Day 4 Job 32-37

Day 4 Job 32-37

I hope that some people may have been benefiting from my posts so far. Actually, my posts are in many ways unfinished musings, and my perspective is probably not deeply affected by my own personal suffering so as to make this message more personal and applicable, I hope that it will be of encouragement to someone none the less.

After Jobs three friends stop speaking to Job, Job makes his final statement(Job 26-31). Then in chapter 32 Elihu speaks, a fourth friend who has remained silent until that point. I believe his words are more accurate than all of Jobs other friends, and perhaps even completely right. Elihu is never rebuked by God as God does to Jobs friends, and also Job himself. In the final chapters, God speaks to Job saying '“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?”(Job 38:2), and goes on to describe the greatness His own wisdom in comparison to Job's wisdom, and he does not enter into the debate that Job had been seeking to have with God. Elihus speech seems to be similar to Gods and he rebukes Job for

The narrator, who himself actually speaks very little in the book of Job says 'Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God.'(Job 32:2). I believe this is the main focus of Elihus speech, as he says that God is right in His dealings, and is intimately involved with his creatures providing for them and leading them toward righteousness.

Elihu begins by rebuking Jobs friends in chapter 32, then he rebukes Job in chapter 33-37. I think this section near the beginning of Elihus rebuke of Job summarises his speech, or at least this chapter:

“Surely you have spoken in my ears,

and I have heard the sound of your words.

You say, ‘I am pure, without stransgression;

I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.

Behold, he finds occasions against me,

he counts me as his enemy,

he puts my feet in the stocks

and watches all my paths.’

“Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,

for God is greater than man.

Why do you contend against him,

saying, ‘He will answer none of man's words’?

For God speaks in one way,

and in two, though man does not perceive it.

(Job 33:8-14)

Elihu says that God is greater than man so man should not contend against God by claiming 'He will answer none of man's words' as Job claims. Elihu then describes how God speaks to man, he seems to describe three ways starting in verses 15, 19 and 23. I would advise you to think about these three things. He concludes by saying “Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.”(Job 33:29-30)

I believe that though God 'speaks' to us in our circumstances, it is not necessary that we 'perceive it'(as occurs in Job 33:14). We do not need to know why we are suffering, so long as we keep our own trust in God. Although God sometimes brings circumstances to discipline us and set us free from sin in our hearts, we do not need to know that this is the reason, we only need to make sure that we remain faithful in that situation.

Suffering or trial or temptation is not necessarily the result of our sin, we do not need to know why. Both Elihu's speech and God's speech focus on the knowledge of God, and how much greater it is than mans. I believe that our only necessary response, is to submit in humility to God in the midst of suffering. We do not know why, but we trust in the goodness of God nonetheless. True wisdom, is to submit, completely abandoned, to the wisdom of God believing He is good and His wisdom is good and he does rightly and lovingly and graciously and redemptively in the world.

There is more that can be said such as from the New Testament that describe suffering and trial further such as

• Jesus saying “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:8).
• Paul saying “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,”(Colossians 1:24)
• James saying “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-3)
• Ephesians 3:10 describes the Redemption of the church on a cosmic scale(compare with Job 1-2)
• Romans 11 describes Gods wisdom in allowing even sin into the world " For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all."(Romans 11:32)

The New Testament provides us with revelation about sin, temptation, and suffering which Job never had. Those who are interested in this may be interested in the New Testament references I give above. There are so many more New Testament passages I could give.