'Who is he that will plead with me ... Only do not two things unto me:

then will I not hide myself from Thee.  Withdraw Thine hand far from

me: and let not Thy dread make me afraid.  Then call Thou, and I will

answer: or let me speak, and answer Thou me' (Job 13:19-22).

Here a number of terms that the New Testament doctrine has filled out

with blessing, anticipate the office of the 'One Mediator between God and

men'.  Let us consider them.

'I am in God's stead'.  This, said Elihu, was the fulfilment of Job's

wish.  'I am toward God' is the R.V. rendering of this passage.  Young's

literal translation is simply, 'For God'.  'In stead' when it means

substitution, uses the Hebrew tachath as in Genesis 4:25 'another seed

instead of Abel'.  But while the Saviour could become a substitute for the

sinner, no one could become a substitute for God.  This expression must be

compared with the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:20:

'Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you

by us: we pray you In Christ's Stead, be ye reconciled to God'.

Neither Paul nor his fellow-ministers were 'substitutes'; they spoke

'on behalf of (huper) Christ'.  As a Mediator, Christ is 'on behalf' both of

God and man, not a substitute for God and man.  He is a substitute for sinful

man as the Sacrifice for sin for 'He was made sin for us Who knew no sin'.

'I also am formed out of the clay' (Job 33:6).  Here the frailty of

human nature is intended.  Eliphaz contrasts angels with them that dwell 'in

houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the

moth' (Job 4:19).  Job also refers to the frailty of this mortal body,

'Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about ...

Thou hast made me as the clay: and wilt Thou bring me into dust again?'

(Job 10:8,9).

In all, there are seven occurrences of the word chomer in the book of

Job translated either 'clay' or 'mire', four of which refer to the lowly

origin of man.  Elihu, in the type of the Mediator, assured Job of his

essential manhood, even as Paul at a later date, and with fuller light, spoke

of 'The One Mediator ... Himself Man, Christ Jesus' (R.V.).  Elihu places his

natural human frailty against the 'terror' induced by the Presence of God

apart from mediation.  In the passage where Job complained that there was no

'Daysman' or 'Mediator', he added:

'Let Him take His rod away from me, and let not His fear terrify me:

then would I speak, and not fear Him; but it is not so with me' (Job

Here the word that is translated 'terrify', in Job 33:7 and Job 13:21

is rendered 'afraid', and in a similar context:

'Who is he that will plead with me? ... Withdraw Thine hand far from

me: and let not Thy dread make me afraid.  Then call Thou, and I will

answer: or let me speak, and answer Thou me' (Job 13:19-22).