job 34:26-32

[prismaticbleed]

struck by the translations on this, and the harrowing depth they add to these passages.
Effectively:

"God punishes the wicked for their evil deeds in plain sight, where everyone can see them, because they:

-turned away, turned aside, turned back from, & stopped following Him
-revolted against Him
-refused to obey Him
-abandoned their pursuit of Him

AND

-had no respect for His ways
-did not regard His ways
-would not consider His ways
-could not understand His ways
-refused to comprehend His ways
-ignored all His commands
-would not pay attention to Him


This hit me because there's a conscious choice in it, and it is actively malicious. You don't just casually "revolt" against God! You can't "gently refuse" or "kindly abandon" Him. And if you WERE following Him, and then turned back... NO ONE DID THAT FOR YOU.


The next verse effectively says:

"It is right to say/ has anyone said/ have you said to God that:

- you have endured punishment
- you have borne just chastisement
- you acknowledge that you are guilty
- you confess your sins to God
- you have taken away from others

AND

- you will not offend God any more
- you will not sin any more
- you will not act corruptly or wrongly
- you will not pervert justice
- you will not act wickedly
- you will stop your immoral behavior
- you will promise to do better


This appears simple but I really was moved by the extent of the synonyms, as it were. It's a lead-in to a thorough confession, to be able to HONESTLY say these things.
What punishment have you endured? What chastisement have you borne? I know I can readily list specific examples, and I know WHY that discipline occurred-- because I am GUILTY. I have SINNED. I have acted in ways that not only offend God, but "take away from others," and pervert justice, and act corruptly... to really convict oneself like this allows for SOLID CONTRITION, which is mandatory for a legitimate confession AND repentant conversion of life.



The next half of the verse is as vital as it is beautiful.

"Have you also asked God to:

- teach you what you cannot see
- tell you what evil you have done
- point out what you did wrong
- show you your faults
- reveal your hidden sins
- instruct you as to what you are ignorant of

SO THAT...

- if you have done wrong, you will not do it again
- if you have sinned, you will stop at once
- if you have done iniquity, you will do no more
- if you have spoken unfairly, you will add no more
- if you have committed unrighteousness, you will not repeat it
- if you have done evil, you agree to quit


...


and then there's the slamdunk of verse 33:

- Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent?
- Must God tailor His justice to your demands? But you have rejected Him!
- Shall God repay on your terms, because you have rejected His?
- Do you make the rules, or does God?
- Since you object to what God does, can you expect Him to do what you want?
- Just because you refuse to live on God’s terms, do you think He should start living on yours?

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/job/34-33.htm