Job 33:14

He had completely failed in the reverence due to God. He had entirely forgotten the infinite distance between God and man, and the majesty of God. So instead of finding fault with himself for falling so far short, he found fault with God. He did not understand His ways fully. Now he ought to have trusted them, though he did not understand them.

God does not speak only once to a man. He speaks "twice, in fact three times," because we are poor listeners. God cares deeply that souls should be brought back from the Pit. That means rescue from the negative horror of being without God, and instead the positive blessing of being enlightened with the light of life.

It seems to be part of God's ways to warn twice. Then, if no one listens, He strikes the third time without any warning. Later on we do get the word, "God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it" (Job 33:14). Elihu's words proved true here.

He has learned the lesson well, that "power belongs to God." God had spoken it once, but Jesus had heard it twice. He heard it with a full witness of its truth; so wide did He open His ear to divine instruction morning by morning (Isa. 50:4). Man is a duller scholar. (See Job 33:14)

His object is to correct wrong thoughts and actions. It is to withdraw man from "mischief," or his own purpose, and to hide pride from man (geber, the hero or mighty man). This goes deeper than action, for pride lurks in the heart, and God would hide it from man — hinder its control over him. "Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins" (Ps. 19:13).

The same truth holds with even fuller force now. We do not need a revelation by dreams and visions; we have it in the written word of God. He who spoke in many ways — dreams among the rest — has now given us the full revelation of Himself in His Son. That revelation, the entire word of God, we have in the Scriptures.

"He keeps back his soul from the pit" — such is the merciful object of God's intervention — "and his life from perishing by the sword." Here is more than a dream of the night or a passing vision. Here are corrective ways, as well as glimpses of God's light — or of His judgment, which the man was despising.

You have heard the voice of God. He has spoken and you have not paid attention. Perhaps twice this very day you have heard the voice of God through His Word... You have heard the Word of God but you have not perceived it. You have let it go by you unheeded. Some of us who know the Lord can look back and remember how many times He spoke to us, and we did not listen... But has He given you up, given up His pursuit of your soul? No.