Job 36 1Elihu also proceeded, and said, 2Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf. 3I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. 4For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. 5Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. 6He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor. 7He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. 8And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction; 9Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. 10He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. 11If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 12But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. 13But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them. 14They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean. 15He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression. 16Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness. 17But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. 18Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. 19Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. 20Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place. 21Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction. 22Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him? 23Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity? 24Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold. 25Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off. 26Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. 27For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: 28Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. 29Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? 30Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea. 31For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance. 32With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt. 33The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
Today's Scripture Meaning Elihu desires Job's attention. (1-4) The methods in which God deals with men. (5-14) Elihu counsels Job. (15-23) The wonders in the works of creation. (24-33) Verses 1-4: Elihu only maintained that the affliction was sent for his trial; and lengthened because Job was not yet thoroughly humbled under it. He sought to ascribe righteousness to his Maker; to clear this truth, that God is righteous in all his ways. Such knowledge must be learned from the word and Spirit of God, for naturally we are estranged from it. The fitness of Elihu's discourse to the dispute between Job and his friends is plain. It pointed out to Job the true reason of those trials with which he had been pointed out to Job the true reason of those trials with which he had been visited. It taught that God had acted in mercy towards him, and the spiritual benefit he was to derive from them. It corrected the mistake of his friends, and showed that Job's calamities were for good. Verses 5-14: Elihu here shows that God acts as righteous Governor. He is always ready to defend those that are injured. If our eye is ever toward God in duty, his eye will be ever upon us in mercy, and, when we are at the lowest, will not overlook us. God intends, when he afflicts us, to discover past sins to us, and to bring them to our remembrance. Also, to dispose our hearts to be taught: affliction makes people willing to learn, through the grace of God working with and by it. And further, to deter us from sinning for the future. It is a command, to have no more to do with sin. If we faithfully serve God, we have the promise of the life that now is, and the comforts of it, as far as is for God's glory and our good: and who would desire them any further? We have the possession of inward pleasures, the great peace which those have that love God's law. If the affliction fail in its work, let men expect the furnace to be heated till they are consumed. Those that die without knowledge, die without grace, and are undone for ever. See the nature of hypocrisy; it lies in the heart: that is for the world and the flesh, while perhaps the outside seems to be for God and religion. Whether sinners die in youth, or live long to heap up wrath, their case is dreadful. The souls of the wicked live after death, but it is in everlasting misery. Verses 15-23: Elihu shows that Job caused the continuance of his own trouble. He cautions him not to persist in frowardness. Even good men need to be kept to their duty by the fear of God's wrath; the wisest and best have enough in them to deserve his stroke. Let not Job continue his unjust quarrel with God and his providence. And let us never dare to think favourably of sin, never indulge it, nor allow ourselves in it. Elihu thinks Job needed this caution, he having chosen rather to gratify his pride and humour by contending with God, than to mortify them by submitting, and accepting the punishment. It is absurd for us to think to teach Him who is himself the Fountain of light, truth, knowledge, and instruction. He teaches by the Bible, and that is the best book; teaches by his Son, and he is the best Master. He is just in all proceedings. Verses 24-33: Elihu endeavours to fill Job with high thought of God, and so to persuade him into cheerful submission to his providence. Man may see God's works, and is capable of discerning his hand in them, which the beasts are not, therefore they ought to give him the glory. But while the worker of iniquity ought to tremble, the true believer should rejoice. Children should hear with pleasure their Father's voice, even when he speaks in terror to his enemies. There is no light but there may be a cloud to intercept it. The light of the favour of God, the light of his countenance, the most blessed light of all, even that light has many a cloud. The clouds of our sins cause the Lord to his face, and hinder the light of his loving-kindness from shining on our souls
Today's Scripture Application Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Job with Chapter 36. In our text today we see Elihu continuing to speak to Job and he brings up a relevant point for today in verse 26 of how we can know God but cannot truly predict what he is going to do in our lives. In making application, today, we have the Word of God and we can know who God is, and the principles of which He works. We don't know what he will do in the future. We are not promised tomorrow, nor do we know what a day will hold, we can only trust and obey Him. The Lord does have a plan for your life, He calls us into service, and will reveal His plan as time goes by but we must not speculate or delay in what he tells us to do. How about you? Do you follow the Lord's instruction? OR do you obey only on what you speculate He is doing in your life? Let us learn from our text today and Elihu who reminds us that the Lords ways are not our ways, we don't know what the future holds so we are to simply trust and obey the Lord.
Thank You for Reading Today's Devotional
Contact Me with any Questions or Comments
By Email info@USBibleSociety.com
By Text/Phone (770) 361-3841
Sincerely, Dr. Dave Burnette Director, The United States Bible Society, Inc.