Job 36:5–14

"Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any." What a wonderful saying! People might have thought, and still think, that the greater God's majesty is, the less He notices the smallest thing on earth. It is the exact opposite. God shows His might by being able to hold everything in view, and to notice and care about the smallest insect.

In one sentence he sweeps away the wrong suspicions Job had been holding — "God is mighty, and does not despise any." His power has no limit, yet He looks with compassion on the weakest of His creatures. He is seen just as clearly in two endless directions — the endlessly great, and the endlessly small. What comfort there is in the truth, "He does not despise any!" His greatness never becomes an occasion for scorn. His wisdom has endless power, but He never uses it against the weak. He does not ignore sin. But we can be sure that He acts in perfect righteousness in all the afflictions He allows. Here Job's questions are answered. As a righteous man, he need not fear.

If God "does not despise any" (Job 36:5), we can be perfectly sure He hates no one. Such an idea could not enter a mind shaped by the Word of God rather than by human reasoning.

"Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any." There we have a beautiful hint of the grace of God. "He does not keep the wicked alive." He bears with him. So it should not be called preserving. "He gives the afflicted their right. He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne." It does not matter whether it is the poor on one side, or the kings on the throne. They all come under the eye of God.

Look! God is great, and does not despise. / Great in strength — in heart. / He does not let the ungodly live, / and gives the afflicted their right.

The second point I want you to notice is the government that God exercises over His children. He warns them by His word. If they do not listen, He steps in with His power to stop them, so that He may be able to bless them. See Job 36:5-14; chapter 33:14-30. In God's dealings salvation is never in question. He looks on His children, and disciplines those He loves.

They had dared to despise the One of whom it is written, "He is mighty, and does not despise any" (Job 36:5). For their pride, shown openly in the face of the Almighty, they had to suffer the harshest punishment the Jewish mind could imagine.

In one word he sweeps away the unholy suspicions Job had been holding: "God is mighty, and does not despise any." He is infinite in power, yet He looks with compassion on the weakest of His creatures. We see Him just as clearly in two infinities — the infinitely great, and the infinitely small. His greatness is never an occasion for scorn. His wisdom has infinite power, but He never uses it against weakness.

People might have thought, and do think, that the greater the majesty of God, the less He takes notice of the very smallest thing on earth. It is all the other way. God shows His might by being able to grasp everything, and to take notice of and show His concern about the smallest insect.

"He preserves not the life of the wicked." He bears with it. So we should not call it preserving. "He gives the poor their right. He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous, but with kings they are on the throne." It does not matter whether it is the poor, or kings on the throne. They all come under the eye of God.

In the long run, He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but in contrast He gives justice to the oppressed (v.6). But more than justice, His eyes are upon them for good: He lifts them up to a position of dignity as though on the throne with kings. Today God has set the Lord Jesus on His throne of infinite glory, and every believer is "accepted in the Beloved One" (Ephesians 1:6), and so linked with Christ on His throne. Elihu did not understand this, but he did see that God gives believers a position of dignity far above their present circumstances. Job did not see it, because he was swamped by his circumstances.

These "righteous" people are the objects of God's care, yet at times they are "bound in fetters, held in cords of affliction." Does that contradict what Elihu had just said? To Job it did. He failed to see the possibilities of evil in his own heart — a pride that was as real a transgression as the glaring evils his friends falsely charged him with. God's object was to lay bare to man the hidden evil of his heart, to open his ear to His warnings, and to turn him from pride.

That is the great point of this chapter. In chapter 33 it was "man," but here it is "the righteous" man that He looks at more particularly. God disciplines man to win him to Himself. With the righteous man that discipline is far stricter, to keep him right. If God has justified him, that should never end in dishonour to God. For it is a terrible thing when a saint of God goes wrong.

He warns them by His word, and if they do not listen, He steps in with His power to stop them so that He may be able to bless them. See Job 36:5-14; chapter 33:14-30. In God's dealings salvation is never in question. He looks upon His children, and chastens those whom He loves.

"He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous." That is the great point of this chapter. In chapter 33 it was "man," but here it is "the righteous" man that He looks at with special care. God disciplines man to win him to Himself. He disciplines the righteous man far more strictly, to keep him right. God has justified that man, and the result must not bring dishonour on Him. It is a terrible thing when one of God's people goes wrong.

Notice next the government that God exercises over His children. He warns them by His word. If they do not listen, He steps in with power to stop them, so that He can bless them. In God's dealings salvation is never in question. He looks upon His children, and chastens those whom He loves. The people the Holy Spirit speaks of in Job are called "the just." God does not withdraw His eyes from them. He also says to Israel through the prophet Amos, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities" (Amos 3:2).

In Job 33 God corrects inward things; He corrects an attitude, to turn man back from his own purpose. In Job 36 it is actual failure — discipline for real faults: "the Lord disciplines the one He loves." The Lord has laid His hand upon me, and I must bow. It may not be for an actual sin. It may be an attitude He wants to correct. He has something for me to learn; there is something wrong, so He puts His hand on me in discipline.

"He gives right to the poor. He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them." It does not matter whether they are the poor or kings on a throne. They all come under the eye of God.

God never takes His eyes off them in Christ. "He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted" (Job 36:7). It must be so. Once God sees the poor, guilty sinner as righteous in Christ, He never takes His eyes off him in Christ. So that sinner must be established for ever, because Christ is established for ever. If Christ is exalted for ever, then the believer in Him is exalted for ever.

He kept them depending on the word of God to guide them. At the same time He did not let the cloth of their coats wear out. He thought of everything for them. "He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous" — there is not a moment when He is not thinking of them... I am not only rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God. I am also glorying in troubles, because God is not withdrawing His eyes from me in them.

Yes; marvellous to declare, God did this. God does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous. His ear is always open to the cry of the needy. His hand is always stretched out to defend the weak and the helpless. Yet He, even He, turned away His face from His own beloved Son, and for the moment refused to hear His cry.

He went on to praise the way God, who is perfect in knowledge, deals both with the wicked and the righteous. From the righteous He does not withdraw His eyes. That is, He keeps watch over them always, and in the end He exalts them as kings. Yet He may first allow them to be "bound in fetters" and "held in cords of affliction." Poor Job was in that very state at that moment. And if He does allow this, it is for a purpose, as verses 9-11 show. Notice, it is the righteous who are dealt with this way. Even an Abraham and a Job, though righteous, were not sinless. God aims His discipline at such people, rather than at those who shut God out of their lives.

Why then affliction? These "righteous," whom God cares for, are at times "bound in fetters, held in cords of affliction." Is it a contradiction of what Elihu had just said? To Job it had been a contradiction, because he failed to see the possibilities of evil in his own heart. His pride was as real a transgression as the flagrant evils the friends falsely charged against him. God's object was to lay bare the hidden evil of man's heart, to open his ear to His warnings, and to turn him from pride. If they bow to this, sooner or later their sufferings will pass — even in this life. If not, they must be disciplined to the very end, and struck as if by a swift arrow from His hand.

Here Elihu, speaking on God's behalf, lifts the veil. He allows them to be bound in fetters and in sorrow's bonds. He, the righteous God, does this to show them their deeds and to uncover their transgressions. Those transgressions have their source in the thing God hates — pride. The afflictions of the righteous reveal His love and kindness, not His wrath and displeasure. He wants to instruct them by suffering.

It is most important not to confuse two things. One is the believer's standing and salvation in Christ. The other is his walk and the discipline he receives from his Father. As to his standing in Christ, as we have seen, it is established for ever. To make that depend in the least on his works would be to deny the grace of God. But how much does depend on his walk with God! Not earthly prosperity — not worldly pleasures. The nearer we walk with God, the less we shall have of these.

Job 36 presses another point on Job — if he looks at things from God's side, he must see His righteousness. Job ought to understand that "He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous." "He opens also their ear to discipline." "He delivers the poor in his affliction." Here is where Job had failed. He had been busy justifying himself instead of having his ear opened to discipline.

Job's previous life had not been a life of iniquity. But his bold criticism of God was certainly iniquity, little as he realised it.

You have sinned, and the fetters and cords made you cry out. And remember, the believer cannot touch sin without great bitterness of soul. Well, God uses that very bitterness in restoring the soul of the failing saint... This word shows you that if you were not a real child of God, but a hypocrite in heart, you would not have all this bitterness.

God delights in blessing the righteous. But the righteous, like the unrighteous, will meet trials. That was true of Job. What does the trial do? It brings out what is actually in the heart. When God allows people to be bound in cords of affliction, His aim is to get their ear. He then tells them where they have transgressed and acted in defiance. That gives them the chance to listen and to turn from iniquity. Job's earlier life had not been a life of iniquity. But his bold criticism of God was certainly iniquity, though he barely realised it.

As I understand it, this is not a question of God bringing the unconverted into His favour. It is the discipline of the converted under His good hand. It is the ways of God, and the righteous government that He maintains with His own. But even such might slip aside. Alas! who does not know it? As God from the beginning dealt with souls to convert them, so He dealt with His own to lead them on and to correct them. The discipline of His saints, then, is the chief subject of this chapter.

These "righteous" people are the objects of God's care. Yet at times they are "bound in chains, caught in the cords of affliction." Does that contradict what Elihu had just said? To Job it did seem so. He failed to see the possibilities of evil in his own heart. His pride was as real a transgression as the terrible evils his friends falsely charged against him. God's object was to lay bare to man the hidden evil of his heart, to open his ear to His warnings, and to turn him from pride.

He allows them to be bound in chains and in the bonds of sorrow. He is the righteous God, and He does this to show them their deeds and to uncover their transgressions. Those transgressions spring from what God hates — pride. The afflictions of the righteous show His love and kindness, not His wrath and displeasure. He wants to instruct them through suffering. If they listen and learn the lesson, they will spend their days in prosperity. They will end their life on earth in peace and pleasantness.

In Job 36 another point is pressed on Job: if he looks at things from God's side, he must see His righteousness. Job ought to understand what God does. He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous. He opens their ear to discipline. He delivers the poor in his affliction. Here Job had failed. He had been busy justifying himself instead of letting God open his ear to discipline.

We must be careful not to confuse two things. One is the believer's standing and salvation in Christ. The other is his walk, and the discipline he receives from his Father. As to his standing in Christ, as we have seen, it is established for ever. To make that depend, in the least, on his works would be to deny the grace of God. But how much does depend on his walk with God.

If they hear and serve, they end their days in good, and their years in pleasantness. But if they do not hear, their soul passes by the dart, and dies for lack of knowledge.

Obedience is the path of good and joy; not listening is the path of ruin in every way.

Here, I think, this is not about bringing the unconverted into God's favour. It is the discipline of the converted under His good hand. It is the ways of God, and the righteous government that He maintains with His own. But even such people might slip aside. Sadly, who does not know it? And here we see that from the very beginning the ways of God were essentially what they are now.

These "righteous" people are the objects of God's care. Yet at times they are "bound in fetters, held in cords of affliction." Is this a contradiction of what Elihu has just said? To Job it was, because he failed to see the possibilities of evil in his own heart. His pride was as real a transgression as the outright evils the friends falsely charged him with. God's purpose was to lay bare to man the hidden evil of his heart, to open his ear to His warnings and to turn him from pride. If they bow to this, sooner or later their sufferings will pass — even in this life. If not, they must be chastened to the end, and struck as by a speeding arrow from His hand.

Was there not, even at this time, an opportunity for Job to prove such blessing true? Yes indeed, and Elihu wanted it for Job. And Job did eventually experience such prosperity, for he did listen when God spoke to him.

The afflictions of the righteous reveal love and kindness, not His wrath and displeasure. He wants to instruct them by suffering. And if they listen and learn the lesson, they will spend their days in prosperity. They will end their life on earth in peace and pleasantness. It was a call to Job to acknowledge this. It is also a prophecy that he would soon find it out. When God has accomplished His purpose with him, his end would be peace and prosperity.

It is most important not to confuse two things: the believer's standing and salvation in Christ, and his walk under his Father's discipline. As to his standing in Christ, as we have seen, it is established forever. To make that depend, in the least, on his works would be to deny the grace of God. But how much does depend on his walk with God. Not earthly prosperity — not worldly pleasures. The nearer we walk with God, the less we shall have of these. Look at the Apostle Paul, and all who will live godly lives in this present evil world.

Would you have days of spiritual prosperity, and years of heavenly pleasures? Then let go of everything that does not fit a Christ rejected by the world and glorified in heaven. Seek whole-hearted, obedient service to Him. Depend simply on the Holy Spirit, and put no confidence in the flesh.

Here, as I see it, this is not a question of bringing the unconverted into God's favour. It is rather the discipline of the converted under His good hand. It is the ways of God, and the righteous government that He maintains with His own. But even such might slip aside. Alas! who does not know it? … The discipline of His saints, then, is the chief subject we find in this chapter. … It is not, of course, that every word of the chapter applies only to His saints. But just as in the New Testament we find warning words about those who deceive in the middle of a record of privileges belonging to His own, so it is found in the Old.

In chapter 36 it is expressly the righteous man who is dealt with.

On the other hand, those who failed the test by refusing to obey the Lord would "perish by the sword." If not by a literal sword, then certainly by "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Since they refuse knowledge, they "die without knowledge."

God's object was to lay bare to man the hidden evil of his heart, to open his ear to His warnings, and to turn him from pride. If they bow to this, sooner or later their sufferings will pass — even in this life. If not, they must be chastened right to the end, and be struck as by a swift arrow from His hand.

It is most important not to confuse the believer's standing and salvation in Christ with his walk and discipline at the hands of his Father. As to his standing in Christ, as we have seen, it is established for ever. To make that depend, in the least, on his works would be to deny the grace of God. But how much does depend on his walk with God. Not earthly prosperity — not worldly pleasures. The closer we walk with God, the less we will have of these. Think of the Apostle Paul, and of all who are determined to live a godly life in this present evil world.

Job is warned that persisting in proudly accusing God can only end one way — death. It is a question of the present life. Job is warned against the "sin that leads to death" (1 John 5:16), though of course without the full light of the New Testament. There is clearly a chastening of the people of God that goes on to death, because of their failure to judge themselves.

There are cases where discipline is in progress and might end in death (Job 36:7-12). But the intercession of the saints may be the means of blessing. In the administration of God's government in the church on earth, it may turn aside the threatened evil. Under this government, the sins would be forgiven, the life of the failing person spared, and the soul set right.

Not every word of the chapter applies only to His saints. In the New Testament, warnings about people who deceive can stand right in the middle of a record of the privileges that belong to those who are His. The same happens in the Old Testament.

More serious still is the case of the "hypocrites in heart" (v.13), for "they store up wrath." These are people who pretend to be believers while their hearts are against God. They "do not cry for help when He binds them." When the Lord puts them in a bind, they fail the test completely. How can a hypocrite honestly cry to the Lord for help? Their own hypocrisy defeats them. They die in their youth, in the company of perverted people (v.14). Their foolish choice in life decides their end in death. In contrast, God delivers the poor who know how to cry to Him honestly. The affliction and oppression they suffer are the test by which God "opens their ears" to listen to Him.

Those who did not bow were cut off — "shall perish by the sword" — "Hypocrites in heart," "cry not when he binds them," goes further still.

Elihu points out the great principles of present affliction. The refusal of the hypocrite only emphasizes them. He nurses his wrath instead of humbly crying to God for mercy. The man who despises God will meet his doom with all the unclean. But God will save the humble sufferer, "in" and indeed "by" his affliction. It works out blessing for him.

Hardship rarely softens or improves the heart of a proud rebel against God. Even more rarely do we find a nation, or any large part of a community, truly humbled by defeat. Of such people it can be said, "They do not cry for help when He binds them." Later it was written of Israel, when they suffered defeat, that the people did not turn to Him who struck them, and did not seek the LORD of hosts.

"The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when He binds them." You say, "If I were a child of God, surely I should not have all this trouble and bitterness." This verse shows you the answer. If you were not a real child of God, but a hypocrite in heart, you would not have all this bitterness. Instead you would go on in sin until you perished for ever.

More serious still is the case of "the hypocrites in heart" (v.13), for "they store up wrath." These are those who pretend to be believers while their hearts are against God. "They do not cry for help when He binds them." When the Lord puts them in a bind, they totally fail the test, for how can a hypocrite honestly cry to the Lord for help? Their own hypocrisy defeats them, and they die in their youth in company with perverted people (v.14). Their foolish choice in life decides their end in death.

The more likely view is the usual one. The word means someone "consecrated" to the corrupt goddess Astarte, or Venus, worshipped in idolatry early and late… The view that the word means a holy woman cannot explain its masculine form, which occurs in Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24; 2 Kings 23:7; Job 36:14. Can anyone argue that holy men, or seers, are meant in those places? If the masculine form clearly means a class of extreme moral corruption, then the argument for a "holy woman" falls to the ground… Terrible to say, prostitution was almost everywhere a part of what the nations counted as holy!

Here, I take it, the subject is not unbelievers being brought into God's favour. It is the discipline of believers under His good hand… So the discipline of His people is the main subject of this chapter… Of course, not every word of the chapter applies only to His people. In the New Testament, a record of the privileges of those who are His can still hold warning words about those who deceive. It is the same here in the Old.

He speaks of the righteous, as under His eye, in the highest honour, but presently as bound with fetters of humiliating sorrow, which God nevertheless uses for good in showing them their ways of pride, opening their ears to discipline, and turning them back from the evil which they had failed to judge. Obedience is the path of good and joy; heedlessness, of ruin in every way.

He points out the great principles of affliction in this present life. The hypocrite refuses them. He nurses his wrath instead of humbly crying to God for mercy, and his refusal only underlines them. The one who despises God will meet his doom with all the unclean. But God will save the humble sufferer, "in" and indeed "by" his affliction. It "works out" blessing for him.

You have sinned, and the chains and cords made you cry out. And remember, the believer cannot touch sin without great bitterness of soul. God uses that very bitterness to restore the soul of the failing believer… You say, "If I were a child of God, I would surely not have all this trouble and bitterness." But this word shows you something. If you were not a real child of God, but a hypocrite in heart, you would not have all this bitterness. You would go on in sin until you perished for ever.