Job 35:13
Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it.
Surely God
The phrase "Surely God" emphasizes the certainty and sovereignty of God. In Hebrew, the word for God here is "El," which signifies strength and might. This reflects the understanding that God is not only the Creator but also the ultimate authority over all creation. The use of "surely" underscores the confidence in God's character and His consistent nature. In the context of Job, this serves as a reminder of God's omnipotence and His ability to discern the truth in human petitions.

does not listen
The phrase "does not listen" suggests a deliberate choice by God to ignore certain prayers. The Hebrew root "shama" means to hear or listen, but in this context, it implies a deeper understanding that God is not merely passive but actively discerning. This highlights the idea that God, in His wisdom, chooses not to respond to insincere or superficial requests. It serves as a call for believers to approach God with genuine faith and integrity.

to empty pleas
"Empty pleas" refers to prayers or requests that lack sincerity or substance. The Hebrew word "shav" can be translated as vanity or emptiness, indicating that these pleas are devoid of true faith or righteousness. In the historical context of Job, this reflects the understanding that God values the heart's intention over mere words. It challenges believers to examine their motives and ensure that their prayers are aligned with God's will and purpose.

and the Almighty
The term "the Almighty" is translated from the Hebrew "Shaddai," which conveys God's all-sufficient power and authority. This name for God emphasizes His ability to provide and sustain, reinforcing His role as the ultimate judge and ruler. In the narrative of Job, it serves as a reminder of God's overarching control and His capacity to execute justice according to His perfect wisdom.

does not take note of it
The phrase "does not take note of it" indicates that God chooses not to acknowledge or act upon certain requests. The Hebrew root "biyn" means to understand or consider, suggesting that God, in His omniscience, discerns the true nature of each plea. This underscores the importance of approaching God with a sincere heart and genuine faith, as He is not swayed by empty words but by the authenticity of one's devotion.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
- A righteous man tested by God through severe trials, whose account is the central focus of the Book of Job.

2. Elihu
- A younger friend of Job who speaks in chapters 32-37, offering a different perspective on Job's suffering and God's justice.

3. God (The Almighty)
- The sovereign Creator who is ultimately in control and whose wisdom and justice are beyond human understanding.

4. The Friends of Job
- Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who attempt to explain Job's suffering through traditional wisdom but are ultimately corrected by God.

5. The Land of Uz
- The setting of the Book of Job, a region in the ancient Near East.
Teaching Points
Sincerity in Prayer
God values sincerity and righteousness in our prayers. We must approach Him with genuine hearts and pure motives.

Understanding God's Justice
Elihu reminds us that God's ways are higher than ours. We must trust in His justice, even when we do not understand our circumstances.

Self-Examination
Before approaching God, examine your heart and motives. Are your prayers aligned with God's will and character?

The Role of Suffering
Suffering can be a tool for growth and deeper understanding of God's nature. It is not always a direct result of personal sin.

God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is sovereign and His plans are perfect. Our understanding is limited, but His wisdom is infinite.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Elihu's perspective on prayer and God's response challenge or affirm your current understanding of prayer?

2. In what ways can we ensure our prayers are not "empty pleas" but are aligned with God's will?

3. Reflect on a time when you felt God was not listening to your prayers. How does Job 35:13 provide insight into that experience?

4. How can we apply the principle of self-examination before prayer in our daily spiritual practices?

5. What other biblical examples illustrate the importance of sincerity and righteousness in prayer, and how can they guide us today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 66:18
- This verse emphasizes that if we cherish sin in our hearts, the Lord will not listen, connecting to the idea that God does not heed insincere or unrighteous prayers.

Proverbs 15:29
- Highlights that the Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayer of the righteous, reinforcing the concept of God’s selective listening.

Isaiah 1:15
- Illustrates that God hides His eyes from those who pray with blood-stained hands, emphasizing the need for purity and sincerity in prayer.

James 4:3
- Discusses asking with wrong motives, which aligns with the idea of "empty pleas" that God does not listen to.

1 John 5:14
- Assures believers that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us, contrasting with the notion of empty pleas.
Elihu's Third Speech: the Profit of GodlinessE. Johnson Job 35:1-16
People
Elihu, Job
Places
Uz
Topics
Almighty, Attention, Behold, Cry, Ear, Empty, Listen, Mighty, Note, Pays, Plea, Regard, Ruler, Surely, Vanity
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Job 35:13

     5845   emptiness

Library
Questions which Ought to be Asked
ELIHU PERCEIVED the great ones of the earth oppressing the needy, and he traced their domineering tyranny to their forgetfulness of God: "None saith, Where is God my Maker?" Surely, had they thought of God they could not have acted so unjustly. Worse still, if I understand Elihu aright, he complained that even among the oppressed there was the same departure in heart from the Lord: they cried out by reason of the arm of the mighty, but unhappily they did not cry unto God their Maker, though he waits
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 26: 1880

Songs in the Night
"But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?"--Job 35:10. ELIHU was a wise man, exceeding wise, though not as wise as the all-wise Jehovah, who sees light in the clouds, and finds order in confusion; hence Elihu, being much puzzled at beholding Job thus afflicted, cast about him to find the cause of it, and he very wisely hit upon one of the most likely reasons, although it did not happen to be the right one in Job's case. He said within himself--"Surely, if men be tried
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 44: 1898

Spurgeon -- Songs in the Night
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was born at Kelvedon, Essex, England, in 1834. He was one of the most powerful and popular preachers of his time, and his extraordinary force of character and wonderful enthusiasm attracted vast audiences. His voice was unusually powerful, clear and melodious, and he used it with consummate skill. In the preparation of his sermons he meditated much but wrote not a word, so that he was in the truest sense a purely extemporaneous speaker. Sincerity, intensity, imagination and
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 8

'Why Should I?'
Thou saidst, What advantage will it be? What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.' (Job xxxv. 3, 4.) In reading these words I have no wish to enter into the controversy between Job and his friends as to the relationship of physical suffering to sin, but to emphasize a certain mental attitude which they indicate, and which often expresses itself in relation to other things. The human mind is so constituted that men will not commit
T. H. Howard—Standards of Life and Service

The Introduction to the Work with Some General Account of Its Design
. 1, 2.That true religion is very rare, appears from comparing the nature of it with the lives and characters of men around us.--3. The want of it, matter of just lamentation.--4. To remedy this evil is the design of the ensuing Treatise.--5, 6. To which, therefore, the Author earnestly bespeaks the attention of the reader, as his own heart is deeply interested in it.--7 to 12. A general plan of the Work; of which the first fifteen chapters relate chiefly to the Rise of Religion, and the remaining
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

The New Song
Heinrich Suso Job xxxv. 10 O Lord, in my songs I have praised Thee For all that was sweet and was fair; And now a new song would I sing Thee, A song that is wondrous and rare. A song of the heart that is broken, A song of the sighs and the tears, The sickness, the want, and the sadness Of the days of our pilgrimage years. A song of the widows and orphans, Of the weary and hungry and sad-- Loud praise of the will Thou has broken, The will of the young and the glad. A song of the outcasts and martyrs,
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

Whether the Motive of Anger is Always Something done against the one who is Angry?
Objection 1: It would seem that the motive of anger is not always something done against the one who is angry. Because man, by sinning, can do nothing against God; since it is written (Job 35:6): "If thy iniquities be multiplied, what shalt thou do against Him?" And yet God is spoken of as being angry with man on account of sin, according to Ps. 105:40: "The Lord was exceedingly angry with His people." Therefore it is not always on account of something done against him, that a man is angry. Objection
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether a Man May Merit Anything from God?
Objection 1: It would seem that a man can merit nothing from God. For no one, it would seem, merits by giving another his due. But by all the good we do, we cannot make sufficient return to God, since yet more is His due, as also the Philosopher says (Ethic. viii, 14). Hence it is written (Lk. 17:10): "When you have done all these things that are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do." Therefore a man can merit nothing from God. Objection 2: Further,
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Beneficence is an Act of Charity?
Objection 1: It would seem that beneficence is not an act of charity. For charity is chiefly directed to God. Now we cannot benefit God, according to Job 35:7: "What shalt thou give Him? or what shall He receive of thy hand?" Therefore beneficence is not an act of charity. Objection 2: Further, beneficence consists chiefly in making gifts. But this belongs to liberality. Therefore beneficence is an act of liberality and not of charity. Objection 3: Further, what a man gives, he gives either as being
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether a Human Action is Meritorious or Demeritorious Before God, According as it is Good or Evil?
Objection 1: It would seem that man's actions, good or evil, are not meritorious or demeritorious in the sight of God. Because, as stated above [1202](A[3]), merit and demerit imply relation to retribution for good or harm done to another. But a man's action, good or evil, does no good or harm to God; for it is written (Job 35:6,7): "If thou sin, what shalt thou hurt Him? . . . And if thou do justly, what shalt thou give Him?" Therefore a human action, good or evil, is not meritorious or demeritorious
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Sin is Aggravated by Reason of Its Causing More Harm?
Objection 1: It would seem that a sin is not aggravated by reason of its causing more harm. Because the harm done is an issue consequent to the sinful act. But the issue of an act does not add to its goodness or malice, as stated above ([1736]Q[20], A[5]). Therefore a sin is not aggravated on account of its causing more harm. Objection 2: Further, harm is inflicted by sins against our neighbor. Because no one wishes to harm himself: and no one can harm God, according to Job 35:6, 8: "If thy iniquities
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

An Essay on the Mosaic Account of the Creation and Fall of Man
THERE are not a few difficulties in the account, which Moses has given of the creation of the world, and of the formation, and temptation, and fall of our first parents. Some by the six days of the creation have understood as many years. Whilst others have thought the creation of the world instantaneous: and that the number of days mentioned by Moses is only intended to assist our conception, who are best able to think of things in order of succession. No one part of this account is fuller of difficulties,
Nathaniel Lardner—An Essay on the Mosaic Account of the Creation and Fall of Man

The Advanced Christian Reminded of the Mercies of God, and Exhorted to the Exercise of Habitual Love to Him, and Joy in Him.
1. A holy joy in God, our privilege as well as our duty.--2. The Christian invited to the exercise of it.--3. By the consideration of temporal mercies.--4. And of spiritual favors.--5. By the views of eternal happiness.--6. And of the mercies of God to others, the living and the dead.--7. The chapter closes with an exhortation to this heavenly exercise. And with an example of the genuine workings of this grateful joy in God. 1. I WOULD now suppose my reader to find, on an examination of his spiritual
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

Whether a Man Can Merit Anything from God
Whether a Man can Merit Anything from God We proceed to the first article thus: 1. It seems that a man cannot merit anything from God. No one merits a reward by repaying what he owes to another. But we cannot even fully repay what we owe to God, by all the good that we do. For we always owe him more than this, as the philosopher says in 8 Ethics 14. Hence it is said in Luke 17:10: "when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that
Aquinas—Nature and Grace

Whether it is Necessary for the Salvation of All, that they Should Believe Explicitly in the Mystery of Christ?
Objection 1: It would seem that it is not necessary for the salvation of all that they should believe explicitly in the mystery of Christ. For man is not bound to believe explicitly what the angels are ignorant about: since the unfolding of faith is the result of Divine revelation, which reaches man by means of the angels, as stated above [2287](A[6]; [2288]FP, Q[111], A[1]). Now even the angels were in ignorance of the mystery of the Incarnation: hence, according to the commentary of Dionysius (Coel.
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

"They have Corrupted Themselves; their Spot is not the Spot of his Children; they are a Perverse and Crooked Generation. "
Deut. xxxii. 5.--"They have corrupted themselves; their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation." We doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives. It might seem strange to us, that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth, and they to be so rebellious and perverse, if our own experience did not teach us how free his choice is, and how long-suffering he is, and constant in his choice.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

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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