And All the People Who Were in the Gate, and the Elders, Said, We Are Witnesses

When an ungodly person speaks and presents his case, what he says can appear to be right in many people’s eyes, for he is not sparing with his assurances. Nevertheless, the righteous man searches him out, and when he has finished presenting his case to the elders and in the hearing of all the people, then they have to say: We are witnesses; you are right.

Job was a mighty man in his time. When he went out to the gate of the city, when he took his seat in the open square, the young men saw him and hid, and the aged arose and remained standing. The princes refrained from talking and put their hand over their mouth. The voice of nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. When an ear heard him, it blessed him, and when an eye saw him, it testified of him. Job 29:7-12.

This confirms what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:15: “But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no one.”

Job convinced nobles, the aged, as well as the young men, and even the three comforters who sought to convince him had to give up. The Lord testified of Job and said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has . . . My servant Job shall pray for you. I will only hear him, lest I deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” Job 42:7-8.

There was also a fourth man with Job; he was Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. His wrath was aroused against Job, because he justified himself in his own eyes, as well as against his three friends, because they had judged Job guilty, and yet they had not managed to convince him. Elihu spoke for a fairly long time and gave an account of his thoughts to Job, and at last he hit the nail on the head when he said, “Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words, saying, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me,’” etc. “Give ear, Job, listen to me, and I will speak. If you have words, then answer me; for I will gladly justify you. If not, then listen to me! Be still, and I will teach you wisdom.” Job 32 and 33.

Job did not reply to Elihu’s words. It seems that he had quite a few things to think about, things that he could not simply pass over. After Elihu had spoken, the Lord spoke to Job, and when He was finished with His speech, Job answered: “I have heard of You by the hearing of my ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6.

The one who is less righteous will always be judged by the one who is more righteous. However, since the one who is more righteous is in possession of more grace and mercy than the one who is less righteous, he will always be able to show the way to the Lord, with whom there is a way out from death. On the other hand, when the less righteous person tries to convince the person who is more righteous, he will never be able to come to a conclusion with his judgment so that it covers the person whom he has judged. Such a half-judgment can therefore never return to righteousness. However, the person who is more righteous can come with a complete judgment and awaken a full acknowledgment in the one who has been convinced. Then there can also be talk of a full salvation.

What shall we do, then? We must not engage ourselves in anything more in this world than what we are able to carry out. That is both proper and right in God’s eyes, as well as in people’s eyes. God has not given us the task of bringing order into a situation that we cannot handle and which is too difficult for us, and you cannot accomplish anything by using your own strength.