Job 34

Job 34:1

Job, a servant of God An EasyEnglish Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on the Book of Job

www.easyenglish.info Keith Simons Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible.

This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

Chapter 34 Elihu discusses the speeches Elihu speaks to Job and his friends v1 Then Elihu said:

v2 You are wise men. So, hear my words! You have knowledge. So, listen to me! v3 You taste food before you eat it. So test my words as you listen. v4 We must decide wisely. And together we will work out what is right.

Chapter 34

Verses 1-4

Elihu heard the other men’s arguments. They all insisted that they were wise. If they really were wise, then they should be ready to listen to other people’s opinions. When they had heard Elihu’s opinions, they could think about his words. Then they could decide what was right. God is always fair v5 Job said, ‘I am innocent. But God has not been fair to me. v6 I am right, but nobody believes me. God punishes me although I have done nothing wrong.’

v7 Nobody is like Job! Job laughs at God as easily as a man drinks water. v8 He chooses evil friends. And he behaves like a wicked person. v9 So, Job says, ‘A man receives no benefit if he tries to please God.’

v10 Listen to me, if you are wise!

 God is not evil! God does not do wicked things.

 v11 God is fair! God punishes evil people. But God rewards good people.

 v12 God is never wicked! God is always a fair judge.

 v13 God did not get his power from someone else. And he is the ruler of the whole world.

v14 If God desired, he could take his Spirit from us. Then we could not continue to breathe. v15 We would all die instantly. And all our bodies would return to the earth.

Verses 5-6

Job said such things in his speeches. Job always argued that he was innocent. And that God was not fair to him. Elihu did not agree with these ideas.

Verses 7-9

Elihu was saying that Job’s words sounded like the words of a wicked man. Elihu was not saying that Job was evil. But evil men do say things like those that we read in verses 5-6. Job seemed to copy an evil man’s ideas. Job was a holy man. But he was actually arguing that it is better to be evil than to be good. His words seemed as if he was laughing at God.

Verses 10-13

These are important verses. The Bible clearly teaches such things.

 God is not evil. It was the devil, not God, who caused Job’s troubles. We should never blame God when evil things happen.

 God is fair. Job thought that God was unfair (verse 5). But Job was wrong. Later Job realised that his words were foolish (Job 40:1-5). God is the greatest judge. And his decisions are always right.

 We must not accuse God. We must always respect him. He is the ruler of the whole world.

Verses 14-15

God created our lives. And God could suddenly end our lives. But God is kind. He loves us. So he allows people to live so that we may choose to know him (Acts 17:27-28). Peter wrote that God is patient. Today, God is waiting so that people have the opportunity to trust him. But in the end, God will destroy the world (2 Peter 3:9-10). God is the judge of rulers v16 Job, if you are wise, then listen! Think about my words!

v17 If God were not fair, he would not rule the world. You cannot accuse him. He is fair. And he is strong.

 v18 God is the judge of kings and rulers. He decides whether they are evil. He decides whether they are fools.

 v19 God is not afraid of important men. He is fair to everybody, whether they are rich or poor. He made them all.

 v20 The people die suddenly. During the night, they die. Even powerful people die, although no man killed them.

v21 God watches our behaviour. He sees all our actions. v22 No place is so dark that evil people could hide there from God.

v23 God does not need to choose a time when he will be the judge of men. v24 He does not need to ask questions before he ends the rule of important men. And he replaces them with new rulers. v25 He knows the deeds (of evil men). In the night, he overcomes them totally. v26 He punishes them in public for their evil actions. v27 He punishes them, because they were not loyal to him. And they refused to obey his commands. v28 Such men caused poor people to cry to God. And God heard the cries of those poor people.

v29 But even if God is silent, nobody can complain. Nobody can force God to act. v30 So he may appoint a wicked man to rule a nation, although that man is cruel to the people.

Verses 16-20

The Bible teaches that God is the ruler of the world.

 Pilate thought that he had power over Jesus. But Jesus replied that Pilate’s power came from God – John 19:10-11.

 When King Nebuchadnezzar did not give honour to God, his mind became ill. For 7 years, he behaved like an animal. Other men ruled his country. But then Nebuchadnezzar became humble. He praised the true God. And God appointed Nebuchadnezzar to be king again (Daniel chapter 4).

 King Herod died an awful death soon after he refused to give honour to God (Acts 12:21-23).

God is the judge of even the most important people.

Verses 21-22

We cannot hide from God (Psalms 139:11-12).

Verses 23-27

In Job’s country, a judge would select a day when he would act as judge. Everyone who needed the judge’s help would wait for that day. But on that day, they could go to his court. On that day, the judge would help them.

Job knew that God was a judge. But Job thought that God’s servants were waiting in vain (Job 24:1). Job thought that God may never select a day to act as judge.

Elihu did not agree. He explained that God is much better than any human judge. God is always acting to help us. He does not need to select a date. He does not even need to ask questions. He already knows our deeds. And he is very powerful.

Verse 28

Job spoke about poor people who cried to God. Job thought that God would not help them (Job 24:10-12).

Elihu did not agree. God heard those poor people. And God will act to help them at the time when he decides. He will punish their cruel rulers. And he will appoint new rulers.

Verses 29-30

But God does not always stop the rule of evil men immediately. Sometimes he allows evil men to rule nations. We should pray (1 Timothy 2:1-2). But we should not complain that God allows such men to rule. Instead, we should trust God. We should obey God rather than men (Acts 4:19).

There are many evil rulers. We might think that God should end their rule. But God allows some evil things to happen now. He is patient with the people of this world. He is waiting:

 for people to confess their evil deeds to him (2 Peter 3:9)

 for Christians to declare God’s message to the people of all nations (Matthew 24:14)

 for God’s plan about the people of Israel to be complete (Romans 11:25-26)

 for Christians to know the freedom that comes from God’s Holy Spirit (Romans 8:18-22)

 for the time when God has chosen for Jesus to return (Mark 13:32). A man who confesses his evil deeds v31 A man might say to God, ‘I am guilty. But now I shall stop my evil deeds. v32 Show me my errors. If my actions were wrong, I shall not do these things again.’

v33 Job, tell me whether God should punish such a man. You seem not to like God’s behaviour. So you should decide, not me. Tell me, if you know!

Verses 31-33

Job and his friends agreed that God should punish evil people. In fact, God prefers to forgive people. However, God will not forgive everyone, whatever their attitude may be. People must confess their evil deeds to God. They must want to change their behaviour. And they must invite God into their lives.

This principle is very important to God (John 3:16). But Job seemed to forget this principle. He thought that only death would end the cruelty of evil people (Job 24:18-24).

Job complained that God did not act immediately to punish such people (Job 24:1). But Job did not say that God was waiting for them to confess their evil behaviour.

Elihu also spoke about this subject in Job 33:27-28. Job lacks knowledge v34 Men who are wise and intelligent speak to me. They tell me:

v35 ‘Job’s words are not wise. And his speeches show a lack of knowledge.’

v36 Job’s words are like the words of a wicked man. So a judge should accuse Job properly. v37 And Job also opposes us. Moreover, Job speaks against God.

Verses 34-37

If Elihu asked wise men for their advice about Job, they would all agree. Job’s behaviour was good. But his speeches were not always wise. He spoke about subjects that he did not understand (Job 42:3).

Job accused God (Job 33:9-13). And Job said that he himself was right, rather than God (Job 32:2).

Job wanted God to be his judge (Job 31:35-37). Job knew that God would be pleased with Job’s behaviour. And Job knew that God would be pleased about Job’s attitudes (chapter 31). But God was not pleased about everything that Job said (Job 38:1-2). In fact, sometimes, Job was even speaking as if God were Job’s enemy (Job 16:7-18).

© 2005, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

October 2005

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