Job 36: Kings in Fetters (Part 1)
We’ve completed the last part of our series on the process of salvation where we studied Job 33 on the operation of God in the salvation of a man, all 13 parts of it. Today, we want to look at another passage, also in the book of Job, that will further reinforce what we’ve learned from the 13-part series. But just in case you are keen to go back and study those passages again, the links are here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, and Part 13.
We begin our study with:
Job 36:1-2 "Elihu also proceeded, and said, 2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf."
This was Elihu, the fourth person with Job speaking to him by inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
Job 36:3 "I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker."
According to Elihu, the words that he was going to speak unto Job came from “afar”, and he will fetch it from the source and bring it before Job. This goes along with:
John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."
That is the operation of the Holy Ghost (the Spirit of truth) in revealing unto born again believers knowledge fetched from “afar”. The words that he shall hear, that shall he speak, and this was what Elihu was referring to.
2 Peter 1:20-21 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
The word “ascribe” in Job 36:3 means to attribute, and Job was a man who lived in the old times. Elihu’s righteousness was attributed to his Maker. He was a holy man of God, a born again believer, whom God used as a messenger of his words.
Job 32:8 "But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding."
Proverbs 2:6 "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."
Job 32:8 tells us that there is a spirit in a man by which God can make him understand spiritual things. Proverbs 2:6 tells us that knowledge and understanding comes from the mouth of God. Connect this back to Job 32:8 on the phrase “inspiration of the Almighty”.
Matthew 4:4 "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
In this verse, Jesus compares the “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” to bread, and he (the Word) is the “bread of life” (John 6:35; John 6:48). Therefore “inspiration of the Almighty” is the means by which God imparts knowledge and understanding to a man, and that is through the Spirit of God which proceeds from the mouth of God. The seven spirits of God are:
Isaiah 11:2 "And [1] the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, [2] the spirit of wisdom and [3] understanding, [4] the spirit of counsel and [5] might, [6] the spirit of knowledge and of [7] the fear of the LORD;"
In fact, Isaiah 11:2 is also a fulfillment of:
Matthew 3:16 "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:"
This tells us that the seven spirits of God is the Holy Ghost. The seven spirits of God are one Holy Spirit, and it is no coincidence that the phrase “Holy Spirit” is found exactly 7 times in the 1611 King James Bible. Solomon tells us:
Proverbs 23:12 "Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge."
The words of knowledge can be heard from “afar” if a man applies his heart unto “instruction” — the 66 books of the Holy Bible. The Holy Spirit of God will fetch these words from afar, and he will show it unto him. Therefore, Elihu was a figure of the Holy Spirit unto Job.
Job 36:4 "For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee."
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
The Holy Spirit of God will testify of Jesus Christ (“the truth”):
John 15:26 "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:"
The Spirit of God will take the words which he heard from the mouth of God — every word of God, and teach it to a man who applies his heart to study from the written word of God, the 66 books of the Holy Bible.
Romans 8:16 "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:"
Job 32:8 "But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding."
The Spirit of God will bear witness with the spirit of a man who applies his heart unto instruction and his ears unto the words of knowledge, to impart him understanding from the written word of God. The Spirit of God in Job will bear witness with the words that Elihu shall speak, and the Holy Ghost was with Elihu, the same was also with Job. The Spirit of God knows the difference between right and almost right. He is perfect in knowledge, and he will reveal unto a born again believer the difference between that which is holy and true, and that which sounds like the truth (but is not).
We will continue this study in Part 2 next week. Stay tuned.