Old Testament Commentary - Job 34

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 34 Elihu teaches: God cannot be unjust, nor commit iniquity, nor pervert judgment, nor respect persons—Man should bear chastisement and do iniquity no more.	Elihu, the apparent judge, teaches the rehtoric of generalized correct principles, but fails to adapt them to the personal situation of Job, which is often the position and action taken by such leaders in positions today when they are not lead by or impressed by the spirit of discernment as to what actually to do concerning a present situation.
1 FURTHERMORE Elihu answered and said, 2 Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. 3 For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.
4 Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good. 5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment. 6 Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? 8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men. 9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. 11 For the ^awork of a man shall he render unto him, and cause *every man to find according to his* ways^a**. 12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert ^ajudgment.	*11^a every man to find according to his* ways** The work or works of man is that by which he will receive. As a man is so shall he receive of God. As by their works ye shall know them, also by their works shall they be know and also become. In this degree does man set his own reward. If man disregards family, spouse and children, he does not all of a sudden become one that will be rewarded or become or is as God is, a parent in Heaven. What one works at on earth is what to a degree sets out what that person does become in heaven. That is the reason and the logistics of it. What kingdom and degree that man will achieve and obtain is that which he has work in life to be. Thus it is sad when such on earth choose of their own choice to be that which is not according to the order of heaven, which the highest in the highest is that of family, father, mother, sister, brother. When one 'trains' themselves to not be as a husband and wife, they just do not automatically change their nature and become such in heaven. In short, the order of heaven is the family, it is a patriarchal order and to obtain the greatest reward in heaven one must be of that order.	11^a 2 Ne. 25:23; Alma 9:28; D&C 1:10; D&C 6:33 12^a Ps 19:9; 2 Ne. 9:15; Alma 30:9 It's A Duck In life if one has schooled themselves to walk like a duck, act like a duck, look like a duck and talk like a duck; then in the life to come the will still be a duck. God has given man commandments and guidelines to live by. One of the greatest of which was given to Adam and Eve when God commanded them to multiply and fill the earth. Simply stated, Family is the Order of Heaven. If one has not been so involved to be of the 'family nature', why would they think that all of a sudden in the next life they will receive God's greatest reward of being an eternal family? A family by God's order is a husband and a wife with children of their own, sons and daughters. That is the prosperity of eternal increase in heaven and it is called procreation. Those that have not the opportunities but have the nature and the desire will have such in that 1,000 year Millennium. But those who have ordered themselves to be somethingelse, they will not just all of a sudden be given a new 'nature' which is opposed to what they groomed and were like in life.
13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world? 14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; 15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto ^adust.		15^a TG Death; TG Man, Physical Creation of;
16 If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words. 17 Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? 18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?
19 How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands. 20 In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand. 21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may ^ahide themselves. 23 For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God. 24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.		22^a Alma 12:14-15; D&C 1:2
25 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. 26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; 27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: 28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he giveth ^aquietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only: 30 That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared. 31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne ^achastisement, 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.		29^a TG Silence 31^a TG Chastening
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.
Elihu's Judgment of Job Elihu's judgment of Job is harsh and unjust as he has judged him according to the laws and principles without spiritual guidance and understanding. Listen to Elihu's pronounce that Job ought to be continued to be so 'tried' unto the end. This regretably becomes the position of many a leader in position of authority. The person is getting what they deserve and there ought not to be any sort of relief given, or leave the current situation as it stands for they have determined it 'just' in their reconcealiation of it and there ought not to be any adjustment made for relief. Thank God that in Job's case the Lord intervines and takes charge into his own hands beginning in chapter 38.
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.