Job 36:21
Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
Be careful
The phrase "Be careful" is a call to vigilance and mindfulness. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "שָׁמַר" (shamar), which means to guard, keep, or watch over. This implies an active, intentional effort to remain on the right path. In the context of Job, this is a reminder that even in suffering, one must be diligent in maintaining righteousness and not be swayed by the temptation to sin. Historically, this reflects the wisdom tradition in ancient Israel, where wisdom literature often emphasized the importance of vigilance in one's spiritual and moral life.

not to turn
The phrase "not to turn" suggests a deliberate choice or decision. The Hebrew root "שׁוּב" (shuv) means to return or turn back. This implies a conscious decision to avoid reverting to sinful behavior. In the broader scriptural context, turning away from God is often depicted as a form of rebellion or apostasy. The exhortation here is to remain steadfast in faith, even when faced with trials, and not to revert to old ways that lead away from God.

to iniquity
"Iniquity" refers to moral wrongdoing or sin. The Hebrew word "עָוֹן" (avon) encompasses the idea of guilt or perversity. In the biblical narrative, iniquity is often associated with a deviation from God's laws and commands. The warning against turning to iniquity is a reminder of the destructive nature of sin and its consequences. In the context of Job, it underscores the importance of maintaining integrity and righteousness, even when suffering might tempt one to question God's justice.

for this you have preferred
The phrase "for this you have preferred" indicates a choice or preference. The Hebrew word "בָּחַר" (bachar) means to choose or select. This suggests that there is an element of personal responsibility in the decision to turn away from righteousness. The implication is that one must consciously choose to endure affliction rather than succumb to sin. This reflects the biblical theme of free will and the moral responsibility of individuals to choose the path of righteousness.

to affliction
"Affliction" refers to suffering or hardship. The Hebrew word "עֹנִי" (oni) conveys the idea of poverty, misery, or oppression. In the context of Job, affliction is a central theme, as Job endures immense suffering and loss. The verse suggests that enduring affliction is preferable to turning to sin, as it aligns with God's will and ultimately leads to spiritual growth and maturity. Historically, this reflects the belief in the redemptive value of suffering, a theme that resonates throughout the wisdom literature of the Bible.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. His account is one of immense suffering and faith.

2. Elihu
A younger friend of Job who speaks in chapters 32-37. He offers a perspective that emphasizes God's justice and sovereignty.

3. Uz
The land where Job lived, often associated with the region east of Israel.

4. God
The sovereign Creator who allows Job's testing and ultimately restores him.

5. Satan
The adversary who challenges Job's integrity, initiating his trials.
Teaching Points
Avoiding Sin in Suffering
Elihu warns Job not to choose sin over enduring affliction. In times of suffering, we must be vigilant not to let our pain lead us into sinful actions or attitudes.

Understanding Divine Discipline
Affliction can be a tool used by God to refine and teach us. Recognizing this helps us to endure hardships with a perspective of growth rather than rebellion.

Preference for Righteousness
Our natural inclination might be to escape pain at any cost, but Elihu reminds us to prefer righteousness over comfort. This requires a heart aligned with God's will.

The Danger of Bitterness
Turning to iniquity often stems from bitterness or resentment towards God. Guarding our hearts against these feelings is crucial in maintaining faithfulness.

Trusting God's Sovereignty
Even when we do not understand our suffering, trusting in God's sovereign plan is essential. This trust prevents us from seeking sinful solutions to our problems.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Elihu's warning in Job 36:21 challenge your current response to personal suffering?

2. In what ways can understanding God's discipline as an act of love change your perspective on trials?

3. Reflect on a time when you were tempted to choose sin over enduring hardship. What did you learn from that experience?

4. How can you cultivate a heart that prefers righteousness over comfort in your daily life?

5. What practical steps can you take to guard against bitterness and resentment during times of affliction, based on the teachings of Job 36:21 and related scriptures?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 3:11-12
This passage speaks about not despising the Lord's discipline, which connects to Elihu's warning against turning to iniquity instead of accepting God's correction.

Hebrews 12:5-11
Discusses the discipline of the Lord as a sign of His love, paralleling Elihu's message that affliction can be a form of divine instruction.

James 1:2-4
Encourages believers to consider trials as opportunities for growth, aligning with the idea that affliction should not lead us to sin but to spiritual maturity.
Affliction Better than SinR. Walker.Job 36:21
Caution Against Losing the Crown Through Fear of the CrossR. W. Dibdin, M. A.Job 36:21
People
Elihu, Job
Places
Uz
Topics
Affliction, Care, Careful, Chosen, Evil, Fixed, Hast, Heed, Iniquity, Prefer, Preferred, Rather, Regard, Seem, Sin, Sorrow, Turn, Turning
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Job 36:18

     5238   bribery
     5871   greed, response to
     5882   impartiality

Library
Whether by his Passion Christ Merited to be Exalted?
Objection 1: It seems that Christ did not merit to be exalted on account of His Passion. For eminence of rank belongs to God alone, just as knowledge of truth, according to Ps. 112:4: "The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens." But Christ as man had the knowledge of all truth, not on account of any preceding merit, but from the very union of God and man, according to Jn. 1:14: "We saw His glory . . . as it were of the only-Begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth."
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Christ Acquired his Judiciary Power by his Merits?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ did not acquire His judiciary power by His merits. For judiciary power flows from the royal dignity: according to Prov. 20:8: "The king that sitteth on the throne of judgment, scattereth away all evil with his look." But it was without merits that Christ acquired royal power, for it is His due as God's Only-begotten Son: thus it is written (Lk. 1:32): "The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father, and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Christ Will Judge under the Form of his Humanity?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ will not judge under the form of His humanity. For judgment requires authority in the judge. Now Christ has authority over the quick and the dead as God, for thus is He the Lord and Creator of all. Therefore He will judge under the form of His Godhead. Objection 2: Further, invincible power is requisite in a judge; wherefore it is written (Eccles. 7:6): "Seek not to be made a judge, unless thou have strength enough to extirpate iniquities." Now invincible power
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Old Law was from God?
Objection 1: It would seem that the Old Law was not from God. For it is written (Dt. 32:4): "The works of God are perfect." But the Law was imperfect, as stated above [2060](A[1]). Therefore the Old Law was not from God. Objection 2: Further, it is written (Eccles. 3:14): "I have learned that all the works which God hath made continue for ever." But the Old Law does not continue for ever: since the Apostle says (Heb. 7:18): "There is indeed a setting aside of the former commandment, because of the
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Man Can Know that He Has Grace?
Objection 1: It would seem that man can know that he has grace. For grace by its physical reality is in the soul. Now the soul has most certain knowledge of those things that are in it by their physical reality, as appears from Augustine (Gen. ad lit. xii, 31). Hence grace may be known most certainly by one who has grace. Objection 2: Further, as knowledge is a gift of God, so is grace. But whoever receives knowledge from God, knows that he has knowledge, according to Wis. 7:17: The Lord "hath given
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether the Judicial Power Corresponds to Voluntary Poverty?
Objection 1: It would seem that the judicial power does not correspond to voluntary poverty. For it was promised to none but the twelve apostles (Mat. 19:28): "You shall sit on twelve seats, judging," etc. Since then those who are voluntarily poor are not all apostles, it would seem that the judicial power is not competent to all. Objection 2: Further, to offer sacrifice to God of one's own body is more than to do so of outward things. Now martyrs and also virgins offer sacrifice to God of their
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Hypocrisy is the Same as Dissimulation?
Objection 1: It seems that hypocrisy is not the same as dissimulation. For dissimulation consists in lying by deeds. But there may be hypocrisy in showing outwardly what one does inwardly, according to Mat. 6:2, "When thou dost an alms-deed sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do." Therefore hypocrisy is not the same as dissimulation. Objection 2: Further, Gregory says (Moral. xxxi, 7): "Some there are who wear the habit of holiness, yet are unable to attain the merit of perfection.
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Great Teacher
Teaching was the great business of the life of Christ during the days of his public ministry. He was sent to teach and to preach. The speaker in the book of Job was thinking of this Great Teacher when he asked--"Who teacheth like him?" Job xxxvi: 22. And it was he who was in the Psalmist's mind when he spoke of the "good, and upright Lord" who would teach sinners, if they were meek, how to walk in his ways. Ps. xxv: 8-9. And he is the Redeemer, of whom the prophet Isaiah was telling when he said--He
Richard Newton—The Life of Jesus Christ for the Young

"That which was from the Beginning,"
1 John i. 1.--"That which was from the beginning," &c. Things are commended sometimes, because they are ancient, especially doctrines in religion, because truth is before error, and falsehood is but an aberration from truth and therefore there is so much plea and contention among men, about antiquity, as if it were the sufficient rule of verity. But the abuse is, that men go not far enough backward in the steps of antiquity, that is, to the most ancient rule, and profession, and practice of truth
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Whether Hypocrisy is Always a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that hypocrisy is always a mortal sin. For Jerome says on Is. 16:14: "Of the two evils it is less to sin openly than to simulate holiness": and a gloss on Job 1:21 [*St. Augustine on Ps. 63:7], "As it hath pleased the Lord," etc., says that "pretended justice is no justice, but a twofold sin": and again a gloss on Lam. 4:6, "The iniquity . . . of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom," says: "He deplores the sins of the soul that falls into hypocrisy, which is a greater
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether those to whom Christ's Birth was Made Known were Suitably Chosen?
Objection 1: It would seem that those to whom Christ's birth was made known were not suitably chosen. For our Lord (Mat. 10:5) commanded His disciples, "Go ye not into the way of the Gentiles," so that He might be made known to the Jews before the Gentiles. Therefore it seems that much less should Christ's birth have been at once revealed to the Gentiles who "came from the east," as stated Mat. 2:1. Objection 2: Further, the revelation of Divine truth should be made especially to the friends of God,
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Divine Grace.
GRACE, LOYE, AND MERCY. I FIND that the goodness of God to his people is diversely expressed in his word, sometimes by the word grace, sometimes by the word love, and sometimes by the word mercy. When it is expressed by that word grace, then it is to show that what he doeth is of his princely will, his royal bounty, and sovereign pleasure. When it is expressed by that word love, then it is to show us that his affection was and is in what he doeth, and that he doeth what he doeth for us with complacency
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

Messiah's Easy Yoke
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. T hough the influence of education and example, may dispose us to acknowledge the Gospel to be a revelation from God; it can only be rightly understood, or duly prized, by those persons who feel themselves in the circumstances of distress, which it is designed to relieve. No Israelite would think of fleeing to a city of refuge (Joshua 20:2.
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Epistle v. To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor.
To Theoctista, Sister of the Emperor. Gregory to Theoctista, &c. With how great devotion my mind prostrates itself before your Venerableness I cannot fully express in words; nor yet do I labour to give utterance to it, since, even though I were silent, you read in your heart your own sense of my devotion. I wonder, however, that you withdrew your countenance, till of late bestowed on me, from this my recent engagement in the pastoral office; wherein, under colour of episcopacy, I have been brought
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

The Greatness of the Soul,
AND UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF; WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FOR GOOD. By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682 Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unlettered mechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents of one volume, could by possibility know
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Job
The book of Job is one of the great masterpieces of the world's literature, if not indeed the greatest. The author was a man of superb literary genius, and of rich, daring, and original mind. The problem with which he deals is one of inexhaustible interest, and his treatment of it is everywhere characterized by a psychological insight, an intellectual courage, and a fertility and brilliance of resource which are nothing less than astonishing. Opinion has been divided as to how the book should be
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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