Job 33:22-33 – GROUNDED!

Job 33:22-33 – GROUNDED!

"The airline will be grounded as long as it takes to get a resolution on this.'' With these words Mr Joyce (CEO) locked out all workers in dispute with QANTAS and grounded all domestic and international flights. Tens of thousands of passengers worldwide were standed.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard then moved to intervene in the dispute. She did this by going to Fair Work Australia, Australia's workplace regulator. They stepped in as requested and forced Qantas and the unions to cease all industrial action and find mediation to resolve their dispute within 21 days before being ordered into formal arbitration.

In Job 33 another Job is at stake. Elihu speaks directly to the man called Job. He speaks about a MEDIATOR to resolve Job’s apparent dispute with God in a fair way. The Mediator would have to have the authority of a celestial arbitration tribunal and the objectivity of justice itself. He would enforce the rules with impartiality and integrity. He would give instructions for the best outcome.

It seems to Elihu that Job is on STRIKE. Emotions have been vented but Job has not admitted that he is in the wrong. Job will not budge and things remain unresolved. According to Elihu, Job is suffering the consequences of his conduct, and things will only get worse. For him the issues are clear. The objectives are plain. The options have already been analysed, discussed, and refined. Now it’s time to act. Job has to admit that he is in the wrong before the mediator can bring healing to the situation.

I am beginning to like Elihu as he pictures how all of us need a mediator. He’s wrong about Job but it occurs to me that so much of what he says relates to Christ as our mediator. Listen to what he says and you’ll see what I mean. He says…

1. FIND THE RIGHT MEDIATOR.

Elihu says Job 33:23 (NLT) “But if an angel from heaven appears— a special messenger (MEDIATOR) to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright … (Job 33:23-24 NLT).
1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NLT) says “For there is only one God and one MEDIATOR who can RECONCILE God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.”

2. BE WILLING TO BE CORRECTED.

Elihu says that this mediator is One who gives instructions about how to live as God intends, and corrects people when they get out of line (Job 33:23). Does God CORRECT followers of Christ? Yes! Hebrews 12:5-6 (NLT) says “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when He CORRECTS you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.”

Is God correcting Job? No! The principle is correct but Elihu is applying it to the wrong person. Just because someone is sick does not mean God is correcting, disciplining and punishing them.

3. A MEDIATOR ASKS ON OUR BEHALF.

Elihu says that this mediating messenger will INTERCEDE for (mediate, plead, intervene, negotiate, ask on behalf of) the person and declare him to be right (Job 33:23-33). Romans 8:26-34 (NASB) echoes exactly this thought when it says the Holy Spirit and Christ INTERCEDE for us “the Spirit Himself INTERCEDES … for the saints according to the will of God”… “Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at