Mister Fixit

 

Job 34: 1 – 9

 

“Hear my words, you wise men,  and give ear to me, you who know; for the ear tests, words as the palate tastes food.   Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.   For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right;  in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’  What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?   For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.”

 

The young, full of himself Elihu has realized not only does he have wisdom that can straighten Job out, but that his three friends also could use some help.  In fact, he now is sure that Job is evil because he rubs the shoulders of wicked men and I’m not sure who he is referring to as wicked men.  He also was upset that Job is not upset that people are ridiculing him and showing him disrespect.  Could it be that Elihu is the type of man that would cross the road when seeing the man that was beaten by thieves and left to die as the priest did in (Luke 10:25-37)?

 

In verses 10 –15, it seems Elihu is on the spot about God cannot do anything wicked, that God cannot do wrong.  He and all the others were on dangerous grounds in their accusation of Job, in that God has stated Job is a man of Integrity and that no one else on the earth is close to him in being in right standing with both God and man.  

 

We often ask can or will God allow bad things to happen to good people?  I believe the account of Job gives us insight into the answer to that question.

 

“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.   For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.   Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him^[a] the whole world?   If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,  all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.”

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice