Messages From Heaven: Grace Upon Grace!

Messages From Heaven: Grace Upon Grace!: The movie character Forrest Gump became famous for saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” In i...

Grace Upon Grace!

The movie character Forrest Gump became famous for saying, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” In its simplicity, that statement is profound in its accuracy. It is true, like a box of chocolates that we open and try the various fillings and flavors to pick a favorite piece; we don’t know what each day of our lives will hold. But as believers in Jesus Christ, we have an assurance that He is with us, and the knowledge that all that is good comes from Him. The Bible says that He opens His hand and satisfies His children with good things (Psalm 104:28).
John 1:16 drives this home with an unusual phrase: “And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.” When you read that verse the first time, it sounds as though some words are missing.  But the actual Greek phrase is grace “anti” grace. The word anti is a Greek preposition that can have several meanings. The New King James Version translates it for, but most linguists prefer using the word upon. Out of the fullness of His own grace, Jesus gives us grace upon grace, grace on top of grace.
Think of the ocean surf—one wave coming after another in endless succession.  In his commentary on John, F. F. Bruce says that the followers of Christ draw from the ocean of divine fullness grace upon grace—one wave of grace being constantly replaced by a fresh one. “There is no limit to the supply of grace which God has placed at His people’s disposal in Christ,” observes Bruce.
It’s like the clouds of Noah’s day that kept pouring out rain; the granaries in Joseph’s days that held endless reserves of grain; the rock in the wilderness that kept pouring out the water; the cruise of oil in Elijah’s time that kept issuing oil; the cup in Psalm 23 that kept overflowing.
Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates can’t compare with that!
The New International Version simply says:  “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
Ephesians 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
Psalm 68:19 says similarly, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits.”
Shame on us for moping around all day like desolate wanderers in the bleak woods or barren moors. We can’t always be happy, but a rod of joy should run down the backbone of our attitudes. Though life has its share of burdens, God has an endless variety of ways to bless us.
            We’re blessed, for example, with friendly people. Yes, there are plenty of grouches around in just about every setting; but someone is smiling right now not far from you. It might be at the corner market, in the softball bleachers, at a church function, or across the counter at Starbucks. But if you’ll look for a smile, you’ll find one pretty easily. And if you’ll smile yourself (it happens when you tell the corners of your mouth to relax and twist upward), you’ll discover a good many more smiling people.
We’re blessed with natural beauty around us. Lift your eyes from this page and glance out a window. See the clouds or sunshine; or if it’s evening, the moon and stars? The wonder of God’s creation is there for us to consider and appreciate. If there’s a houseplant nearby, take a moment to study its leaves—perhaps you will note for the first time how each one is uniquely designed for a specific purpose. Listen for a bird’s song or look for flowers along the walkways as you go about your day. They were created for you to enjoy.
 This is my Father’s world,
 the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
 declare their Maker’s praise.
We also see God’s goodness in His providential alignment of life’s circumstances. How wonderfully He weaves together the good and bad—the sad and glad—into a tapestry of praise. Look back over your life and notice how seemingly bad events have worked for your good.
Let’s savor the moments we are given and thank Him for providing us with all things richly to enjoy.

Messages From Heaven: How to Remain Steadfast in the Face of Hard Times!...

Messages From Heaven: How to Remain Steadfast in the Face of Hard Times!...: Some of the most vivid memories I have from my childhood are from long road trips in the car. Back when I was growing up, we didn’t have ...

How to Remain Steadfast in the Face of Hard Times!

Some of the most vivid memories I have from my childhood are from long road trips in the car. Back when I was growing up, we didn’t have DVD players in the back to keep us quiet. So on those long trips, there was always one question I would ask over and over: “Are we there yet?”
Now that I’ve raised kids, I understand the plight of my parents on road trips. But in a way, you and I can ask that question all the time, can’t we? We may not vocalize it, but when you and I go through troubles in this life…and we sense that longing for heaven deep down…we quietly ask, “Are we there yet?”
The Bible is clear that God has placed in the heart of every believer an eager anticipation for our heavenly home. And he did that for a very good reason! God wants you to long for that day and to use that longing as a motivation to finish well in your short time here on earth.
I love how the apostle Paul describes these feelings of longing in Philippians 3:14:
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The day you and I, as believers, come face to face with Jesus in heaven will be glorious. There’s great hope in what’s to come if you know Jesus personally. In fact, we are to pray for his coming every day and should live as though his return will come at any second.
And it’s so important to remember that this life is a temporary stop. As the Scripture says, life “is…a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
But while you and I are here on earth, God wants us to lean into him when things get tough. The Scripture is full of exhortations for believers to remain steadfast in the face of hard times. In fact, you are even told to “Count it all joy…when you meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2).
Even though a new year has just begun, you may be going through a difficult situation where you’re asking, “Are we there yet?” Maybe you’re struggling with divorce…the loss of a loved one…or perhaps you’re desperate to regain control of your finances.
But it’s in these difficult times that we need to cling to God and his promises. The hope that we have is that our present sufferings are temporary and, as the Scripture says, “are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). So whatever it is in your life that’s making you long for home, it’s my prayer that you will stay strong in Christ and finish well!
Do you know what the best part of those long road trips was? It’s when the car would stop and my dad would turn around and say, “We’re here!” And one day when you as a believer in Christ reach heaven, your heavenly Dad will look at you and say, “You’re here!”
You have the wonderful hope of spending eternity with Jesus — without pain and full of joy — if you are a believer in him. So until that day comes, push forward this year in sharing him with others and following him passionately in every aspect of your life!

Messages From Heaven: The Way He Came to Us!

Messages From Heaven: The Way He Came to Us!: When the whole human race was terrified by sin, death, judgment, and hell, Jesus left the heights of the heavens to journey to earth for ...

The Way He Came to Us!

When the whole human race was terrified by sin, death, judgment, and hell, Jesus left the heights of the heavens to journey to earth for the likes of you and me.
In John’s Gospel, the phrase Jesus used for this journey was to “come down.” He said, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man…. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me… I am the bread which came down from heaven…. I have come down from heaven….” (John 3:13; 6:38, 41, 42, emphasis mine).

This is the greatest mystery of all time, that God is a Trinity, and that the Second Person of the Trinity should “beam” himself to earth on a sacrificial journey from heaven to earth. He was transported through the womb of a virgin as the sinless Redeemer, completely God and a complete man, for the redemption of the world.
The Reason
Why did He do it? In recent years, I’ve had to travel a lot, much of it in the air. Travel is exhausting, and the thrill and novelty of it wears off quickly. If I’m going to leave my wife and family and my regular routines of work and home life, there has to be a compelling reason. I’ll go anywhere the Lord leads, but there’s no place like home.
Jesus had a compelling reason for His incredible journey. In John 6:38, He said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” One of our favorite texts is John 10:10: “I have come that [you] may have life, and that [you] may have it more abundantly.”
He said that He came, not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. It wasn’t a vacation or a pleasure trip. It was a divine mission of self-sacrifice.
The Results
When God’s mercy finds us out, leading us to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become fellow travelers with Him, for His blood purchases both our passage and our passport to Everlasting Life.
Our inner, innate sinfulness separates us from holiness and heaven. When Jesus died and rose on the third day, He provided forgiveness for all who would accept Him by faith. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23, KJV). God sent His Son into the world “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
This is a message to share with our friends and to pass down to our children. Remember how excited you felt as a child as your family prepared for summer vacation? The packing? The swimsuits and rubber rafts? The snacks and games for the car? Our homes should be filled with the gladness of Jesus, rejoicing in His journey to be with us and preparing for our journey to be with Him. Even a child can participate.
Calvin Miller tells of his own conversion to Christ in his book, Jesus Loves Me. A chum of his went to a tent revival. This boy was a brat, but something happened that changed him. He invited Calvin, so Calvin went. The preacher’s words flew at Calvin and penetrated his heart.
That night, the grace of Jesus Christ reached across the mighty gulf between heaven and earth, and the journey of Jesus became real in a child’s heart—and Calvin Miller has been talking and writing about it ever since.

A Chinese philosopher once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” What a privilege to take a step of faith, trusting Christ and saying: “’Tis mystery all, immense and free; for O my God, it found out me.”
And it’s all because of the journey of Jesus, prompted by His heart of undying love for us

Messages From Heaven: Today's Bible Reading!

Messages From Heaven: Today's Bible Reading!: Today's Bible Reading April 3 Matthew 26:26-46; Deuteronomy 1...

Today's Bible Reading

April 3

Matthew 26:26-46; Deuteronomy 1-2; Job 4 NAS

Matthew 26:26-71

26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." 30 After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.' 32 "But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." 33 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." 34 Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." 35 Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too. 36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. 38 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." 39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." 40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." 42 He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 "Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!" 47 While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him." 49 Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. 50 And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. 53 "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 "How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?" 55 At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. 56 "But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Then all the disciples left Him and fled. 57 Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 58 But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. 60 They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, 61 and said, "This man stated, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.' " 62 The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God." 64 Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN." 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; 66 what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!" 67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, 68 and said, "Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?" 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." 71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth."

Deuteronomy 1

1 These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel across the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel and Laban and Hazeroth and Dizahab. 2 It is eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea. 3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the children of Israel, according to all that the LORD had commanded him to give to them, 4 after he had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei. 5 Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this law, saying, 6 "The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, 'You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 'Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negev and by the seacoast , the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 8 'See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.' 9 "I spoke to you at that time, saying, 'I am not able to bear the burden of you alone. 10 'The LORD your God has multiplied you, and behold, you are this day like the stars of heaven in number. 11 'May the LORD , the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand-fold more than you are and bless you, just as He has promised you! 12 'How can I alone bear the load and burden of you and your strife? 13 'Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.' 14 "You answered me and said, 'The thing which you have said to do is good.' 15 "So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and experienced men, and appointed them heads over you, leaders of thousands and of hundreds, of fifties and of tens, and officers for your tribes. 16 "Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. 17 'You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God's. The case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.' 18 "I commanded you at that time all the things that you should do. 19 "Then we set out from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, just as the LORD our God had commanded us; and we came to Kadesh-barnea. 20 "I said to you, 'You have come to the hill country of the Amorites which the LORD our God is about to give us. 21 'See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the LORD , the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.' 22 "Then all of you approached me and said, 'Let us send men before us, that they may search out the land for us, and bring back to us word of the way by which we should go up and the cities which we shall enter.' 23 "The thing pleased me and I took twelve of your men, one man for each tribe. 24 "They turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the valley of Eshcol and spied it out. 25 "Then they took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought us back a report and said, 'It is a good land which the LORD our God is about to give us.' 26 "Yet you were not willing to go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; 27 and you grumbled in your tents and said, 'Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. 28 'Where can we go up? Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, "The people are bigger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified to heaven. And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there."' 29 "Then I said to you, 'Do not be shocked, nor fear them. 30 'The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as a man carries his son, in all the way which you have walked until you came to this place.' 32 "But for all this, you did not trust the LORD your God, 33 who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go. 34 "Then the LORD heard the sound of your words, and He was angry and took an oath, saying, 35 'Not one of these men, this evil generation, shall see the good land which I swore to give your fathers, 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and to his sons I will give the land on which he has set foot, because he has followed the LORD fully.' 37 "The LORD was angry with me also on your account, saying, 'Not even you shall enter there. 38 'Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter there; encourage him, for he will cause Israel to inherit it. 39 'Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them and they shall possess it. 40 'But as for you, turn around and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.' 41 "Then you said to me, 'We have sinned against the LORD ; we will indeed go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.' And every man of you girded on his weapons of war, and regarded it as easy to go up into the hill country. 42 "And the LORD said to me, 'Say to them, "Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; otherwise you will be defeated before your enemies."' 43 "So I spoke to you, but you would not listen. Instead you rebelled against the command of the LORD , and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country. 44 "The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah. 45 "Then you returned and wept before the LORD ; but the LORD did not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. 46 "So you remained in Kadesh many days, the days that you spent there.

Deuteronomy 2

1 "Then we turned and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as the LORD spoke to me, and circled Mount Seir for many days. 2 "And the LORD spoke to me, saying, 3 'You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north, 4 and command the people, saying, "You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful; 5 do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a footstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6 "You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink. 7 "For the LORD your God has blessed you in all that you have done; He has known your wanderings through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing."' 8 "So we passed beyond our brothers the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, away from the Arabah road, away from Elath and from Ezion-geber. And we turned and passed through by the way of the wilderness of Moab. 9 "Then the LORD said to me, 'Do not harass Moab, nor provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar to the sons of Lot as a possession. 10 (The Emim lived there formerly, a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim. 11 Like the Anakim, they are also regarded as Rephaim, but the Moabites call them Emim. 12 The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but the sons of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the LORD gave to them.) 13 'Now arise and cross over the brook Zered yourselves.' So we crossed over the brook Zered. 14 "Now the time that it took for us to come from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed over the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war perished from within the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. 15 "Moreover the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from within the camp until they all perished. 16 "So it came about when all the men of war had finally perished from among the people, 17 that the LORD spoke to me, saying, 18 'Today you shall cross over Ar, the border of Moab. 19 'When you come opposite the sons of Ammon, do not harass them nor provoke them, for I will not give you any of the land of the sons of Ammon as a possession, because I have given it to the sons of Lot as a possession.' 20 (It is also regarded as the land of the Rephaim, for Rephaim formerly lived in it, but the Ammonites call them Zamzummin, 21 a people as great, numerous, and tall as the Anakim, but the LORD destroyed them before them. And they dispossessed them and settled in their place, 22 just as He did for the sons of Esau, who live in Seir, when He destroyed the Horites from before them; they dispossessed them and settled in their place even to this day. 23 And the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and lived in their place.) 24 'Arise, set out, and pass through the valley of Arnon. Look! I have given Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land into your hand; begin to take possession and contend with him in battle. 25 'This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, will tremble and be in anguish because of you.' 26 "So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, 27 'Let me pass through your land, I will travel only on the highway; I will not turn aside to the right or to the left. 28 'You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only let me pass through on foot, 29 just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I cross over the Jordan into the land which the LORD our God is giving to us.' 30 "But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the LORD your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today. 31 "The LORD said to me, 'See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to occupy, that you may possess his land.' 32 "Then Sihon with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz. 33 "The LORD our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him with his sons and all his people. 34 "So we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed the men, women and children of every city. We left no survivor. 35 "We took only the animals as our booty and the spoil of the cities which we had captured. 36 "From Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon and from the city which is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was no city that was too high for us; the LORD our God delivered all over to us. 37 "Only you did not go near to the land of the sons of Ammon, all along the river Jabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the LORD our God had commanded us.

Job 4

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, 2 "If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient? But who can refrain from speaking? 3 "Behold you have admonished many, And you have strengthened weak hands. 4 "Your words have helped the tottering to stand, And you have strengthened feeble knees. 5 "But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; It touches you, and you are dismayed. 6 "Is not your fear of God your confidence, And the integrity of your ways your hope? 7 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed? 8 "According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it. 9 "By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger they come to an end. 10 "The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken. 11 "The lion perishes for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered. 12 "Now a word was brought to me stealthily, And my ear received a whisper of it. 13 "Amid disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, 14 Dread came upon me, and trembling, And made all my bones shake. 15 "Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh bristled up. 16 "It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice: 17 'Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? 18 'He puts no trust even in His servants; And against His angels He charges error. 19 'How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth! 20 'Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces; Unobserved , they perish forever. 21 'Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, yet without wisdom.'