Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s Bible study on Job 34 – Elihu proclaims God’s justice. According to Bible scholars, the events of the book of Job took place approximately before 2100 B.C.
I encourage you to turn to Job 34 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Job 34 with me. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know. All the scriptures that you find highlighted in purple in this post are from the NKJV.
In the Bible Study on Job 33, we read about Elihu claiming to speak for God. Well, in this Bible study on Job 34, we will read about Elihu vindicating God’s justice.
Without any further delay, let us study together Job Chapter 34, shall we?
Elihu Implores His Friends To Choose Justice
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.
In Verses 1-4 of Job 34, Elihu implores Job and his friends to heed his words and to choose justice for themselves and to know what is actually good.
Elihu Rebukes Job
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.’
In Verses 5-9 of Job 34, Elihu rebukes Job. Elihu recalled Job’s previous discourses when he had proclaimed self-righteousness and how he said that God had taken away his justice from him. Job had said that he was pure yet God was punishing him. Elihu further said that Job drank scorn as if he was drinking water. By telling that a man had no profit in delighting in God, Elihu had joined with the wicked, according to Elihu.
Elihu: God Repays A Man According To His Work
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.
In Verses 10-15 of Job 34, Elihu implores Job and his friends to listen to him and to put away all wickedness away from them. Elihu said that God repays a man according to his work and to call God as unjust is wickedness. He recalled that Job had called God unjust in punishing him even though he was righteous. Elihu said that God will never pervert justice. No one gave God charge over the earth and the whole world because there is no one greater than Him. God existed before time existed. If God desired, he could make all flesh perish all at once because of His Mighty Power.
Elihu Talks About God’s Justice
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.
In Verses 16-20 of Job 34, Elihu asks how could Job condemn God’s justice. How could a man who is unjust condemn God who is most just. How could a man tell a king that he is worthless. Inspite of man’s sinful nature, God is not partial to the rich or the poor because they are the works of His hands. They all perish in the same way and return to dust.
The Wicked Cannot Hide From God
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.
In Verses 21-28 of Job 34, Elihu talks about how the wicked cannot hide from God. He sees all their steps and they have no place to hide from Him. Elihu, further, said that God breaks even mighty men who have no sin and puts other men in their place because He knows their works. God crushes the wicked man because he had chosen to turn away from Him and would not follow Him. The wicked man oppressed the poor which caused them to cry out to God and He heard them.
God Does Not Submit To Man’s Will
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.
In Verses 29-33 of Job 34, Elihu tells Job how no one can question God on why He gives them quietness or why He hides His face from a man or even a nation. No one has ever said to God that he will not offend Him anymore because it is in man’s inherent nature to sin. And He will not repay iniquity according to our own terms. He will repay it according to His terms.
Elihu: Job Speaks Like A Wicked Man Against God
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.”
In Verses 34-37 of Job 34, Elihu said how wise men and men of understanding told him that Job spoke without knowledge and how his words were without wisdom. They desired that Job was tried to the utmost because of the way in which he spoke against God for he claimed that God was punishing him without a reason. And, this made him a wicked man in their eyes. They said that Job had now added rebellion to his sin by multiplying his words against God.
Conclusion
This brings us to the end of the bible study lesson on Job 34. Elihu explains to Job how man is inherently sinful and cannot question God’s actions, justice or judgments. I hope you learnt something from this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey.
If you have any comments or questions for me, kindly leave them in the comments box below. I highly appreciate it. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until Next Time!