I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Job 34-37.

    Elihu continues and reprimands Job for claiming to be sinless. He reminds us that God sees everything we do; no matter what subterfuge we try we cannot hide our actions from God. In His time, God will judge each and every one of us for our actions. We do not get to set the time for us to stand before Him. God does not twist justice and shows no favoritism. He judges the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless by the same standard. When the oppressed cry out to God, He hears them. If He chooses not to speak or act, how can we possibly know enough to criticize His choice? When we suffer we have two just choices. We can say to God, “I have sinned, but I will sin no more.” Or we can ask, “I do not know what evil I have done-tell me. If I have done wrong I will stop at once.” What is being said here echoes what is said many other places in the Bible. In particular, Paul says in Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” If we do not know what sin we are committing most frequently, we should ask God to reveal it to us so that we can stop doing so.

    Elihu has another insight for us here. One which I do not believe is touched upon elsewhere in the Bible. Our sins do not affect God. The Laws which God commands us to obey are not for God’s benefit, rather they are for ours. Violating the Laws which God has given us brings no harm to God. We are the ones who are harmed when we violate His Laws and commands; we and our fellow humans beings. In the same way, God does not benefit when we do what is right. Once again, doing what is right benefits us and our fellow man. God has given us his rules and laws for our benefit, we are hurting ourselves and our fellow man when we choose not to follow them.