Job 34:1-20
1 Elihu further answered and said:
2 "Hear my words, you wise men;
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 For the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose justice for ourselves;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 "For Job has said, I am righteous,
But God has taken away my justice;
6 Should I lie concerning my right?
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7 What man is like Job,
Who drinks scorn like water,
8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing
That he should delight in God.'
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 He repays man according to his work,
And makes man to find a reward according to his way.
12 Surely God will never do wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who gave Him charge over the earth?
Or who appointed Him over the whole world?
14 If He should set His heart on it,
If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
15 All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.
16 "If you have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words:
17 Should one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn Him who is most just?
18 Is it fitting to say to a king, 'You are worthless,'
And to nobles, 'You are wicked'?
19 Yet He is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor;
For they are all the work of His hands.
20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night;
The people are shaken and pass away;
The mighty are taken away without a hand.
Elihu continued to address Job and his friends, the counselors of empty words and man of self-righteousness who knew much truth, but erred on God’s character and providence by expecting only good and not adversity. Ironically, in the beginning of his suffering, Job expressly told his wife that he should accept adversity with the good from God’s hand of providence (Job 2:10). Elihu therefore asks them to taste his advice as if food, choosing what is good and just as they reason together. He began by summarizing the issue, how Job claimed to be righteous and sick because God stole away his justice. He pointed out that such is acceptance of scorn from wicked men who he is keeping company with and taking on their attitudes. This may have been those around him judging his condition, or even his friends attempting to counsel Job. This Job went so far as to say it does no good to find pleasure in God in such suffering, an attitude which he did not have at first. His company influenced his attitude (1 Corinthians 15:33) for the worse. Elihu makes it clear that there is no injustice with the Almighty, that He does righteously and fairly with divine justice, for Je is not like men. Nobody gave Him His authority. He has the right and might to remove His Spirit from all living things to return them to dust if desired. He is not fickle or partial in His reign over all, loving justice with equity and the people of His creation. He is not a man like us, corrupt and flawed. People of high stature are taken by death just as easily as the poor in His time and manner, for fairness and judgment is in God’s good and fair hands. We learn then to listen to God’s word and trust His providence, not judging what God is doing or why when He does not choose to reveal His working to us. Trust is faith, taking God at His word and leaning on His revealed character and works as always good and fair, not blaming Him for adversity or lack of our expectations of health or maternal prosperity. Shall we not accept adversity with good? This is part of the providence of God.
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