Why did they turn away from following God in Job 34:27? Canonical Setting and Translation Job 34:27 : “Because they turned aside from following Him and had no regard for any of His ways.” The verse sits inside Elihu’s third speech (Job 32–37), a unit stressing God’s unassailable justice. Elihu explains why divine judgment falls on certain people: their active choice to abandon God’s path. Immediate Literary Context 1. Job 34:24-26 – God “shatters the mighty” and “strikes them down in full view.” 2. Job 34:28 – Their defection breeds oppression: “so that they caused the cry of the poor to come before Him.” Elihu links moral apostasy (v. 27) with social injustice (v. 28). Turning from God is never a private act; it produces communal fallout. Theological Motifs 1. Covenant Faithfulness – “Following” echoes Deuteronomy 13:4: “You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him.” Apostasy violates covenant obligations. 2. Natural Revelation – Romans 1:20-21 parallels Elihu: people “knew God” yet “did not honor Him,” darkening their minds. 3. Divine Justice – God’s retribution (vv. 24-26) flows from His character; He is “the Rock, whose work is perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4). Historical-Cultural Backdrop Job’s drama unfolds in the patriarchal era (early 2nd millennium BC by a Ussher-type chronology). In ancient Near-Eastern clan society, legal protection of the poor rested heavily on the family head’s piety. When leaders “turned aside,” widows, orphans, and sojourners lost their shield (cf. Exodus 22:22-24). Archaeological parallels emerge at Tell el-Dabʿa tablets (ca. 18th c. BC) lamenting corrupt judges who “walked not after the god.” Such finds corroborate Elihu’s linkage between apostasy and civil abuse. Psychological and Behavioral Dynamics Drawing on contemporary behavioral science: • Moral Disengagement – People rationalize oppression by distancing it from divine accountability. • Cognitive Dissonance – Persisting in injustice while knowing God’s standards creates tension; ejecting God from consciousness eases that dissonance (cf. John 3:19-20). • Groupthink – Powerful coalitions reinforce each other’s departure from God (Psalm 1:1). Thus the “turning aside” is psychologically expedient for the wicked. Scriptural Cross-References • Numbers 14:43 – “Because you have turned away from the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.” • Jeremiah 2:13 – “They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water.” • Hebrews 3:12 – “Beware… lest there be… an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” The pattern is consistent: abandonment of God results in personal ruin and social harm. Why They Turned Away: A Synthesis 1. Pride in Power – “He does not regard the rich more than the poor” (Job 34:19); the mighty presumed immunity. 2. Sensual Security – Prosperity dulled spiritual perception (cf. Deuteronomy 8:13-14). 3. Intellectual Arrogance – They “had no regard for any of His ways,” dismissing divine wisdom as irrelevant (Proverbs 1:7). 4. Social Exploitation – Injustices flowed naturally once God’s authority was rejected (Job 34:28). Elihu implies a feedback loop: pride breeds exploitation, exploitation necessitates suppressing knowledge of God, suppression invites judgment. Practical and Pastoral Applications • Guard the Heart – Continuous alignment with God’s word prevents the first swerve (Psalm 119:11). • Accountability Structures – Biblical community exposes early drift (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Advocacy for the Afflicted – Caring for the poor is a decisive indicator of authentic allegiance to God (Proverbs 14:31; James 1:27). Conclusion They turned away because of a self-chosen cocktail of pride, willful ignorance, and exploitation. Elihu exposes the root (apostasy), the fruit (oppression), and the outcome (divine judgment). The passage challenges every generation: remain in humble pursuit of God, lest turning aside bring calamity on both self and society. |
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