Job

Job Chapter 35

Elihu Condemns Job

Job 35:1 Elihu spake moreover, and said,
2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?

Job never said this but Elihu is taking his words and interpreting them to mean just that. Perhaps that is what Elihu thought he meant with some of Job's words he heard. This causes us a lot of problems when we listen to someone but do not really listen close enough. I've known people that will finish sentences when they hear part of what we are going to say and assume we said them. Sometimes they get it right but many times they get it wrong and it does cause a lot of ill will. This is making assumptions which we see throughout the book of Job.

Job 35:3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

He accuses Job of saying there is no profit if he cleansed from my sin if both the one that sins and the one that is righteous end up the same. It is true the rain falls upon the just and the unjust but in the latter days when we are all resurrected, we will see that the ones that loved and trusted in God are the ones that will survive and stand before God inheriting eternal life. Not only that but having God in our lives is a plus too. Imagine going through the same things Job did but without God's presence and comfort.

All these that sat here and criticized Job have no clue the joy that awaits Job. All of them do not consider Job's suffering. Not only in the loss of his children, but the pain he is enduring both from the sores on his body but also the darts of his supposed friends. All of them keep saying. Hey Job you sinned..........repent.

It would be similar to one who calls a friends and says that his doctor just diagnosed him with cancer. Then the friend would say, "You must have sinned and displeased God in some way. Repent."

Thankfully I don't know anyone with the nerve to speak to anyone like that but even if we just think it, it is wrong to make that assumption. Yet, don't get me wrong here the bible does teach us to repent when we sin and make things right with God; but we have such a thing as a conscience which is given to us from God, even to those that have not known God. We also that have come to Jesus and given our lives to Him, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit which also will let us know when we have done something that needs repentance. Repentance is a good thing. It brings cleansing and it renews our walk with God. It can be beautiful. When we are in a confused bewildered state of mind though we don't always know what we could have done wrong and prehaps we just live in a fallen world where sin abounds and disease may hit us even if we are innocent of abandoning our walk with God. The old timers use to call that backsliding when one abandons the word of God.

Job 35:5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

Elihu is assuming the sins of Job and others do not do anything to God. When I read the bible though I see that God is grieved by our sin especially when we have known who He is, have known His word and His creation and yet we turn away and follow the ways of the world ignoring Him. He is not up in Heaven unconcerned about Job but at the moment Job cannot see that and neither does his companions understand that.

Job 35:9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Those that do not call upon God get no relief because they ignore God and continue on in their sufferings, is what I think Elihu is trying to say. This may be true but it isn't true in Job's case. Job is continually calling on God for help. In fact he probably wouldn't have said all the things he was saying if they did not continually accuse him and he had to defend himself.

Some also cry out to God in their sufferings but have no intention to live for Him after they are healed and God answers their prayer.

Job 35:14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

Here is one statement that probably is the best one by Elihu encouraging Job to trust in God. That is the only thing we can do when we do not understand what is going on.

Job 35:15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

He accuses Job of speaking vain words and having no knowledge, but if someone is suffering and is in pain, that is understandable. Job still believed in God but was just confused and couldn't understand why so many have turned against him and treated him different than when he was well and prosperous. DC

Job Chapter 36