Job 35:5–8

Elihu quotes Job's thoughts again, if not his exact words, and draws the right conclusion from them. He points out the monstrous result — "My righteousness is more than God's." Had Job not brought himself to exactly that conclusion? "I have not sinned to deserve such treatment; my life is blameless before man and God; He has no reason to afflict me unless I have sinned openly, so He is unjust!" It is good for us to face where our conclusions lead, and to learn how foolish our reasoning is.

Elihu answers this by turning Job's eyes to heaven. Just looking at the sky should make anyone bow in awe at the greatness of God's glory. Both the heavens and the clouds are "higher than you." The clouds block our view, and that should make us realise something: no mere man can work out why God deals with him as He does. His ways lie beyond our sight.

"Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you." After that, can you bear to speak against Him who is above them all? Man cannot even look the sun in the face. Who is he, then, to look God in the face?

As he usually does, Elihu dwells on God's side. For the moment he does not speak of God's relations with man, or of His close care and divine interest in how man walks. He wants Job to look up into the very heavens Job thought were against him, and to think about the character of One who is perfect in every way. The small activities of men on earth do not touch Him; in His sight they are like grasshoppers. How could such a One, holy and complete in Himself, treat a man unjustly? That man's conduct can and does affect himself and his neighbours, but it cannot reach those calm heights. This is only one side of the truth — a side that both Job (Job 7:20) and Eliphaz (Job 22:2) had already seen in part.

He is greater in every way than His creature. His enemies never give in, but their efforts are powerless and cannot hurry Him along. How could the restless activity of a mere creature disturb the calm of that place of unapproachable light where God dwells? A man's wickedness may hurt his neighbour, and his righteousness may help his neighbour; but how could God be hurt or helped by the wickedness or righteousness of a lump of dust? (Job 35:5-8).

So he shows that the question is not whether man profits God, but how God profits man. Besides what is due to Him — will, love, and glory — man cannot walk in His ways without the richest reward of blessing. In every possible sense it is God who gives the increase… So the wickedness of man does not lower the majesty of God; it ruins the man who walks in it. In the same way, the obedience of man brings no profit to God, but it secures a very real and rich blessing for the man who is led that way.

Job had declared that his case was more righteous than God's, because (v. 3) God took no interest at all in whatever he did. There was no advantage in righteousness any more than in sin! Imagine an upright, God-fearing man bringing himself to such a conclusion! It leads to, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

Job had already recognised what Elihu insists on here: his conduct, whether good or bad, did not influence God. How inconsistent, then, that Job would accuse God of unfairness! He was in effect saying that God should make an exception for him, because he was such a righteous man. Unbelief contradicts itself.

To judge from yourself, or from anything here, up to God is always false ground, and all the more now that sin has come into the world, with all its bitter results and darkening influence. Job needed to learn, and his friends needed it even more and with less excuse, that the only wise, fitting and safe way is to reason from Him and from His revelation of Himself down to ourselves, or to anything else.

Man's sin is serious for himself, and may be so for his fellows; but what difference does it make for God? Not even the boldest sinners can darken one ray of His glory, though He may turn it all, as He chooses, to exalt and to display what He is. And it is the same with man's righteousness: what does it give God? What does He receive from man's hand? God is the unchanging One, always good, never unrighteous. It is man, the human race, that feels the effect of a person's righteousness or sin.

God was far above His heavens. He was so great that nothing wrong, done by weak man, could hurt Him, and nothing right could add anything to Him. Our wrongs may harm the people around us, and our right actions may do them good. And when we wrong them, they cry out in complaint — yet they forget God.

Revelation is for the creature, not for God. The glory it reveals is not there to increase the wealth of the One who reveals it, but the wealth of the one who receives it. God is not making gain out of His creatures, and they are not increasing His wealth at their own cost. Love alone can count its riches in taking up such burdens. And God is love; and His glory is in the outflow of His goodness.

Elihu has shown that his view of God's independence from man answers Job's accusations. Now he goes straight on to show that God does care about man's ways. God does not slumber. He sees and hears. It grieves Him at His heart when men sin. Evil outrages His infinite perfections.

Elihu quotes Job's thoughts again, if not his exact words, and draws the right conclusion from them. He points out the monstrous deduction — "My righteousness is more than God's." Had not Job brought himself to just such a conclusion? "I have not sinned to deserve this treatment. My life is blameless before man and God. There is no reason for Him to afflict me except for obvious sins. So He is unjust!" It is good for us to face our conclusions, and to learn how foolish our reasoning is.

How careful we should be when we are tempted to complain! In effect we are saying that God is not treating us rightly. Job had questioned whether there was any advantage or profit in being righteous rather than sinning (v.3). He thought, "what is the use of being righteous if the results are not what I imagined they should be?"

He wants Job to look up into the very heavens he thought were against him, and to think about the character of One who is perfect beyond measure. God is untouched by the small doings of men on earth, who are like grasshoppers in His sight. How could such a One — holy beyond measure, and needing nothing outside Himself — treat a man unjustly? That man's conduct does affect himself and his fellow men, but it cannot reach those calm heights. This is only one side of the truth.

On the other hand, if one is righteous, does he think he is doing God a favour by this? (v.7). In being righteous, he is not doing more than he should. Why should he expect special recognition? So Elihu levels man's pride to the dust, whether pride in his own rebellious attitude, or pride in his righteous character. It is true enough that a man's actions, bad or good, may affect other people (v.8), but they do not influence God.

So he shows that the question is not whether man profits God, but whether God profits man. Besides what is due to Him — our will, our love, and glory — it is impossible for man to walk in His ways without the richest reward of blessing. In every possible sense it is God who gives the increase… So man's wickedness does not lower the majesty of God; it ruins the man who walks in it. And man's obedience brings no profit to God, but it secures very real and rich blessedness to the one who is led that way.

We have neither known His mind, nor had anything to do with His counsel, much less have been original givers to Him in order that He should thus be indebted to repay us. This has been Israel's folly, and that of how many more who would like to make themselves creditors of God, as though their good works and assumed righteousness were a claim upon Him! Well did Elihu demand of Job, "If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?"

Man would like to make God a receiver instead of a giver; but this cannot be… God can accept the smallest gift from a heart that has learned the deep truth in those words, "Of your own have we given you." But the moment a man dares to take the place of the "first" giver, God's reply is, "If I were hungry, I would not tell you"… Praise is all that we can offer to God, and we can only offer it when we know clearly that our sins are all put away.

Yet perfect goodness in man, if it could be found, brought nothing to God. It is only what God requires of man as His creature… The Son did not expect any reward from God for His goodness. He acknowledged that man ought to be perfect in heart and walk before God.

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 leads to unbelief and to the deepest spiritual wickedness.

Job had declared that his claim was more righteous than God's. His reason (v. 3) was that God took no notice at all of whatever he did. There was no advantage in righteousness any more than in sin! Imagine an upright, God-fearing man bringing himself to such a conclusion! It leads to, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

Man's sin is serious for himself, and may be so for his fellows; but what difference does it make for God? Not even the boldest sinners can darken a single ray of His glory. He may still turn everything, as He wills, to exalt and to show what He is. And so with the righteousness of man: what does it confer on God? or what does He receive at man's hand? God is the unchanging One, always good, never unrighteous: it is man, the human race, that one's righteousness or wrongdoing affects.

A man may make his neighbour suffer through his sin, or do him good by his righteousness. But the chief sufferer because of sin is the one who commits it, and the one who gains most from righteousness is the one who practises it. But in this world this is not easily seen, for the ways of God in His government are not traceable.

On the other hand, if one is righteous, does he think he is doing God a favour by this? (v. 7). In being righteous, he is not doing more than he should. Why should he expect special recognition? So Elihu levels man's pride to the dust. That may be pride in his own rebellious attitude, or pride in his righteous character. It is true that a man's actions, bad or good, may affect other people (v. 8), but they do not influence God.

He does not appear to contradict Job's conclusion. In fact he takes up Job's own thought and uses it to defend God's character. "You say, Job, that your conduct can be of no value, good or bad, because God is indifferent to it either way. Your companions reason little better. Yes, God is infinitely above you, and your conduct cannot directly interfere with Him. Why then have you charged Him with unfairness and arbitrary selfishness in afflicting you?" … Here is a clear contradiction on Job's part.

So he shows that the question is not man profiting God, but God profiting man. Setting aside what man owes Him — will, and love, and glory — no one can walk in His ways without the richest reward of blessing. In every possible sense it is God who gives the increase. … So the wickedness of man does not lower the majesty of God. It ruins the man who walks in it. In the same way, the obedience of man brings no profit to God. But it brings very real and rich blessedness to the man who is led that way.