Job 33

1 "Job, listen now to my words. Pay attention to everything I say.

2 I'm about to open my mouth. My words are on the tip of my tongue.

3 What I say comes from an honest heart. My lips speak only what I know is true.

4 The Spirit of God has made me. The breath of the Mighty One gives me life.

5 So answer me if you can. Prepare yourself to face me.

6 In God's sight I'm just like you. I too have been made out of clay.

7 You don't have to be afraid of me. My hand won't be too heavy on you.

8 "But I heard what you said. And here are the exact words I heard.

9 You said, 'I'm pure. I haven't sinned in the ways you have charged. I'm clean. I'm not guilty of doing anything wrong.

10 But God has found fault with me. He thinks I'm his enemy.

11 He puts my feet in chains. He watches every step I take.'

12 "But I'm telling you that you aren't right when you talk like that. After all, God is greater than a mere man.

13 Why do you claim that God never answers any of our questions?

14 He speaks in one way and then another. We might not even realize it.

15 He might speak in a dream or in a vision at night. That's when people are sound asleep in their beds.

16 He might speak in their ears. His warnings might terrify them.

17 He warns men in order to turn them away from sinning. He wants to keep them from being proud.

18 He wants to stop them from going down into the grave. He doesn't want them to be killed with swords.

19 Someone might be punished by suffering in bed. The pain in his bones might never go away.

20 He might feel so bad he can't eat anything. He might even hate the finest food.

21 His body might waste away to nothing. His bones might have been hidden. But now they stick out.

22 He might approach the very edge of the grave. The messengers of death might come for him.

23 "But suppose there is an angel who will speak up for him. The angel is very special. He's one out of a thousand. He will tell that person what is right for him.

24 He'll be gracious to him. He'll say to God, 'Spare him from going down into the grave. I know a way that can set him free.'

25 Then his body is made like new again. He becomes as strong and healthy as when he was young.

26 He prays to God and finds favor with him. He sees God's face and shouts with joy. God makes him right with himself again.

27 Then the person comes to others and says, 'I sinned. I made what was wrong appear to be right. But I wasn't punished as I should have been.

28 God set me free. He kept me from going down into the grave. So I'll live to enjoy the light that leads to life.'

29 "God does all of those things to people. In fact, he does them again and again.

30 He wants to stop people from going down into the grave. Then the light that leads to life will shine on them.

31 "Pay attention, Job! Listen to me! Be quiet so I can speak.

32 If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak up. I want to help you be cleared of all charges.

33 But if you don't have anything to say, listen to me. Be quiet so I can teach you how to be wise."

Job 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

Elihu offers to reason with Job. (1-7) Elihu blames Job for reflecting upon God. (8-13) God calls men to repentance. (14-18) God sends afflictions for good. (19-28) Elihu entreats Job's attention. (29-33)

Verses 1-7 Job had desired a judge to decide his appeal. Elihu was one according to his wish, a man like himself. If we would rightly convince men, it must be by reason, not by terror; by fair argument, not by a heavy hand.

Verses 8-13 Elihu charges Job with reflecting upon the justice and goodness of God. When we hear any thing said to God's dishonour, we ought to bear our testimony against it. Job had represented God as severe in marking what he did amiss. Elihu urges that he had spoken wrong, and that he ought to humble himself before God, and by repentance to unsay it. God is not accountable to us. It is unreasonable for weak, sinful creatures, to strive with a God of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness. He acts with perfect justice, wisdom, and goodness, where we cannot perceive it.

Verses 14-18 God speaks to us by conscience, by providences, and by ministers; of all these Elihu discourses. There was not then, that we know of, any Divine revelation in writing, though now it is our principal guide. When God designs men's good, by the convictions and dictates of their own consciences, he opens the heart, as Lydia's, and opens the ears, so that conviction finds or forces its way in. The end and design of these admonitions are to keep men from sin, particularly the sin of pride. While sinners are pursuing evil purposes, and indulging their pride, their souls are hastening to destruction. That which turns men from sin, saves them from hell. What a mercy it is to be under the restraints of an awakened conscience!

Verses 19-28 Job complained of his diseases, and judged by them that God was angry with him; his friends did so too: but Elihu shows that God often afflicts the body for good to the soul. This thought will be of great use for our getting good from sickness, in and by which God speaks to men. Pain is the fruit of sin; yet, by the grace of God, the pain of the body is often made a means of good to the soul. When afflictions have done their work, they shall be removed. A ransom or propitiation is found. Jesus Christ is the Messenger and the Ransom, so Elihu calls him, as Job had called him his Redeemer, for he is both the Purchaser and the Price, the Priest and the sacrifice. So high was the value of souls, that nothing less would redeem them; and so great the hurt done by sin, that nothing less would atone for it, than the blood of the Son of God, who gave his life a ransom for many. A blessed change follows. Recovery from sickness is a mercy indeed, when it proceeds from the remission of sin. All that truly repent of their sins, shall find mercy with God. The works of darkness are unfruitful works; all the gains of sin will come far short of the damage. We must, with a broken and ( 1 John. 1:9 ) confess the fact of sin; and not try to justify or excuse ourselves. We must confess the fault of sin; I have perverted that which was right. We must confess the folly of sin; So foolish have I been and ignorant. Is there not good reason why we should make such a confession?

Verses 29-33 Elihu shows that God's great and gracious design toward the children of men, is, to save them from being for ever miserable, and to bring them to be for ever happy. By whatever means we are kept back from the we shall bless the Lord for them at least, and should bless him for them though they be painful and distressing. Those that perish for ever are without excuse, for they would not be healed.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 33

In this chapter Elihu addresses Job himself, and entreats his attention to what he had to say to him, and offers several things to induce him to it; and recommends himself as one that was according to his wish, in the stead of God, a man like himself, and of whom he had no reason to be afraid, Job 33:1-7; and then he brings a charge against him of things which he himself had heard, of words that had dropped from him in the course of his controversy with his friends; in which he too much and too strongly insisted on his own innocence and purity, and let fill very undue and unbecoming reflections on the dealings of God with him, Job 33:8-11; to which he gives an answer by observing the superior greatness of God to man, and his sovereignty over him, not being accountable to him for anything done by him; and therefore man should be silent and submissive to him, Job 33:12,13; and yet, though he is so great and so absolute, and uncontrollable, and is not obliged to give an account of his affairs to man, and the reasons of them; yet he condescends by various ways and means to instruct him in his mind and will, and even by these very things complained of; and therefore should not be treated as if unkind and unfriendly to men; sometimes he does it by dreams and visions, when he opens the ears of men, and seals instruction to them, and with this view, to restrain them from their evil purposes and doings, and to weaken their pride and humble them, and preserve them from ruin, Job 33:14-18; and sometimes by chastening and afflictive providences, which are described, Job 33:19-22; and which become teaching ones; through the interposition of a divine messenger, and upon the afflicted man's prayer to God, and humiliation before him, God is gracious and favourable to him, and delivers him; which is frequently the design and the use that he makes of chastening dispensations, Job 33:23-30; and the chapter is concluded with beseeching Job to mark and consider well what had been said unto him, and to answer it if he could or thought fit; if not, silently to attend to what he had further to say to him for his instruction, Job 33:31-33.