Job

Chapter 34:31-37 (ESV) - “For has anyone said to God,
    ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
teach me what I do not see;
    if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
Will he then make repayment to suit you,
    because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
    therefore declare what you know.
Men of understanding will say to me,
    and the wise man who hears me will say:
‘Job speaks without knowledge;
    his words are without insight.’
Would that Job were tried to the end,
    because he answers like wicked men.
For he adds rebellion to his sin;
    he claps his hands among us
    and multiplies his words against God.”

Question to consider: What are some similarities between the trial of Job and that of Jesus?

In yesterday’s passage, Elihu doubled down on his statements regarding God’s earthly judgment against the wicked and how Job’s calamity was God’s way of pointing out his transgressions. In it Elihu seemed to ignore God’s heart of mercy for those with a contrite heart. Today we understand why. Elihu didn’t mention the mercy of God because he didn’t believe anyone actually admitted to their transgressions or listened to the way of redemption. If you’ve ever seen the movie, Shawshank Redemption, Elihu seemed to have a similar view of Red who sarcastically pointed out to Andy Dufresne that everyone in the prison was “innocent” of their crime.

Elihu considered those who would argue that Job was merely ignorant of his sins and would surely confess them if he knew what he had done. He rejected this notion because in his mind Job answered like a guilty person and therefore added rebellion to whatever original sin he committed to deserve his calamity. Essentially, Elihu was saying that only a guilty man would profess his innocence in the midst of God’s obvious judgment.

Elihu thought Job was presumed guilty until he could prove otherwise, and any attempt to prove otherwise just reinforced the notion that he was guilty. There was no way for Job to win in the court of Elihu. I can’t think of anything that sounds more satanic, and sadly, this same attitude is pervasive in our own culture today.

As I have pointed out throughout this ordeal, Job is a type for Christ in his suffering. In the trial of Jesus, false witnesses tried to paint Jesus as a terrorist who threatened to destroy the temple. The elders were false witnesses against Job trying to hang transgressions on him to justify his calamity. Elihu was like the high priest, Caiaphas, who tried to goad Jesus into testifying for Himself and falsely accused Him of blasphemy when He admitted to being the Christ.

Someone who is interested in justice does not try to trap the accused but seeks to discover the truth. Rather than assume Job is guilty and try to goad him into admitting it, Elihu and the elders should have considered Job’s words and life. They were so bent on trying to discover his sin that they didn’t even consider his innocence.

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for delivering us from the Adversary who continually tries to accuse us like these men accused Job. Help us to listen to Your words about our salvation instead of the accusations from the devil which tries to put the focus on our failures rather than Christ’s victory. Amen. Come Lord Jesus!