Continuing a Bible study of Job, Elihu is still speaking:
(Job 37:1) "At this also my heart trembles, and is moved out of its place."
Referring back to the end of the last chapter, Elihu is moved by God’s majesty in the thunder and lightning.
(2) "Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the sound that goes out of His mouth. (3) He directs it under the whole heaven, and His lightning to the ends of the earth. (4) After it a voice roars; He thunders with the voice of His excellency, and He will not stay them when His voice is heard. (5) God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend."
John Wesley imagines that while Elihu was speaking, it began to thunder and lightning before the storm that would soon bring God on the scene. Elihu tells Job to really listen to the thunder of God's voice, which He alone directs like an arrow to the mark, that it may do the work for which He sends it (the lightning, too). After the lightning, the thunder roars, and God does not hold them back when He speaks. God thunders marvelously, an awesome exhibition of his majesty and power; He does great and wonderful things man cannot comprehend.
(6) "For He says to the snow, 'Be thou on the earth'; likewise to the small rain and the great rain of His strength."
Elihu continues describing other wonders of nature that come as a direct result of God's appointment.
(7) "He seals up the hand of every man, that all men may know His work."
The word translated as "seals" more completely means "closes up, locks up, or stops", so God stops men from their work with his snow and rains, and they in turn, may see and recognize the awesome work of God.
(8) "Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. (9) Out of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold out of the north. (10) By the breath of God frost is given, and the breadth of the waters is straitened."
The word translated as "breadth" (or "width") may mean more completely "expanse", and "straitened" is "constraint" or "distress". The thought being conveyed here is that water is made straight and hard and confined, not flowing. It is frozen by the breath of God.
(11) "Also by watering He wearies the thick cloud; He scatters His bright cloud. (12) And it is turned around by His counsels, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the world in the earth."
The clouds become wearied or overburdened with water and shower down the rain; God scatters bright white clouds on a sunny day. The clouds are subject to God's command. I found it interesting that the KJV translation says "the world in the earth". Newer translations use "the whole earth", but that is not what the original text said. After researching the original words, I believe it refers to the "land" or "habitable part" in the earth.
(13) "He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy."
All of nature is at the command of God, and He uses nature to feed and grow His land, but also for mercy and correction of the land's inhabitants.
(14) "Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. (15) Do you know when God dispatched them, and caused the light of His cloud to shine? (16) Do you understand the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?"
Elihu encourages Job to really consider the works of God. Can he really understand and know the wondrous works of an awesome God who is perfect?
(17) "How your garments are warm, when He quiets the earth by the south wind? (18) Have you, with Him, spread out the sky, which is strong, as a molten looking glass?"
With a little sarcasm, Elihu wonders if Job has helped God spread the vast sky and blow the wind.
(19) "Teach us what we shall say to Him, for we cannot order our speech because of darkness. (20) Will it be told to Him that I speak? If a man speaks, surely he will be swallowed up."
I believe this is still sarcasm, because Job considers himself so wise, Elihu asks him what the rest of them could possibly say to God because they are all in darkness. Most of the old commentaries don't attribute sarcasm with these statements, but feel they are statements filled with awe and rhetorical because God knows all. But because Elihu prefaced them by asking Job if he were with God when He created the sky and the wind, I have to believe he is still being facetious, asking Job to teach him what to say. The last sentence could have been uttered with more awe than sarcasm. Obviously there is no need to tell God when someone speaks, as He knows all, but if a man were to speak or argue his case with God, he is soon swallowed up by the magnificence and perfection that is God Almighty.
(21) "And now men do not see the bright light which is in the clouds, but the wind passes, and cleanses them. (22) Fair weather comes out of the north; with God is awesome majesty."
Elihu seems to return to his discussion of thunder and lightning and clouds. Whether the bright light is lightning hidden in the dark clouds, or the sun that is covered by clouds, men cannot see it until the wind brings fair skies. The word I translated as "awesome" is actually "terrible" in the KJV. "Terrible" has a terrible connotation these days, so I always like to think "awesome", but perhaps I need to review the original meaning of the word transcribed as "terrible". "Yare" means "to fear, to revere, to frighten, to be made afraid, dreadful, terrible, to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe, to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe". So I suppose "awesome" is okay, but I must remember it is God-fearing, understanding God holds my life and the earth and universe in His hands, kind of awe!
(23) "Regarding the Almighty, we cannot figure Him out; He is excellent in power, and in judgment and in abundant justice; He will not afflict. (24) Men do therefore fear Him; He respects not any who are wise of heart."
Once again Elihu returns to his sentiment that God's ways are higher (more complicated and harder to understand) than our ways. But He always judges righteously and is just and will not afflict or oppress. He will sometimes allow affliction and oppression, and certainly there are times when the Lord Himself is active in what may seem like affliction and oppression, but it is always about chastisement and correction and turning His people back to Him. And THAT is a most merciful thing because ONLY in Him is there life!
God is about His own plans and His will, and shows no partiality to those wise in their own eyes and in their own hearts. Wise in their own eyes is foolishness to the Lord. Wise in their own hearts takes it a step further to me. That speaks to me as pride, pride that we know better, that we can really know the mind of God! Even though Job's friends were godly and righteous men, and felt like they thoroughly understood scripture, none really knew the mind of God or what had taken place regarding Job. Oh, that is a lesson for me! It is wonderful to try to thoroughly know scripture, and indeed, it is there for the purpose of our learning and knowledge, and it is the ONLY source of wisdom, but even with it, we can never really know the complete workings of God. However, God does send us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, but we must be careful to always be in tune to Him and not to deceiving spirits that cause us to judge the hearts of men unjustly and cause us to become prideful.
Next time in Job, God appears on the scene!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Only Scratching the Surface of Bible Study
Continuing a Bible study on Job, Elihu is still speaking:
(Job 36:1) Elihu also proceeded and said, (2) "Bear with me a little, and I will show you that I have yet to speak on God's behalf."
Aha! Apparently Elihu has not been exactly speaking words from the Holy Spirit. He pretty much admits it was he himself who thinks Job is stupid! Not a good way to get someone to want to listen any further, Elihu!
(3) "I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. (4) For truly my words are not false; he who is perfect in knowledge is with you."
Elihu says he will reach to the higher ways of God to show that God is always righteous. He believes his words will be absolute truth because he claims to speak from the Spirit of God.
(5) "Behold, God is mighty, and despises no one; He is mighty in strength and wisdom. (6) He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the poor. (7) He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous, but they are on the throne with kings; yes, He does establish them forever, and they are exalted."
God constantly watches over the righteous and exalts them to the level of kings.
(8) "And if they are bound in fetters, and held in cords of affliction, (9) Then He shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have exceeded."
If the righteous are afflicted, then God reveals their exceedingly sinful transgressions to them.
(10) "He also opens their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity. (11) If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. (12) But if they do not obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge."
Elihu obviously thinks he knows this is the reason for Job's affliction; Job was righteous, but when he strayed, he did not respond to God's chastisement.
(13) "But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry when He binds them."
Those who are hypocrites in their hearts are not broken and return to the Lord, but instead rebel. Elihu undoubtedly must see Job as a hypocrite, that he is afflicted because he will not humble himself before the Lord.
(14) "They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean."
A hypocrite will die before his time and his life will be among those who are the most vile and impure. Interestingly, the word translated as "unclean" means more completely "sodomite" or "male temple prostitute". In every other place in the Bible it is used, it is translated as "sodomite". It also didn't escape my attention that it might be concluded that "they die in youth...among the unclean", meaning the unclean die before their time, as well. It is a fact that homosexuals do die on the average at an alarmingly younger age than do heterosexuals. I did a study on this several years ago, and if statistics haven't changed, it's a death age of between 40 and 45, and that is excluding AIDS related deaths!
(15) "He delivers the poor in their affliction, and opens their ears in oppression."
Elihu returns to his point that God will deliver the afflicted if they will call upon Him. "Depressed" or "lowly" are better meanings of "poor" in this case. God will open their ears and cause them to understand their iniquity and the reason for their affliction.
(16) "Even so He would have removed you out of the (narrow) strait into a broad place, where there is no constraint, and that which should be set on your table would be full of abundance."
Likewise, God would have delivered Job if he had returned to God with a broken heart. I took a little liberty with some of the translations in the scripture above. My intention here is not to make a new translation of a scripture, but to fully understand the original meanings of the words, and sometimes I use what I consider to be a better word in order for me to better understand a passage. The original KJV used only "strait", but originally there were two words used, "peh" meaning "mouth" or "opening", and "tsar" meaning "narrow" or "tight". "Constraint" was my word, but it is one of the meanings of the original word "mutsaq" which KJV translators translated as "straitness". The KJV used "fatness" instead of "abundance", but again, I did use one of the original meanings of the word.
(17) "But you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked; judgment and justice take hold of you."
Some of the old commentaries take this to mean that Job had acted like the wicked, therefore he was chastised as they were. Others take it to mean that he had reacted as the wicked do when they are chastised. The word translated as "fulfilled" means also "to be full", so the meaning may be simply that Job is full of what would have been the chastisement for the wicked, and then a reiteration of that fact, judgment and justice have taken hold of Job.
(18) "Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with His stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver you. (19) Will He esteem your riches? No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength."
I believe rather than the wrath of God, Elihu means Job's anger against God. Because Job has received the chastisement of the wicked, he has acted in anger. Elihu warns Job he could be taken away with one stroke of God, and then nothing could deliver him, not gold nor all the strength in the world.
(20) "Do not desire the night, when people are cut off in their place. (21) Take heed, regard not iniquity, for this have you chosen rather than affliction."
"The night" here seems to imply death, "when people are cut off". Job had said he desired death. Elihu tells him to take care and not wish for death. He says to entertain such wishes is to be sinful, and Job has chosen to be sinful rather than accept God's chastisement.
(22) "Behold, God exalts by His power; who teaches like Him? (23) Who has assigned Him His way, or who can say, 'You have done evil'?"
In a sense, Elihu is reiterating his point that God's ways are higher than man's. There is no one who can teach like Him; no one knows the whole picture as God does. God answers to no man, nor should he, as God obviously knows best.
(24) "Remember that you magnify His work, which men behold. (25) Every man may see it; man may behold it from afar."
Another meaning of the word translated as "magnify" is "laud", and synonyms of that are "praise" and "glorify". I believe Elihu is reminding Job to praise the Lord and His magnificent works. While it may be the works of God that men may behold from far and wide, I think perhaps the meaning here might be that Job should openly praise and glorify God where every man may behold it.
(26) "Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him, neither can the number of His years be searched out."
We cannot truly know God or fully comprehend Him. God is eternal; there is no researching Him from His beginning.
(27) "For He makes small the drops of water; they pour down rain according to their vapor, (28) Which the clouds do drip and drop upon man abundantly. (29) Also can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, or the noise of His tabernacle? (30) Behold, He spreads His light upon it, and covers the bottom of the sea."
Elihu gives examples of common and seemingly simple works of God that are too wondrous for man to fully understand. The noise of God's tabernacle is obviously thunder. The light is lightning spread upon the cloud or perhaps His tabernacle. The lightning spreads far and wide over all the earth, reaching even to the bottom of the seas.
(31) "For by them He judges the people; He gives food in abundance. (32) With clouds He covers the light, and commands it not to shine by the cloud that comes between. (33) The thunder declares it; the cattle also, concerning the vapor."
Wow! Think about it; God judges the people with a rainstorm. Rain can be a blessing or it can be a curse. The same storm could actually bless some people while it destroyed others. The KJV's translation of 33a is "The noise thereof sheweth concerning it". He's talking about the noise of the storm, so for my study notes, "The thunder declares it" was much more succinct and to the point. This translation suggests that an approaching storm is announced with thunder and cattle's instincts.
Interestingly, an old commentary of Adam Clarke states this is a "very unhappy" translation. I will have to quote him on this, because it was not plain to me. He says the original text read, "Yaggid alaiv reo Mikneh aph al oleh". "Yaggid" or "nagad" as read by KJV translators means "to make known, declare". "Alaiv" or "al" is a preposition or a conjunction that can mean almost anything! Not literally, but it can have various meanings, "upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against, because that, because, notwithstanding, although" and more. "Reo" or "rea" means "crash, noise, shout, or roar". So "the noise declares concerning it" seems to be an appropriate translation, however, Adam Clarke suggests it is, "Its loud noise shall proclaim concerning HIM".
Examining the second part of the verse, "mikneh" or "miqneh" generally means "cattle or livestock", but it also can mean "something bought, property, acquisition, possession, purchase, substance". "Aph" means "also, yea, furthermore, moreover". Then there's that little word "al" again with various possible meanings. Finally, and here's the kicker, "oleh" or "alah" means "to ascend, be high, mount up, arise, break [the day], carry up, cast up, cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, go (away, up), grow (over), increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, offer, make to pay, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work". Whew! What the KJV translators may have considered "going up" to be "vapor", may not have been vapor at all. It's still a stretch for me to grasp Mr. Clarke's translation, "A magazine of wrath against iniquity", but I could see perhaps, "His possessions exalt Him", or all of nature exalts Him. Wow! My current "in-depth" Bible study only scratches the surface! But that is why Bible study can be a life-long endeavor, and the Holy Spirit can show you something new every time you read the Bible! It's very exciting!
(Job 36:1) Elihu also proceeded and said, (2) "Bear with me a little, and I will show you that I have yet to speak on God's behalf."
Aha! Apparently Elihu has not been exactly speaking words from the Holy Spirit. He pretty much admits it was he himself who thinks Job is stupid! Not a good way to get someone to want to listen any further, Elihu!
(3) "I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. (4) For truly my words are not false; he who is perfect in knowledge is with you."
Elihu says he will reach to the higher ways of God to show that God is always righteous. He believes his words will be absolute truth because he claims to speak from the Spirit of God.
(5) "Behold, God is mighty, and despises no one; He is mighty in strength and wisdom. (6) He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the poor. (7) He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous, but they are on the throne with kings; yes, He does establish them forever, and they are exalted."
God constantly watches over the righteous and exalts them to the level of kings.
(8) "And if they are bound in fetters, and held in cords of affliction, (9) Then He shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have exceeded."
If the righteous are afflicted, then God reveals their exceedingly sinful transgressions to them.
(10) "He also opens their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity. (11) If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. (12) But if they do not obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge."
Elihu obviously thinks he knows this is the reason for Job's affliction; Job was righteous, but when he strayed, he did not respond to God's chastisement.
(13) "But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry when He binds them."
Those who are hypocrites in their hearts are not broken and return to the Lord, but instead rebel. Elihu undoubtedly must see Job as a hypocrite, that he is afflicted because he will not humble himself before the Lord.
(14) "They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean."
A hypocrite will die before his time and his life will be among those who are the most vile and impure. Interestingly, the word translated as "unclean" means more completely "sodomite" or "male temple prostitute". In every other place in the Bible it is used, it is translated as "sodomite". It also didn't escape my attention that it might be concluded that "they die in youth...among the unclean", meaning the unclean die before their time, as well. It is a fact that homosexuals do die on the average at an alarmingly younger age than do heterosexuals. I did a study on this several years ago, and if statistics haven't changed, it's a death age of between 40 and 45, and that is excluding AIDS related deaths!
(15) "He delivers the poor in their affliction, and opens their ears in oppression."
Elihu returns to his point that God will deliver the afflicted if they will call upon Him. "Depressed" or "lowly" are better meanings of "poor" in this case. God will open their ears and cause them to understand their iniquity and the reason for their affliction.
(16) "Even so He would have removed you out of the (narrow) strait into a broad place, where there is no constraint, and that which should be set on your table would be full of abundance."
Likewise, God would have delivered Job if he had returned to God with a broken heart. I took a little liberty with some of the translations in the scripture above. My intention here is not to make a new translation of a scripture, but to fully understand the original meanings of the words, and sometimes I use what I consider to be a better word in order for me to better understand a passage. The original KJV used only "strait", but originally there were two words used, "peh" meaning "mouth" or "opening", and "tsar" meaning "narrow" or "tight". "Constraint" was my word, but it is one of the meanings of the original word "mutsaq" which KJV translators translated as "straitness". The KJV used "fatness" instead of "abundance", but again, I did use one of the original meanings of the word.
(17) "But you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked; judgment and justice take hold of you."
Some of the old commentaries take this to mean that Job had acted like the wicked, therefore he was chastised as they were. Others take it to mean that he had reacted as the wicked do when they are chastised. The word translated as "fulfilled" means also "to be full", so the meaning may be simply that Job is full of what would have been the chastisement for the wicked, and then a reiteration of that fact, judgment and justice have taken hold of Job.
(18) "Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with His stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver you. (19) Will He esteem your riches? No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength."
I believe rather than the wrath of God, Elihu means Job's anger against God. Because Job has received the chastisement of the wicked, he has acted in anger. Elihu warns Job he could be taken away with one stroke of God, and then nothing could deliver him, not gold nor all the strength in the world.
(20) "Do not desire the night, when people are cut off in their place. (21) Take heed, regard not iniquity, for this have you chosen rather than affliction."
"The night" here seems to imply death, "when people are cut off". Job had said he desired death. Elihu tells him to take care and not wish for death. He says to entertain such wishes is to be sinful, and Job has chosen to be sinful rather than accept God's chastisement.
(22) "Behold, God exalts by His power; who teaches like Him? (23) Who has assigned Him His way, or who can say, 'You have done evil'?"
In a sense, Elihu is reiterating his point that God's ways are higher than man's. There is no one who can teach like Him; no one knows the whole picture as God does. God answers to no man, nor should he, as God obviously knows best.
(24) "Remember that you magnify His work, which men behold. (25) Every man may see it; man may behold it from afar."
Another meaning of the word translated as "magnify" is "laud", and synonyms of that are "praise" and "glorify". I believe Elihu is reminding Job to praise the Lord and His magnificent works. While it may be the works of God that men may behold from far and wide, I think perhaps the meaning here might be that Job should openly praise and glorify God where every man may behold it.
(26) "Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him, neither can the number of His years be searched out."
We cannot truly know God or fully comprehend Him. God is eternal; there is no researching Him from His beginning.
(27) "For He makes small the drops of water; they pour down rain according to their vapor, (28) Which the clouds do drip and drop upon man abundantly. (29) Also can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, or the noise of His tabernacle? (30) Behold, He spreads His light upon it, and covers the bottom of the sea."
Elihu gives examples of common and seemingly simple works of God that are too wondrous for man to fully understand. The noise of God's tabernacle is obviously thunder. The light is lightning spread upon the cloud or perhaps His tabernacle. The lightning spreads far and wide over all the earth, reaching even to the bottom of the seas.
(31) "For by them He judges the people; He gives food in abundance. (32) With clouds He covers the light, and commands it not to shine by the cloud that comes between. (33) The thunder declares it; the cattle also, concerning the vapor."
Wow! Think about it; God judges the people with a rainstorm. Rain can be a blessing or it can be a curse. The same storm could actually bless some people while it destroyed others. The KJV's translation of 33a is "The noise thereof sheweth concerning it". He's talking about the noise of the storm, so for my study notes, "The thunder declares it" was much more succinct and to the point. This translation suggests that an approaching storm is announced with thunder and cattle's instincts.
Interestingly, an old commentary of Adam Clarke states this is a "very unhappy" translation. I will have to quote him on this, because it was not plain to me. He says the original text read, "Yaggid alaiv reo Mikneh aph al oleh". "Yaggid" or "nagad" as read by KJV translators means "to make known, declare". "Alaiv" or "al" is a preposition or a conjunction that can mean almost anything! Not literally, but it can have various meanings, "upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against, because that, because, notwithstanding, although" and more. "Reo" or "rea" means "crash, noise, shout, or roar". So "the noise declares concerning it" seems to be an appropriate translation, however, Adam Clarke suggests it is, "Its loud noise shall proclaim concerning HIM".
Examining the second part of the verse, "mikneh" or "miqneh" generally means "cattle or livestock", but it also can mean "something bought, property, acquisition, possession, purchase, substance". "Aph" means "also, yea, furthermore, moreover". Then there's that little word "al" again with various possible meanings. Finally, and here's the kicker, "oleh" or "alah" means "to ascend, be high, mount up, arise, break [the day], carry up, cast up, cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, go (away, up), grow (over), increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, offer, make to pay, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work". Whew! What the KJV translators may have considered "going up" to be "vapor", may not have been vapor at all. It's still a stretch for me to grasp Mr. Clarke's translation, "A magazine of wrath against iniquity", but I could see perhaps, "His possessions exalt Him", or all of nature exalts Him. Wow! My current "in-depth" Bible study only scratches the surface! But that is why Bible study can be a life-long endeavor, and the Holy Spirit can show you something new every time you read the Bible! It's very exciting!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Multiplying Words Without Knowledge, or Stupidity in the Bible
(Job 35:1) Elihu spoke moreover, and said, (2) "Do you think this is right, that you said, 'My righteousness is more than God's'? (3) For you said, 'What advantage will it be to You? What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?'
Job never said his righteousness was more than God's, but Elihu further qualifies his interpretation of Job's meaning by adding what Job indeed said. I'm not sure that Job really said those things, either, but it may have seemed he insinuated them when he said God destroys the perfect and the wicked. This passage reminds me of a commercial I heard on Christian radio one time, and the moral of it really stuck with me. When we fall into the trap of mind-reading and start acting on what we think the person means, and not on what they really meant but may not have expressed well, then we are acting on a lie. I don't believe for a moment that Job believed he was more righteous than God. He was just lamenting the fact that he tried to do good, but look where it got him.
Actually, when you look at what Elihu said Job had said, there is really nothing wrong with "What advantage will it be to You?" There is no advantage to God when we are righteous. God doesn't NEED our righteousness. He can act with or without it. It is always about OUR good.
"What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?" Again, taken literally the way Elihu expressed it, it's merely a pondering question. Obviously, from the benefit of knowing the end of the story, we know God is still working this to Job's benefit. He may not can see it at this point, but the vast bigger-picture ways of God are not finished yet. Part of following our Lord is to do His will. We want to do His will because we know it is far better than what our puny human minds can contemplate. In this case, Job was indeed blessed more abundantly by God, and the story of Job has been an example of faith for hundreds of years to countless souls. And if you want to lament the death of his children, if they were true followers, then they will be with their Lord, which is a far better place than still living on earth. Believers never have to fear dying, and although we may grieve selfishly because we miss them, because we love them we would never want them to be removed from that better place. If Job's children were not believers, then they were never going to be believers; you can have faith in that. The all-seeing God knows His people!
(4) "I will answer you, and your companions with you."
Elihu states he will now answer Job and his friends, and one can assume he means to better explain Job's situation. Whether he plans to truly answer Job's questions or plans to answer what he, in error, thinks Job thinks, remains to be seen at this point.
(5) "Look to the heavens and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than you. (6) If you sin, what do you (accomplish) against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? (7) If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?"
So far, so good. Elihu points out that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that indeed, God is not hurt nor does He profit from anything man does.
(8) "Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit the son of man."
In this case the "son of man" seems to mean "generations of men". Job's (or any man's) actions do not hurt or profit God, but they may hurt or profit mortal men, and even generations to come. We sometimes forget this when we want to blame God for what seems to us senseless acts that we know He alone could have prevented. When my precious Daddy died way too young of a painful cancer 23 years ago, I was angry at God for months, probably even a couple of years or more. Then one day I realized that man had created cancer, not God. The things we do to our environment, the additives in our food, the additives we put on our skin and use every day, are full of carcinogens. Once again, men become fools thinking they are so wise making things better and better with chemicals! We have brought disease to ourselves. I am sure it is even more painful to see a young child suffer and die with cancer, or a young mother who dies and leaves small children. God surely could have prevented or reversed that! Yes, He could have, and in some cases He does perform miraculous healing. But why does He choose to heal some and not others? Well, only the sovereign Lord knows that, but He is always about the greater good, His ways being higher than our ways. Often people in the very worst of circumstances, only then, turn to the Lord. I believe often He may allow these things to happen in order to bring His people back to Him. Recall Jesus's words in Matthew 18:8-9 that say it's better to enter heaven maimed or blinded in one eye than to be whole and cast into hell. Whatever it takes to save us!! What a merciful God we have! The sweet children who suffer and die go to be with Him, so they are much happier, and through grief and despair, perhaps their parents are able to join them. It is hard for us to understand how God could sacrifice an innocent little child like that, but then again, He sacrificed His own son to save us sinners. He loves us ALL!
Another thought along the same lines on why some people are healed and others are not: again God knows the bigger picture. He knows what will happen if one is saved, and what will happen if one is not. What is the greater good? What will save His lost sheep? Just like the hypocritical leader and nation described in the last post, if people are continually blessed when they are doing wrong, they may be ensnared into believing they are doing right. Tragedy often brings us closer to God. And we must remember the tragedy was not caused by God, but He does, in fact, allow it.
(9) "Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry out because of the arm of the mighty."
We are back to the people Job may hurt with his wickedness from verse 8.
(10) "But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, (11) Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?'"
Apparently Elihu is making a point that the oppressed do not reach out to God when they suffer. "In the night" is a picture of "in the midst of trouble". God has given men wisdom to know Him, but they forget Him and don't think to call on Him in their times of trouble.
(12) "There they cry, but none gives answer, because of the pride of evil men."
The oppressed cry, but there is no one to answer them because they don't cry out to the right One. Whether they are crying ABOUT the pride of evil men that has caused the trouble, or because their own pride keeps them from calling on God, either way, they do not look to their Creator.
(13) "Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it."
God will not hear empty hollow words or lies.
(14) "Although you say you will not see Him, yet judgment is before Him; therefore trust in Him."
Elihu seems to be turning his point about how the oppressed do not call on God to Job. Paraphrased, "Just because you don't look to Him, He and His righteous judgment are there; therefore you should trust in Him."
(15) "But now, because it is not so, He has visited in His anger; yet he doesn't know it in great extremity: (16) Therefore does Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge."
It looks like Elihu believes that because Job did not turn to God, God has visited him in anger, although we have to believe that an apparent righteous and Spirit-led man as Elihu must have meant chastisement rather than vengeful anger. Otherwise, I would have to say Elihu has really lost it by this point, and should have stopped talking in the last chapter! I had to chuckle when I looked at the original meaning of the word that was translated as "extremity". It means "stupidity"! Elihu says Job was so stupid he didn't even know why God had visited him in anger. Well, now I know Elihu has gone too far. He may have started talking feeling led by the Holy Spirit, but I am sure he let his own ego take over at some point. Elihu concludes this chapter by saying that Job has been speaking senseless and meaningless words in his complaints against God, and that he speaks without any real knowledge. And we, knowing the rest of the story, could say that last part about Elihu, as well!
"Multiplying words without knowledge"...I could not help but get an image of the so-called intelligent of our day, who "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools". Paul tells us in Romans 1:22 how people reject God, changing "the truth of God into a lie" and become fools, wise in their own eyes.
Job never said his righteousness was more than God's, but Elihu further qualifies his interpretation of Job's meaning by adding what Job indeed said. I'm not sure that Job really said those things, either, but it may have seemed he insinuated them when he said God destroys the perfect and the wicked. This passage reminds me of a commercial I heard on Christian radio one time, and the moral of it really stuck with me. When we fall into the trap of mind-reading and start acting on what we think the person means, and not on what they really meant but may not have expressed well, then we are acting on a lie. I don't believe for a moment that Job believed he was more righteous than God. He was just lamenting the fact that he tried to do good, but look where it got him.
Actually, when you look at what Elihu said Job had said, there is really nothing wrong with "What advantage will it be to You?" There is no advantage to God when we are righteous. God doesn't NEED our righteousness. He can act with or without it. It is always about OUR good.
"What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?" Again, taken literally the way Elihu expressed it, it's merely a pondering question. Obviously, from the benefit of knowing the end of the story, we know God is still working this to Job's benefit. He may not can see it at this point, but the vast bigger-picture ways of God are not finished yet. Part of following our Lord is to do His will. We want to do His will because we know it is far better than what our puny human minds can contemplate. In this case, Job was indeed blessed more abundantly by God, and the story of Job has been an example of faith for hundreds of years to countless souls. And if you want to lament the death of his children, if they were true followers, then they will be with their Lord, which is a far better place than still living on earth. Believers never have to fear dying, and although we may grieve selfishly because we miss them, because we love them we would never want them to be removed from that better place. If Job's children were not believers, then they were never going to be believers; you can have faith in that. The all-seeing God knows His people!
(4) "I will answer you, and your companions with you."
Elihu states he will now answer Job and his friends, and one can assume he means to better explain Job's situation. Whether he plans to truly answer Job's questions or plans to answer what he, in error, thinks Job thinks, remains to be seen at this point.
(5) "Look to the heavens and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than you. (6) If you sin, what do you (accomplish) against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? (7) If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?"
So far, so good. Elihu points out that God's ways are higher than our ways, and that indeed, God is not hurt nor does He profit from anything man does.
(8) "Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit the son of man."
In this case the "son of man" seems to mean "generations of men". Job's (or any man's) actions do not hurt or profit God, but they may hurt or profit mortal men, and even generations to come. We sometimes forget this when we want to blame God for what seems to us senseless acts that we know He alone could have prevented. When my precious Daddy died way too young of a painful cancer 23 years ago, I was angry at God for months, probably even a couple of years or more. Then one day I realized that man had created cancer, not God. The things we do to our environment, the additives in our food, the additives we put on our skin and use every day, are full of carcinogens. Once again, men become fools thinking they are so wise making things better and better with chemicals! We have brought disease to ourselves. I am sure it is even more painful to see a young child suffer and die with cancer, or a young mother who dies and leaves small children. God surely could have prevented or reversed that! Yes, He could have, and in some cases He does perform miraculous healing. But why does He choose to heal some and not others? Well, only the sovereign Lord knows that, but He is always about the greater good, His ways being higher than our ways. Often people in the very worst of circumstances, only then, turn to the Lord. I believe often He may allow these things to happen in order to bring His people back to Him. Recall Jesus's words in Matthew 18:8-9 that say it's better to enter heaven maimed or blinded in one eye than to be whole and cast into hell. Whatever it takes to save us!! What a merciful God we have! The sweet children who suffer and die go to be with Him, so they are much happier, and through grief and despair, perhaps their parents are able to join them. It is hard for us to understand how God could sacrifice an innocent little child like that, but then again, He sacrificed His own son to save us sinners. He loves us ALL!
Another thought along the same lines on why some people are healed and others are not: again God knows the bigger picture. He knows what will happen if one is saved, and what will happen if one is not. What is the greater good? What will save His lost sheep? Just like the hypocritical leader and nation described in the last post, if people are continually blessed when they are doing wrong, they may be ensnared into believing they are doing right. Tragedy often brings us closer to God. And we must remember the tragedy was not caused by God, but He does, in fact, allow it.
(9) "Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry out because of the arm of the mighty."
We are back to the people Job may hurt with his wickedness from verse 8.
(10) "But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, (11) Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?'"
Apparently Elihu is making a point that the oppressed do not reach out to God when they suffer. "In the night" is a picture of "in the midst of trouble". God has given men wisdom to know Him, but they forget Him and don't think to call on Him in their times of trouble.
(12) "There they cry, but none gives answer, because of the pride of evil men."
The oppressed cry, but there is no one to answer them because they don't cry out to the right One. Whether they are crying ABOUT the pride of evil men that has caused the trouble, or because their own pride keeps them from calling on God, either way, they do not look to their Creator.
(13) "Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it."
God will not hear empty hollow words or lies.
(14) "Although you say you will not see Him, yet judgment is before Him; therefore trust in Him."
Elihu seems to be turning his point about how the oppressed do not call on God to Job. Paraphrased, "Just because you don't look to Him, He and His righteous judgment are there; therefore you should trust in Him."
(15) "But now, because it is not so, He has visited in His anger; yet he doesn't know it in great extremity: (16) Therefore does Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge."
It looks like Elihu believes that because Job did not turn to God, God has visited him in anger, although we have to believe that an apparent righteous and Spirit-led man as Elihu must have meant chastisement rather than vengeful anger. Otherwise, I would have to say Elihu has really lost it by this point, and should have stopped talking in the last chapter! I had to chuckle when I looked at the original meaning of the word that was translated as "extremity". It means "stupidity"! Elihu says Job was so stupid he didn't even know why God had visited him in anger. Well, now I know Elihu has gone too far. He may have started talking feeling led by the Holy Spirit, but I am sure he let his own ego take over at some point. Elihu concludes this chapter by saying that Job has been speaking senseless and meaningless words in his complaints against God, and that he speaks without any real knowledge. And we, knowing the rest of the story, could say that last part about Elihu, as well!
"Multiplying words without knowledge"...I could not help but get an image of the so-called intelligent of our day, who "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools". Paul tells us in Romans 1:22 how people reject God, changing "the truth of God into a lie" and become fools, wise in their own eyes.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
God Cannot Continue to Bless a Hypocritical Nation
Continuing a Bible study in Job:
(Job 34:1) Furthermore Elihu answered and said, (2) "Hear my words, O you wise men; and give ear to me, you who have knowledge. (3) For the ear tests words, as the mouth tastes meat. (4) Let us choose to us judgment; let us know among ourselves what is good."
The "ear" in verse 3 is not the same original word as "ear" in verse 2. It denotes a broader sense; Elihu wants them to test the words, roll them over in their minds, and really grasp and understand them. One of the definitions put forth in The Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions is "to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation". Elihu believes he is speaking from divine revelation from God and he wants the men to receive what the Holy Spirit is speaking. He encourages the men to examine and explore what is true and right.
(5) "For Job has said, 'I am righteous, and God has taken away my judgment; (6) Should I lie against my right? My wound is incurable without transgression.'"
Taking away his judgment means that he feels God denied him a fair hearing. Lying against his right would be for Job to say he is wicked and deserved his affliction, even though he knew himself to be innocent. He felt his afflictions were without cause, or at least were more than he deserved.
(7) "What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water, (8) Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?"
Elihu asks what man is like Job, who indulges in scornful and reproachful speeches to God. Perhaps a foolish or wicked man would do such a thing, but to see Job, a pious man who followed God, behaving this way, is another matter.
(9) "For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.'"
Job never said this exactly, but he did imply it when he said that God can destroy the wicked and the righteous alike.
(10) "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding; far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to commit iniquity. (11) For the work of a man shall He render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. (12) Yes, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment."
Elihu states that it is impossible for God to do evil, sin, or pervert judgment, which he feels Job has insinuated. God will treat each man as he deserves. Elihu isn't necessarily accusing Job of doing wickedness resulting in his afflictions, but he is emphatically stating that to accuse God of perverting judgment is in error.
(13) "Who has given Him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world?"
It's a rhetorical question, for no one has given God authority. HE IS the authority! He is the original authority and ruler over all. The word translated as "disposed" means more completely "to put, place, set, appoint, make". So who has made the whole world, appointed its place and time, and put everything into order? God, of course!
(14) "If He set his heart upon man, He will gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath; (15) All flesh will perish together, and man will return to dust."
The KJV translators assumed the second phrase after the comma should also begin with "if" and read "if He will gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath", but they did italicize the word telling us they added it to the original text. I think the meaning is right without the additional "if". If God sets His heart upon man, He will gather man's soul and spirit to Himself, and then man's flesh returns to dust.
(16) "If you now have understanding, hear this; listen to the sound of my words. (17) Will even he who hates right govern? And will you condemn Him who is most just?"
The sense is that it was impossible to believe that one who was unjust could govern the universe. Therefore God is just, and Elihu believes Job has condemned the most just Ruler of the universe.
(18) "Is it fit to say to a king, 'You are wicked?' And to princes, 'You are ungodly'? (19) How much less to Him who is not partial to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands."
Elihu's argument is that Job would never consider telling a king or prince he was wicked or ungodly, so how dare he condemn the one who made that king and that prince?
How true it is that we often indulge in language to God that we would never consider to an earthly authority!
(20) "In a moment will they die, and the people will be troubled at midnight, and pass away; and the mighty will be taken away without hand."
At a moment's notice, those kings and princes and the rich will die, and the people will be shaken. "At midnight" probably is meant to give an image of something happening suddenly and without awareness like a robber breaking in at midnight or a storm that hits in the middle of the night. Even the mighty will be taken away without a human hand. People can be removed from this earth without any help from any other person on earth. The NKJV says "the mighty will be taken away without 'a' hand", and the other newer translations pretty much agree that it means they can be taken away without a human hand. Albert Barnes points out that the original KJV says it all the way it was probably originally meant. The Almighty takes away the mighty men without "hand", but by His "Word", or His will.
(21) "For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. (22) There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves."
The meaning is clear; no one can escape God's notice.
(23) "For He will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God."
The KJV translators added the phrase "than right". Even without that "help", I believe the gist is that God is just and doesn't lay so much on man that He should be called into question by man.
(24) "He will break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their place. (25) Therefore He knows their works; and He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed. (26) He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others, (27) Because they turned back from Him, and would not consider any of His ways, (28) So that they cause the cry of the poor to come to Him, and He hears the cry of the afflicted."
Again the meaning is clear; God knows the work of wicked men and He strikes them down.
(29) "When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only? (30) That the hypocrite not reign, lest the people be ensnared."
God is the sovereign ruler. Not only does He cause destruction, but He causes peace that no man can interrupt. He can turn away from a single person or an entire nation. Wow! I think there is a more powerful meaning to verse 30 than might appear at first glance. Okay, so obviously God wouldn't want a hypocrite to reign. He wants true followers. The people can indeed be ensnared by a hypocritical ruler. But there's more. If God were to bless the hypocritical ruler and therefore the people and the nation, they could be ensnared by believing that they were doing good. This scripture so speaks to me about the situation in our country today! Our country has actually come to believe that it's okay to kill innocent babies by the millions! After all, abortion is lawful and a RIGHT, according to liberals. Laws tell us it's okay and normal for homosexuals to marry. These laws do indeed ensnare the people and cause them to sin. If God were to continue to bless our country after so much wickedness, He wouldn't be God!
2 Peter 2:6 says, "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly." Sodom and Gomorrah were to serve as an example, but this nation and even people who call themselves Christians, think we can just ignore God's word on this, and continue on our merry blessed way. Recall also the passage in Matthew 10, verses 14 and 15, "And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Verily I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" Places that refuse to hear God's word are doomed to a fate worse than Sodom and Gomorrah! Then there's Paul's long passage in Romans 1 about the progressive behavior of those who reject God. I often marvel that we can be given so absolutely perfect an illustration and still not see. In a nutshell, people refuse to see God's creation as just that, GOD's creation. They don't glorify God, they aren't thankful, and become fools thinking they are wiser than the truth. They change the truth and glory of God to a man-made image, a lie, (as in New Age religions or those that say "we all worship the same god") and they worship God's creation more than Him. They dishonor their bodies and begin to lust for those of their same sex. Because they did not LIKE to retain God in their knowledge...and this point is worth emphasizing. They know better but they choose NOT to remember God, God turns them over to all sorts of their vile behaviors. The last scripture is a hugely important one for all the lukewarm Christians who try to say we shouldn't judge and should just let people live the way they want. Who cares if we stand up for the "right" of a woman to kill her child and for homosexual "marriage" by electing the very people who continue to enforce and force those evil laws on the people? After all, if we personally don't think it's right, who cares if other people do it? Who really cares if we pretend it's in the interest of a "greater good" to look past the atrocities of a leader and lift him up? Who really cares if we agree to elevate sinful behavior to rights because, after all, times have changed. Well, God cares: "Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." - Romans 1:32
(31) "Surely it is meet to be said unto God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend any more; (32) Teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.'"
It was difficult to find a proper (better) one-word translation of the word "meet" here, but it is part of a phrase the gist of which indicates a causal relationship, with what came before leading to the natural response of what comes next, sort of like "So therefore..." It should also be noted that the original KJV translators added the word "chastisement" to give a better understanding of the word they translated as "borne" (borne what?). However, I don't think it was necessary to add to the text as "nasah" (the word translated as "borne") can stand alone as it also means "endured", "suffered", or "been laden". Elihu seems to be suggesting to Job that he humble himself before the Lord, continue to endure, and pray for understanding so that he doesn't offend or do iniquity anymore.
(33) "Should it be according to your mind? He will recompense it, whether you refuse or whether you choose, and not I; therefore speak what you know."
Paraphrased, "Should things be as you say? Does God need to govern as you see fit? God will render reward or punishment whether you or I choose it or not. If you know better than this or can add anything in your defense, let's hear it."
(34) "Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man listen to me. (35) Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. (36) My desire is that Job may be tried to the end, because of his answers for wicked men. (37) For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."
So Elihu says, that Job has spoken without wisdom and knowledge, that is. Interestingly, the word translated as "desire" is "abeh" and is only used once in all of the Bible. Some scholars believe it was meant to be "abba", and Elihu is asking the Father to allow Job to be thoroughly or fully tried or examined. Other scholars point out that "abba" is used nowhere else in Job, so which lone word do we accept? Perhaps it IS Elihu's desire that Job be thoroughly examined because of his views which he has expressed, which seem to favor the wicked. Indeed, Elihu implies that Job has indeed sinned to bring on his affliction, and now he has added rebellion against God to his original sin. "Claps his hands" may be taken different ways, but obviously is intended as derogatory by Elihu. Either Job claps his hands in impatience, perhaps even as a way to silence his opposition, or as a symbol of his prideful triumph; either way Elihu sees it as disrespectful to God.
For a large part, it seemed to me that Elihu may have been truly speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but it does seem he went a little too far in his assessment of Job's general spirit and did ultimately accuse him of sinful behavior. Only God knows Job's heart. In Elihu's defense, he knows God is always just and can't stomach Job's apparent disrespect. But this seems to be a case of when man sometimes wants to take over. If Elihu were to only speak the words of the Holy Spirit and not start adding his own, his words would have been better accepted.
(Job 34:1) Furthermore Elihu answered and said, (2) "Hear my words, O you wise men; and give ear to me, you who have knowledge. (3) For the ear tests words, as the mouth tastes meat. (4) Let us choose to us judgment; let us know among ourselves what is good."
The "ear" in verse 3 is not the same original word as "ear" in verse 2. It denotes a broader sense; Elihu wants them to test the words, roll them over in their minds, and really grasp and understand them. One of the definitions put forth in The Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions is "to uncover the ear to reveal; the receiver of divine revelation". Elihu believes he is speaking from divine revelation from God and he wants the men to receive what the Holy Spirit is speaking. He encourages the men to examine and explore what is true and right.
(5) "For Job has said, 'I am righteous, and God has taken away my judgment; (6) Should I lie against my right? My wound is incurable without transgression.'"
Taking away his judgment means that he feels God denied him a fair hearing. Lying against his right would be for Job to say he is wicked and deserved his affliction, even though he knew himself to be innocent. He felt his afflictions were without cause, or at least were more than he deserved.
(7) "What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water, (8) Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?"
Elihu asks what man is like Job, who indulges in scornful and reproachful speeches to God. Perhaps a foolish or wicked man would do such a thing, but to see Job, a pious man who followed God, behaving this way, is another matter.
(9) "For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.'"
Job never said this exactly, but he did imply it when he said that God can destroy the wicked and the righteous alike.
(10) "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding; far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to commit iniquity. (11) For the work of a man shall He render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. (12) Yes, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment."
Elihu states that it is impossible for God to do evil, sin, or pervert judgment, which he feels Job has insinuated. God will treat each man as he deserves. Elihu isn't necessarily accusing Job of doing wickedness resulting in his afflictions, but he is emphatically stating that to accuse God of perverting judgment is in error.
(13) "Who has given Him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world?"
It's a rhetorical question, for no one has given God authority. HE IS the authority! He is the original authority and ruler over all. The word translated as "disposed" means more completely "to put, place, set, appoint, make". So who has made the whole world, appointed its place and time, and put everything into order? God, of course!
(14) "If He set his heart upon man, He will gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath; (15) All flesh will perish together, and man will return to dust."
The KJV translators assumed the second phrase after the comma should also begin with "if" and read "if He will gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath", but they did italicize the word telling us they added it to the original text. I think the meaning is right without the additional "if". If God sets His heart upon man, He will gather man's soul and spirit to Himself, and then man's flesh returns to dust.
(16) "If you now have understanding, hear this; listen to the sound of my words. (17) Will even he who hates right govern? And will you condemn Him who is most just?"
The sense is that it was impossible to believe that one who was unjust could govern the universe. Therefore God is just, and Elihu believes Job has condemned the most just Ruler of the universe.
(18) "Is it fit to say to a king, 'You are wicked?' And to princes, 'You are ungodly'? (19) How much less to Him who is not partial to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands."
Elihu's argument is that Job would never consider telling a king or prince he was wicked or ungodly, so how dare he condemn the one who made that king and that prince?
How true it is that we often indulge in language to God that we would never consider to an earthly authority!
(20) "In a moment will they die, and the people will be troubled at midnight, and pass away; and the mighty will be taken away without hand."
At a moment's notice, those kings and princes and the rich will die, and the people will be shaken. "At midnight" probably is meant to give an image of something happening suddenly and without awareness like a robber breaking in at midnight or a storm that hits in the middle of the night. Even the mighty will be taken away without a human hand. People can be removed from this earth without any help from any other person on earth. The NKJV says "the mighty will be taken away without 'a' hand", and the other newer translations pretty much agree that it means they can be taken away without a human hand. Albert Barnes points out that the original KJV says it all the way it was probably originally meant. The Almighty takes away the mighty men without "hand", but by His "Word", or His will.
(21) "For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps. (22) There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves."
The meaning is clear; no one can escape God's notice.
(23) "For He will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God."
The KJV translators added the phrase "than right". Even without that "help", I believe the gist is that God is just and doesn't lay so much on man that He should be called into question by man.
(24) "He will break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their place. (25) Therefore He knows their works; and He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed. (26) He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others, (27) Because they turned back from Him, and would not consider any of His ways, (28) So that they cause the cry of the poor to come to Him, and He hears the cry of the afflicted."
Again the meaning is clear; God knows the work of wicked men and He strikes them down.
(29) "When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only? (30) That the hypocrite not reign, lest the people be ensnared."
God is the sovereign ruler. Not only does He cause destruction, but He causes peace that no man can interrupt. He can turn away from a single person or an entire nation. Wow! I think there is a more powerful meaning to verse 30 than might appear at first glance. Okay, so obviously God wouldn't want a hypocrite to reign. He wants true followers. The people can indeed be ensnared by a hypocritical ruler. But there's more. If God were to bless the hypocritical ruler and therefore the people and the nation, they could be ensnared by believing that they were doing good. This scripture so speaks to me about the situation in our country today! Our country has actually come to believe that it's okay to kill innocent babies by the millions! After all, abortion is lawful and a RIGHT, according to liberals. Laws tell us it's okay and normal for homosexuals to marry. These laws do indeed ensnare the people and cause them to sin. If God were to continue to bless our country after so much wickedness, He wouldn't be God!
2 Peter 2:6 says, "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly." Sodom and Gomorrah were to serve as an example, but this nation and even people who call themselves Christians, think we can just ignore God's word on this, and continue on our merry blessed way. Recall also the passage in Matthew 10, verses 14 and 15, "And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Verily I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" Places that refuse to hear God's word are doomed to a fate worse than Sodom and Gomorrah! Then there's Paul's long passage in Romans 1 about the progressive behavior of those who reject God. I often marvel that we can be given so absolutely perfect an illustration and still not see. In a nutshell, people refuse to see God's creation as just that, GOD's creation. They don't glorify God, they aren't thankful, and become fools thinking they are wiser than the truth. They change the truth and glory of God to a man-made image, a lie, (as in New Age religions or those that say "we all worship the same god") and they worship God's creation more than Him. They dishonor their bodies and begin to lust for those of their same sex. Because they did not LIKE to retain God in their knowledge...and this point is worth emphasizing. They know better but they choose NOT to remember God, God turns them over to all sorts of their vile behaviors. The last scripture is a hugely important one for all the lukewarm Christians who try to say we shouldn't judge and should just let people live the way they want. Who cares if we stand up for the "right" of a woman to kill her child and for homosexual "marriage" by electing the very people who continue to enforce and force those evil laws on the people? After all, if we personally don't think it's right, who cares if other people do it? Who really cares if we pretend it's in the interest of a "greater good" to look past the atrocities of a leader and lift him up? Who really cares if we agree to elevate sinful behavior to rights because, after all, times have changed. Well, God cares: "Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." - Romans 1:32
(31) "Surely it is meet to be said unto God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend any more; (32) Teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.'"
It was difficult to find a proper (better) one-word translation of the word "meet" here, but it is part of a phrase the gist of which indicates a causal relationship, with what came before leading to the natural response of what comes next, sort of like "So therefore..." It should also be noted that the original KJV translators added the word "chastisement" to give a better understanding of the word they translated as "borne" (borne what?). However, I don't think it was necessary to add to the text as "nasah" (the word translated as "borne") can stand alone as it also means "endured", "suffered", or "been laden". Elihu seems to be suggesting to Job that he humble himself before the Lord, continue to endure, and pray for understanding so that he doesn't offend or do iniquity anymore.
(33) "Should it be according to your mind? He will recompense it, whether you refuse or whether you choose, and not I; therefore speak what you know."
Paraphrased, "Should things be as you say? Does God need to govern as you see fit? God will render reward or punishment whether you or I choose it or not. If you know better than this or can add anything in your defense, let's hear it."
(34) "Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man listen to me. (35) Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. (36) My desire is that Job may be tried to the end, because of his answers for wicked men. (37) For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."
So Elihu says, that Job has spoken without wisdom and knowledge, that is. Interestingly, the word translated as "desire" is "abeh" and is only used once in all of the Bible. Some scholars believe it was meant to be "abba", and Elihu is asking the Father to allow Job to be thoroughly or fully tried or examined. Other scholars point out that "abba" is used nowhere else in Job, so which lone word do we accept? Perhaps it IS Elihu's desire that Job be thoroughly examined because of his views which he has expressed, which seem to favor the wicked. Indeed, Elihu implies that Job has indeed sinned to bring on his affliction, and now he has added rebellion against God to his original sin. "Claps his hands" may be taken different ways, but obviously is intended as derogatory by Elihu. Either Job claps his hands in impatience, perhaps even as a way to silence his opposition, or as a symbol of his prideful triumph; either way Elihu sees it as disrespectful to God.
For a large part, it seemed to me that Elihu may have been truly speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but it does seem he went a little too far in his assessment of Job's general spirit and did ultimately accuse him of sinful behavior. Only God knows Job's heart. In Elihu's defense, he knows God is always just and can't stomach Job's apparent disrespect. But this seems to be a case of when man sometimes wants to take over. If Elihu were to only speak the words of the Holy Spirit and not start adding his own, his words would have been better accepted.
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