“WHERE IS GOD MY MAKER?”
Key verse: 10
NIV
35 Then Elihu said:
2 “Do you think this is just?
You say, ‘I am in the right,(A) not God.’(B)
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[a]
and what do I gain by not sinning?’(C)
4 “I would like to reply to you
and to your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens(D) and see;
gaze at the clouds so high above you.(E)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
If your sins are many, what does that do to him?(F)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,(G)
or what does he receive(H) from your hand?(I)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,(J)
and your righteousness only other people.(K)
9 “People cry out(L) under a load of oppression;(M)
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.(N)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,(O)
who gives songs(P) in the night,(Q)
11 who teaches(R) us(S) more than he teaches[b] the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than[c] the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer(T) when people cry out
because of the arrogance(U) of the wicked.(V)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.(W)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,(X)
that your case(Y) is before him
and you must wait for him,(Z)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes(AA)
and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[d](AB)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;(AC)
without knowledge he multiplies words.”(AD)
Footnotes
Cross references
- Job 35:2 : S Job 33:32
- Job 35:2 : S Job 2:9; S 32:2
- Job 35:3 : S Job 9:29-31; S 21:15
- Job 35:5 : S Ge 15:5; S Dt 10:14
- Job 35:5 : S Job 11:7-9; Ps 19:1-4
- Job 35:6 : S Job 7:20
- Job 35:7 : Ro 11:35
- Job 35:7 : 1Co 4:7
- Job 35:7 : S Job 22:2-3; Lk 17:10
- Job 35:8 : Eze 18:24
- Job 35:8 : Eze 18:5-9; Zec 7:9-10
- Job 35:9 : Ex 2:23
- Job 35:9 : S Job 20:19
- Job 35:9 : S Job 5:15; S 12:19
- Job 35:10 : S Job 4:17
- Job 35:10 : S Job 8:21
- Job 35:10 : Ps 42:8; 77:6; 119:62; 149:5; Ac 16:25
- Job 35:11 : S Job 21:22; Lk 12:24
- Job 35:11 : Job 12:7
- Job 35:12 : S 1Sa 8:18
- Job 35:12 : S Job 15:25
- Job 35:12 : Ps 66:18
- Job 35:13 : S Dt 1:45; S 1Sa 8:18; S Job 15:31; S Pr 15:8
- Job 35:14 : S Job 9:11
- Job 35:14 : Ps 37:6
- Job 35:14 : Job 31:35
- Job 35:15 : S Job 9:24
- Job 35:15 : S Job 18:5; Ps 10:11; Hos 7:2; Am 8:7
- Job 35:16 : Tit 1:10
- Job 35:16 : S Job 34:35, 37; 1Co 4:20; Jude 1:10
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Elihu Condemns Job
35 And Elihu answered and said:
2 “Do you think this to be just?
Do you say, (A)‘It is my right before God,’
3 that you ask, (B)‘What advantage have I?
How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4 I will answer you
and (C)your friends with you.
5 (D)Look at the heavens, and see;
and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, (E)what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 (F)If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
and your righteousness (G)a son of man.
9 “Because of the multitude of (H)oppressions people (I)cry out;
they call for help because of the arm of (J)the mighty.[a]
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my (K)Maker,
who gives (L)songs in the night,
11 who teaches us (M)more than the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There they (N)cry out, but he does not answer,
because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
nor does the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when you say that you (O)do not see him,
that the case is before him, and you are (P)waiting for him!
15 And now, because (Q)his anger does not punish,
and he does not take much note of transgression,[b]
16 Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
he (R)multiplies words (S)without knowledge.”
Footnotes
Cross references
- Job 35:2 : See ch. 32:2
- Job 35:3 : See ch. 34:9
- Job 35:4 : ch. 34:8, 36
- Job 35:5 : [ch. 22:12]
- Job 35:6 : Prov. 8:36; Jer. 7:19
- Job 35:7 : ch. 22:2, 3; Prov. 9:12; Luke 17:10; [ch. 41:11; Rom. 11:35]
- Job 35:8 : ch. 25:6
- Job 35:9 : Amos 3:9
- Job 35:9 : Ex. 2:23; [ch. 34:28]
- Job 35:9 : [ch. 22:8]
- Job 35:10 : ch. 4:17; Deut. 32:6
- Job 35:10 : Ps. 42:8; 77:6; 149:5; [Acts 16:25]
- Job 35:11 : ch. 36:22; Ps. 94:12; Isa. 28:26
- Job 35:12 : See ch. 27:9
- Job 35:14 : ch. 9:11; 23:8, 9
- Job 35:14 : [ch. 13:15]
- Job 35:15 : Num. 16:29; Ps. 89:32
- Job 35:16 : ch. 34:37
- Job 35:16 : ch. 34:35; 36:12; 38:2; 42:3
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Elihu's third speech is addressed to Job. Certainly, Job was in great misery in many ways, but there is no reason why God should listen to Job or to anyone else. God is God. The world has a self-centered view that is essentially godless. We think about what we can gain, but we don’t consider God. Elihu reminded Job and his friends that human sins and human righteousness only affect other humans like ourselves. We don’t consider how sin affects God or what our sins do to him. Only the gospel guides us to this truth, since Jesus bore our sins on the cross.
People in this world are concerned about oppression but seek relief in the world. No one says, “Where is God my Maker?” It is God alone who gives relief where there is injustice and oppression. God does not answer the demands of the arrogant. He pays no attention to those who do not seek him. However, when we seek him, he teaches us and gives us songs in the night.
Prayer: Lord, this world is always subject to oppression. Thank you for calling us to seek you and meet you in that place. Teach me your wisdom.
One Word: God gives songs in the night