Job 34:30

Lastly, Elihu with few words reminds his hearers of God's actual judgments. He strikes evildoers who depart from Him. He remembers the cause of the poor and needy. So too, if He acquits and gives quietness, who can condemn? "It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn?" (Rom. 8:33-34). He puts down evil men so that the people are not ensnared by them.

The mighty are removed — and not by a human hand. For all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do: the ways of a man and all his steps. He does not need to look at a man a second time before that man goes before God in judgment. Without further scrutiny, He is entitled to break the mighty and to set up others in their place. He takes notice of their deeds and overturns them in a night. They are crushed as wicked and struck openly in front of others. This is for their deliberate slighting of Him and His ways, and in vindication of the poor and oppressed who cried to Him. So truly sovereign is He, and at the same time just and merciful. Nation or man makes no difference, since He is above both — so that a corrupt man may not reign and the people are not ensnared.

Elihu goes on to speak of the searching judgment of God, which is completely impartial. The rich are answerable to it just as much as the poor. Also there is "no darkness, nor shadow of death," where those who do evil can hide themselves. He may hide His face from the wicked — and who then can behold Him? And this is true whether a nation is in question or only an individual.

God uses each of these cases to put the hypocrite in his place (v.30). A hypocrite would like to have the place of authority, but his feelings move his thoughts, not faith. So God's sovereign wisdom defeats him, because God does things in a way that does not pamper men's feelings. People then are not snared by the hypocrite if they simply believe God.

A king may have his faults, but his office is one that demands reverence from men. We are not only to fear God but to honour the king.

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 claims of self-righteousness and accusations against God? Or the humble admission that he was wrong to harbour 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).