What does Elihu suggest about acknowledging wrongdoing in Job 34:31? Setting the Verse in Front of Us “Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.’” (Job 34:31) What Elihu Is Getting At • Elihu pictures a worshiper who finally speaks honestly to God. • He urges a three-part response when we recognize sin: – Admit: “I have endured my punishment” — acknowledge divine discipline as deserved. – Renounce: “I will offend no more” — resolve to stop repeating the wrong. – (implied in v. 32) Request insight — welcome God’s correction so the hidden fault is exposed. Key Ideas Wrapped Up in the Confession • Ownership: no blaming circumstances or others (cf. Genesis 3:12–13 for the opposite approach). • Submission: accepting God’s verdict instead of arguing innocence (compare Psalm 51:4). • Repentance: turning from sin, not merely feeling regret (Proverbs 28:13; Acts 3:19). How This Fits the Wider Biblical Pattern • Psalm 32:5 — “Then I acknowledged my sin to You… and You forgave the guilt of my sin.” • 1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” • Isaiah 66:2 — God looks to the one “who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” Practical Takeaways for Today • Speak plainly with God; He already knows the truth. • Accept His discipline as an expression of fatherly love (Hebrews 12:5–7). • Ask Him to uncover what you “cannot see,” then commit, by His grace, to “do so no more.” A Summing-Up Sentence Elihu teaches that genuine acknowledgment of wrongdoing involves confessing guilt, submitting to God’s just correction, and pledging to forsake the sin going forward. |