Job 34:14–15

Elihu dismisses the thought that there is any wrong in God, the Judge of all. And who or what was man, to sit in judgment on the Almighty? Was it he, or anyone else, who put God in charge of the earth? And who founded the universe? Creation owes its existence and its continued life to God's unselfish goodness. He would only have to draw His care back into Himself and gather up His life-giving Spirit. Then all flesh would breathe its last, and man, the highest creature here below, would return to dust.

Suppose He turned His heart only to Himself, instead of remembering the need of the creation that depends on Him. He is completely self-sufficient. He needs nothing from outside. In all the past of eternity, God — Father, Son and Spirit — found enough delight in the Divine circle. Suppose, says Elihu, He were to turn back into that Divine Sufficiency. Suppose He set His heart not upon man, as in our version, but upon Himself. What would become of His creation?

Others translate verse 14, "If He only thought of Himself, and gathered to Him His spirit and His breath." The result would then be this: all flesh would die together, and man would return to the dust. Such is the greatness as well as the rightness of God.

There is not a doubt God gives an impulse to all the heavenly bodies, and the earth among the rest. He gave them their motion; but then it is God who keeps it up. Men attribute this to second causes. But it is not in the nature of motion to be perpetual. That is all a great mistake; there is no such thing. It is God who keeps everything going. If God withdrew the direct action of His power for a moment, everything would collapse. That is what Elihu teaches here.

Elihu also refers to the material and the spiritual when he speaks of God. He says that if God were to "gather to Himself his spirit and his breath," then "all flesh shall perish together, and man shall return again to dust" (Job 34:14-15). This Scripture gives us further light. It links the spirit with the thought of breath. That suggests the breath of life in Genesis 2:7 is the spirit of a man.

Job 34:14 has been treated in the same way. But it is hard to see how he can quote "his spirit and his breath" to prove that the two are one. The opposite would seem self-evident.

In fact, if God so desired, He could "gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath" by which He gives life to all mankind. What would happen then? "All flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust" (vv.14-15). How withering a rebuke to the pride of man! How plainly this tells us that we always depend on the power of God. He did not only create us; He keeps us alive at every moment.

"Far be it from God to do evil." "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). The Almighty can do everything, but "He cannot lie." "He cannot deny Himself." This ensures perfect and impartial justice in His dealings with men... How could God act wickedly or twist what is right? He would not be God if this were possible.

Note verse 14 in its true rendering, "Should He set His heart upon Himself," what then would become of man? All flesh would then expire and man would turn to dust again. But He does not set His heart upon Himself.

Verse 14 has been translated, "If He only thought of Himself, and gathered to Him His spirit and His breath;" then the result would be that all flesh would expire together and man return to the dust. Such is the greatness as well as the rightness of God.

Let Job look at God's providential care over His creation. It is His own, and not something committed to Him by another. He is self-sufficient. He needs nothing from outside Himself... Suppose, says Elihu, He were to turn back into that Divine Sufficiency. Suppose He set His heart on Himself, and not upon man as older versions read it. What would become of His creation? "All flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust" (ver. 15). "You take away their breath, they die" (Ps. 104:29)... So Peter tells believers who are suffering to "entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good" (1 Peter 4:19). How good it is to remember this. The One who "upholds the universe by the word of His power" is also our Saviour, Lord and Friend.

He is asking in effect, "Is God answerable to anybody?" Did Job appoint God as the authority over the whole world? If so, of course then God would be answerable to Job! Indeed the opposite is true: Job, and every individual, is answerable to God. In fact, if God so desired, He could "gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath" by which He gives life to all mankind. What would happen then? "All flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust" (vv.14-15). How withering a rebuke to the pride of man! How clearly this tells us that we always depend on the power of God. He not only created us; He keeps us alive moment by moment.

"The preacher" speaks of death as touching both parts of man — the material and the spiritual. He says, "Then the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it" (Eccles. 12:7). Elihu also speaks of the material and the spiritual. He says, "If He set His heart upon man, if He gathers to Himself His spirit and His breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust" (Job 34:14-15). This Scripture gives us further light. It links the spirit with the thought of breath. That suggests the breath of life in Genesis 2:7 is the spirit of a man.