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Job being still silent, Elihu follows his blow, and here, a third time, undertakes to show him that he had spoken amiss, and ought to recant. Three improper sayings he here charges him with, and returns answer to them distinctly:—I. He had represented religion as an indifferent unprofitable thing, which God enjoins for his own sake, not for ours; Elihu evinces the contrary, Job 35:1-8. II. He had complained of God as deaf to the cries of the oppressed, against which imputation Elihu here justifies God, Job 35:9-13. III. He had despaired of the return of God's favour to him, because it was so long deferred, but Elihu shows him the true cause of the delay, Job 35:14-16.
1-16
The Address of Elihu (1520 BC)
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以利戶的宣講（主前1520年）
¹ 以利戶又接著說：
² 你以為這話有理，或說：我的公義勝於神的公義；
³ 你說：這與我有甚麼益處？我不犯罪比犯罪有甚麼好處？
⁴ 我要回答你和在你這裡的朋友。
⁵ 你要向天觀看，瞻望那高於你的穹蒼。
⁶ 你若犯罪，能使神受何害呢？你的過犯加增，能使神受何損呢？
⁷ 你若是公義，還能加增他甚麼呢？他從你手裡還接受甚麼呢？
⁸ 你的過惡或能害你這類的人；你的公義或能叫世人得益處。
此處我們看到：
I. 以利戶指控約伯說了不當的話（伯35:2-3）。為證明這些話的謬誤，他訴諸約伯本人及其清醒的反思，說：*你以為這話有理嗎？*這表明以利戶對自己所給的責備充滿信心，因為他可以將這判斷交託給約伯自己。那些站在真理和公義一邊的人，遲早會得到每個人良心的支持。這也表明他對約伯有良好的評價，認為他所想的好於他所說的；雖然他說錯了話，但當他察覺自己的錯誤時，便不會堅持。當我們在急躁中說了不對的話，就應當承認深思熟慮後確知那是錯的。以利戶在此責備約伯兩件事：—1. 自義勝過神，這正是最初激怒他的原因（伯32:2）。「你實際上是在說，我的公義勝於神的公義，」即「我為神所做的，超過神為我所做的；因此，當結算時，神反倒成了欠我的人。」約伯似乎認為他的事奉所得的報酬少於應得，而他的罪所受的刑罰超過應得——這是任何人心中都不應存有的最不義、最邪惡的念頭，更不應宣之於口。當約伯如此堅持自己的正直，又如此抱怨神待他太嚴厲時，他實際上就是在說：*我的公義勝過神；*然而，即使我們再善良、我們的苦難再大，我們都擔負著不義，而神卻沒有。2. 因受苦而否認信仰的益處與好處：我不犯罪比犯罪有甚麼好處？（伯35:3）。這是從伯9:30-31歸納出來的：*我雖用雪水洗身，用鹼潔淨我的手，你還要扔我在坑裡。*以及伯10:15：我若行惡，禍患臨到我身；我若行義，也都一樣。詩人在將自己的苦難與惡人的昌盛相比時，也曾受試探說：我實在徒然潔淨了我的心（詩73:13）。如果約伯也這樣說，他實際上就是在說我的公義勝過神（伯35:9）；因為他若從信仰中一無所獲，那麼神虧欠他的就多於他虧欠神的。然而，雖然有某些表面上的依據，但將這些話加在約伯身上卻並不公平，因為約伯自己曾把這些話歸於昌盛的惡人（伯21:15：我們向他祈禱有甚麼益處呢？），並隨即加以否認：惡人的謀算遠離我（伯21:16）。將人明確否認的觀點所推論出的結論強加於人，並非公正的辯論方式。
II. 以利戶為此作出的美好回答（伯35:4）：我要回答你，和在你這裡的朋友，即「所有贊同你所說的、隨時準備為你辯護的人，以及其他和你說一樣話的人：我有話要說，能使他們全都啞口無言。」為此他援引他先前的格言（伯33:12）：神比世人更大。這是一個真理，若加以正確運用，能成就許多美好的目的，特別是可以證明神不欠任何人的債。最偉大的人可能虧欠最卑微的人；但神與人之間的無限差距如此之大，偉大的神不可能從人那裡得到任何益處，因此也不可能被設想為對人負有任何義務；因為他若被他的旨意和應許所約束，那也不過是對他自己的約束。這是一個無人能應對的挑戰（羅11:35）：誰先給了他，使他後來償還呢？——讓他證明這一點。當我們所事奉的神並不從中受益時，我們為何還要像約伯似乎做的那樣，要求從信仰中得利，好像這是理所當然的債務呢？1. 以利戶不必證明神超越人；這是眾所周知的；但他卻努力讓約伯和我們感受到這一點，他以天和雲的高度作為直觀的證明（伯35:5）。它們遠在我們之上，而神又遠在它們之上；那麼他豈不是更加超乎我們罪惡或善行的範圍之外嗎？你要向天觀看，瞻望那穹蒼。神造人直立，命令人仰望穹蒼。拜偶像的人舉目仰望，敬拜天上的萬象——日、月、星辰；但我們當舉目向天，敬拜那些天軍的主。它們比我們高，但神無限超越它們。他的榮耀高過諸天（詩8:1），對他的認識高過穹蒼（伯11:8）。2. 由此他推論，神不會因我們所做的任何事而受到影響——不論是好的還是壞的。(1.) 他承認人可能因我們所做的而受益或受損（伯35:8）：你的過惡或許會害你這類的人，可能給鄰舍的外在事務帶來麻煩。惡人可能傷害、搶奪或毀謗鄰舍，也可能將他引誘入罪，從而損害他的靈魂。你的公義——你的公正、你的慈善、你的智慧、你的敬虔——或許能叫世人得益處。我們的善行擴及地上的聖民（詩16:3）。對於與我們同等的人，我們有能力行惡或行善；在這兩方面，至高的主和全地的審判官都會介入——他會獎賞那些對同胞行善的人，懲罰那些傷害同胞和臣民的人。但，(2.) 他斷然否認神會因任何人的作為——即使是最偉大的地上人物——而真正受到損害或得益。[1.] 最惡之人的罪也不能損害他（伯35:6）：你若犯罪——即使是存心、蓄意、公然地抵擋他，你的過犯加增，罪的行為即使一再重複，你能對他做甚麼呢？這是對屬肉體之心的挑戰，向最大膽的罪人發出挑戰，讓他盡其所能。神的偉大與榮耀正在於此：他的仇敵即使窮凶極惡，也無力對他造成任何真正的損害。罪被稱為抵擋神，因為罪人如此意圖，神也如此看待，這是對他榮耀的冒犯；然而它卻不能對他做甚麼。罪人的惡意是無能的惡意：它不能摧毀他的存在或屬性，不能將他從權能和主權的寶座上推翻，不能擾亂他的平安與安息，不能挫敗他的旨意和計劃，也不能貶損他本體的榮耀。因此約伯說我不犯罪有甚麼好處確實說得不當；他的歸正對神沒有任何增益；那麼如果他本人不得益，還有誰會得益呢？[2.] 最聖潔之人的善行也不能使他得益（伯35:7）：*你若是公義，你給了他甚麼呢？*他不需要我們的事奉；即使他想讓工作完成，他也有比我們更好的僕人可以差遣。我們的敬虔不能為他的福祉增添絲毫。他非但不虧欠我們，反而是我們虧欠他——是他使我們成為義人並悅納我們的義；因此我們不能向他有所要求，若沒有得到所期望的也沒有理由抱怨，反倒要為我們得到了超過所應得的而感恩。
⁹ 人因多受欺壓就哀求，因受能者膀臂的轄制便求救。
¹⁰ 卻無人說：造我的神在哪裡？他使人夜間歌唱，
¹¹ 教訓我們勝於地上的走獸，使我們有聰明勝於空中的飛鳥。
¹² 他們在那裡呼求，因無人回答，是因惡人的驕傲。
¹³ 虛妄的呼求，神必不垂聽；全能者也必不眷顧。
以利戶在此回答約伯曾說的另一句話，他認為那話大大有損神的公義與良善，因此不應不加評論地放過。請注意：
I. 約伯所抱怨的是甚麼；就是：神不顧受欺壓之人向欺壓者所發的哀求（伯35:9）：人因多受欺壓——驕傲的暴君加諸窮苦百姓的種種苦難和他們野蠻的對待——*就哀求；*但卻無濟於事：神沒有出面為他們伸冤。他們呼求，他們不住地呼求，因受能者膀臂的轄制，那膀臂沉重地壓在他們身上。這似乎是引用約伯的話（伯24:12）：在城裡的民也歎息，受傷的人哀號；然而神卻不理會他們的惡，不為此追討他們的罪。約伯不知道該如何理解這事，也不知道如何將它與神的公義和他的治理調和起來。神是公義的神，難道他竟會如此遲延不聽、如此遲延不看嗎？
II. 以利戶如何解決這難題。如果受欺壓者的哀求不被垂聽，過失不在神；他隨時樂意垂聽和幫助他們。過失在他們自己；他們求也得不著，是因為他們妄求（雅4:3）。他們因受能者膀臂的轄制而呼求，但那是抱怨的呼喊，哀號的呼喊，不是悔改禱告的呼喊；是出於本性和情感的呼喊，不是出於恩典的呼喊。參見何7:14：*他們並不誠心哀求我，不過在床上呼號。*既然如此，我們怎能期望他們得到應允和拯救呢？
1. 他們在受苦中不尋求神，不努力認識他（伯35:10）：卻無人說：造我的神在哪裡？苦難是為了引導和激發我們及早尋求神而發的（詩78:34）。但許多在大欺壓下呻吟的人，卻從不理會神，也不留意他的手在他們苦難中的作為；如果他們留意了，就會更忍耐地承受苦難，並從中得著更大的益處。在許多受苦受欺壓的人中，很少人得到他們本可以從苦難中得到的益處。苦難本應驅使他們歸向神，但這種情形何等罕見！看到人類中貧窮困苦的階層如此缺乏信仰，實在令人痛心。每個人都在抱怨自己的苦難；*卻無人說：造我的神在哪裡？*即沒有人為自己的罪悔改，沒有人回轉到擊打他們的那位面前，沒有人尋求神的面和恩惠，沒有尋求那能平衡他們外在苦難的神裡面的安慰。他們全然被自己境況的悲慘所佔據，彷彿那就可以成為他們活在世上沒有神的藉口；然而苦難本應促使他們更加緊緊地倚靠神。請注意：(1.) 神是我們的造物主，是我們生命的創始者；從這個角度來看，我們有責任敬重和記念他（傳12:1）。造我的神在原文是複數形式，有人認為這即使不是三位一體的明證，至少也是一個暗示——在神格的統一中存在著多個位格。讓我們造人。(2.) 因此，尋求他是我們的本分。他在哪裡，好使我們向他致敬，承認我們對他的倚靠和虧欠？他在哪裡，好使我們向他祈求保養和保護，從他領受律法，並在他的恩惠中尋求我們的福樂——我們的生命既是從他的權能而來？(3.) 令人遺憾的是，世人如此少有人尋求他。人人都在問：歡樂在哪裡？財富在哪裡？哪裡有好買賣？卻無人問：造我的神在哪裡？
2. 他們沒有留意自己在苦難中所享受的恩惠，也不為此感恩，因此不能期望神將他們從苦難中拯救出來。(1.) 他在我們外在的患難中為我們預備了內心的安慰與喜樂，我們應當善用這些安慰，等候他挪去患難的時候：他使人夜間歌唱，即當我們的處境再黑暗、再悲慘、再憂鬱時，在神的裡面——在他的護理和應許中——有足夠的恩典不僅扶持我們，更使我們充滿喜樂和安慰，使我們能在凡事上感恩，甚至在患難中喜樂。當我們只注目於所受的苦難，卻忽視神為我們所儲存的安慰時，神拒絕我們的禱告是公義的。(2.) 他為我們保留了理性和理解力（伯35:11）：他教訓我們勝於地上的走獸，即他賦予了我們比走獸更尊貴的能力和官能，使我們在此世和永恆中都能領受更卓越的喜樂和從事更卓越的事業。這在此處的作用是：[1.] 為我們提供了感恩的題材，即使在最沉重的苦難之下也是如此。無論我們被剝奪了甚麼，我們仍擁有不朽的靈魂——那些比全世界更有價值的珍寶——仍存留在我們手中；即使殺身體的人也不能傷害*它們。如果我們的苦難未能擾亂那些官能的運用，我們仍能享受理性的使用和良心的平安，我們就有充分的理由感恩，無論我們的災禍在其他方面有多麼沉重。[2.] 作為我們在苦難中應當尋求造我們的神、轉向他的一個理由。這是理性最大的卓越之處——它使我們能夠信仰，正是在這一點上我們尤其被教導勝於地上的走獸和空中的飛鳥。*牠們在尋找食物、藥物、棲身之處方面有奇妙的本能和敏銳；但牠們沒有一個能發問：造我的神在哪裡？在走獸中或許能觀察到某種類似邏輯、哲學和政治的東西，卻從來沒有任何關於神學或信仰的跡象；這些是人所獨有的。因此，如果受欺壓的人只是因受能者膀臂的轄制而呼求，卻不仰望神，那他們所做的不過如走獸一般（走獸受傷時也會哀號），他們忘記了那使他們遠遠超越走獸的教導和智慧。神拯救走獸，因為牠們照著自己最好的能力向他呼求（伯38:41，詩104:21）。但人既有能力尋求造他們的神，卻如同走獸一般向他呼求，他們又有甚麼理由期望得到拯救呢？
3. 他們在苦難中驕傲而不謙卑——苦難本是為了制服他們、將驕傲從他們身上隱藏（伯35:12）：他們在那裡呼求——在那裡控訴欺壓他們的人，向周圍所有人的耳中灌滿抱怨，甚至不惜影射神自己和他的護理——卻無人回答。神沒有為他們施行拯救，也許人也不太理會他們；為甚麼呢？是因惡人的驕傲；他們是惡人；他們心裡注重罪孽，所以神不聽他們的禱告（詩66:18，賽1:15）。神不聽這樣的罪人。他們也許因自己的邪惡使自己陷入困境；他們是魔鬼的窮人；那麼誰能同情他們呢？但這還不是全部：他們仍然驕傲，所以不尋求神（詩10:4），或者，即使他們向他呼求，所以他不給回答，因為他只聽謙卑人的心願（詩10:17），並藉著護理拯救那些他先以恩典預備好、使之配得拯救的人——我們若在令人謙卑的苦難之下心仍不謙卑、驕傲仍未被治死，就不是配得拯救的人。那麼道理很清楚：如果我們向神呼求挪去所受的欺壓和苦難，卻沒有被挪去，原因不是耶和華的手縮短了、耳朵發沉了，而是因為苦難還沒有完成它的工作；我們還不夠謙卑，所以只能怪自己，苦難才得以延續。
4. 他們在祈求中不真誠、不正直、不向神敞開內心，所以他不垂聽也不應允他們（伯35:13）：虛妄的呼求，神必不垂聽，即虛偽的禱告——那是虛妄的禱告，出自詭詐的嘴唇。以為那鑒察人心、要求內裡誠實的神會聽這種禱告，本身就是虛妄。
¹⁴ 雖然你不見他，審判仍在他面前；你要等候他。
¹⁵ 但如今因他未曾發怒降罰，也不甚理會狂傲，
¹⁶ 所以約伯開口說虛妄的話，多發無知識的言語。
此處有：I. 以利戶責備約伯的另一句不當之言（伯35:14）：*你不見他；*即，1. 「你抱怨說你不明白他嚴厲待你的用意，也看不出其中的方向和目的」（伯23:8-9）。以及，2. 「你絕望於看見他向你施恩回轉，絕望於再看見好日子，準備放棄一切」；如希西家（賽38:11）：我必不得見耶和華。正如我們在興盛時容易以為我們的高山永不會被削平，在逆境時也容易以為我們的山谷永不會被填滿；在兩種情形下都斷定明天必像今天一樣——這正如以為天氣不論晴雨都會永遠如此、漲潮會永遠漲、退潮會永遠退一樣荒謬。
II. 以利戶對約伯這句絕望之言的回答，就是：1. 當他仰望神時，他沒有正當理由如此絕望地說話：審判仍在他面前，即「他知道他當做的事，並要以無限的智慧和公義成就一切；他面前有護理的完整計劃和藍圖，他知道他將做甚麼——我們不知道，所以不明白他所做的。在他面前有一個審判的日子，那時護理中一切看似紊亂的都將撥正，其中幽暗的篇章都將被解明。到那時你將看見這些幽暗事件的全部意義，以及這些陰鬱事件的最終結局；到那時你將喜樂地看見他的面；所以你要等候他，倚靠他，等候他，相信結局至終是好的。」當我們想到神是無限智慧、公義、信實的，又是施行審判的神（賽30:18），我們就沒有理由絕望於得不到他的拯救，反而有充分的理由盼望他——拯救必在適當的時候、最好的時候臨到。2. 如果他尚未看見苦難的盡頭，原因是因為他沒有這樣信靠神、等候他（伯35:15）：因為不是這樣，因為你沒有這樣信靠他，所以那起初出於愛的苦難如今攙雜了不悅。如今神在怒中懲罰你——他非常介意你心裡竟找不到信靠他的力量，反而對他存著這樣剛硬、疑慮的念頭。我們的苦難中若攙雜了任何神的忿怒，我們只能怪自己；是因為我們在苦難之下表現不當——我們向神發怨言，暴躁不耐，對神的護理心存疑惑。這正是約伯的景況。人的愚昧傾覆他的道，他的心也抱怨耶和華（箴19:3）。然而以利戶認為約伯身處極大的窘境，沒有如他所應當的那樣知道和思想這一點——他沒有得到拯救是他自己的過失。因此他總結說約伯開口說虛妄的話（伯35:16）——抱怨自己的苦情、呼求伸冤，或是為自己辯護、證明自己的無辜，都是徒然的；都是虛妄，因為他沒有信靠神、等候他，也沒有在苦難中對他有應有的敬重。他說了許多話，多發了許多言語，卻全都是無知識的，全無用處，因為他沒有在神裡面剛強自己、在他面前謙卑自己。我們若不努力回應苦難被差來的目的，那麼無論是向神申訴還是為自己辯白，都是徒然的；我們若不信靠神，為拯救而禱告也是徒然的；因為心懷二意的人不要想從主那裡得甚麼（雅1:7）。或者這可能是指約伯所說的一切話。他已經指出了約伯言論中某些段落的荒謬之處，因此總結說還有許多段落同樣是他無知和錯謬的產物。他不像其他朋友那樣定他為假冒為善的人，只指控他犯了摩西的罪——在靈被激動時嘴唇冒失發言。我們任何時候若這樣做了（誰在言語上不常有過失呢？），被人指出來就是恩典，我們必須像約伯那樣耐心地、以善意接受——不是重複，而是收回我們所說的不當之言。
英文原文
The Address of Elihu (1520 BC)
¹ Elihu spake moreover, and said,
² Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?
³ For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
⁴ I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
⁵ Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
⁶ If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
⁷ If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
⁸ Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
We have here,
I. The bad words which Elihu charges upon Job, Job 35:2,3. To evince the badness of them he appeals to Job himself, and his own sober thoughts, in the reflection: Thinkest thou this to be right? This intimates Elihu's confidence that the reproof he now gave was just, for he could refer the judgment of it even to Job himself. Those that have truth and equity on their side sooner or later will have every man's conscience on their side. It also intimates his good opinion of Job, that he thought better than he spoke, and that, though he had spoken amiss, yet, when he perceived his mistake, he would not stand to it. When we have said, in our haste, that which was not right, it becomes us to own that our second thoughts convince us that it was wrong. Two things Elihu here reproves Job for:—1. For justifying himself more than God, which was the thing that first provoked him, Job 32:2. "Thou hast, in effect, said, My righteousness is more than God's," that is, "I have done more for God than ever he did for me; so that, when the accounts are balanced, he will be brought in debtor to me." As if Job thought his services had been paid less than they deserved and his sins punished more than they deserved, which is a most unjust and wicked thought for any man to harbour and especially to utter. When Job insisted so much upon his own integrity, and the severity of God's dealings with him, he did in effect say, My righteousness is more than God's; whereas, though we be ever so good and our afflictions ever so great, we are chargeable with unrighteousness and God is not. 2. For disowning the benefits and advantages of religion because he suffered these things: What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin? Job 35:3. This is gathered from Job 9:30,31. Though I make my hands ever so clean, what the nearer am I? Thou shalt plunge me in the ditch. And Job 10:15, If I be wicked, woe to me; but, if I be righteous, it is all the same. The psalmist, when he compared his own afflictions with the prosperity of the wicked, was tempted to say, Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, Ps 73:13. And, if Job said so, he did in effect say, My righteousness is more than God's (Job 35:9); for, if he got nothing by his religion, God was more beholden to him than he was to God. But, though there might be some colour for it, yet it was not fair to charge these words upon Job, when he himself had made them the wicked words of prospering sinners (Job 21:15, What profit shall we have if we pray to him?) and had immediately disclaimed them. The counsel of the wicked is far from me, Job 21:16. It is not a fair way of disputing to charge men with those consequences of their opinions which they expressly renounce.
II. The good answer which Elihu gives to this (Job 35:4): "I will undertake to answer thee, and thy companions with thee," that is, "all those that approve thy sayings and are ready to justify thee in them, and all others that say as thou sayest: "I have that to offer which will silence them all." To do this he has recourse to his old maxim (Job 33:12), that God is greater than man. This is a truth which, if duly improved, will serve many good purposes, and particularly this to prove that God is debtor to no man. The greatest of men may be a debtor to the meanest; but such is the infinite disproportion between God and man that the great God cannot possibly receive any benefit by man, and therefore cannot be supposed to lie under any obligation to man; for, if he be obliged by his purpose and promise, it is only to himself. That is a challenge which no man can take up (Ro 11:35), Who hath first given to God, let him prove it, and it shall be recompensed to him again. Why should we demand it, as a just debt, to gain by our religion (as Job seemed to do), when the God we serve does not gain by it? 1. Elihu needs not prove that God is above man; it is agreed by all; but he endeavours to affect Job and us with it, by an ocular demonstration of the height of the heavens and the clouds, Job 35:5. They are far above us, and God is far above them; how much then is he set out of the reach either of our sins or of our services! Look unto the heavens, and behold the clouds. God made man erect, coelumque tueri jussit—and bade him look up to heaven. Idolaters looked up, and worshipped the hosts of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars; but we must look up to heaven, and worship the Lord of those hosts. They are higher than we, but God is infinitely above them. His glory is above the heavens (Ps 8:1) and the knowledge of him higher than heaven, Job 11:8. 2. But hence he infers that God is not affected, either one way or other, by any thing that we do. (1.) He owns that men may be either bettered or damaged by what we do (Job 35:8): Thy wickedness, perhaps, may hurt a man as thou art, may occasion him trouble in his outward concerns. A wicked man may wound, or rob, or slander his neighbour, or may draw him into sin and so prejudice his soul. Thy righteousness, thy justice, thy charity, thy wisdom, thy piety, may perhaps profit the son of man. Our goodness extends to the saints that are in the earth, Ps 16:3. To men like ourselves we are in a capacity either of doing injury or of showing kindness; and in both these the sovereign Lord and Judge of all will interest himself, will reward those that do good and punish those that do hurt to their fellow-creatures and fellow-subjects. But, (2.) He utterly denies that God can really be either prejudiced or advantaged by what any, even the greatest men of the earth, do, or can do. [1.] The sins of the worst sinners are no damage to him (Job 35:6): "If thou sinnest wilfully, and of malice prepense, against him, with a high hand, nay, if thy transgressions be multiplied, and the acts of sin be ever so often repeated, yet what doest thou against him?" This is a challenge to the carnal mind, and defies the most daring sinner to do his worst. It speaks much for the greatness and glory of God that it is not in the power of his worst enemies to do him any real prejudice. Sin is said to be against God because so the sinner intends it and so God takes it, and it is an injury to his honour; yet it cannot do any thing against him. The malice of sinners is impotent malice: it cannot destroy his being or perfections, cannot dethrone him from his power and dominion, cannot disturb his peace and repose, cannot defeat his counsels and designs, nor can it derogate from his essential glory. Job therefore spoke amiss in saying What profit is it that I am cleansed from my sin? God was no gainer by his reformation; and who then would gain if he himself did not? [2.] The services of the best saints are no profit to him (Job 35:7): If thou be righteous, what givest thou to him? He needs not our service; or, if he did want to have the work done, he has better hands than ours at command. Our religion brings no accession at all to his felicity. He is so far from being beholden to us that we are beholden to him for making us righteous and accepting our righteousness; and therefore we can demand nothing from him, nor have any reason to complain if we have not what we expect, but to be thankful that we have better than we deserve.
⁹ By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
¹⁰ But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
¹¹ Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
¹² There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
¹³ Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
Elihu here returns an answer to another word that Job had said, which, he thought, reflected much upon the justice and goodness of God, and therefore ought not to pass without a remark. Observe,
I. What it was that Job complained of; it was this, That God did not regard the cries of the oppressed against their oppressors (Job 35:9): "By reason of the multitude of oppressions, the many hardships which proud tyrants put upon poor people and the barbarous usage they give them, they make the oppressed to cry; but it is to no purpose: God does not appear to right them. They cry out, they cry on still, by reason of the arm of the mighty, which lies heavily upon them." This seems to refer to those words of Job (Job 24:12), Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded cries out against the oppressors, yet God lays not folly to them, does not reckon with them for it. This is a thing that Job knows not what to make of, nor how to reconcile to the justice of God and his government. Is there a righteous God, and can it be that he should so slowly hear, so slowly see?
II. How Elihu solves the difficulty. If the cries of the oppressed be not heard, the fault is not in God; he is ready to hear and help them. But the fault is in themselves; they ask and have not, but it is because they ask amiss, Jam 4:3. They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty, but it is a complaining cry, a wailing cry, not a penitent praying cry, the cry of nature and passion, not of grace. See Ho 7:14, They have not cried unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds. How then can we expect that they should be answered and relieved?
1. They do not enquire after God, nor seek to acquaint themselves with him, under their affliction (Job 35:10): But none saith, Where is God my Maker? Afflictions are sent to direct and quicken us to enquire early after God, Ps 78:34. But many that groan under great oppressions never mind God, nor take notice of his hand in their troubles; if they did, they would bear their troubles more patiently and be more benefited by them. Of the many that are afflicted and oppressed, few get the good they might get by their affliction. It should drive them to God, but how seldom is this the case! It is lamentable to see so little religion among the poor and miserable part of mankind. Every one complains of his troubles; but none saith, Where is God my Maker? that is, none repent of their sins, none return to him that smites them, none seek the face and favour of God, and that comfort in him which would balance their outward afflictions. They are wholly taken up with the wretchedness of their condition, as if that would excuse them in living without God in the world which should engage them to cleave the more closely to him. Observe, (1.) God is our Maker, the author of our being, and, under that notion, it concerns us to regard and remember him, Ec 12:1. God my makers, in the plural number, which some think is, if not an indication, yet an intimation, of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead. Let us make man. (2.) It is our duty therefore to enquire after him. Where is he, that we may pay our homage to him, may own our dependence upon him and obligations to him? Where is he, that we may apply to him for maintenance and protection, may receive law from him, and may seek our happiness in his favour, from whose power we received our being? (3.) It is to be lamented that he is so little enquired after by the children of men. All are asking, Where is mirth? Where is wealth? Where is a good bargain? But none ask, Where is God my Maker?
2. They do not take notice of the mercies they enjoy in and under their afflictions, nor are thankful for them, and therefore cannot expect that God should deliver them out of their afflictions. (1.) He provides for our inward comfort and joy under our outward troubles, and we ought to make use of that, and wait his time for the removal of our troubles: He gives songs in the night, that is, when our condition is ever so dark, and sad, and melancholy, there is that in God, in his providence and promise, which is sufficient, not only to support us, but to fill us with joy and consolation, and enable us in every thing to give thanks, and even to rejoice in tribulation. When we only pore upon the afflictions we are under, and neglect the consolations of God which are treasured up for us, it is just with God to reject our prayers. (2.) He preserves to us the use of our reason and understanding (Job 35:11): Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, that is, who has endued us with more noble powers and faculties than they are endued with and has made us capable of more excellent pleasures and employments here and for ever. Now this comes in here, [1.] As that which furnishes us with matter for thanksgiving, even under the heaviest burden of affliction. Whatever we are deprived of, we have our immortal souls, those jewels of more worth than all the world, continued to us; even those that kill the body cannot hurt them. And if our affliction prevail not to disturb the exercise of their faculties, but we enjoy the use of our reason and the peace of our consciences, we have much reason to be thankful, how pressing soever our calamities otherwise are. [2.] As a reason why we should, under our afflictions, enquire after God our Maker, and seek unto him. This is the greatest excellency of reason, that it makes us capable of religion, and it is in that especially that we are taught more than the beasts and the fowls. They have wonderful instincts and sagacities in seeking out their food, their physic, their shelter; but none of them are capable of enquiring, Where is God my Maker? Something like logic, and philosophy, and politics, has been observed among the brute-creatures, but never any thing of divinity or religion; these are peculiar to man. If therefore the oppressed only cry by reason of the arm of the mighty, and do not look up to God, they do no more than the brutes (who complain when they are hurt), and they forget that instruction and wisdom by which they are advanced so far above them. God relieves the brute-creatures because they cry to him according to the best of their capacity, Job 38:41, Ps 104:21. But what reason have men to expect relief, who are capable of enquiring after God as their Maker and yet cry to him no otherwise than as brutes do?
3. They are proud and unhumbled under their afflictions, which were sent to mortify them and to hide pride from them (Job 35:12): There they cry—there they lie exclaiming against their oppressors, and filling the ears of all about them with their complaints, not sparing to reflect upon God himself and his providence—but none gives answer. God does not work deliverance for them, and perhaps men do not much regard them; and why so? It is because of the pride of evil men; they are evil men; they regard iniquity in their hearts, and therefore God will not hear their prayers, Ps 66:18, Isa 1:15. God hears not such sinners. They have, it may be, brought themselves into trouble by their own wickedness; they are the devil's poor; and then who can pity them? Yet this is not all: they are proud still, and therefore they do not seek unto God (Ps 10:4), or, if they do cry unto him, therefore he does not give answer, for he hears only the desire of the humble (Ps 10:17) and delivers those by his providence whom he has first by his grace prepared and made fit for deliverance, which we are not if, under humbling afflictions, our hearts remain unhumbled and our pride unmortified. The case is plain then, If we cry to God for the removal of the oppression and affliction we are under, and it is not removed, the reason is not because the Lord's hand is shortened or his ear heavy, but because the affliction has not done its work; we are not sufficiently humbled, and therefore must thank ourselves that it is continued.
4. They are not sincere, and upright, and inward with God, in their supplications to him, and therefore he does not hear and answer them (Job 35:13): God will not hear vanity, that is, the hypocritical prayer, which is a vain prayer, coming out of feigned lips. It is a vanity to think that God should hear it, who searches the heart and requires truth in the inward part.
¹⁴ Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
¹⁵ But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
¹⁶ Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
Here is, I. Another improper word for which Elihu reproves Job (Job 35:14): Thou sayest thou shalt not see him; that is, 1. "Thou complainest that thou dost not understand the meaning of his severe dealings with thee, nor discern the drift and design of them," Job 23:8,9. And, 2. "Thou despairest of seeing his gracious returns to thee, of seeing better days again, and art ready to give up all for gone;" as Hezekiah (Isa 38:11), I shall not see the Lord. As, when we are in prosperity, we are ready to think our mountain will never be brought low, so when we are in adversity we are ready to think our valley will never be filled, but, in both, to conclude that to morrow must be as this day, which is as absurd as to think, when the weather is either fair or foul, that is will be always so, that the flowing tide will always flow, or the ebbing tide will always ebb.
II. The answer which Elihu gives to this despairing word that Job had said, which is this, 1. That, when he looked up to God, he had no just reason to speak thus despairingly: Judgment is before him, that is, "He knows what he has to do, and will do all in infinite wisdom and justice; he has the entire plan and model of providence before him, and knows what he will do, which we do not, and therefore we understand not what he does. There is a day of judgment before him, when all the seeming disorders of providence will be set to rights and the dark chapters of it will be expounded. Then thou shalt see the full meaning of these dark events, and the final period of these dismal events; then thou shalt see his face with joy; therefore trust in him, depend upon him, wait for him, and believe that the issue will be good at last." When we consider that God is infinitely wise, and righteous, and faithful, and that he is a God of judgment (Isa 30:18), we shall see no reason to despair of relief from him, but all the reason in the world to hope in him, that it will come in due time, in the best time. 2. That if he had not yet seen an end of his troubles, the reason was because he did not thus trust in God and wait for him (Job 35:15): "Because it is not so, because thou dost not thus trust in him, therefore the affliction which came at first from love has now displeasure mixed with it. Now God has visited thee in his anger, taking it very ill that thou canst not find in thy heart to trust him, but harbourest such hard misgiving thoughts of him." If there be any mixtures of divine wrath in our afflictions, we may thank ourselves; it is because we do not behave aright under them; we quarrel with God, and are fretful and impatient, and distrustful of the divine Providence. This was Job's case. The foolishness of man perverts his way, and then his heart frets against the Lord, Pr 19:3. Yet Elihu thinks that Job, being in great extremity, did not know and consider this as he should, that it was his own fault that he was not yet delivered. He concludes therefore that Job opens his mouth in vain (Job 35:16) in complaining of his grievances and crying for redress, or in justifying himself and clearing up his own innocency; it is all in vain, because he does not trust in God and wait for him, and has not a due regard to him in his afflictions. He had said a great deal, had multiplied words, but all without knowledge, all to no purpose, because he did not encourage himself in God and humble himself before him. It is in vain for us either to appeal to God or to acquit ourselves if we do not study to answer the end for which affliction is sent, and in vain to pray for relief if we do not trust in God; for let not that man who distrusts God think that he shall receive any thing from him, Jam 1:7. Or this may refer to all that Job had said. Having shown the absurdity of some passages in his discourse, he concludes that there were many other passages which were in like manner the fruits of his ignorance and mistake. He did not, as his other friends, condemn him for a hypocrite, but charged him only with Moses's sin, speaking unadvisedly with his lips when his spirit was provoked. When at any time we do so (and who is there that offends not in word?) it is a mercy to be told of it, and we must take it patiently and kindly as Job did, not repeating, but recanting, what we have said amiss.
約伯仍舊沉默，以利戶便乘勝追擊，在此第三次著手向他指明他說錯了話，理當收回。他在此指控他三句不當的話，並分別予以回答：—I. 他曾把信仰描繪為一種無關緊要、毫無益處的事，認為神吩咐信仰是為他自己，不是為我們；以利戶證明並非如此（Job 35:1-8）。II. 他曾抱怨神對受壓迫者的呼求充耳不聞，針對這項指控，以利戶在此為神辯護（Job 35:9-13）。III. 他曾因神的恩寵遲遲不歸而絕望於神不再向他施恩，但以利戶向他指出遲延的真正原因（Job 35:14-16）。