Job 36:8-9 | KingComments | STEP | Now it may still be so, that righteous people are bound and caught by affliction ( ). They cannot free themselves from it and cannot get away from it. They are, as it were, bound in fetters and cords (cf. ). Although it seems as if God is targeting them, it is precisely His loving concern for them. He acts with them because He is merciful and wants to make them realize this. He thereby makes their work known to them ( ). He lets them know what they are doing, but that they do not involve Him in it. A situation has arisen in which the transgressions have “magnified themselves”. If transgressions have taken over, that means that God, by denouncing Him, no longer stands in the first place. Job has transgressed by blaming God for his misery. To return from evil means here: to acknowledge that God has the right to do with him according to His own wise purposes, even if he does not understand them. Through the affliction that comes upon them, He wants to open their ear to His instruction or discipline ( ; cf. ). Affliction aims to make man repent, to make him reflect on his former life, and to wonder why all this happens to him. Elihu does not look at the cause of the instruction – the friends did – but at its purpose. God speaks to them through the trial. Through what He brings to the righteous, He says that they must “return from evil”. That evil is that they do not involve Him in their life. First the positive result of God’s instruction is presented ( ). If the righteous listen to God’s voice in the trial, it will be seen in serving Him (again). God will get the first place again in the heart. As a result, they will enjoy prosperity for the remaining days of their lives. They will become “years in pleasures”, years full of everything that is pleasant. Job will experience this ( ). This is what the grace of God has in mind with trials. But if people do not hear, they shall perish ( ). These are people who appear to be righteous but are not. When they are tested, they do not submit to God’s will, but resist Him. They do not accept His instruction, which He brings upon them by means of discipline to draw them to Himself, but reject it. They perish “by the sword,” that is to say, they are taken away by sudden death. They pass away without having submitted their spirit to God. Without knowledge of the ways God has gone with them and the discipline He has brought upon them for their sake, they die. In all that God has brought upon them, they have never seen a purpose from on high. They never thought deeply about the usefulness of what happened to them. Job did. He did not understand God, but he did seek Him. Nor is Job a man with a godless or hypocritical heart ( ). People with a hypocritical heart sin continuously. In their dissatisfaction they accumulate anger in their hearts; their anger about the course of events increases more and more. But there is no cry from them to God for help if He brings misery upon them and binds them with it. Instead of turning to God, they rebel against Him. Job has constantly called for help in his affliction. This proves that Elihu does not mean him, but speaks of people who hold to a form of Godliness, but deny its power ( ; ). Such people will not live long, for they will die young ( ). This is in contrast to the blessing given to the righteous who hear and serve God ( ). They will also die an extraordinarily shameful death. In their death they will receive no honor, which they claimed for themselves in their hypocrisy during their life. The way their life ends fits the way they have lived. They lived in depravity and that will also mark their end. On the other hand, the afflicted in their affliction are delivered by God ( ). Job will experience this when he comes face to face with God. God will open his ear in the affliction in which he finds himself. He will make His purpose known to him, so that he will understand why all this suffering has come upon him. God does not deliver the afflicted out of the affliction – which He will do later – but in the affliction. It means that God comes to him and supports him in his affliction and gives him comfort and strength to persevere. He delivers him from doubt, fear, and unbelief by turning his heart to Him.

‏ Job 36:8-9

The Purpose of Oppression

Now it may still be so, that righteous people are bound and caught by affliction (Job 36:8). They cannot free themselves from it and cannot get away from it. They are, as it were, bound in fetters and cords (cf. Lam 3:7). Although it seems as if God is targeting them, it is precisely His loving concern for them. He acts with them because He is merciful and wants to make them realize this.

He thereby makes their work known to them (Job 36:9). He lets them know what they are doing, but that they do not involve Him in it. A situation has arisen in which the transgressions have “magnified themselves”. If transgressions have taken over, that means that God, by denouncing Him, no longer stands in the first place. Job has transgressed by blaming God for his misery. To return from evil means here: to acknowledge that God has the right to do with him according to His own wise purposes, even if he does not understand them.

Through the affliction that comes upon them, He wants to open their ear to His instruction or discipline (Job 36:10; cf. Job 33:16). Affliction aims to make man repent, to make him reflect on his former life, and to wonder why all this happens to him. Elihu does not look at the cause of the instruction – the friends did – but at its purpose. God speaks to them through the trial. Through what He brings to the righteous, He says that they must “return from evil”. That evil is that they do not involve Him in their life.

First the positive result of God’s instruction is presented (Job 36:11). If the righteous listen to God’s voice in the trial, it will be seen in serving Him (again). God will get the first place again in the heart. As a result, they will enjoy prosperity for the remaining days of their lives. They will become “years in pleasures”, years full of everything that is pleasant. Job will experience this (Job 42:12 ; 17). This is what the grace of God has in mind with trials.

But if people do not hear, they shall perish (Job 36:12). These are people who appear to be righteous but are not. When they are tested, they do not submit to God’s will, but resist Him. They do not accept His instruction, which He brings upon them by means of discipline to draw them to Himself, but reject it. They perish “by the sword,” that is to say, they are taken away by sudden death.

They pass away without having submitted their spirit to God. Without knowledge of the ways God has gone with them and the discipline He has brought upon them for their sake, they die. In all that God has brought upon them, they have never seen a purpose from on high. They never thought deeply about the usefulness of what happened to them. Job did. He did not understand God, but he did seek Him.

Nor is Job a man with a godless or hypocritical heart (Job 36:13). People with a hypocritical heart sin continuously. In their dissatisfaction they accumulate anger in their hearts; their anger about the course of events increases more and more. But there is no cry from them to God for help if He brings misery upon them and binds them with it. Instead of turning to God, they rebel against Him. Job has constantly called for help in his affliction. This proves that Elihu does not mean him, but speaks of people who hold to a form of Godliness, but deny its power (2Tim 3:5; Mt 15:6-9).

Such people will not live long, for they will die young (Job 36:14). This is in contrast to the blessing given to the righteous who hear and serve God (Job 36:11). They will also die an extraordinarily shameful death. In their death they will receive no honor, which they claimed for themselves in their hypocrisy during their life. The way their life ends fits the way they have lived. They lived in depravity and that will also mark their end.

On the other hand, the afflicted in their affliction are delivered by God (Job 36:15). Job will experience this when he comes face to face with God. God will open his ear in the affliction in which he finds himself. He will make His purpose known to him, so that he will understand why all this suffering has come upon him. God does not deliver the afflicted out of the affliction – which He will do later – but in the affliction. It means that God comes to him and supports him in his affliction and gives him comfort and strength to persevere. He delivers him from doubt, fear, and unbelief by turning his heart to Him.