19 Pain is sent on him as a punishment, while he is on his bed; there is no end to the trouble in his bones; 20 He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat; 21 His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones. ... 22 And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death. 23 If now there may be an angel sent to him, one of the thousands which there are to be between him and God, and to make clear to man what is right for him; 24 And if he has mercy on him, and says, Let him not go down to the underworld, I have given the price for his life: 25 Then his flesh becomes young again, and he comes back to the days of his early strength; 26 He makes his prayer to God, and he has mercy on him; he sees God's face with cries of joy; he gives news of his righteousness to men;
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 33:19-26
Commentary on Job 33:19-28
(Read Job 33:19-28)
Job complained of his diseases, and judged by them that God was angry with him; his friends did so too: but Elihu shows that God often afflicts the body for good to the soul. This thought will be of great use for our getting good from sickness, in and by which God speaks to men. Pain is the fruit of sin; yet, by the grace of God, the pain of the body is often made a means of good to the soul. When afflictions have done their work, they shall be removed. A ransom or propitiation is found. Jesus Christ is the Messenger and the Ransom, so Elihu calls him, as Job had called him his Redeemer, for he is both the Purchaser and the Price, the Priest and the sacrifice. So high was the value of souls, that nothing less would redeem them; and so great the hurt done by sin, that nothing less would atone for it, than the blood of the Son of God, who gave his life a ransom for many. A blessed change follows. Recovery from sickness is a mercy indeed, when it proceeds from the remission of sin. All that truly repent of their sins, shall find mercy with God. The works of darkness are unfruitful works; all the gains of sin will come far short of the damage. We must, with a broken and contrite heart, confess our sins to God, 1 John 1:9. We must confess the fact of sin; and not try to justify or excuse ourselves. We must confess the fault of sin; I have perverted that which was right. We must confess the folly of sin; So foolish have I been and ignorant. Is there not good reason why we should make such a confession?