The majority of Chapter 36 is taken up with Elihu expounding on God’s grace and mercy. In comparison, Elihu points out how Job has become lofty in his heart and judgmental of others. What does this mean for all of us? For one, God does not dismiss any of us. He operates in mercy and loving-kindness for everyone, none above the other. Another thing is that we all have to face the consequences of our sin. Sometimes those consequences aren’t as apparent and don’t come to us through judgment. One thing is for sure, though, if God can offer grace and mercy to all, who are we to not do the same?
Knowledge from Afar
I will bring my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. For truly my words are not false; He who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
Job 36:3-4 AMP
Elihu says he’s bringing his knowledge from afar because his knowledge, the wisdom with which he is speaking, isn’t coming from himself. It’s coming from God. Not only that, he isn’t taking credit for the words he speaks, but places the glory for the wisdom right where it belongs: upon God.
Elihu knows he is speaking truth because he is listening to God, but he reminds the others that they, too, can know whether he is speaking truth or not because they also have access to God.
It is by God’s Spirit within us that we can discern if the words we speak and receive are one of Truth. We can use God’s Word and Spirit to test what is spoken to us. In fact there are many verses about testing what we receive to determine if it comes from God or not. The beauty of this is that this discernment Elihu speaks of is not for a select few. It is not for the high and mighty, it is not for the leaders alone, but for all who call Jesus Lord and Savior. For all in who His Spirit resides.
Though Elihu says he brings his knowledge from afar, we know that God is not far away. Yes, His knowledge and wisdom is higher than our own and we must seek it by seeking Him first, but He is not far from us. (Acts 17:27-28) There are no longer any hoops we must jump through to reach His presence, there is no longer a barrier and a lot to determine who may or may not enter into His Holy of Holies. All may freely enter through His Son, and by coming into His presence we come to know and gain the ability to determine what is true and good.
The Strength of Understanding
Behold, God is mighty, and yet does not despise anyone [nor regard any as trivial]; He is mighty in the strength and power of understanding.
Job 36:5 AMP
Nothing and no one is trivial to God. He does not dismiss something as small or unworthy of His attention. He sees all, nothing is hidden from Him. (Heb. 4:13) How great is God compared to us? The Creator more vast than the creation. Yet we are not below His attention. We are no unworthy of it. In fact, we are the most important creation to Him. He is mighty, yet He understands the power and strength found in compassion and mercy.
I think we see a definite shift in God’s character according to Elihu versus His character according to the other men. According to them, God judged and punished without mercy, and that is true, but He also does not act without mercy and compassion.
He does not keep the wicked alive, but He gives justice to the oppressed.
Job 36:6 CSB
The use of oppressed here isn’t contained to a physical oppression but a spiritual one as well. God has brought about justice for all who are spiritually oppressed, those who are captivated by their sin. In case you don’t know, that is every one of us. We have all been held captive by sin. But God acted in mercy and compassion before acting in judgement and brought about the justice needed to become free.
God does not let wickedness stand, but He also sees the affliction of a person’s heart and inner-being better than they do.
And if they are bound in bonds [of adversity], and held by cords of affliction, then He declares to them [the true character of] their deeds and their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and notions of self-sufficiency]. He opens their ears to instruction and discipline, and commands that they return from evil.
Job 36:8-10 AMP
Before I go on, let me point out that God commands. He does not demand, He commands. In that word there is the freedom of choice, the freedom of freewill which He gives to us all. We have the choice to follow His command or not. he speaks with leadership and authority, as is His right as our Creator. He could certainly demand our obedience, but He does not deal in oppression. Instead He lets us make the choice to follow or not.
God shows us how we ended up enslaved to sin. He shows us the choices we made that led us away from Him. He also shows us the path and the choices that will lead us back to Him. But that path and those choices back to Him require us to lean on Him, to be humble and receive then live out His instruction. It requires us to be diligent and disciplined in following His way, not our own way.
Job relied on self-sufficiency. We see it time and again as he speaks of how he acted righteously. We see it as he speaks of the honor and respect he had acquired amongst the people. What he did wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t right because he did it outside of a partnership with God.
We can do all the right things, but are we doing it with God? Do we follow His commands, preferring His way over our own? Do we listen for His instruction before we act?
God does all He can to free us from our bonds of adversity and cords of affliction, but we cannot free ourselves. We cannot follow His commands our way and expect ourselves to be totally free.
Facing the Consequences
But the godless in heart store up anger [at divine discipline]; they do not cry [to Him] for help when He binds them with [cords of affliction].
Job 36:13 AMP
There are people who blame God for their situation. They would rather blame God than seek Him because doing the latter would mean admitting they were wrong and that they cannot do everything (or anything) within their own strength.
They blame God and they refuse to believe that He wants to, or would or should, help them. They cover their ears and close their eyes to any hint of God.
If they don’t acknowledge Him in any way then they don’t have to acknowledge that they need Him.
God will provide man with what He needs, both physically and spiritually. Every good thing comes from God. (James 1:17) His provision doesn’t stop because someone rejects Him, He continues to provide and bless even when we take ourselves out of a position to receive those blessings. He tries over and over all the days of our life on earth. Sometimes, though, what someone needs is to face the consequences of their sin.
I’m not saying Job’s trials were a consequence of his sin. As we know, he was being tested by the Accuser. However, if we look at who are His closest friends, those men who came and sat with him as he mourned and debated, we can see where his life was heading. He was surrounded by people who would first accuse him before they led him to God.
One man out of four, more than that if we speak of Job’s servants, remaining family, and the people of his community, spoke not to accuse but to teach; not to judge but to lead. Job had to face the consequences of his life choices, the men he allowed to become his inner circle, before God could reach out with His loving-kindness, mercy, and blessings.
Do Not Long for the Night.
But you [Job] were full of judgement on the wicked, judgment and justice take hold of you. Do not let wrath entice you into scoffing; and do not let greatness and the extent of the ransom turn you aside. Will your wealth [be sufficient to] keep you from [the confinement of] distress, or will all the force of your strength do it? Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their places.
Job 36:17-20 AMP
Another consequence Job had to face was the loftiness of his heart. The more he distanced himself from God in his personal life, in the quiet places of his inner-being, the more proud he became. Job began to rely on the things of this earth––his wealth, public reputation, and health––more than the things of God. He stopped viewing the world through God’s way––His mercy, His loving-kindness––and started operating as those around him did. Job stopped becoming different and was starting to swim pleasantly along the stream of the world.
We have to be careful that we not get into a rut of judgment. That we not be so consumed with justice that we forget to see the person who needs grace and mercy.
How often do we get so caught up in justice and judging the wickedness we can perceive that we forget to look at the heart in pain?
How often do we judge and condemn the person for the wickedness and forget that we’re not wrestling with flesh and blood?
How many times do we cry, “Come, Lord, Come,” and forget all the people He tarries for?
We wish for the rapture, but with it comes judgement for all who do not know Christ. Jesus didn’t ask that we be taken out of the world, and neither should we. Instead we should pray as He did, “Let Your Kingdom and will be here on earth as it is in Heaven,” (Matt. 6:7-13) and hope as He hopes: That all would come to know God through Jesus.
As we see in verses 22-33, God need only speak and nations would be destroyed. But with His word he brings them food. He cares for them and offers them provision. This is God acting mercy.
If God can act in mercy toward the creation who scoffs and rejects Him, then we can too.
Have you searched for the consequences of your sin lately?
Ask God to reveal the ones that are not so obvious then trust in His mercy and loving-kindness as He walks you through the journey of freedom.
Is there someone you have been judging or rejecting? I challenge you to pray that God would bless them today.
Above My Waves 
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