Job 33:17-33: a reflection

17that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 18He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. 19“He is chastened also with pain on his bed, with continual strife in his bones, 20so that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food. 21His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen. His bones that were not seen stick out. 22Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers. 23“If there is beside him an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man what is right for him, 24then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’ 25His flesh will be fresher than a child’s. He returns to the days of his youth. 26He prays to God, and he is favorable to him, so that he sees his face with joy. He restores to man his righteousness. 27He sings before men, and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it didn’t profit me. 28He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit. My life will see the light.’ 29“Behold, God does all these things, twice, yes three times, with a man, 30to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living. 31Mark well, Job, and listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will speak. 32If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify you. 33If not, listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Elihu speaks of the many ways God graciously works to turn a person back from destruction, using warnings and even affliction to bring back the soul from the pit. God does all these things, Elihu says, twice, yes three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living. God does not deal with people in order to destroy them, but works, again and again, in various ways, through warnings in the night, through the discipline of pain, through a messenger who shows the right way, to turn them from their destructive course and bring their soul back from the pit. Even his hard dealings aim at rescue. This shows that God graciously uses warnings and even affliction to turn us back from destruction. God graciously works to turn us back from destruction. Even God's hard dealings aim at rescue, not ruin. God's warnings and discipline are merciful, meant to save us. Read God's chastening as an effort to bring you back from the pit.

Notice the purpose Elihu ascribes to God's dealings. God works, again and again, twice, three times, in various ways, in a person's life. And the purpose is not to destroy, but to save: to bring back his soul from the pit, to turn him from his destructive course, to enlighten him with the light of the living. God uses warnings, the discipline of pain, a messenger who shows the right way, all to turn a person back from destruction before it is too late. Even God's hard dealings, in this account, aim at rescue. This offers a way to understand God's dealings with us, even the hard ones. When God warns us, when he disciplines us, when he allows hard things that turn us from a course we were set on, we can read these not as God against us, seeking our harm, but as God working to turn us back from destruction, graciously, before it is too late. His warnings and discipline are merciful, aimed at rescuing our soul from the pit, at turning us from a destructive path onto a better one. Even his hard dealings can be his grace at work, seeking to save us. We do well to read God's warnings and discipline not as ruin but as rescue, as his gracious effort to turn us back from destruction. Read God's warnings and discipline as gracious efforts to turn you back from destruction. Even God's hard dealings can aim at your rescue, not your ruin. God works again and again to bring your soul back from the pit. Do not read God's chastening as against you; it seeks to save you.

That is worth taking to heart, for God graciously works, through warnings and even affliction, to turn us back from destruction, and his hard dealings aim at rescue, as Elihu describes. We can read God's discipline and hard dealings as God against us; but Elihu says God works again and again to bring back the soul from the pit. His dealings aim to save. When God warns or disciplines you, do not read it as ruin; read it as his gracious effort to turn you back from destruction and bring your soul back from the pit. Read God's warnings and discipline, even the hard things he allows, not as ruin but as his gracious effort to turn you back from destruction and bring your soul back from the pit, as Elihu spoke of the many ways God graciously works to turn a person back, saying God does all these things twice, yes three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit that he may be enlightened with the light of the living; for God does not deal with people to destroy them but works again and again in various ways, through warnings in the night, the discipline of pain, and a messenger who shows the right way, to turn them from their destructive course and bring their soul back from the pit, so that even his hard dealings aim at rescue, which offers a way to understand God's dealings with us even the hard ones, since when God warns us, disciplines us, or allows hard things that turn us from a course we were set on, we can read these not as God against us seeking our harm but as God working graciously to turn us back from destruction before it is too late, his warnings and discipline being merciful and aimed at rescuing our soul from the pit and turning us onto a better path, so that even his hard dealings can be his grace at work seeking to save us, and we do well to read God's warnings and discipline not as ruin but as rescue.

Lord, Elihu speaks of the many ways you graciously work to turn a person back from destruction, using warnings and even affliction to bring back the soul from the pit. God does all these things, Elihu says, twice, yes three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living. You do not deal with people in order to destroy them, but work, again and again, in various ways, through warnings in the night, through the discipline of pain, through a messenger who shows the right way, to turn them from their destructive course and bring their soul back from the pit. Even your hard dealings aim at rescue. Show me the purpose Elihu ascribes to your dealings. You work, again and again, in various ways, in a person's life. And the purpose is not to destroy, but to save: to bring back the soul from the pit, to turn a person from a destructive course, to enlighten him with the light of the living. You use warnings, the discipline of pain, a messenger who shows the right way, all to turn a person back from destruction before it is too late. Even your hard dealings, in this account, aim at rescue. This offers me a way to understand your dealings with me, even the hard ones. When you warn me, when you discipline me, when you allow hard things that turn me from a course I was set on, I can read these not as you against me, seeking my harm, but as you working to turn me back from destruction, graciously, before it is too late. Your warnings and discipline are merciful, aimed at rescuing my soul from the pit. Even your hard dealings can be your grace at work, seeking to save me. Take that to my heart. When you warn or discipline me, keep me from reading it as ruin; help me read it as your gracious effort, Lord, to turn me back from destruction and bring my soul back from the pit, trusting that even your hard dealings aim at my rescue.