak; then after I have spoken, mock on.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 3)
Oh God my Father this is something that we all desire, however, it may not be something that we are willing to do. We all wish to be heard and understood however we do not always try to understand others. Many times just being there to listen to others is enough, there is no need to say anything in particular but to show understanding Amen.
⁴ As for me, is my complaint addressed to mortals? Why should I not be impatient
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 4)
Oh God my Father many times I address my complaints to my friends but nobody understands me or accepts me as I am, only a few people care to listen without being judgmental therefore I address my frustrations to You because I am sure You are always listening. Amen
⁵ Look at me, and be appalled, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 5)
Oh God my beloved Father, if I were to appear before You in a state that gives prominence to my sins, my appearance would really be appalling. You would not stand the smell or the sight. However, You give me the opportunity of being renewed and cleansed from my sins Amen. Thank You Jesus Amen.
⁶ When I think of it I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 6)
Oh God my Father, the problem with us humans is that instead of taking You at Your Word and place our trust in You, we tend to do alot of rationalizing in order to try and solve our problems, and at times like Job we end up feeling worse instead of better. The tendency is to become depressed and start accusing You with the "Why me question?, when You would gladly answer "Why not?
⁷Why do the wicked live on, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 7)
Oh God my father we may often as this question, regarding the reasons for those who do evil to succeed in power and prestige while those who are not that popular remain as if stuck in their rut of unpopularity. I have faith in You my God and Father and I believe that the pride, wealth and success of this world are worthless in Your eyes Amen.
⁸Their children are established in their presence and their offspring before their eyes.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 8)
Oh God my Father and brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. How difficult it is for such children to live in the shadows of their successful parents, to fit into the role model and standards that they might not like or have an ambition to pursue. How hard it is to live according to a lifestyle that has been chosen by others. I pray for such people because in certain cases they end up psychologically harmed Amen. I pray that we be happy with whom You have willed us to be and be grateful, Amen
⁹ Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 9)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this may be a false impression for those who are rich and abundant in the world may be lacking in spiritual elements such as faith. Homes might become houses because the focus might be on riches and power instead of giving glory to You my God and Father Amen. Things might appear to be going good however if Your presence is lacking from our lives we are heading for the rocks that will mark our fatal end Amen.
¹⁰ Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and never miscarries.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 10)
Oh my friend Job even though such people have one success after another they still might not be happy with such achievements, so much that they would want more and more. They might not even thank God for their successes or may credit their earnings for themselves. I pray that we give thanks even for the so-called negative situations for God can achieve success even by means of such so-called failures Amen.
¹¹ They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance around.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 11)
Oh Job my friend, these people send out their children like flocks, however many children are in need of the care of their parents and are not getting it, since from an early age, they are being sent to school in flocks because their parents need to go to work and earn a living. Amen. It is in Your judgement oh God if this is out of need or for other intentions Amen.
¹² They sing to the tambourine and the lyre, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, as much as people of the world know how to find pleasure and satisfaction to the sounds and ways of the world, I have learnt to make the same experience when being in Your presence Amen.
¹³ They spend their days in prosperity and in peace they go down to Sheol.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 13)
Oh my friend Job, all that appears nice and easy-going is not always the reality. Many people who think they are powerful and have control over their lives are not happy since they are missing the most important ingredient of life that is Jesus. Amen. The image that they project is a far cry to the reality of their lives both in this world and in that of the future Amen.
¹⁴ They say to God, 'Leave us alone! We do not desire to know your ways.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 14)
Oh God, my Father, this is indeed a heartbreaking statement for You love us so much that You chose to give up Your carnal life for our redemption. I thank You for doing so my God and Father Amen.
¹⁵ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?"
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 15)
Oh God, my Father, this is the reasoning of people who are both hurt and angry. A spirit of anger and rebellion takes over our mind and soul and we start to begin doubting you and even ourselves. We end up feeling lonely depressed and frustrated, however even during such moments You are always with us, waiting for that moment when we turn back to You willfully and not through compulsion Amen.
¹⁶ Is not their prosperity indeed their own achievement? The plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 16)
Dear brothers and sisters kindly make note that all our successes are attributed to God our Father and not to ourselves. If You, my God had to remove Your protective hand from covering us, we and our plans would perish forever Amen.
¹⁷ "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does calamity come upon them? How often does God distribute pains in his anger?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 17)
Oh Job my brother and all others in Jesus Christ, our God is a just and loving God, who does not send us pain but happiness. Many times it is our sinful selves that end up seeking actions that result in our experiencing pain and calamity. God wants us to be happy and not in pain Amen. At the time of His human life on earth, Jesus healed the sick on many levels and chased pain away. I accept all that happens to me as coming from the hand of God for He sees the big picture of my life and knows what is good for me and what brings me to pain Amen.
¹⁸ How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 18)
Oh my God sons and daughters of the world know how to manipulate its ways more than those who try to live according to Your will. They appear bold in the eyes of man, but in Your eyes they are sinful weak and vulnerable Amen.
¹⁹ You say, 'God stores up their iniquity for their children.' Let it be paid back to them, so that they may know it.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 19)
Oh God my Father You are a God of love and forgiveness. You love us so much that You paid the price of our sins and took the cross on our behalf Amen.
²⁰ Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 20)
Let there be mercy and compassion for such people who are so full of themselves that they do not know what they are doing Amen.
²¹ For what do they care for their household after them, when the number of their months is cut off?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 21)
Oh my friend Job, as Christians we believe in the life of the soul after death, and therefore we pray for those who have left this material world in order to be with God our Father Amen.
²² Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those that are on high?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 22)
My brothers and sisters there is nobody like God our Father He is joy wisdom knowledge love incarnated in one being. God does not need to be instructed. We are to listen to His instruction instead of trying to make Him bend to our ways and customs Amen.
²³ One dies in full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure, ²⁴ his loins full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verses 23 to 24)
Oh God my Father we might be people who take good care of our material welfare at the cost of our spiritual welfare and end up dying in a life of sin.
²⁵ Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of good. ²⁶ They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 25)
Oh God my Father, I agree that both the good and not so good people cannot escape death, however I prefer to be found not in a bad state on dying than in a state of mortal sin Amen.
²⁷ "Oh, I know your thoughts, and your schemes to wrong me.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 27)
Oh God my Father I thank You for giving us words of knowledge especially in tricky situations when the sons of evil are trying to test us Amen.
²⁸ For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?"
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 28)
Oh God, my Father, many people are known for their intelligence, others for their riches and few are known for their humility because not many people have ever come in contact with them. I pray oh God that you raise the humble, and humble those who are known and popular in the world. For fame and riches often create pride and sin, however, there were many people of God who were popular and kind to others. I pray that we be like such people Amen.
²⁹ Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony, ³⁰ that the wicked are spared in the day of calamity, and are rescued in the day of wrath?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 29 to 30)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this is a myth that many of us believe, that those who are well off and have no problems in life while those who are poor are all sad. I thank God that I am working with poor people who are happy and generous with what they have and are not tied to it. Amen
Oh God my Father this is something that we all desire, however, it may not be something that we are willing to do. We all wish to be heard and understood however we do not always try to understand others. Many times just being there to listen to others is enough, there is no need to say anything in particular but to show understanding Amen.
⁴ As for me, is my complaint addressed to mortals? Why should I not be impatient
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 4)
Oh God my Father many times I address my complaints to my friends but nobody understands me or accepts me as I am, only a few people care to listen without being judgmental therefore I address my frustrations to You because I am sure You are always listening. Amen
⁵ Look at me, and be appalled, and lay your hand upon your mouth.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 5)
Oh God my beloved Father, if I were to appear before You in a state that gives prominence to my sins, my appearance would really be appalling. You would not stand the smell or the sight. However, You give me the opportunity of being renewed and cleansed from my sins Amen. Thank You Jesus Amen.
⁶ When I think of it I am dismayed, and shuddering seizes my flesh.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 6)
Oh God my Father, the problem with us humans is that instead of taking You at Your Word and place our trust in You, we tend to do alot of rationalizing in order to try and solve our problems, and at times like Job we end up feeling worse instead of better. The tendency is to become depressed and start accusing You with the "Why me question?, when You would gladly answer "Why not?
⁷Why do the wicked live on, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 7)
Oh God my father we may often as this question, regarding the reasons for those who do evil to succeed in power and prestige while those who are not that popular remain as if stuck in their rut of unpopularity. I have faith in You my God and Father and I believe that the pride, wealth and success of this world are worthless in Your eyes Amen.
⁸Their children are established in their presence and their offspring before their eyes.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 8)
Oh God my Father and brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. How difficult it is for such children to live in the shadows of their successful parents, to fit into the role model and standards that they might not like or have an ambition to pursue. How hard it is to live according to a lifestyle that has been chosen by others. I pray for such people because in certain cases they end up psychologically harmed Amen. I pray that we be happy with whom You have willed us to be and be grateful, Amen
⁹ Their houses are safe from fear, and no rod of God is upon them.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 9)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this may be a false impression for those who are rich and abundant in the world may be lacking in spiritual elements such as faith. Homes might become houses because the focus might be on riches and power instead of giving glory to You my God and Father Amen. Things might appear to be going good however if Your presence is lacking from our lives we are heading for the rocks that will mark our fatal end Amen.
¹⁰ Their bull breeds without fail; their cow calves and never miscarries.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 10)
Oh my friend Job even though such people have one success after another they still might not be happy with such achievements, so much that they would want more and more. They might not even thank God for their successes or may credit their earnings for themselves. I pray that we give thanks even for the so-called negative situations for God can achieve success even by means of such so-called failures Amen.
¹¹ They send out their little ones like a flock, and their children dance around.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 11)
Oh Job my friend, these people send out their children like flocks, however many children are in need of the care of their parents and are not getting it, since from an early age, they are being sent to school in flocks because their parents need to go to work and earn a living. Amen. It is in Your judgement oh God if this is out of need or for other intentions Amen.
¹² They sing to the tambourine and the lyre, and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 12)
Oh God my Father, as much as people of the world know how to find pleasure and satisfaction to the sounds and ways of the world, I have learnt to make the same experience when being in Your presence Amen.
¹³ They spend their days in prosperity and in peace they go down to Sheol.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 13)
Oh my friend Job, all that appears nice and easy-going is not always the reality. Many people who think they are powerful and have control over their lives are not happy since they are missing the most important ingredient of life that is Jesus. Amen. The image that they project is a far cry to the reality of their lives both in this world and in that of the future Amen.
¹⁴ They say to God, 'Leave us alone! We do not desire to know your ways.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 14)
Oh God, my Father, this is indeed a heartbreaking statement for You love us so much that You chose to give up Your carnal life for our redemption. I thank You for doing so my God and Father Amen.
¹⁵ What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?"
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 15)
Oh God, my Father, this is the reasoning of people who are both hurt and angry. A spirit of anger and rebellion takes over our mind and soul and we start to begin doubting you and even ourselves. We end up feeling lonely depressed and frustrated, however even during such moments You are always with us, waiting for that moment when we turn back to You willfully and not through compulsion Amen.
¹⁶ Is not their prosperity indeed their own achievement? The plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 16)
Dear brothers and sisters kindly make note that all our successes are attributed to God our Father and not to ourselves. If You, my God had to remove Your protective hand from covering us, we and our plans would perish forever Amen.
¹⁷ "How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does calamity come upon them? How often does God distribute pains in his anger?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 17)
Oh Job my brother and all others in Jesus Christ, our God is a just and loving God, who does not send us pain but happiness. Many times it is our sinful selves that end up seeking actions that result in our experiencing pain and calamity. God wants us to be happy and not in pain Amen. At the time of His human life on earth, Jesus healed the sick on many levels and chased pain away. I accept all that happens to me as coming from the hand of God for He sees the big picture of my life and knows what is good for me and what brings me to pain Amen.
¹⁸ How often are they like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 18)
Oh my God sons and daughters of the world know how to manipulate its ways more than those who try to live according to Your will. They appear bold in the eyes of man, but in Your eyes they are sinful weak and vulnerable Amen.
¹⁹ You say, 'God stores up their iniquity for their children.' Let it be paid back to them, so that they may know it.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 19)
Oh God my Father You are a God of love and forgiveness. You love us so much that You paid the price of our sins and took the cross on our behalf Amen.
²⁰ Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 20)
Let there be mercy and compassion for such people who are so full of themselves that they do not know what they are doing Amen.
²¹ For what do they care for their household after them, when the number of their months is cut off?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 21)
Oh my friend Job, as Christians we believe in the life of the soul after death, and therefore we pray for those who have left this material world in order to be with God our Father Amen.
²² Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those that are on high?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 22)
My brothers and sisters there is nobody like God our Father He is joy wisdom knowledge love incarnated in one being. God does not need to be instructed. We are to listen to His instruction instead of trying to make Him bend to our ways and customs Amen.
²³ One dies in full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure, ²⁴ his loins full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verses 23 to 24)
Oh God my Father we might be people who take good care of our material welfare at the cost of our spiritual welfare and end up dying in a life of sin.
²⁵ Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of good. ²⁶ They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 25)
Oh God my Father, I agree that both the good and not so good people cannot escape death, however I prefer to be found not in a bad state on dying than in a state of mortal sin Amen.
²⁷ "Oh, I know your thoughts, and your schemes to wrong me.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 27)
Oh God my Father I thank You for giving us words of knowledge especially in tricky situations when the sons of evil are trying to test us Amen.
²⁸ For you say, 'Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?"
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 28)
Oh God, my Father, many people are known for their intelligence, others for their riches and few are known for their humility because not many people have ever come in contact with them. I pray oh God that you raise the humble, and humble those who are known and popular in the world. For fame and riches often create pride and sin, however, there were many people of God who were popular and kind to others. I pray that we be like such people Amen.
²⁹ Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimony, ³⁰ that the wicked are spared in the day of calamity, and are rescued in the day of wrath?
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verse 29 to 30)
Oh, brothers and sisters, this is a myth that many of us believe, that those who are well off and have no problems in life while those who are poor are all sad. I thank God that I am working with poor people who are happy and generous with what they have and are not tied to it. Amen
³¹ Who declares their way to their face, and who repays them for what they have done? ³² When they are carried to the grave, a watch is kept over their tomb.
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verses 31 to 32)
Oh brothers and sisters upon dying our sinful ways die with us and we are accountable to God for our actions. Even though God forgives us our sins we still have the blemish of our sins which make us unclean especially the blemish of the consequences of our sins on others. Therefore before being able to appear before You my God and Father we have to be refined like gold that is tested by fire. There are those of us who are tested in this world as humans and there are others who are tested in purgatory. Amen.
³³ The clods of the valley are sweet to them; everyone will follow after, and those who went before are innumerable. ³⁴ How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood."
(The Book of Job Chapter 21 verses 33 to 34)
Oh brothers and sisters it all depends on how we view the world, we can be positive about it and we can also be negative, we can also accept its good and tolerate the weakness that exists in our human nature as a challenge to work on with the help of God Amen.
Oh God my Father I would like to end this meditation on the twenty-first chapter of the book of Job with the following reflection:-
Many people say that the world is unjust and that it is not fair in how it deals with our daily interactions, and I tend to agree for to be good and just does not come natural to us. I pray for inner healing so that we start to think and feel like You my God and Father who is the author and Father of justice Amen.
