The verse Job 34:9, "For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God,’" is attributed to Elihu's assessment of Job's earlier arguments. Elihu is one of Job's friends, and he offers a lengthy speech in response to what he perceives as Job's unjust accusations against God.
The verse is not necessarily a direct quote of Job. Instead, Elihu is interpreting Job's general tone and statements. He's saying that Job's complaints suggest the following (which Elihu thinks is blasphemous and untrue):
Lack of Practical Benefit: That there's no tangible advantage in pleasing God, being devout, or seeking joy in Him. Job, in his suffering, appears to be questioning the value of his past righteousness since he's still experiencing immense pain.
Motivational Issue: That Job is losing or has lost his motivation to follow God since he is not receiving any rewards in his eyes.
In simpler terms, Elihu believes Job is saying, "What's the point of serving God? I've tried to please Him, and it hasn't done me any good; in fact, I'm suffering horribly."
Key Considerations:
Context is crucial: The Book of Job revolves around the problem of innocent suffering. Job is a righteous man who experiences terrible loss and pain. He wrestles with why a just God would allow this to happen.
Elihu's Perspective: Elihu, like the other friends, believes in a more straightforward cause-and-effect relationship between righteousness and blessing. He thinks Job must have done something wrong to deserve his suffering.
The Book's Message: The book ultimately challenges this simplistic view. God's ways are often beyond human understanding, and suffering is not always a direct consequence of sin.
In conclusion, Job 34:9 is not a statement of truth but rather Elihu's interpretation (and arguably, misinterpretation) of Job's feelings and complaints in the face of extreme suffering. He is accusing Job of claiming that there's no point in delighting in God because it doesn't lead to any practical benefit.
The verse Job 34:9, "For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God,’" is attributed to Elihu's assessment of Job's earlier arguments. Elihu is one of Job's friends, and he offers a lengthy speech in response to what he perceives as Job's unjust accusations against God.
The verse is not necessarily a direct quote of Job. Instead, Elihu is interpreting Job's general tone and statements. He's saying that Job's complaints suggest the following (which Elihu thinks is blasphemous and untrue):
Lack of Practical Benefit: That there's no tangible advantage in pleasing God, being devout, or seeking joy in Him. Job, in his suffering, appears to be questioning the value of his past righteousness since he's still experiencing immense pain.
Motivational Issue: That Job is losing or has lost his motivation to follow God since he is not receiving any rewards in his eyes.
In simpler terms, Elihu believes Job is saying, "What's the point of serving God? I've tried to please Him, and it hasn't done me any good; in fact, I'm suffering horribly."
Key Considerations:
Context is crucial: The Book of Job revolves around the problem of innocent suffering. Job is a righteous man who experiences terrible loss and pain. He wrestles with why a just God would allow this to happen.
Elihu's Perspective: Elihu, like the other friends, believes in a more straightforward cause-and-effect relationship between righteousness and blessing. He thinks Job must have done something wrong to deserve his suffering.
The Book's Message: The book ultimately challenges this simplistic view. God's ways are often beyond human understanding, and suffering is not always a direct consequence of sin.
In conclusion, Job 34:9 is not a statement of truth but rather Elihu's interpretation (and arguably, misinterpretation) of Job's feelings and complaints in the face of extreme suffering. He is accusing Job of claiming that there's no point in delighting in God because it doesn't lead to any practical benefit.