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- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Job 34
Elihu seems intent on defending God against Job’s claims here. I find it kind of amusing when people feel the need to defend God. I tend to think it is really their beliefs about God that they are really trying to defend. Elihu gave some indication of this when he said, “Let us judge for ourselves what is right; let us decide together what is good.” (Job 34:4). Who are we to declare such things? It is God alone who knows what is right and good. So rather than judging for ourselves, we should be seeking God for such knowledge. Elihu was right in saying that God can do no wrong. However he failed to consider that his own perception of right and wrong might be skewed.
Job 35-36
A funny thing happens when people set themselves as any kind of standard. They become the proverbial pot calling the kettle black. It is the scenario Jesus described when He mentioned removing the plank from your own eye before trying to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. We saw this with Job’s other three friends, who accused Job of believing he held the keys to wisdom when it was they who were so adamant that they knew how God does things. Job was merely stating what he observed. They, however, made assumptions based on what they believed about God.
Elihu likewise put himself in this position. He asked Job how anything Job did, whether sinful or righteous, affected God. Why, then, did Elihu believe that God needed him to step up in His defense? He even made the audacious claim, “one who has complete knowledge is with you.” (Job 36:4b). Obviously he did not have complete knowledge, because he was making false assumptions about Job’s situation.
Job and his friends were all trying to make sense of a difficult situation. However, their approaches were entirely different. On the one hand, Job stated his perspective, sought answers from God Himself rather than trying to force God into a box of his own understanding, and remained faithful to God through it all. His friends, on the other hand, declared their own wisdom, understanding, and knowledge into the situation. They came to the table with all the answers rather than admitting their own limitations and seeking those answers, along with Job, from God. So there they sat, massive planks protruding from their eyes, pointing judgmental fingers at innocent Job because they didn’t like his questions to God.