Thursday - Job 34 - Hard Truth

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ruth is an immovable object and an unstoppable force. (Romans 9:20).  No matter how hard or painful this life gets... even for the best among us... we have no leg to stand on to either question or condemn God. Good men have tried it, but not one has ever backed God into a corner and found Him guilty. And, Job wasn't going to be the first.

Now, perhaps Elihu didn't know enough to stand with authority and call Job a rebel or a fool (Job 34:35- 37, 35:16 & 38:1-2). Yet, when we read God's answer to Job we will find that the entire discourse is built around the same theme that Elihu takes up in this chapter - the righteous sovereignty and perfect holiness of Almighty God. Of course, Elihu juxtaposes that with Job's words and condemns Job here... and, by God's standard we are all condemnable, even Elihu. But, that reality doesn't detract from Elihu’s basic point.

Although Elihu may have been excusing Job to some degree in Job 34:7, he turns around and destroys the excuse in the verses thereafter. Elihu speaks like Abraham (see Genesis 18:25) in Job 34:10 & 12 as he declares and reasserts the impeccability of God's character. Then, Elihu moves on to God's rightful ownership over all things (Job 34:13).  He continues by reiterating the impregnable combination of infinite power and unflinching holiness which defines God (Job 34:14-15). Then, he reminds us of the simple prerogative, autonomy and position of God (Job 34:18-19). He addresses God's omniscience and omnipresence (Job 34:21-22) and then God's justice (Job 34:23). He brings up both God's transcendence and His immanence in Job 34:29. At the conclusion of this chapter, Elihu outlines a response that he deemed appropriate for all men in all circumstances of life when (we go through hard times)... especially when we can't see what the cause is (Job 34:31-32). Finally, Elihu says plainly that God does what He does and we aren't responsible for that. What we are responsible for is our response to Him (Job 34:33).