Daily Scripture Reading Job 33:23 - 34:23

Some people today believe no one deserves hell. Others believe they are so sinful God will never save them. The truth is in the middle. Everyone is a sinner and deserves hell, but it is possible for anyone to be saved. Elihu articulated the humble and gracious attitude which can and should be held by all people as a result of these facts regarding salvation.

We are in the middle of reading the 19th section of Job. This section contains Elihu’s opinion about the troubles that befell Job. Elihu insisted men are reproved by having pain on their bed, with the result that they loathe life and waste away to nothing.

Job 33:23 ¶ “If there is an angel as mediator for him,

One out of a thousand,

To declare to a man what is right for him,

The pronoun “him” refers to a man who is reproved on his bed (see Job 33:19).

Job 33:24 Then let him be gracious to him, and say,

‘Deliver him from going down to the pit;

I have found atonement’;

This is an example of pronouns being hard to follow. This verse says let the mediator be gracious to the man who is reproved on his bed. Let the mediator ask God to keep the man on the bed from going down to the pit because the mediator found atonement in the man on the bed.

Job 33:25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

The pronoun “his” and “him” refers to the man who is reproved on his bed. The mediator’s intervention would result in the man on the bed becoming healthier.

Job 33:26 Then he will entreat God, and He will accept him,

And he will see His face with joyful shouts,

And He may restore His righteousness to man.

After becoming healthier, the man on the bed will entreat God, God will accept the man, and the man will see God’s face.

Job 33:27 He will sing to men and say,

‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,

But He has not done what is due to me.

The man who had been reproved on his bed will sing to other men, confess he had sinned, and admit God did not give him what he deserved.

Job 33:28 He has redeemed my soul from passing into the pit,

And my life shall see the light.’

God redeemed the man from going to the pit.

Elihu was not inspired by the Holy Spirit when he said this, so his words are not inerrant. Inerrancy simply means the author of Job accurately recorded what Elihu said. Having said that, Elihu accurately captured the correct mentality regarding salvation.

Some people today believe no one deserves hell. Others believe they are so sinful God will never save them. The truth is in the middle. Everyone deserves hell, and everyone is a sinner, but God will extend salvation to everyone who believes in Jesus. All who are saved should echo Elihu’s words in verses 27-28 and say, “I have sinned, but God will not do to me what is due me. He has redeemed my soul and I shall see the light.”

Job 33:29 ¶ “Behold, God does all these things twice, three times with men,

Job 33:30 To bring back his soul from the pit,

That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

Job 33:31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

Keep silent, and I will speak.

Job 33:32 Then if you have any speech, respond to me;

Speak, for I desire to prove you righteous.

Job 33:33 If not, listen to me;

Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Job 34:1 ¶ Then Elihu answered and said,

Job 34:2 “Hear my speech, you wise men,

And give ear to me, you who know.

Job 34:3 For the ear tests words

As the palate tastes food.

Job 34:4 Let us choose for ourselves what is just;

Let us know among ourselves what is good.

Job 34:5 For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

But God has removed my justice;

Job 34:6 Should I lie concerning my justice?

My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

Verses 5-6 is Elihu quoting Job.

Job 34:7 What man is like Job,

Who drinks up mocking like water,

Job 34:8 But he travels in company with the workers of iniquity,

And walks with wicked men?

Elihu accused Job of walking with sinful men.

Job 34:9 For he has said, ‘It is of no use to a man

When he is pleased with God.’

Job 34:10 ¶ “Therefore, listen to me, you men with a heart of wisdom.

Far be it from God to do injustice,

And from the Almighty to do wrong.

Job 34:11 For He pays a man according to his work,

And makes him find it according to his way.

Elihu believed that God cannot do injustice; therefore, God pays every man according to his deeds.

Job 34:12 Truly, God will not act wickedly,

And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

Job 34:13 Who appointed Him with authority over the earth?

And who has laid on Him the whole world?

The pronoun “Him” refers to God. The answer to these questions is no one. No one gave God His authority. God is the Creator and has authority simply because He is the Creator.

Job 34:14 If He should set His heart on it,

If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,

Job 34:15 All flesh would breathe its last together,

And man would return to dust.

Elihu stated that God could end all life in an instant if He decided to do so. That is true, but it is not true because Elihu said it. Elihu did not speak under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We know Elihu was correct because the rest of scripture teaches this.

Humans generally do not like the concept that man should fear God. However, this is one of the reasons men should fear God. We are completely at the mercy of God. God could end all life in an instant if He chose to do so.

Job 34:16 ¶ “But if you have understanding, hear this;

Give ear to the sound of my speech.

Job 34:17 Shall one who hates justice rule?

And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

The “righteous mighty One” refers to God.

Job 34:18 Who says to a king, ‘Vile one,’

To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;

God calls kings and nobles vile and wicked because, compared to God, they are vile and wicked.

Job 34:19 Who shows no partiality to princes

Nor recognizes the rich above the poor,

For they all are the work of His hands?

God does not show partiality to princes or the rich.

Job 34:20 In a moment they die, and at midnight

People are shaken and pass away,

And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

Job 34:21 ¶ “For His eyes are upon the ways of a man,

And He sees all his steps.

According to Elihu, God sees all the steps of men.

Job 34:22 There is no darkness or shadow of death

Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

Job 34:23 For He does not need to consider a man further,

That he should go before God in judgment.

Some people today believe no one deserves hell. Others believe they are so sinful God will never save them. The truth is in the middle. Everyone deserves hell, and everyone is a sinner, but God will extend salvation to everyone who believes in Jesus. All who are saved should echo Elihu’s words in verses 27-28 and say, “I have sinned, but God will not do to me what is due me. He has redeemed my soul and I shall see the light.”

Do you have the gratitude that was articulated by Elihu?

How often do you express that gratitude?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”