Job 34:21

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).