The Goodness of God

Job 36:1-15

1 Elihu also proceeded and said:

2 "Bear with me a little, and I will show you
That there are yet words to speak on God's behalf.

3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 "Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one;
He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 He does not preserve the life of the wicked,
But gives justice to the oppressed.

7 He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;
But they are on the throne with kings,
For He has seated them forever,
And they are exalted.

8 And if they are bound in fetters,
Held in the cords of affliction,
9 Then He tells them their work and their transgressions—
That they have acted defiantly.

10 He also opens their ear to instruction,
And commands that they turn 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.

13 "But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath;
They do not cry for help when He binds them.
14 They die in youth,
And their life ends among the perverted persons.

15 He delivers the poor in their affliction,
And opens their ears in oppression.

Elihu now extols the goodness and severity of God (Romans 11:22).  Speaking for God with Job, he reminds the hearers that he gets his knowledge from above, and confesses all righteousness comes from Him alone.  It is not Elihu’s righteous standing or wisdom advising and exhorting his friend, but he is a spokesperson or messenger.  God is perfect in knowledge and understanding from the heart; He is omnipotent and yet restrained in goodness to his people without rejecting them.  God looks out for those who are oppressed with divine justice, but He does not keep the lives of the wicked from ending.  Those who live uprightly He keeps as the apple of His eye, put in places where He has ordained, such as rulers.  Those who suffer affliction for their crimes He reveals their sin that they might repent for their rebellion.  He opens deaf ears that they may turn from sin to Him.  If the then follow in obedience to His word to serve, then He prospers them in varying ways and with joy in Him.  We see how hypocrites ignore God and do not pray in their distress, and many die young along with the sexually immoral.  But those poor in spirit are delivered from affliction and when distressed or oppressed, they hear His words of goodness and merciful grace as He opens their ears to hear.  This advice to Job was meant to see God’s righteousness and man’s falling short of that perfection; we are all sinners, and God must reveal His word and will and character to each of us.  It is our responsibility to respond in joyful and willingly obedience by following Him and turning away from sin.  The goodness of God (Exodus 34:6, Psalm 51:1-2, 2 Thessalonians 1:11) opens our eyes and ears and leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4).  May we listen to wisdom as Elihu did to exhort and encourage each other.