Job 34:21–25

Elihu now refutes these implied and direct charges against God. He will defend God's character. He appeals to wisdom, and he speaks plainly: "Let God be true though every one were a liar" (Rom. 3:4). God is righteous: (a) Because He is God (vv. 10-12). (b) Because of His generous care (vv. 13-15). (c) Because of His greatness (vv. 16-20). (d) Because of His omniscience (vv. 21-25). (e) Because of His judgment (vv. 26-30).

Elihu now speaks to those who have an ear to hear. He shows where Job had so seriously gone wrong. First, in saying, "I am righteous"; and then in saying it was no use serving God. So self-righteousness is shown to lead to unbelief and the deepest spiritual wickedness. God is then shown to be just in all His ways. Whether man sees it or not, there must be a reason for every act of God and every permission of God, both in His dealings with a nation and with a man. "For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves." Whatever, then, God's providence may be with the world, or His discipline with His own children, whether chastening or even removal by death (1 Cor. 11:30-31), all His ways are in righteousness and truth.

Similarly, He is Judge — the all-seeing One, from whom no secret can be hidden. Of Him the psalmist wrote, "O LORD, you have searched me and known me" (Ps. 139). His eye is upon every step of man; evil cannot hide itself from Him. He does not need to study a man's ways, but at a glance, as it were, knows him and enters into judgment with him... His all-seeing eye pierces to the deepest corners of the heart. How can we think of such a One as being Himself in need of judgment?

People in Old Testament days already knew that the all-seeing eyes of God range over the whole earth. The Psalmist had felt the reality of this knowledge, which takes in everything and searches everything. He made it the subject of a wonderful Psalm... David's shocking sin in the matter of Uriah the Hittite was committed in secret. But God knew the whole sordid story, and exposed his guilt to all Israel (2 Sam. 12:12). The king said to himself, Surely the darkness will cover me. But he had to learn that the darkness could not hide from the LORD. To his shame, he found that his secret sin was revealed in the light of the sun (Ps. 139:11-12).

...there is never a moment when the eyes of the Lord are not upon His people, when He does not maintain unceasing and constant watchfulness on their behalf. The night may be ever so dark around us, but for Him the night shines as the day. Just as Jesus saw from the mountain-top His disciples struggling at the oars, so God does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous. He always sees them in all their circumstances of trial and sorrow. And notice that He who watches over His saints is their Keeper. He guards, keeps safe, preserves — for that is the force of the word used here.

If Job has unfairly charged God like this, he has a most important lesson to learn. What is fitting for someone in his position? Bold claims of his own righteousness and accusations against God? Or the humble admission that he was wrong to hold such thoughts — with the prayer, "teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more" (v. 32).

Elihu goes on to speak of God's searching judgment. It is impartial. The rich are subject to it just as much as the poor. What is more, there is "no gloom or deep darkness" where those who work evil may hide themselves. He went on to say that God's judgments are always right. God acts as He sees fit. He breaks mighty men in pieces and overthrows them. Yet He also hears the cry of the afflicted.

God's eyes see what man does not, for His eyes observe all the ways of man and every step he takes (v.21). Men may seek darkness to hide themselves, but their efforts in this matter are futile (v.22). They love darkness more than light. But the darkness hides them only from the eyes of other people. They are foolish enough to think it can also fool God.

For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness nor death-shade, where the workers of iniquity may hide.

He is Judge — the all-seeing One, from whom no secret can be hidden. Of Him the psalmist wrote, "You have searched me and known me" (Ps. 139). His eye is upon every step of man; evil cannot hide itself from Him. He does not need to study a man's ways, but at a glance, as it were, knows him and enters into judgment with him... His all-seeing eye pierces the innermost corners of the heart. How can we then think that He Himself needs to be judged?

David sinned terribly in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, and he did it in secret. But God knew the whole sordid story, and exposed his guilt to all Israel. (2 Sam. 12:12) The king said to himself that the darkness would surely cover him. But he had to learn that darkness hides nothing from the Lord. To his shame, he found that the light of day exposed his secret sin (Ps. 139:11-12).

He shows where Job had gone so badly wrong. First, in saying, "I am righteous." Then in saying it was no use serving God... God is then shown to be just in all His ways. Whether man sees it or not, there is a need for every act of God and for everything God allows. That is true whether He deals with a nation or with a man... So whatever God does in the world, and however He disciplines His own children, all His ways are in righteousness and truth. That discipline may be chastening. It may even be removal by death (1 Cor 11:30-31).

They had only their sins to bring to God. But they came with the blessed sense that, through His mercy, the Day-star from on high had visited them. He came to shine on those who lived in darkness and in the shadow of death. (See Job 10:21-22; 34:22.)

Here is a plain contradiction. How could a holy, just, and righteous Being count a pure and innocent man His enemy? Impossible. Either Job was self-deceived, or God was unrighteous. And Elihu, as the servant of truth, does not take long to give a verdict and tell us which is which. "Behold, in this you are not right; I will answer you, for God is greater than man." What a simple truth! And yet how little it is understood! If God is greater than man, then He, and not man, must be the Judge of what is right.

He is Judge — the all-seeing One, and no secret can hide from Him. … His eye is on every step of man. Evil cannot hide itself from Him. He does not need to study a man's ways, but at a glance, as it were, knows him and enters into judgment with him. (This is the meaning of verse 23, rather than the reading in the older English version.) His all-seeing eye pierces to the innermost corners of the heart. How can we think of such a One as needing judgment Himself?

All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do — the ways of a man and all his steps. There is no darkness or shadow of death dense enough to hide those who work evil. He does not need to look a second time at a man before going to God in judgment. He has the right, without any further examination, to break the mighty and to set up others in their place.

Elihu urges Job to understand that God is righteous, and that in His righteousness He can act as He wills. "He will not lay upon men more than is right, that he should enter into judgment with God." Since this is so, the right place for Job was confession. "Surely it is fitting to say to God, I have borne chastisement — I will not offend any more."

Do we not know that innocent people are always immune from judgment? In this world of bad government and lack of wisdom, the guiltless may be dragged before the judge, and even condemned. But such a thing is impossible in God's dealings with His creatures. No one comes into judgment unless he is guilty, and no one escapes once he is there. … The justified can never come into judgment; the judged can never be justified.

Elihu then shows that God is just in all His ways. Whether man sees it or not, every act of God and every permission of God is necessary, both in His dealings with a nation and with a man. … Whatever God does with the world, and however He disciplines His own children — by chastening or even by removal through death — all His ways are in righteousness and truth.

He is Judge — the all-seeing One, from whom no secret can be hidden. The psalmist wrote of Him, "You have searched me and known me" (Psalm 139). His eye is on every step of man; evil cannot hide itself from Him. He does not need to study a man's ways. He knows him at a glance, and enters into judgment with him... in verse 24, there is no need for "investigation" to determine the overthrow of evil men. He sees through their works and brings on them their crushing doom.

No darkness or deep shadow is dense enough to hide those who do evil. He does not need to look at a man a second time before bringing him to God in judgment. He has the right, without further scrutiny, to break the mighty and to set up others in their place... He is truly sovereign, and at the same time just and merciful. Nation or man makes no difference, since He is above both. So a corrupt man may not reign and trap the people.

"Therefore He knows their works" — He has no need of patient investigation. He overthrows them, even in the night (v.25), when they think they have hidden themselves from view, "and they are crushed." This often happens, but only when God decides it. So He may strike them in their wickedness in the open sight of others (v.26), not in the dark. He gives the reason at once: "because they turned aside from following Him and had no regard for any of His ways" (v.27).

In some cases discipline is already under way, and it might end in death (Job 36:7-12). But the prayer of God's people may become the means of blessing. Under God's government in the Church on earth, that prayer may turn aside the threatened evil. Under this government, God would forgive the sins, spare the life of the person at fault, and set the soul right. (Job 34:23-24.)

If Job has unfairly charged God in this way, he has a most important lesson to learn. What is fitting for someone in his position? Should he boldly insist on his own righteousness and keep accusing God? Or should he humbly admit he was wrong to hold such thoughts, and pray, "teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more" (v.32)?