Job 34:31–37

Job had said that he himself was righteous, and that God had taken away his judgment. If God were not righteous — yes, the fountain of righteousness — how could He govern? "Shall one who hates justice govern?" "Surely God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice." "Who gave Him charge over the earth?" Elihu urges Job to understand that God is righteous, and in His righteousness He can act as He will. "He will not lay on anyone more than is right, that he should enter into judgment with God." Since this is so, the true place for Job was confession.

Man — Job — should have humbled himself to God instead, bowing to His hand and owning his fault, with a desire to be taught, and to sin no more. Was God to repay according to Job's mind? It was he who rejected, and he who chose, not Elihu. It was for Job, then, to speak what he knew.

Elihu will not join in charging Job with what his conscience truthfully resisted. But he will tell Job that the thoughts of conscience are not to rule his judgment or dictate his speeches. He should have allowed for the divine wisdom in all this severe discipline, instead of concluding that God was acting without reason in it, just because his conscience was clear. He tells Job this should have been his word: "It is fitting to say to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more."

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 — bold assertion of self-righteousness and accusations against God, or the humble acknowledgment 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"?

Elihu shows that God was testing Job. It was plain that Job did not see the reasons for God's dealings with him. Why not then humbly appeal to God to teach him, rather than criticise God?

And Job has not yet learned the lesson; he needs more testing. Did a word like this ever come from his sinful lips: "I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more"? Has he asked in humility to be taught? Or has he said, "If I have done iniquity I will do it no more"? Sadly, his spirit was still unbroken, despite all the affliction.

Until conscience judges self before God, the mind labours in vain in the field of God. Be assured that there can never be real, stable blessing apart from the breaking down of ourselves.

Man — Job — should have humbled himself to God instead. He should have bowed to His hand and owned his fault, wanting to be taught, and to sin no more. Was God to repay according to Job's mind? It was Job who rejected, and Job who chose, not Elihu. It was for Job, then, to speak what he knew.

Elihu will not join in laying to Job's charge what his conscience truthfully resisted. But he will tell Job this. The thoughts of conscience are not to rule his judgment, or dictate his speeches. Job should have allowed the divine wisdom in all this severe discipline, instead of concluding that God was arbitrary in it, just because his conscience was clear. He tells Job that this should have been his word to God: "I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more; teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more."

Should God repay Job according to Job's terms — just because Job did not approve? (v.33). Elihu therefore tells Job, "You must choose, and not I." It was Job who was being tested. Would he choose to criticise God or to submit to God? So Elihu invited him to "speak what you know." When Job criticised God, he did not know what he was talking about. He spoke only what he suspected might be true. How good to remember that the Lord Jesus always spoke what He knew (John 3:11).

Had Job done this? A glance at the controversy and at Job's long speech shows the opposite. Job had found fault with God's judgments because they did not match his own shortsighted expectations. So it was Job who was choosing his own affliction, not Elihu. Elihu longs for Job to speak out and clear himself.

In Job we have an example of a strong and upright soul, not understanding grace, with a great deal of self-will. He knew he was not a hypocrite but was upright: God said so of him, and Job knew it. But there was a great deal of self-righteousness, self-complacency, and self-will. His piety made him attribute what came upon him to God, and his pride made him rebel against it.

He had a perfectly good conscience, but that is not enough. There is the great principle of self-judgment. There is the grand principle also of full submission to God, and of vindicating Him. He is right and wise in all, not only in what He does, but in what He allows. It is all for good. It may be very bad on the part of others, as it was on the part of Job's friends, but God had a good purpose for Job in it all.

Job had found fault with God's judgments because they were not according to his shortsighted expectations. It was Job therefore who was choosing his own affliction, not Elihu, who longs to have him declare it, and clear himself. He appeals to the men of understanding again. Will they not all join him in saying, "Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom." Can we not fully agree with this conclusion?

Elihu turns to men of good judgment, so that they may say whether such language was wise, or in line with knowledge. He did not wish Job afflicted, but tested to the full, because his answers suited wicked men, or gave them support.

Elihu wants his words tested as closely as possible. Truth has nothing to fear from that, if people listen with a conscience toward God. The trouble is a wrongly set will that refuses everything which brings man low — and all truth must bring him low, because he is fallen. But the fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, just as fools despise wisdom and instruction. So he calls men of wisdom and knowledge to listen. There is an inner man as well as an outer one, and he cannot escape responsibility.

He quotes Job's own words (Job 12:11), which look like a proverb. He reminds his hearers that the ear takes in words and tests them, just as the mouth does with food. So let them join him as he searches out whether Job's charges are true or false. In the same way our Lord appealed to His hearers, "Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?" and the apostle says, "I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say."

"For Job has said, I am righteous" (verses 2-5). And he was, in the sense in which his three friends denied; but he was not righteous in glorifying God. No, he found fault with God.

Job should have known better, for he was not wicked. Yet whatever other sin he was guilty of, Job was adding to it the serious crime of rebellion against the God of all creation. He acted as though he could stand against God and come out well!

It would have been more fitting if he had humbly accepted the correction. He could have admitted that there was sin in him which he did not know about, and that he needed God to teach him about it, so that he could put right what was wrong. Instead, he challenged God's judgment and preferred his own mind. In doing that he added rebellion against God to his sin.

This is what God will later on bring home to his conscience in that terrible introductory question: "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" So Job is being prepared to listen to that Voice. Elihu is truly meeting Job's desire for an umpire, and Job's silence may well be a sign that conviction is starting.

What a blunder commentators have made in calling Elihu's gentle and true words "a harsh judgment," and in saying that God rebukes him there. No; God does not rebuke Elihu who had exalted His Name and His works. He rebukes Job.

"Men of understanding" or "wise men" would listen to such advice, and realise that Job had spoken of God without knowledge or wisdom (vv.34-35). No wonder Elihu wanted Job tested to the limit, because his answers were like the answers of wicked men (v.36). Job should have known better, for he was not wicked.

Job was sure of his integrity, and he leaned too heavily on what grace had made him for God — and God had to bring that to nothing in his own eyes... Job had dared to speak too carelessly. Eliphaz and the others provoked him by insisting that bad men are always punished, and good men always prosper in this world... Job answered them, but far too hotly, out of an honest hatred of their false rule. He gave the impression not only that he was just, but that God had set that aside unjustly, and that his trial had no purpose at all — words perfectly suited to encourage evil-doers.

Should God repay Job on Job's terms, just because Job did not approve? (v.33). So Elihu tells Job, "You must choose, and not I." Job was the one on trial. Would he choose to criticise God, or to submit to God? So Elihu invited him: "speak what you know." When he criticised God, he did not know what he was talking about. He spoke what he suspected might be the case.

He does not judge by the sight of his eyes. He draws all his thoughts from the God he knows, and so he makes the rightness of his conclusions clear to every upright mind.

"Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" Some interpreters have blundered badly here. They speak of Elihu's gentle and true words as "a harsh judgment," and say that God rebukes him in this verse. No; God does not rebuke Elihu who had exalted His Name and His works. He rebukes Job. He had darkened counsel by the multitude of his senseless words.

He complains no more, he resents no more, he questions no more. He openly admits, as something now real in his soul, that the LORD can do all things, and that no plan of His can be held back... It was Job who declared his own ignorance, saying that he did not understand — things too wonderful for him, which he did not know. Not a word now about his friends, or their lack of understanding... He judges himself before God. He takes the words God had used about him, the crushing proof of how presumptuous he had been, and uses them as the humble words of a man who felt his need to learn from God.

We only speak rightly when God controls our thoughts. If we think God's thoughts, we will be able to say what is right. But even if we are quick to hear God's thoughts, we will only speak them once we have taken them in and made them our own. We take them in slowly, so we should be slow to speak. A healthy sense of how little of God's mind we have grasped so far will free us from the self-confidence and shallow self-assertion that makes people ready to speak at once on any and every subject.

Job needs further testing (verses 31-37).

Verses 31-37. And Job has not yet learned the lesson; he needs more testings. Did ever a word like this come from his sinful lips? "I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more." Has he asked in humility to be taught? Or has he said, "if I have done iniquity I will do it no more"? Sadly, despite all his affliction, his spirit was still unbroken.

Elihu might well desire that Job be tried to the utmost, because his answers were like those of wicked men (verse 36). Job should have known better, for he was not wicked. Yet whatever other sin he might be guilty of, Job was adding to it a serious crime: rebellion against the God of all creation. He acted as though he could stand against God and prosper! (verse 37).

Notice this in Elihu's speech: he brings God forward and gives Him first His rights. He draws all his conclusions from there… Job had been haughty with God. He said it was no use pleasing Him. Elihu says God is certainly righteous. It did not become a man to say even to a prince "You are wicked," much less to God… It becomes man to bow under His hand and seek to be taught. Elihu wants Job fully tried and humbled here, because Job's words dishonoured God in front of wicked people.

Job had found fault with God's judgments because they were not according to his shortsighted expectations. It was Job therefore who was choosing his own affliction, not Elihu, who longs to have him declare it, and clear himself.

As to God, Elihu had declared Job's mistake in these words: "Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men"… But notice the change. Listen to a truly repentant spirit speak… "Then Job answered the LORD and said… Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know… I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You" (Job 42:1-9).

When the trial is met in the truth and power of spiritual life, it brings out much more softness and maturity of grace. It gives a spirit more separated from the world to God, and better acquainted with God. Where the trial meets the flesh, it brings the will of the flesh — its rebellion — to light. The conscience becomes aware of it before God. And the discipline itself destroys the self-will, even without our noticing. Trial cannot in itself give grace. But under God's hand it can break the will, and uncover hidden and unsuspected evils, so that the new life develops more fully and widely.

When the ungodly man curses his very being, because earthly things are empty, he adds rebellion to his sin. The same happens when someone who merely claims to believe loses his apparent faith in a time of trial and argues with God. The spirit of independence grows into open rebellion. A state of mind that was hidden now shows itself in action.

It would have been better if he had humbly accepted the discipline. He would have admitted that there was iniquity in him that he did not know about. He needed God to teach him about it, so that he could put right what was wrong. Instead he challenged God's judgment in favour of his own mind. In doing so he added rebellion against God to his sin.

If only Job were tested to the very end, Because his replies are like those of wicked men; For he adds to his sin rebellion, Among us he mocks [literally, claps], And multiplies his words against God.

For this was to add presumption in divine things, or a breaking away from authority. And it came with a sense of triumph over the rest, in a flood of words to God, in which there was no lack of sin.

If Job has unfairly charged God in this way, he has a most important lesson to learn. What is fitting for one in his position? Is it bold assertion of self-righteousness and accusations against God? Or is it the humble acknowledgment that he was wrong to hold such thoughts, joined with the prayer, "Teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more" (v. 32)?

Job should have known better, for he was not wicked. Yet whatever other sin he might be guilty of, Job was adding to it the serious crime of rebellion against the God of all creation. He acted as though he could stand against God and prosper!

And Job has not yet learned the lesson; he needs more testing. Did a word like this ever come from his sinful lips? "I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more." Has he asked in humility to be taught? Or has he said, "if I have done iniquity I will do it no more"? Sadly, despite all his affliction, his spirit was still unbroken.

As to God, Elihu had declared Job's mistake in these words: "Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. … For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God." But notice the change. Listen to the breathing of a truly repentant spirit, the brief yet full statement of a corrected judgment: "Then Job answered the LORD and said: 'I know that you can do all things… therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know… I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you'" (Job 42:1-9).