Job 33: 1 – 33
Sorry, No Job Openings
1 “But please, Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words. 2 Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth. 3 My words come from my upright heart; my lips utter pure knowledge. 4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 5 If you can answer me, set your words in order before me; Take your stand. 6 Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay. 7 Surely no fear of me will terrify you, nor will my hand be heavy on you. 8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words, saying, 9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. 10 Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy; 11 He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’ 12 “Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. 13 Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words. 14 For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, 16 then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. 17 In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man, 18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. 19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, and with strong pain in many of his bones, 20 So that his life abhors bread, and his soul succulent food. 21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones stick out which once were not seen. 22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, and his life to the executioners. 23 “If there is a messenger for him, A Mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightness, 24 then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’; 25 His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth. 26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His righteousness. 27 Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it did not profit me.’ 28 He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, and his life shall see the light. 29 “Behold, God works all these things, twice, in fact, three times with a man, 30 to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life. 31 “Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak. 32 If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you. 33 If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”
In the early days of the Christian fellowship I had started to attend a ministry training course. It was advertised that it was for anyone who felt they might want to serve the Lord in some capacity. From the book of Ephesians chapter 4 we read, ‘And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ’. In other words our Lord and Master Jesus Christ established various ministries to serve His body which are all those people who attend the church.
The meeting was held once a month and was well attended. At each meeting the Pastor would announce that there were needs in various ministries such as the children ministry, ushers, security, men and women ministries, etc. No one responded to serve except me. I volunteered to oversee the children. Each time we had the ministry training meeting the Pastor would repeat where there were openings in various ministries which needed servants. No one volunteered. Finally, it came to an end when the Pastor asked and again no one stepped forward to help out. I remember his words. He said, ‘Each time we meet I tell you where there are opportunities to serve and no one responds. This will be our last ministry meeting. I cannot understand what is preventing anyone from responding. If you are waiting for me to appoint you and send you to a church to be a Pastor or to replace me at the pulpit, it isn’t going to happen. ‘
I bring up this point because we see the same thing happening here in Job’s interaction with his 4 visitors. We will discuss this matter in a little more detail but look with me at verse 6 - Truly I am as your spokesman before God.’
We all know that we have One Mediator before Father God and He IS our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the first letter to Timothy chapter 2 verse 5 we learn this, ‘For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,’
Our Holy Master and King Is not looking for a replacement. There will not be a future job opening as God our Advocate for He forever is our Mediator.
Elihu here is going to use a few points of view to persuade Job to give him a patient hearing. He believes that he can gain Job’s trust by letting him know that he does not agree with all that the other three men have said. He has, in the previous chapter, declared his dislike of their proceedings, disclaimed their hypothesis, and quite set aside the method they took of counseling Job.
1 “But please, Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words. 2 Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth. 3 My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge. 4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
With deliberation and design he was prepared to go on if Job would encourage him by his attention. He goes on to inform Job that what he is about to say is not complicated and easy to understand. He wants job to know that he is about to give him just the facts and nothing else but the facts of pure knowledge.
There is a good point brought out here. In whatever role a person teaches God’s rule he should make it easy to understand. He should not be a ‘mister know it all’ who thinks that he can impress everyone with his great use of 50 cent words nor should one teach about our Holy God’s Word as though it is a text book.
Elihu goes on to encourage Job that he would quite willingly hear any objections that Job might have to what he will say.
5 If you can answer me, set your words in order before me; Take your stand.
Back in chapter 16 verse 21 Job cried out and said this, “Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!’ Job wished for one that would appear for God, with whom he might freely expostulate, and to whom, as arbitrator, he might refer the matter As I mentioned Elihu now says that he is the one Job has cried out for.
6 Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.
Have you ever had any experience with a bad lawyer? I had paid this guy to represent me. I had to come up with an initial $1500 deposit for his services. When time came for him to show up we me he never came. He took my money and never responded to any of my calls. A great Christian brother came forward and represented me and by our Lord’s Grace I won. Guess what the nerve of this former lawyer was? After he heard that I won he wanted to know what my settlement was so he could possibly get a piece of the funds.
Here Elihu joined up with the other three lousy comforters. Instead of being Job’s counselor to give him comfort that all his troubles was not due to any wickedness or sin he turns on Job. Look with me at the next verses and see if you pick up how Elihu starts out with flowing smooth words before the venom hits Job.
7 Surely no fear of me will terrify you, nor will my hand be heavy on you. 8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words, saying, 9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. 10 Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy; 11 He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’ 12 “Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. 13 Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
Elihu comments to Job, I heard you say to God in our hearing, ‘Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. and will You turn me into dust again? Elihu responds, ‘Job I also am formed of the same clay.’ Hey, man I am of the same as you. I am not going to upset you in what I have to say. I am only going to comment on what you have just said to all of us.
Job had represented himself as innocent. He understood that he was not sinless He said that he was not wicked and to that point of his righteousness he held on too. Elihu tells Job that he had represented God as being too severe in dealing with him and somewhat charged God with using various opportunities to punish Job.
When you go to court you lawyer tells you to keep you answers short and to the point. In other wise do not go off on a tangent. For the other lawyer will jump on what you reveal. In his pain and frustration Job did say some things that could be brought up for questioning. Here are a couple of these statements said in haste;
Job 13, ‘Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, then You respond to me. 23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin. 24 Why do You hide Your face, and regard me as Your enemy? 25 Will You frighten a leaf driven to and fro? And will You pursue dry stubble? 26 For You write bitter things against me, and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth. 27 You put my feet in the stocks, and watch closely all my paths. You set a limit for the soles of my feet. 28 “Man decays like a rotten thing, like a garment that is moth-eaten.
Job 19, ‘6 Know then that God has wronged me, and has surrounded me with His net. 7 “If I cry out concerning wrong, I am not heard. If I cry aloud, there is no justice. 8 He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass; And He has set darkness in my paths. 9 He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. 10 He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone; My hope He has uprooted like a tree. 11 He has also kindled His wrath against me, and He counts me as one of His enemies. 12 His troops come together and build up their road against me; They encamp all around my tent. 13 “He has removed my brothers far from me, and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. 14 My relatives have failed, and my close friends have forgotten me. 15 Those who dwell in my house, and my maidservants, count me as a stranger; I am an alien in their sight. 16 I call my servant, but he gives no answer; I beg him with my mouth. 17 My breath is offensive to my wife, and I am repulsive to the children of my own body. 18 Even young children despise me; I arise, and they speak against me. 19 All my close friends abhor me, and those whom I love have turned against me. 20 My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth
Elihu endeavors to convince Job that he had spoken amiss in speaking thus, and that he ought to humble himself before God for it, and by repentance ask forgiveness from God for saying unjust things against the Holy One. Those of you who are active in serving others, can relate to the following remark. Some people have nothing better to do than to job on every word you say. If you mispronounce a name in the Bible or make some other slight error they are on the phone or sending you letters to correct you. What I really hate is when someone makes a claim that you said something which you never did. Does this type of persecution hit you also?
As a brother or sister in Christ we must not drag men’s characters down, nor pass a judgment on them, from one instance, or some few misplaced words. Sure, if a Pastor is spewing heresy than we need to respond, but how about some grace extended on the other areas.
Job had said amiss that God Is infinitely above us, and therefore it is madness to contend with him; for if he ever judged against us with His great power we cannot stand before him. Our Holy Father God Is greater than man; no doubt He Is, infinitely greater. Between God and man there is no proportion. Job had himself said a great deal concerning the greatness of God, His irresistible power; incontestable sovereignty; terrible majesty and unsearchable immensity.8u8
We also need sometimes to remind ourselves that our Majestic and Holy God Is not accountable to us. He Is under no obligation to show us a reason for what He does, neither to tell us what He designs to do (in what method, at what time, or by what instruments) nor to tell us why He deals in such manner with us. He is not bound either to justify His own proceedings or to satisfy our demands and inquiries
14 For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, 16 then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. 17 In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man, 18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
Job had complained that God kept him wholly in the dark concerning the meaning of his dealings with him, and therefore concluded he dealt with him as his enemy. "No,’’ says Elihu, "He speaks to you, but you do not perceive Him; so that the fault is yours, not His; and He Is designing good for your life even though from your perspective that does not seem to be happening.
Have you ever thought about the reason why God speaks to us in visions and dreams? I believe He does this is because we are so busy going about our worldly interests that He waits for the perfect time when we are still so we can receive the information that He wants to give us. Verse 17 points out why He takes the time to do this to and for us. The reason is that He wants to keep us from sin. He does this to keep us from wrong decisions that we are contemplating which can lead us to harm.
So, while us sinners are pursuing evil purposes, which involves our pride our souls are hastening to danger. Some to the pit of hell; others to the sword or to destruction, both in this world and that to come; but when God, by the admonitions of conscience, withdraws us from sin, He thereby keeps back individual souls from the bottomless pit, and saves us all from perishing by the sword of divine vengeance
19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, and with strong pain in many of his bones, 20 So that his life abhors bread, and his soul succulent food. 21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones stick out which once were not seen. 22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, and his life to the executioners. 23 “If there is a messenger for him, A Mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightness, 24 then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’; 25 His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth. 26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His righteousness. 27 Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it did not profit me.’ 28 He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, and his life shall see the light. 29 “Behold, God works all these things, twice, in fact, three times with a man, 30 to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
In the previous verses we have seen how our Awesome God comes and speak to us in visions and dreams. In addition He has given us consciences to know right from wrong. Now [thirdly] if all of this does not persuade a person from going down the wrong path He allows affliction come our way. It is well described in the verses -19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, and with strong pain in many of his bones, 20 So that his life abhors bread, and his soul succulent food. 21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones stick out which once were not seen. 22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, and his life to the executioners.
In chapter 5 of the book of James we come across an interesting verse that I think is rarely spoken about accurately. We read in verses 14 and 15, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Elihu references this truth in these verses - 23 “If there is a messenger for him, A Mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightness, 24 then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’; 25 His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth. 26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His righteousness.”
A person who is sick should take the measures into his or her own hands and call for the elders of the church to come to see him or her. We are not speaking about a cold but something that seems like the person is dying. Now if this does happen then almost all the ministers that I know fail to do the following when they do a house call. To a large degree the minister needs to offer the sick person the opportunity a ‘confession’. Sometimes our sins have caused the serious condition that one experiences. When confession is made then all the pressure of un-confessed sin is released from the person. Then when the person is anointed with oil which we are taught represents our Precious Holy Spirit we actually see sometimes the person is healed.
31 “Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak. 32 If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you. 33 If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Our evening service runs for about two hours. We worship our Great God Almighty in singing to Him for about a half of hour. This is then followed by and hour and a half studying God’s Holy Word. From time to time we have a certain traveling well known teacher come to our church and teach. He gets so worked up with tangent points that when the evening service should be ending he is just ready to begin his actual teaching. As a result a service that started a 7: 30 PM winds up ending sometime near midnight.
This Pastor must have been a disciple of Elihu. For Job’s so called advisor after pontificating for a long amount of time now tells Job to listen to him for he was to now about to get into his main teaching of wisdom.
