If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:
In Elihu's speech after the debate with Job's friends closes, God first speaks by His Word and by visions and dreams, and when man does not heed He permits wasting sickness with loathing of food and pain upon the bed that brings the soul near the grave to withdraw him from proud purposes and save him from destruction. With him then is a messenger bringing good news, an interpreter translating the whole affliction experience into plain words to show God's uprightness and turn him back to the right path toward spiritual life. Such workers will never be the majority, for only one among a thousand can fully enter another's trouble to give needed counsel instead of misjudging God, and the word thousand is figurative poetic diction not to be taken literally. Through that work God is gracious and delivers from going down to the pit because a ransom is found, bringing the soul back from the pit, making flesh fresher than a child's and enlightening with the light of the living. That messenger is an angel sent to minister to the heirs of salvation as instructor and mediator, and God sends the interpretation of the ransom through type and symbol, sacrifice and offering, and prophet and priest to manifest the plan of redemption.
Setting and Wording
Job 33:23 stands in the speeches of Elihu in Job 32-37, which form the third of the four parts of the book of Job, coming after the prologue in chapters 1 and 2 and the debate between Job and his three friends in chapters 4 to 31 and before the speeches of the Lord out of the storm-cloud. The book containing it is the oldest book in the Bible, written by Moses in the land of Midian, and the oldest of all poetical books. It is part of the speech of Elihu, a younger man who steps in after the argument between Job and his friends closes in chapter 31, thinking his superior wisdom will correct Job.
He follows about the same line as the others, and no answer is made to him. The verse belongs to Elihu's admirable discourse to Job, which did not help Job much. Job still needed the Lord to speak for his sake, bringing a new experience in which he who had heard of God now saw Him. The verse uses figurative poetic diction in the word thousand, which is not a literal number and must not be construed literally as prose.
Affliction and Restoration
Afflictions can serve a disciplinary purpose to save man from destruction. Every trial is sent to teach truth failed to be learned in prosperity, as God seeks to mold man after the divine similitude. God first speaks by His Word and by visions and dreams, and when man does not heed He permits chastening by sickness and severe pain upon the bed, with loathing of bread and dainty meat, wasting the body so bones stick out and bringing the soul near the grave, death and the destroyers. This opens dull ears, withdraws man from proud purposes, preserves him from destruction, and corrects him to return to the right path. Pain is not merely an enemy to be silenced but a warning meant to turn a person back from ruin toward spiritual life and to restore and enlighten him.
The messenger is one who brings good news and the interpreter is one who translates into plain words the meaning of the whole affliction experience, to show unto man God's uprightness. This class of workers will never be in the majority. The nine hundred and ninety-nine say God is harsh or blame others for the trouble, while the one impresses that the same hand that gave roses, lilies and pinks now presses the bitter cup and it is all the same kindness. In some instances only one among a thousand can fully enter into another person's trouble and give the needed counsel and sympathy. The afflicted are usually misunderstood, and this rare ability supplies needful help and consolation instead of adding to sorrow.
Through that work God is gracious and delivers from going down to the pit because a ransom is found. He brings back the soul from the pit, begets a new life in the heart, makes flesh fresher than a child's, returns him to the days of his youth, enlightens him with the light of the living, and restores the years the locust has eaten.
Messengers, Ransom, and Atonement
The verse shows an angel present with man as messenger, mediator and interpreter, one among a thousand, to make known uprightness by showing him how to do right and what is right for him. It confirms that angels are sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation and that they act as instructors to teach man what to do. This gives consolation that these heavenly ones who encamp around will be teachers.
The verse speaks of an angel intercessor, one among a thousand, who shows man his uprightness, after which God is gracious and commands deliverance from going down to the pit because a ransom has been found. On the eve of the day of atonement it is recited with Psalm 107 as part of the order of atonements in which a cock is taken for a man and a hen for a woman. The father of the family acts first for himself after the pattern of the high priest atoning first for himself then for his family then for all Israel. The recitation is said while moving the fowl around the head three times declaring it to be substitute and commutation going to death so the person may be gathered into long happy life and peace, after which hands are laid upon it as hands were laid upon sacrifices before it is slaughtered.
Since man lost his inheritance through sin God has found a ransom, but a messenger is necessary to show God's uprightness and interpret that fact to the human family. God does this through type and symbol, through sacrifice and offering, and through prophet and priest to manifest the plan of redemption. The phrase one among a thousand describes someone exceptionally rare and valuable, as seen in a noble woman who served valiantly.
In Elihu's speech after the debate with Job's friends closes, God first speaks by His Word and by visions and dreams, and when man does not heed He permits wasting sickness with loathing of food and pain upon the bed that brings the soul near the grave to withdraw him from proud purposes and save him from destruction. With him then is a messenger bringing good news, an interpreter translating the whole affliction experience into plain words to show God's uprightness and turn him back to the right path toward spiritual life. Such workers will never be the majority, for only one among a thousand can fully enter another's trouble to give needed counsel instead of misjudging God, and the word thousand is figurative poetic diction not to be taken literally. Through that work God is gracious and delivers from going down to the pit because a ransom is found, bringing the soul back from the pit, making flesh fresher than a child's and enlightening with the light of the living. That messenger is an angel sent to minister to the heirs of salvation as instructor and mediator, and God sends the interpretation of the ransom through type and symbol, sacrifice and offering, and prophet and priest to manifest the plan of redemption.
Setting and Wording
Job 33:23 stands in the speeches of Elihu in Job 32-37, which form the third of the four parts of the book of Job, coming after the prologue in chapters 1 and 2 and the debate between Job and his three friends in chapters 4 to 31 and before the speeches of the Lord out of the storm-cloud. The book containing it is the oldest book in the Bible, written by Moses in the land of Midian, and the oldest of all poetical books. It is part of the speech of Elihu, a younger man who steps in after the argument between Job and his friends closes in chapter 31, thinking his superior wisdom will correct Job.
He follows about the same line as the others, and no answer is made to him. The verse belongs to Elihu's admirable discourse to Job, which did not help Job much. Job still needed the Lord to speak for his sake, bringing a new experience in which he who had heard of God now saw Him. The verse uses figurative poetic diction in the word thousand, which is not a literal number and must not be construed literally as prose.
Affliction and Restoration
Afflictions can serve a disciplinary purpose to save man from destruction. Every trial is sent to teach truth failed to be learned in prosperity, as God seeks to mold man after the divine similitude. God first speaks by His Word and by visions and dreams, and when man does not heed He permits chastening by sickness and severe pain upon the bed, with loathing of bread and dainty meat, wasting the body so bones stick out and bringing the soul near the grave, death and the destroyers. This opens dull ears, withdraws man from proud purposes, preserves him from destruction, and corrects him to return to the right path. Pain is not merely an enemy to be silenced but a warning meant to turn a person back from ruin toward spiritual life and to restore and enlighten him.
The messenger is one who brings good news and the interpreter is one who translates into plain words the meaning of the whole affliction experience, to show unto man God's uprightness. This class of workers will never be in the majority. The nine hundred and ninety-nine say God is harsh or blame others for the trouble, while the one impresses that the same hand that gave roses, lilies and pinks now presses the bitter cup and it is all the same kindness. In some instances only one among a thousand can fully enter into another person's trouble and give the needed counsel and sympathy. The afflicted are usually misunderstood, and this rare ability supplies needful help and consolation instead of adding to sorrow.
Through that work God is gracious and delivers from going down to the pit because a ransom is found. He brings back the soul from the pit, begets a new life in the heart, makes flesh fresher than a child's, returns him to the days of his youth, enlightens him with the light of the living, and restores the years the locust has eaten.
Messengers, Ransom, and Atonement
The verse shows an angel present with man as messenger, mediator and interpreter, one among a thousand, to make known uprightness by showing him how to do right and what is right for him. It confirms that angels are sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation and that they act as instructors to teach man what to do. This gives consolation that these heavenly ones who encamp around will be teachers.
The verse speaks of an angel intercessor, one among a thousand, who shows man his uprightness, after which God is gracious and commands deliverance from going down to the pit because a ransom has been found. On the eve of the day of atonement it is recited with Psalm 107 as part of the order of atonements in which a cock is taken for a man and a hen for a woman. The father of the family acts first for himself after the pattern of the high priest atoning first for himself then for his family then for all Israel. The recitation is said while moving the fowl around the head three times declaring it to be substitute and commutation going to death so the person may be gathered into long happy life and peace, after which hands are laid upon it as hands were laid upon sacrifices before it is slaughtered.
Since man lost his inheritance through sin God has found a ransom, but a messenger is necessary to show God's uprightness and interpret that fact to the human family. God does this through type and symbol, through sacrifice and offering, and through prophet and priest to manifest the plan of redemption. The phrase one among a thousand describes someone exceptionally rare and valuable, as seen in a noble woman who served valiantly.