Don’t Doubt In The Dark What You Believed On In The Light - Job 35-36

Job 36:17-21 (ESV)

17 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;

judgment and justice seize you.

18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,

and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

19 Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress,

or all the force of your strength?

20 Do not long for the night,

when peoples vanish in their place.

21 Take care; do not turn to iniquity,

for this you have chosen rather than affliction.

According to most commentaries, the above verses are notoriously hard to interpret.  Elihu has been trying to correct some of Job’s thinking.  Job, due to his tremendous suffering, has lost his perspective and fallen into some false philosophy and doctrine (with no help from his first three friends).  He was starting to think, because he felt as though he was just and righteous and suffering and others were wicked and not suffering, that it would be better to be wicked and not righteous.   That would be, at least, what Elihu was hearing from Job.    Elihu, in the above verse wants to correct his perception of Job and strengthen him once again into believing that God is awesome and has him covered.  Here are some of the points Elihu is making:

• Vs 17 - Although it doesn’t appear that Elihu contributes Job’s suffering is due to his sin, he is clear that Job’s complaint against God, might be  (this is where Job’s suffering has lead him).   Job is sitting in the seat of judgment as anyone would be who believes God has done wrong (that has been Job’s complaint ... it couldn’t possibly be any other reason Job is suffering!)

• Vs 18 - Elihu does not want suffering to cause Job to scoff (something he has been doing) and he does not want Job to believe some ransom is going to be paid to relieve Job’s suffering.   We often think that somehow we can buy ourselves out of a situation.   We can’t.  Job’s wealth and power did not prevent this from happening and it won’t redeem it from him.  

• Vs. 19 - This is the more difficult to determine what Elihu is saying.   He is not telling Job to stop crying for help.  But in the Hebrew poetry, where each line compliments the other, Elihu seems to be telling Job that his strength (by crying out) is not going to relieve him.  God can and will, as we read at the end of the book.  But Job’s power to cry and call is not the thing that will change this. 

• Vs. 20 & 21 - Stop wishing you were dead!  This seems to be Elihu’s wisdom here.  He tells him to stop with the dark thoughts of wanting the night (death) and don’t turn to iniquity as the solution for all this.   He wants Job to stay true under the affliction and not compound the issue but speaking about God in a false manner. 

When we are in suffering we can develop a lot of bad thoughts and philosophy and doctrine,   Elihu is trying to get Job to turn back to what he knows is true.  Elihu is saying, don’t doubt in the dark what you believe on in the light.