Job 33
TLBCJob 33:8-33
God Does Speak to Man (33:8-33) Job’s contentions are seen by Elihu to be twofold. First, he has resolutely maintained his own innocence and the fact that God has irrationally afflicted him and has counted him to be an enemy rather than a friend (vss. 8-11; for parallels from Job’s own words see Job 9:21; Job 13:24; Job 13:26-27; Job 16:17). Second, Job has denied that God answers man’s questions or that God speaks to man at all (vs. 13; see Job 13:3; Job 13:22-24; Job 16:20-21; Job 19:7; Job 23:3-9). To the first Elihu answers in a pure negative (Job is “not right”) and in a positive statement of the greatness of God (vs. 12).
To the second complaint Elihu gives more attention. Whereas Job has questioned whether God speaks at all, Elihu maintains that God does speak within the channel of man’s own experience. It is not entirely clear whether by the “one” and “two” ways mentioned in verse 14 it is meant that there are literally two fashions of God’s speaking, for this sort of numerical expression is common for “any number.” But it is clear that Elihu does think of God as speaking to man in two ways: by a kind of dream vision and as a possible consequence of suffering.
The first way (Job 33:15-18) has already been claimed by Eliphaz as his own experience (see Job 4:12-13), and can hardly have much interest for Job, who has declared that in his case the night brings no such reassuring word of revelation but only further distress and “visions” that terrify (Job 7:13-14). But it is interesting that Elihu sees that the result of such divine “speaking” would be the ethical conversion of man, turning him from his evil ways and so “redeeming” him.
When he turns to the experience of suffering itself Elihu expands the subject and in the end gives a theory which is not unique but which is stated with considerable power. He does not declare that suffering itself is a means of God’s speaking. The experience which Job undergoes is nowhere in the book laid at the door of God but, as in the Prologue, is seen to come from elsewhere. The experience is rather a kind of chastening preparation, by which man is made ready to hear the message of God.
In Elihu’s description of suffering there is no question but that he draws the details from Job’s own case, including the wasting of the body (see Job 19:20). The experience he treats is exactly parallel to that of Job, who has drawn near “the Pit.” “Those who bring death” may be a reference to angels such as are mentioned in 2 Samuel 24:16 and Psalms 78:49. Against such a dark background the speaker now sketches the steps of the divine intervention. First there is “for him an angel” who is described as one of “the thousand” ministering spirits of God, and also as a “mediator” or “interpreter” (in the Hebrew). This is one who is both gracious to help and just “to declare to man what is right for him.” He thus may bring to light man’s true need and sin, but he also declares that he has “found a ransom” for him. As part of his ministry on behalf of the sufferer the “angel” intercedes for him, asking that he be delivered and restored to vigor.
Consequent to the activity of the “angel” on his behalf the suffering man now prays on his own part. When he is restored he also witnesses to men concerning the reason for his predicament and the grace of God in delivering him. Thus to his songs of salvation there will be added the praise of the congregation. A close parallel is to be found in Psalms 40:1-3, where there is the same progression of experience but without the activity of the angel who is mediator.
Finally Elihu again calls upon Job to consider his words (Job 33:29-33), and to know that God thus acts to speak to man; the purpose of God, he sees, is to bring a man to “see the light of life.” If Job has any further arguments he is invited to give them or, failing that, to keep silence while Elihu proceeds. His desire to “justify” Job must be understood not as a desire to maintain Job’s right against God but as a professed willingness to agree with Job if he has any worthwhile arguments to give.
Elihu’s words in 33:19-28 must be taken as one of the great high points of the Old Testament revelation. Here dramatic imagery traces mankind’s complete helplessness, facing only the prospect of death and final meaninglessness. To this despairing estimate there is given the opposing prospect of an angelic mediator, one who has “found” a ransom, one whose graciousness and whose righteousness fit him to stand as “interpreter” both of God and of man, who, moreover, intercedes in behalf of dying man. To say that we stand close to the New Testament here is obvious.