Job 33:8

6 ^aTruly I am¹ as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.

7 ^aSurely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

8 “Surely you have spoken¹ in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,

9 ‘I^a am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.

10 Yet He finds occasions against me,
^aHe counts me as His enemy;

11 ^aHe puts my feet in the stocks,
He watches all my paths.’

12 “Look, in this you are not righteous.
I will answer you,
For God is greater than man.

13 Why do you ^acontend with Him?
For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.

14 ^aFor God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.

15 ^aIn a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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What Does Job 33:8 Mean?

Job 33:8-14

Job demands his "rights," as though he somehow deserves them. Elihu's approach, however, is interesting and pertinent. "God is greater!" he exclaims, which is absolutely correct. It should have been Job's mindset from the beginning, but he approaches God as an equal or perhaps even lower!

Job's primary concern is "Why?" Job's three "friends'" primary concern is God's justice. Yet Elihu argues that God is inscrutable and far greater by any human standard of measurement. So to compare God's judgments against man's familiar standards lessens God from what He is.

Paul in Romans 11:33-36 provides some insight here:

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" "Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?" For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Job, Self-Righteousness, and Humility

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What Does Job 33:8 Mean?

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

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