91. Affirming that God Is Just (2)

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Hymns: RHC 561 Come with Contrite Hearts, 559 Near the Cross, 264 I Am Coming to the Cross

Job 34:31-37

31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: 32 That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. 33 Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore, speak what thou knowest. 34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me. 35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. 36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men. 37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

Affirming That God Is Just (2)

OUTLINE

  • Contend Not (v16-17)
  • But Affirm the Truth Concerning Him (v18-30)
    • God Respect Not Persons in Judgment (v18-19)
    • God Judges Sovereignly – Determines the Time of Death (v20)
    • God Judges Justly by His Perfect Knowledge (v21-25)
    • God Judges Openly for All to See (v26-28)
    • God Is Longsuffering but He withholds Not Just Judgment (v29-30)
  • Acknowledgement of Misrepresentating Him (v31-37) 
    • The Way Back (v31-33)
      • Confession (v31)
      • Repentance (v32-33)
    • Making Right with God (v34-37)

INTRODUCTION

Matthew Henry said well, “Elihu instructs Job what he should say under his affliction (v31-32). Having reproved him for his peevish passionate words, he here puts better words into his mouth. When we reprove for what is amiss we must direct to what is good, that our reproofs may be the reproofs of instruction (Proverbs 6:23). 

Proverbs 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

He does not impose it upon Job to use these words, but recommends it to him, as that which was meet to be said. In general, he would have him repent of his misconduct, and indecent expressions, under his affliction.”

Indeed, as Matthew Henry further observed, “Job’s other friends would have had him own himself a wicked man, and by overdoing they undid. Elihu will oblige him only to own that he had, in the management of this controversy, spoken unadvisedly with his lips.Let us remember this, in giving reproofs, and not make the matter worse than it is; for the stretching of the crime may defeat the prosecution. Elihu drives the right nail, and speeds accordingly.”

(3)Acknowledgement of Misrepresenting Him (v31-37)

  1. The Way Back (v31-33)
  2. Confession (v31)
  3. Repentance (v32-33)

31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: 32 That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. 33 Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore, speak what thou knowest.

Certainly, it is but fit and reasonable that man should say thus to his Maker and supreme Lord, and that instead of contending with God, he should submit to Him. 

And this Job should have applied to his own case. Instead of humbling himself under God’s hand, which was his duty, hath he not been full of murmurings and complaints against God? [Poole]

Unto God – unto one so much thy superior, so mighty and so righteous in all His ways; with such a one a weak and sinful creature (as thou art) should not presume to contest. 

I have borne chastisement; or, I do or shall bear it, quietly and contentedly; I will bear the Lord’s indignation, and accept of the punishment of my own iniquity, and not accuse God falsely and foolishly, as I have done. 

I will not offend any more, Heb. I will not corrupt, myself or my ways; which is oft understood in like cases. I will take or demand no pledge. So, the sense may possibly be, I confess I have been too bold with God, in desiring that He would come with me into judgment, and that I could have a pledge or surety that He would do so; but I will no longer desire it, but submit myself wholly to him. [Poole]

He directs Job to humble himself before God for his sins, and to accept the punishment of them: “I have borne chastisement. What I suffer comes justly upon me, and therefore I will bear it, and not only justify God in it, but acknowledge his goodness.” 

Many are chastised that do not bear chastisement, do not bear it well, and so, in effect, do not bear it at all. Penitents, if sincere, will take all well that God does, and will bear chastisement as a medicinal operation intended for good. [Matthew Henry]

To pray to God to discover his sins to him (v32): “That which I see not teach thou me. Lord, upon the review, I find much amiss in me and much done amiss by me, but I have reason to fear there is much more that I am not aware of, greater abominations, which through ignorance, mistake, and partiality to myself, I do not yet see; Lord, give me to see it, awaken by conscience to do its office faithfully.” 

A good man is willing to know the worst of himself, and particularly, under affliction, desires to be told wherefore God contends with him and what God designs in correcting him. [Matthew Henry]

To promise reformation (v31): I will not offend any more. “If I have done iniquity (or seeing that I have), I will do so no more;whatever thou shalt discover to me to have been amiss, by thy grace I will amend it for the future.” This implies a confession that we have offended, true remorse and godly sorrow for the offence, and a humble compliance with God’s design in afflicting us, which is to separate between us and our sins. [Matthew Henry]

The penitent here completes his repentance; for it is not enough to be sorry for our sins, but we must go and sin no more, and, as here, bind ourselves with the bond of a fixed resolution never more to return to folly. This is meet to be said in a stedfast purpose, and meet to be said to God in a solemn promise and vow. [Matthew Henry]

He reasons with him concerning his discontent and uneasiness under his affliction (v23).

Verse 31 is not asking a theoretical question. Elihu is making a definite suggestion. The “anyone” here could be Job (v. 31)! Job is encouraged to put up his hands and admit that he has said things he ought not to have said and then to pray to God to teach him the things he has not understood (v. 32a) before pledging himself not to say these things again (v. 32b). [Christopher Ash]

He appeals to all intelligent indifferent persons whether there was not a great deal of sin and folly in that which Job said. 

  • Making Right with God (v34-37)

34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me. 35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. 36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men. 37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

I am content that any wise man should judge of my words, and let such consider what I say and wise men will hearken or assentunto me. [Poole]

Matthew Henry said well, “He would have the matter thoroughly examined, and brought to an issue (v36): “My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end. If any will undertake to justify what he has said, let them do it; if not, let us all agree to bear our testimony against it.“” 

Many understand it of his trial by afflictions: “Let his troubles be continued till he be thoroughly humbled, and his proud spirit brought down, till he be made to see his error and to retract what he has so presumptuously said against God and his providence. Let the trial be continued till the end be obtained.” [Matthew Henry]

He appeals both to God and man, and desires the judgment of both upon it. Some read (v36) as an appeal to God: O, my Father! let Job be tried. When we are praying for the benefit of afflictions either to ourselves or others we must eye God as a Father, because they are fatherly corrections and a part of our filial education (Hebrews 12:7). 

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

He appeals to the by-standers (v34): “Let men of understanding tell me whether they can put any more favourable construction upon Job’s words than I have put, and whether he has not spoken very ill and ought not to cry, I have done wrong.” 

In what Job had said he thought it appeared that he did not rightly understand himself, but had talked foolishly (v35). He cannot say that Job is without knowledge and wisdom; but, in this matter, he has spoken without knowledge, and, whatever his heart is, his words were without prudence. What he said to his wife may be retorted upon himself (He speaks as one of the foolish men speak) and for the same reason, Shall we not receive evil as well as good at God’s hand? (Job 2:10). Sometimes we need and deserve those reproofs ourselves which we have given to others. Those that reproach God’s wisdom really reproach their own. 

That he had not a due regard to God, but had talked wickedly. If what he had said be tried to the end, that is, if one put it to the utmost stretch and make the worst of it, it will be found, first, that he has taken part with God’s enemies: His answers have been for wicked men; that is, what he had said tended to strengthen the hands and harden the hearts of wicked people in their wickedness, he having carried the matter of their prosperity much further than he needed. Let wicked men, like Baal, plead for themselves if they will, but far be it from us that we should answer for them, or say any thing in favour of them. 

Secondly, that he has insulted God’s friends, and hectored over them: “He clappeth his hands among us; and, if he be not thoroughly tried and humbled, will grow yet more insolent and imperious, as if he had gotten the day and silenced us all.” To speak ill is bad enough, but to clap our hands and triumph in it when we have done, as if error and passion had won the victory, is much worse. 

Thirdly, that he has spoken against God Himself, and, by standing to what he had said, added rebellion to his sin. To speak, though but one word, against God, by whom we speak and for whom we ought to speak, is a great sin; what is it then to multiply words against Him, as if we would out-talk Him? What is it to repeat them, instead of unsaying them? Those that have sinned, and, when they are called to repent, thus go on frowardly, add rebellion to their sin and make it exceedingly sinful. I may fall into error, but I will not plunge into heresy. [Matthew Henry]

CONCLUSION 

It behooves God’s people to examine their hearts and review their responses during their times of affliction, if they have been godly albeit their affliction may not be because of their sin against God. Amen.