Clapping Away the Hard Truths

Job 34:21-37

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.

23 For He need not further consider a man,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.

25 Therefore He knows their works;
He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.

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 caused the cry of the poor to come to Him;
For He hears the cry of the afflicted.

29 When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when He hides His face, who then can see Him,
Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—
30 That the hypocrite should not reign,
Lest the people be ensnared.

31 "For has anyone said to God,
'I have borne chastening;
I will offend no more;
32 Teach me what I do not see;
If I have done iniquity, I will do no more'?

33 Should He repay it according to your terms,
Just because you disavow it?
You must choose, and not I;
Therefore speak what you know.

34 "Men of understanding say to me,
Wise men who listen to me:
35 'Job speaks without knowledge,
His words are without wisdom.'

36 Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost,
Because his answers are like those of wicked men!

37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
He claps his hands among us,
And multiplies his words against God."

Elihu confronted Job further with an eye on God’s glory and sovereign righteousness.  He pointed out that Job’s righteousness was feigned because he lost sight of God’s, and had become self-righteous.  He pointed out how God sees every step we take and leaves no hiding place for sinners, not in life or in death.  There is no deliberation with God over man’s guilt, no great inquiry to determine it, for He knows it all.  Nothing is hidden from the Almighty.  Those who reject Him are held accountable and punished swiftly and justly for their rebellion of sinful disobedience.  Because the wicked don’t even consider God’s word and refuse to help each other in need as He does, they answer for it by God’s hand.  God keeps the hypocrites from ruling for long, and He sometimes steps back as if hidden to let men bring the consequences down upon themselves as verses 29 to 30 say.  Elihu then remarks how few actually learn from their disciplining to the point of repentance, turning from offending to asking for guidance to see what they are missing in order to do what is pleasing to God.  He also reminds Job (and us) that God deals justice and mercy on His terms, not ours, according to our words and deeds.  He wraps up this discourse by reminding his friend that others who understand God agree that Job had begun speaking self-righteously, not with the wisdom that he supposed.  He therefore concludes that Job should be tried further by God to change his answers, not to ignore wise counsel with a clap of his hands while continuing to speak against God.  These are hard lessons for us all to watch out for justifying ourselves at the expense of God’s truth and working through disciplining us for our repentance and restoration.  Humility and wise agreement with God’s word are required, not justifying ourselves and clapping away sound counsel in agreement with the Lord.  In 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, we see an example of how Paul had corrected the Corinthians and they had taken it to heart.  Then they repented with godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:11) with diligent fear of God to do what was right.  May we not clap away the hard truths of correction, but look to God’s righteousness in Christ alone and not attempt to justify ourselves as Job did.  James 5:11 reminds us that the desired outcome is God’s compassionate mercy, His grace, to cover our sin in correcting us by His word (2 Timothy 3:16, Proverbs 3:11-12). In Hebrews 12:10-11, we find that God disciplines us as His children to correct us and make us conformed to His image in holiness.  Suffering is a small price to pay in this process.