July 23, 2025 • 30 mins
The argument had come to a standstill and God wasn’t speaking. That’s how the debate ended between Job and his three friends. They said their peace (and then some) and reverted back to the silence we see in chapter two. But unknown to the first-time reader of this book when Job chapter 31 ends was someone else. A younger man had been there listening to them argue. By the time they finished, he was about ready to explode with his view of this matter.
His name was Elihu. Up to this point he had refrained from speaking out of respect for his elders. But he was deeply convicted in what he was about to say. And when he spoke, he had a different point of view about this whole discussion.
Elihu’s words are very much worthy of our consideration. We could call him the man God didn’t rebuke because that is what happened in the end.
Read about this subject
- Scripture: Job 32-37
- Teacher’s Annual Lesson Commentary on Uniform Bible Lessons for the Churches of Christ 1951
Listen to more on this subject
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hi, I'm Kerry Duke, host of My Godand My Neighbor podcast from Tennessee
Bible College, where we see the Bibleas not just another book, but the book.
Join us in a study of the inspiredWord to strengthen your faith and to
share what you've learned with others.
Job has suffered and he is still sufferingby the time that we get to Job Chapter 32.
(00:23):
His three friends say thathe's brought this on himself.
They say that he'sreaping what he has sown.
Job said that's not true.
Job defends himself.
There is a younger man who has been thereat least for part of the time, if not
all the time, that they've been arguing.
He's a younger man andhe's about to speak.
His name is Elihu.
(00:43):
He's very angry, but he hasn'tsaid anything this whole time.
Now that they've saidtheir part, he says his.
Job’s three friends thoughtthat they were right.
Job thought that he was.
This man Elihu said thatboth of you are wrong.
Perhaps Job thought thathe got the last word in.
The Bible says in Job chapter 31 verse40, “The words of job are ended.”
(01:09):
Maybe he thought that the case was closed.
Sometimes we think that, don't we?
Sometimes we think that what we sayis final and that it settles a matter,
but nothing you say is the last word onanything, and Job is about to learn that.
So what did the younger Elihu say?
What was his view of what happened to Job?
He believed that Job's threefriends were being simplistic.
(01:31):
They said that Job was sinfuland that God was punishing him.
On the other hand, he believedthat Job was being too defensive
because Job said I am not evil.
And Job crossed the line because he saidit's not right for God to do this to me.
So Elihu's thinking is different.
It's outside the box of this arguing incircles like these men have been doing.
(01:53):
So beginning in Job chapter32, Elihu begins by saying I
can't hold back any longer.
Beginning in Job chapter 32, verseone, the Bible says, “So these three
men ceased to answer Job becausehe was righteous in his own eyes.
Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu,the son of Barachel the Buzite,
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of the kindred of Ram, against Jobwas his wrath kindled because, he
justified himself rather than God.
Also against his three friends washis wrath kindled, because they had
found no answer, yet had condemned Job.
Now, Elihu had waited till Job hadspoken because they were elder than he.
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When Elihu saw that there was noanswer in the mouth of these three
men, then his wrath was kindled.
And Elihu the son of Barachelthe Buzite answered and said, ‘I
am young and you are very old.
Wherefore I was afraid anddid not show my opinion.
I said age should speak, and themultitude of years should teach wisdom.
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But there is a spirit in man, andthe inspiration of the Almighty gives
them understanding” [Job 32:1-7].
That's the King James version.
The New King James Version reads in verseeight: “But there is a spirit in man,
and the breath of the Almighty giveshim understanding.” He says in verse
nine, “Great men are not always wise,neither do the aged understand judgment.
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Therefore, I said, hearken to meand I will also show my opinion.”
I don't agree with either side.
I don't agree with Job and I don'tagree with his three friends.
And the Bible explains why.
It tells us what hisreasoning was in verse two.
The Bible says that he was angrywith Job because Job justified
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himself rather than God.
Now, that states really what thisbook is about in the end because
Job had a right to defend himself.
These men were wrong in what they saidabout Job, but Job didn't have the right
to say the things that he said about God.
So in the end, he was moreconcerned about defending himself
than he was about defending God.
Now, at the same time, theBible tells us why he didn't
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agree with Job's three friends.
The Bible says in verse three he wasangry at them because they found no
answer and yet they had condemned Job.
They just kept on saying the same things.
So this young man sat and listened towhat Job's three friends said about Job.
Remember that Eliphaz said thathe'd seen a vision in chapter five?
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And you remember also that Elihu beganto say some very harsh words and level
some specific charges against Job.
But this young man saw through all that.
He didn't listen toaccusations without proof.
Now some people would have.
They would've said, “Well,they said that he did this, or
they said that he did that.”
Well, the Bible tells us to be just.
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The Bible tells us to listen toevidence and not just to hearsay.
On the other hand, he didn't completelyside with Job because he felt sorry for
him or because he liked him or becausehe remembered his days as a rich man.
And it's interesting here as to whyElihu has been quiet all this time.
It's because he said younger peopleshould listen to older people first.
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How our society needs toput that in practice today.
Young people need to listen to olderpeople instead of interrupting them.
Notice that Elihu did not interrupt.
He waited until they were finished.
But there are exceptions sometimes.
Sometimes older people are wrong.
And this is the exception to the rule.
And when this happens, there's aright and a wrong way to approach it.
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So Elihu didn't interrupt.
He didn't laugh at, hedidn't disrespect them.
He didn't break the order of things.
He submitted; he controlled himself.
And it is a huge mistake for theyoung to lead the old in any society.
So Elihu continues in verse 12.
He said yes, “I attended to you.” Inother words, I listened to you. “And
behold, there was none of you thatconvinced Job or that answered his
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words.” So you've not proved anything.
You've done a lot of talking,but you've not proven your case.
Then in verse 14 he says “Now he hasnot directed his words against me,
neither will I answer him with yourspeeches.” And in verses 17 and 18 and
19 he says, “I will also answer my part.
I will show my opinion,for I am full of matter.
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The spirit within me constrains me.
Behold my belly is aswine which has no vent.
It is ready to burst like new bottles.
In other words, he was so anxiousto speak he was ready to explode.
He'd listened patiently until theyfinished, and now he said it's my turn.
He says I'm not going toside with either one of you.
I'm going to be impartial here.
In verse 21 (06:33):
“Let me not, I pray show partiality to anyone nor let me flatter
any man for I do not know how to flatterelse. My maker would soon take me away.”
Elihu is saying I'm trying to be fair,and it doesn't matter who you are, how
much you have or what your name is.
I'm going to look at the facts.
So in Job chapter 33, Elihubegins to address Job.
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So let's read beginning inJob chapter 33, verse six.
“Behold, I am according to your wishin God's stead. I am also formed out
of the clay.” The New King James says,“Truly I am as your spokesman before God.
I also have been formed out of the clay.”
So Elihu is saying here: you wanted a mediator. (07:16):
undefined
Here I am.
You see, that's what Job wantedin Job chapter nine, verse 33.
Remember that Job said I'm cryingout to God, but He won't answer me.
And on top of that, I can't findanybody to represent me to God.
I can't find, as the King James says,a “days man” and notes and other
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translations would say a mediatoror a go-between or an umpire.
Well, here's Elihu andElihu said, I'm that man.
I'll be your go-between.
I'll represent your case to God and I'mgoing to speak on behalf of God to you.
I'm not here to crush you.
He says in verse sevenI'm here to help you.
The new King James says in verse seven,Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
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nor will my hand be heavy on you.”
But then he says, Job, here'swhat you said, and here's
what I've got a problem with.
He quotes Job in verse eight through 11.
Elihu says I heard you job.
“Surely you have spoken in my hearingand I have heard the sound of your words
saying, I am pure without transgression.
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I am innocent, and thereis no iniquity in me.
Yet, he finds occasions against me.
He counts me as his enemy.
He puts my feet in the stocks,he watches all my paths.”
And Elihu looks at Job and he saysvery plainly in verse 12: look
in this, you are not righteous.
You're wrong job.
You shouldn't have said that.
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I will answer you, forGod is greater than man.
That's the first thing that hesays to him to get Job's attention.
You're wrong and you needto remember who you are.
We're men of clay.
We're human beings.
God is greater than you.
He's greater than us.
And in verse 13, he reminds him ofsomething that is a very important
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point to remember about theproblem of evil in this book and
the problem of evil in general.
Mark this verse.
Job chapter 33, verse 13.
Elihu asked job, “Why do you contend withhim?” Now you see, all this time Job has
been asking why is God doing this to me?
He said several times inJob chapter three: why?
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Why?
Why is this happening?
Why is God doing this?
Why am I not dead already?
Why didn't I die at birth?
The Bible says here that Elihu turnsthat question on Job and he says.
I want to ask you why.
Why are you criticizing God?
Why are you arguing with God?
The Bible says in verse 13 that hecontinues: “For He,” that is, “God
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does not give an accounting of anyof his words.” That is central.
That is very, very important.
God does not owe you an explanation.
He does not owe you a reason or an answer.
This is a key to the wholeproblem of evil, if not the
key to this entire problem.
God doesn't owe us an explanation.
(10:12):
God does not owe us an answer to ourquestion “Why? Lord.” That is one of
the great points made in this book ofJob and that is how this book ends.
God never gave an answer.
He never gave an explanation about whyJob was going through all these things.
God is basically saying in theBook of Job, I've given you enough.
(10:33):
I've given you more than enough to knowthat I'm the Creator, that I am God, and
there is no reason or circumstance in thislife, regardless of how painful it might
be, that would justify us in denying that.
So again, justice, a practicalmatter here, I would urge you to
mark that in some way in your Bible.
I have those words highlightedin yellow [verse 13] because he
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makes a very powerful point there.
But Elihu is saying to Job (10:57):
even though God doesn't owe us an
explanation or an answer, let mesuggest some possibilities to you here.
Let me talk to you about whyperhaps God allows suffering.
Let me talk to you aboutyour response, also, Job.
So in verses 14 through 17 of Jobchapter 33, he says that sometimes
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God allows suffering to keepsomething worse from happening.
And that is a very interesting point.
Have you ever thought about that?
When you ask the question,why is all this happening?
What possible good could come out of this?
It may not be because somethinggood necessarily is on the horizon.
It may be because something badwould've happened if that trial
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or if that tragedy had occurred.
Suffering doesn't alwayshappen to punish us.
You see, he's correcting Job's threefriends there because they said that God
was punishing Job for what he had done.
This young man Elihu said that'snot necessarily true in every case.
Suffering is not always punitive.
Sometimes it is preventive.
It is designed to keep us froma further tragedy in life and
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sometimes an even worse situation.
That's what he says in verse 17.
He's saying in the verses before thisthat God does cause or allow suffering in
man's life for this reason [verse 17], andthe King James says “that he may withdraw
man from his purpose.” The footnote theresays “his work” and “hide pride from a
man.” The New King James Version says thatGod does this in order to “turn man from
(12:29):
his deed and conceal pride from a man.”
In the first part of the verse,Elihu talks about the deed or
the purpose or the works of man.
Now, that refers to the plans that wehave and the activities that we pursue.
Sometimes we get excited in life andthere's nothing wrong with that plan.
There's nothing wrong with that activity,but sometimes it may not be for the best.
(12:51):
Sometimes it might lead to a badsituation, and Elihu is saying
that sometimes God puts a roadblockin front of us so that we're
not able to pursue those works.
It's a very interesting point here, andit's really worthy of your meditation.
In the last part of the verse,he talks about pride: to keep
man from becoming prideful.
It may not be that a man is pridefuland that God is punishing him for his
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pride, but that tragedy may occur inorder to keep us from becoming prideful.
These are very interesting points here,and in verse 18, he says something
else to Job that we need to considertoday, and that is that sometimes God
might allow this suffering to keepus from danger and even from death.
In verse 18, he says “He,” that is,God “keeps back his soul from the
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pit and his life from perishing bythe sword.” How does God do this?
By allowing hardships in our lives.
Sometimes bad things happen to goodpeople to keep us from danger, to keep
us even from death, and that dangermay not be the sword like it is here
in Job chapter 33, verse 18, but thereare dangers that we face in life.
(13:58):
And sometimes we need to remember that adelay in our lives or a very hard trial
in our lives may be designed to keep usfrom further danger and even from death.
Some kind of stressful emergency maykeep you from a fatal car accident.
A painful illness may keepyou from a worse illness.
And then Elihu goes into this even deeper.
(14:20):
Beginning in verse 19, he says, “Manis also chastened with pain on his bed
and with strong pain in many of hisbones so that his life abhors bread
and his soul succulent food. His fleshwastes away from sight and his bones
stick out, which once were not seen.”He's basically describing Job here.
(14:41):
But he says in verse 22, yes,“his soul draws near the pit and
his life to the executioners.”
Remember, the pit here is death.
And what happens to this sick man?
The Bible says he draws near to the pit.
He draws near to dying.
Elihu is saying maybe this iswhat God is doing with you.
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Maybe this is why God has letyou come so close to dying.
Here in verse 23 he said, “If there is amessenger for him, a mediator, one among
a thousand to show man his uprightness,then he is gracious to him and says,
deliver him from going down to the pit.
I have found a ransom.
His flesh shall be like a young child's.
He shall return to the days of his youth.
(15:23):
He shall pray to God andhe will delight in him.
He shall see his face with joy, forhe restores to man his righteousness.
Then he looks at men and says, Ihave sinned and perverted what was
right, and it did not profit me.
He will redeem his soul from going down tothe pit and his life shall see the light.
Behold, God works all these things twice,in fact, three times with a man to bring
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back his soul from the pit that he maybe enlightened with the light of life.
Give ear Job.
Listen to me, hold yourpeace and I will speak.
If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak (15:59):
for I desire to justify you.
If not, listen to me.
Hold your peace and Iwill teach you wisdom.”
In chapter 34, Elihu continues.
He says in Job chapter 34 verse five,“For Job has said, I am righteous,
but God has taken away my justice.Should I lie concerning my right?
(16:20):
My wound is incurable, though I amwithout transgression.” So Elihu
says, Job, here's what you said,and here's where you're wrong.
So in chapter 34, verse seven, he says,“What man is like Job who drinks scorn
like water? Who goes in company with theworkers of iniquity and walks with wicked
men? For he has said it profits a manmothing that he should delight in God.”
(16:45):
In verse 7 says that Jobdrinks scorn like water.
Now to scorn means to scoff.
It means to complain.
And he's saying, Job,that's what you're doing.
That has become second nature to you.
That's like drinking water.
And then he says, you're followingin the footsteps of bad men.
That's what he's saying in verse eight.
You're in the company with the workers ofiniquity; you're walking with wicked men.
(17:07):
And then he quotes Jobagain in verse nine.
He says for he has said it profits a mannothing that he should delight in God.
Now, I'm not saying that he's quotinghim necessarily word for word, but
that's the basic thought that Job had.
That was his complaint.
What good is it to serveGod if you end up like I am?
That is exactly the problem of evilthat you read about in Psalm 73 where
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Asaph said that he got to the pointof where he said: what good is it?
Evil people have it good, and I'mtrying to live the right kind of
life and I have all this trouble.
Is it worth it to serve God?
He was beginning to question that.
And so Job is doing the same thing.
He had begun to question this.
He was going down the road thatSatan had said in the very beginning.
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Now Job is so distraught, Jobis so discouraged that he's
beginning to talk like this.
But Elihu comes back in verse 10,and he says God does not do wrong.
God does not treat us unfairly Job.
Beginning in verse 10 he says,“Therefore, listen to me.
You men have understanding.
Far be it from God to do wickednessand for the Almighty to commit
(18:14):
iniquity, for he repays man accordingto his work and makes man to find
a reward according to his way.
Surely God will never do wickedly norwill the Almighty pervert justice.
Who gave him charge over the earth, orwho appointed him over the whole world?
If he should set his heart on it,if he should gather to himself
his spirit and his breath, allflesh would perish together and
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man would return to the dust.”
he reminds Job again toremember who he's talking about.
He says, “If you haveunderstanding, hear this.
Listen to the sound of my words.
Should one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is most just?
Is it fitting to say to a king, you areworthless, and to nobles, you are wicked?
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Yet he is not partial to princes, nor doeshe regard the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands.
In a moment, they shall die.
In the middle of the night, thepeople are shaken and pass away.
The mighty are taken away without ahand, for his eyes are on the ways
of man, and he sees all his steps.”
the King James version says, “For hewill not lay upon man more than right,
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that he should enter into judgmentwith God.” The New King James Version
says, “For he need not further considera man” and the American Standard
Version similarly says, “For heneedeth not further to consider a man.”
Beginning in verse 24 and going downthrough verse 30, he shows that God
dispenses justice when and how he decides.
In verse 24, this young man, Elihu says,“He breaks in pieces mighty men without
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inquiry and sets others in their place.
Therefore, he knows their works.
He overthrows them in thenight and they are crushed.
He strikes them as wicked men andthe open sight of others, because
they turn their back from him andwould not consider any of his ways.
But if a man turns from his sins, is he ina place to tell God how to deal with him?
Look at verse 31.
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“For has anyone said toGod, I have born chastening?
I will offend no more.
Teach me what I do not see.
If I have done iniquity,I will do no more.
Should he repay itaccording to your terms?
Just because you disavow it, youmust choose and not I therefore
speak what you know.” In verse34, he challenges Job again.
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He says, “Men of understandingsay to me, wise men who listen to
me, Job speaks without knowledge.
His words are without wisdom.
Oh, that Job were tried tothe utmost because his answers
are like those of wicked men.
For he adds rebellion to his sin,he claps his hands among us and
multiplies his words against God.”
(20:51):
Now, that is a strong rebuke.
What he's saying here is thatJob has gone from bad to worse.
He started out accusing God and thenhe ended up charging God and saying
that God was being cruel to him.
Now that's what we read in chapter 30.
Now, Elihu is not talking about whatJob did before these sufferings came.
(21:11):
He's not taking theside of those three men.
Those three men said that Job wasa sinner, that he was a hypocrite
basically, and God was punishing him.
But Elihu was saying somethingdifferent and very interesting.
He's saying that Job didn'tsuffer because he sinned, but he
is sinning because he suffered.
A lot of Bible interpretershave noticed and made that
point, and that's exactly right.
(21:33):
Job did not suffer because he sinned,but he's sinning because he suffered.
In chapter 35, he rebukes Job again.
The Bible says in verse two that hesays this: “Do you think this is right?
Do you say, my righteousnessis more than God's?
For you say, what advantagewill it be to you?
What profit shall I havemore than if I had sinned?
(21:54):
I will answer you andyour companions with you.
Look to the heavens and see and beholdthe clouds, they are higher than you.
If you sin, what do youaccomplish against him?
Or if your transgressions aremultiplied, what do you do to him?
If you are righteous, what do you give himor what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness affects a man such asyou and your righteousness a son of man.
(22:17):
Because of the multitude ofoppressions, they cry out.
They cry out for help because of thearm of the mighty, but no one says,
where is God my maker, who gives songsin the night, who teaches us more
than the beast of the earth and makesus wiser than the birds of heaven?
There they cry out, but he does notanswer because of the pride of evil men.
Surely God will not listen to emptytalk, nor will the Almighty regard it,
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although you say you do not see him.
Yet justice is before himand you must wait for him.
Now because he has not punished in hisanger nor taken much notice of folly,
therefore, Job opens his mouth in vain.
He multiplies words without knowledge.”
So again, he's saying, Job,you've gone from bad to worse.
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So in verses five through eight, he says,do you think you're going to affect God?
Do you think that you'regoing to change God?
If you sin, do you think thatyou're going to hurt God?
That's not going to happen.
And if you're good, whatare you doing for him?
Are you helping him?
Are you benefiting him in some way?
That's not going to happen either.
And in verses nine through 13,Elihu talks about the question of
(23:24):
why God does not deliver peoplein trouble oppressed people.
He says, “Cry out,” but theydon't cry out to God and they
don't cry out from a pure heart.
In verses nine and 10, he says,it's sad that people suffer.
They're in pain, but they don'tturn to God with all their heart.
They cry out to God.
They're tormented, they're miserable,and they complain, but they won't
(23:44):
even really think about God.
Or they may pray to God, butthey're not sincere about it.
And he goes deeper into this in verses12 and 13 because he deals with the
question (23:53):
why doesn't God hear them?
It's because there ispride in their heart.
Now again, Elihu is not describingJob's character before all
these hardships struck his life.
What he's saying is, now that you'rehaving all these troubles, beware that
you're not being prideful about this.
And in verse 15, he says,Job, here's what you've done.
(24:15):
God has not punished you to thepoint of taking your life evidently.
That's what he means in verse 15 whenhe says “because he has not punished
in his anger.” That is, God has notgotten angry and just killed you.
And because God hasn't done that,you feel even more emboldened to
criticize him and to talk about thingsthat you really don't understand.
(24:36):
So Job and his three friendsargued about why Job suffered.
Elihu focused on what to do aboutit, the response that we should have.
His view was, if you can't see a reason,then you better leave that with God.
His approach was more practical.
He's saying to Job, you needto humble yourself before God.
You need to turn to God withall your heart and he will
(24:58):
deliver you from your suffering.
Now, Job's three friends hadbasically said the same thing, but
they meant it in a different way.
They meant that job needed to repentof the sins that he had committed
before all these troubles began.
So Elihu, though he disagreed withtheir position and Job's charge against
God, took an element of truth fromboth sides and then he gave his view.
(25:20):
Now that brings us to chapter 36, andElihu is saying, here, let me speak
just a few more words, so just bearwith me and I will show you that there
are yet words to speak on God's behalf.
You see, Elihu is saying to Job,I'm speaking on God's behalf to you.
I'm representing God here.
Now, I don't see in that that he's sayingthat he's inspired or he's a prophet.
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He's just saying this is God'sviewpoint here, and this is why
many people believe that Elihu ina sense was a forerunner to God.
He spoke just before God did.
And I'm not saying that everythingthat Elihu said was exactly right,
but there is something interestingand that is that God corrected Job
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for what he had said that was wrong.
God corrected his three friends becausethey had said some things that were wrong.
But he does not say oneword of correction to Elihu.
So that's why many people believe thatElihu is kind of laying the foundation
here for what God says in His response.
In verse 16 of Job chapter36, we find another important
(26:24):
principle that Elihu gives here.
Elihu states what he implied earlierin chapter 35 verses 11 and following,
and that is Job, if you had humbledyourself instead of getting mad about all
this, you might've been healed by now.
Things might have been different.
Look at verse 16.
Indeed, he would have brought you out ofdire distress into a broad place where
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there is no restraint, and what is seton your table would be full of riches.
And then in verse 18, he givesJob a very strong warning.
He says, “Because there iswrath”—he's talking about the wrath
of God—beware lest he,” that is,God, “take you away with one blow”.
He's saying, Job, you better be carefulhere about what you're saying because God
(27:08):
may just get angry and take your life.
He may just go ahead and kill you.
So you better be thankful.
You better be careful that you're stillalive because if you continue down this
road, God might just strike you down.
He says if God decides to do that, evena great ransom will not deliver you.
In other words, no amount ofmoney will change God's mind
if He decides to do that.
So he's saying, Job, you better settledown and you better be humble about this.
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And in verse 22, he tells him, “Behold,God is exalted by his power: who teaches
like him?” What a question that is.
Who can teach like God?
God doesn't just teach in words.
He teaches by experiences thatHe puts us through in life.
He teaches us by hardship.
He's saying, Job, youneed to consider this.
And then he illustrates that by beginningto talk about the creation in verse 24.
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Now, this is very important.
Because when God answers Job out ofthe whirlwind beginning in chapter
38, the first thing that God talksabout and the last thing that he
really talks about is His creation.
Now all of these men haveappealed to nature, God's
creation, to make their point.
Job's three friends talked aboutGod's creation and they said,
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Job, this proves that we're right.
Job refers sometimes to God'screation to justify himself.
Elihu comes along and he saysyou need to look at the creation.
But Elihu is not trying to justifyjob or condemn his three friends.
Elihu is saying there are things about thecreation that we just don't understand.
We just don't know why or how Goddoes these things, and in that way,
(28:42):
he truly was a forerunner of God.
So he talks about the lightningand the snow and the rain.
Why are these things here?
Sometimes he says thatGod shows his power.
God shows who's in charge, andsometimes he sends those things to
such an extent that men can't gooutside and work and do anything.
That's what he saysevidently in verse six.
In verses 10 through 12, he talksabout the strong wind and the
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cold and the frost and the rain.
Why does God send these things?
In verse 13, we have avery insightful statement.
He says “He causes it to come,whether for correction, or for his
land, or for mercy.” God does this.
Sometimes he uses the weather to correctpeople, to chasten people, sometimes to
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benefit the land, sometimes for mercy togive people food, to give water to drink.
He's saying Job, you cannoteven begin to understand all
the parts of God's creation.
You can't begin to answer thequestions about why and when and how
and where God does all these things.
And if you can't even answer thosequestions about the simple creation
(29:46):
that you see around you, then you'renot in a position to criticize God
about what he allows on this earth.
Now, that is exactly what God is going tosay to Job in Job chapter 38 through 42.
So I would encourage you to readElihu’s case that he makes in chapter
32 through 37, and then immediatelyread what God says in chapter 38 through
(30:09):
42.
Thank you for listeningto My God and My Neighbor.
Stay connected with our podcast on ourwebsite and on Apple, Spotify, YouTube,
or wherever fine podcasts are distributed.
Tennessee Bible College, providingChristian education since 1975
in Cookeville, Tennessee, offersundergraduate and graduate programs.
(30:29):
Study at your level.
Aim higher and get in touch with us today.
Hi, I'm Kerry Duke, host of My Godand My Neighbor podcast from Tennessee
Bible College, where we see the Bibleas not just another book, but the book.
Join us in a study of the inspiredWord to strengthen your faith and to
share what you've learned with others.
Job has suffered and he is still sufferingby the time that we get to Job Chapter 32.
(00:23):
His three friends say thathe's brought this on himself.
They say that he'sreaping what he has sown.
Job said that's not true.
Job defends himself.
There is a younger man who has been thereat least for part of the time, if not
all the time, that they've been arguing.
He's a younger man andhe's about to speak.
His name is Elihu.
(00:43):
He's very angry, but he hasn'tsaid anything this whole time.
Now that they've saidtheir part, he says his.
Job’s three friends thoughtthat they were right.
Job thought that he was.
This man Elihu said thatboth of you are wrong.
Perhaps Job thought thathe got the last word in.
The Bible says in Job chapter 31 verse40, “The words of job are ended.”
(01:09):
Maybe he thought that the case was closed.
Sometimes we think that, don't we?
Sometimes we think that what we sayis final and that it settles a matter,
but nothing you say is the last word onanything, and Job is about to learn that.
So what did the younger Elihu say?
What was his view of what happened to Job?
He believed that Job's threefriends were being simplistic.
(01:31):
They said that Job was sinfuland that God was punishing him.
On the other hand, he believedthat Job was being too defensive
because Job said I am not evil.
And Job crossed the line because he saidit's not right for God to do this to me.
So Elihu's thinking is different.
It's outside the box of this arguing incircles like these men have been doing.
(01:53):
So beginning in Job chapter32, Elihu begins by saying I
can't hold back any longer.
Beginning in Job chapter 32, verseone, the Bible says, “So these three
men ceased to answer Job becausehe was righteous in his own eyes.
Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu,the son of Barachel the Buzite,
(02:14):
of the kindred of Ram, against Jobwas his wrath kindled because, he
justified himself rather than God.
Also against his three friends washis wrath kindled, because they had
found no answer, yet had condemned Job.
Now, Elihu had waited till Job hadspoken because they were elder than he.
(02:35):
When Elihu saw that there was noanswer in the mouth of these three
men, then his wrath was kindled.
And Elihu the son of Barachelthe Buzite answered and said, ‘I
am young and you are very old.
Wherefore I was afraid anddid not show my opinion.
I said age should speak, and themultitude of years should teach wisdom.
(02:55):
But there is a spirit in man, andthe inspiration of the Almighty gives
them understanding” [Job 32:1-7].
That's the King James version.
The New King James Version reads in verseeight: “But there is a spirit in man,
and the breath of the Almighty giveshim understanding.” He says in verse
nine, “Great men are not always wise,neither do the aged understand judgment.
(03:17):
Therefore, I said, hearken to meand I will also show my opinion.”
I don't agree with either side.
I don't agree with Job and I don'tagree with his three friends.
And the Bible explains why.
It tells us what hisreasoning was in verse two.
The Bible says that he was angrywith Job because Job justified
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himself rather than God.
Now, that states really what thisbook is about in the end because
Job had a right to defend himself.
These men were wrong in what they saidabout Job, but Job didn't have the right
to say the things that he said about God.
So in the end, he was moreconcerned about defending himself
than he was about defending God.
Now, at the same time, theBible tells us why he didn't
(04:01):
agree with Job's three friends.
The Bible says in verse three he wasangry at them because they found no
answer and yet they had condemned Job.
They just kept on saying the same things.
So this young man sat and listened towhat Job's three friends said about Job.
Remember that Eliphaz said thathe'd seen a vision in chapter five?
(04:22):
And you remember also that Elihu beganto say some very harsh words and level
some specific charges against Job.
But this young man saw through all that.
He didn't listen toaccusations without proof.
Now some people would have.
They would've said, “Well,they said that he did this, or
they said that he did that.”
Well, the Bible tells us to be just.
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The Bible tells us to listen toevidence and not just to hearsay.
On the other hand, he didn't completelyside with Job because he felt sorry for
him or because he liked him or becausehe remembered his days as a rich man.
And it's interesting here as to whyElihu has been quiet all this time.
It's because he said younger peopleshould listen to older people first.
(05:05):
How our society needs toput that in practice today.
Young people need to listen to olderpeople instead of interrupting them.
Notice that Elihu did not interrupt.
He waited until they were finished.
But there are exceptions sometimes.
Sometimes older people are wrong.
And this is the exception to the rule.
And when this happens, there's aright and a wrong way to approach it.
(05:27):
So Elihu didn't interrupt.
He didn't laugh at, hedidn't disrespect them.
He didn't break the order of things.
He submitted; he controlled himself.
And it is a huge mistake for theyoung to lead the old in any society.
So Elihu continues in verse 12.
He said yes, “I attended to you.” Inother words, I listened to you. “And
behold, there was none of you thatconvinced Job or that answered his
(05:51):
words.” So you've not proved anything.
You've done a lot of talking,but you've not proven your case.
Then in verse 14 he says “Now he hasnot directed his words against me,
neither will I answer him with yourspeeches.” And in verses 17 and 18 and
19 he says, “I will also answer my part.
I will show my opinion,for I am full of matter.
(06:13):
The spirit within me constrains me.
Behold my belly is aswine which has no vent.
It is ready to burst like new bottles.
In other words, he was so anxiousto speak he was ready to explode.
He'd listened patiently until theyfinished, and now he said it's my turn.
He says I'm not going toside with either one of you.
I'm going to be impartial here.
In verse 21 (06:33):
“Let me not, I pray show partiality to anyone nor let me flatter
any man for I do not know how to flatterelse. My maker would soon take me away.”
Elihu is saying I'm trying to be fair,and it doesn't matter who you are, how
much you have or what your name is.
I'm going to look at the facts.
So in Job chapter 33, Elihubegins to address Job.
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So let's read beginning inJob chapter 33, verse six.
“Behold, I am according to your wishin God's stead. I am also formed out
of the clay.” The New King James says,“Truly I am as your spokesman before God.
I also have been formed out of the clay.”
So Elihu is saying here: you wanted a mediator. (07:16):
undefined
Here I am.
You see, that's what Job wantedin Job chapter nine, verse 33.
Remember that Job said I'm cryingout to God, but He won't answer me.
And on top of that, I can't findanybody to represent me to God.
I can't find, as the King James says,a “days man” and notes and other
(07:38):
translations would say a mediatoror a go-between or an umpire.
Well, here's Elihu andElihu said, I'm that man.
I'll be your go-between.
I'll represent your case to God and I'mgoing to speak on behalf of God to you.
I'm not here to crush you.
He says in verse sevenI'm here to help you.
The new King James says in verse seven,Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
(08:02):
nor will my hand be heavy on you.”
But then he says, Job, here'swhat you said, and here's
what I've got a problem with.
He quotes Job in verse eight through 11.
Elihu says I heard you job.
“Surely you have spoken in my hearingand I have heard the sound of your words
saying, I am pure without transgression.
(08:23):
I am innocent, and thereis no iniquity in me.
Yet, he finds occasions against me.
He counts me as his enemy.
He puts my feet in the stocks,he watches all my paths.”
And Elihu looks at Job and he saysvery plainly in verse 12: look
in this, you are not righteous.
You're wrong job.
You shouldn't have said that.
(08:44):
I will answer you, forGod is greater than man.
That's the first thing that hesays to him to get Job's attention.
You're wrong and you needto remember who you are.
We're men of clay.
We're human beings.
God is greater than you.
He's greater than us.
And in verse 13, he reminds him ofsomething that is a very important
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point to remember about theproblem of evil in this book and
the problem of evil in general.
Mark this verse.
Job chapter 33, verse 13.
Elihu asked job, “Why do you contend withhim?” Now you see, all this time Job has
been asking why is God doing this to me?
He said several times inJob chapter three: why?
(09:28):
Why?
Why is this happening?
Why is God doing this?
Why am I not dead already?
Why didn't I die at birth?
The Bible says here that Elihu turnsthat question on Job and he says.
I want to ask you why.
Why are you criticizing God?
Why are you arguing with God?
The Bible says in verse 13 that hecontinues: “For He,” that is, “God
(09:51):
does not give an accounting of anyof his words.” That is central.
That is very, very important.
God does not owe you an explanation.
He does not owe you a reason or an answer.
This is a key to the wholeproblem of evil, if not the
key to this entire problem.
God doesn't owe us an explanation.
(10:12):
God does not owe us an answer to ourquestion “Why? Lord.” That is one of
the great points made in this book ofJob and that is how this book ends.
God never gave an answer.
He never gave an explanation about whyJob was going through all these things.
God is basically saying in theBook of Job, I've given you enough.
(10:33):
I've given you more than enough to knowthat I'm the Creator, that I am God, and
there is no reason or circumstance in thislife, regardless of how painful it might
be, that would justify us in denying that.
So again, justice, a practicalmatter here, I would urge you to
mark that in some way in your Bible.
I have those words highlightedin yellow [verse 13] because he
(10:55):
makes a very powerful point there.
But Elihu is saying to Job (10:57):
even though God doesn't owe us an
explanation or an answer, let mesuggest some possibilities to you here.
Let me talk to you about whyperhaps God allows suffering.
Let me talk to you aboutyour response, also, Job.
So in verses 14 through 17 of Jobchapter 33, he says that sometimes
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God allows suffering to keepsomething worse from happening.
And that is a very interesting point.
Have you ever thought about that?
When you ask the question,why is all this happening?
What possible good could come out of this?
It may not be because somethinggood necessarily is on the horizon.
It may be because something badwould've happened if that trial
(11:41):
or if that tragedy had occurred.
Suffering doesn't alwayshappen to punish us.
You see, he's correcting Job's threefriends there because they said that God
was punishing Job for what he had done.
This young man Elihu said that'snot necessarily true in every case.
Suffering is not always punitive.
Sometimes it is preventive.
It is designed to keep us froma further tragedy in life and
(12:04):
sometimes an even worse situation.
That's what he says in verse 17.
He's saying in the verses before thisthat God does cause or allow suffering in
man's life for this reason [verse 17], andthe King James says “that he may withdraw
man from his purpose.” The footnote theresays “his work” and “hide pride from a
man.” The New King James Version says thatGod does this in order to “turn man from
(12:29):
his deed and conceal pride from a man.”
In the first part of the verse,Elihu talks about the deed or
the purpose or the works of man.
Now, that refers to the plans that wehave and the activities that we pursue.
Sometimes we get excited in life andthere's nothing wrong with that plan.
There's nothing wrong with that activity,but sometimes it may not be for the best.
(12:51):
Sometimes it might lead to a badsituation, and Elihu is saying
that sometimes God puts a roadblockin front of us so that we're
not able to pursue those works.
It's a very interesting point here, andit's really worthy of your meditation.
In the last part of the verse,he talks about pride: to keep
man from becoming prideful.
It may not be that a man is pridefuland that God is punishing him for his
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pride, but that tragedy may occur inorder to keep us from becoming prideful.
These are very interesting points here,and in verse 18, he says something
else to Job that we need to considertoday, and that is that sometimes God
might allow this suffering to keepus from danger and even from death.
In verse 18, he says “He,” that is,God “keeps back his soul from the
(13:37):
pit and his life from perishing bythe sword.” How does God do this?
By allowing hardships in our lives.
Sometimes bad things happen to goodpeople to keep us from danger, to keep
us even from death, and that dangermay not be the sword like it is here
in Job chapter 33, verse 18, but thereare dangers that we face in life.
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And sometimes we need to remember that adelay in our lives or a very hard trial
in our lives may be designed to keep usfrom further danger and even from death.
Some kind of stressful emergency maykeep you from a fatal car accident.
A painful illness may keepyou from a worse illness.
And then Elihu goes into this even deeper.
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Beginning in verse 19, he says, “Manis also chastened with pain on his bed
and with strong pain in many of hisbones so that his life abhors bread
and his soul succulent food. His fleshwastes away from sight and his bones
stick out, which once were not seen.”He's basically describing Job here.
(14:41):
But he says in verse 22, yes,“his soul draws near the pit and
his life to the executioners.”
Remember, the pit here is death.
And what happens to this sick man?
The Bible says he draws near to the pit.
He draws near to dying.
Elihu is saying maybe this iswhat God is doing with you.
(15:01):
Maybe this is why God has letyou come so close to dying.
Here in verse 23 he said, “If there is amessenger for him, a mediator, one among
a thousand to show man his uprightness,then he is gracious to him and says,
deliver him from going down to the pit.
I have found a ransom.
His flesh shall be like a young child's.
He shall return to the days of his youth.
(15:23):
He shall pray to God andhe will delight in him.
He shall see his face with joy, forhe restores to man his righteousness.
Then he looks at men and says, Ihave sinned and perverted what was
right, and it did not profit me.
He will redeem his soul from going down tothe pit and his life shall see the light.
Behold, God works all these things twice,in fact, three times with a man to bring
(15:48):
back his soul from the pit that he maybe enlightened with the light of life.
Give ear Job.
Listen to me, hold yourpeace and I will speak.
If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak (15:59):
for I desire to justify you.
If not, listen to me.
Hold your peace and Iwill teach you wisdom.”
In chapter 34, Elihu continues.
He says in Job chapter 34 verse five,“For Job has said, I am righteous,
but God has taken away my justice.Should I lie concerning my right?
(16:20):
My wound is incurable, though I amwithout transgression.” So Elihu
says, Job, here's what you said,and here's where you're wrong.
So in chapter 34, verse seven, he says,“What man is like Job who drinks scorn
like water? Who goes in company with theworkers of iniquity and walks with wicked
men? For he has said it profits a manmothing that he should delight in God.”
(16:45):
In verse 7 says that Jobdrinks scorn like water.
Now to scorn means to scoff.
It means to complain.
And he's saying, Job,that's what you're doing.
That has become second nature to you.
That's like drinking water.
And then he says, you're followingin the footsteps of bad men.
That's what he's saying in verse eight.
You're in the company with the workers ofiniquity; you're walking with wicked men.
(17:07):
And then he quotes Jobagain in verse nine.
He says for he has said it profits a mannothing that he should delight in God.
Now, I'm not saying that he's quotinghim necessarily word for word, but
that's the basic thought that Job had.
That was his complaint.
What good is it to serveGod if you end up like I am?
That is exactly the problem of evilthat you read about in Psalm 73 where
(17:32):
Asaph said that he got to the pointof where he said: what good is it?
Evil people have it good, and I'mtrying to live the right kind of
life and I have all this trouble.
Is it worth it to serve God?
He was beginning to question that.
And so Job is doing the same thing.
He had begun to question this.
He was going down the road thatSatan had said in the very beginning.
(17:53):
Now Job is so distraught, Jobis so discouraged that he's
beginning to talk like this.
But Elihu comes back in verse 10,and he says God does not do wrong.
God does not treat us unfairly Job.
Beginning in verse 10 he says,“Therefore, listen to me.
You men have understanding.
Far be it from God to do wickednessand for the Almighty to commit
(18:14):
iniquity, for he repays man accordingto his work and makes man to find
a reward according to his way.
Surely God will never do wickedly norwill the Almighty pervert justice.
Who gave him charge over the earth, orwho appointed him over the whole world?
If he should set his heart on it,if he should gather to himself
his spirit and his breath, allflesh would perish together and
(18:37):
man would return to the dust.”
he reminds Job again toremember who he's talking about.
He says, “If you haveunderstanding, hear this.
Listen to the sound of my words.
Should one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is most just?
Is it fitting to say to a king, you areworthless, and to nobles, you are wicked?
(18:58):
Yet he is not partial to princes, nor doeshe regard the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands.
In a moment, they shall die.
In the middle of the night, thepeople are shaken and pass away.
The mighty are taken away without ahand, for his eyes are on the ways
of man, and he sees all his steps.”
the King James version says, “For hewill not lay upon man more than right,
(19:22):
that he should enter into judgmentwith God.” The New King James Version
says, “For he need not further considera man” and the American Standard
Version similarly says, “For heneedeth not further to consider a man.”
Beginning in verse 24 and going downthrough verse 30, he shows that God
dispenses justice when and how he decides.
In verse 24, this young man, Elihu says,“He breaks in pieces mighty men without
(19:47):
inquiry and sets others in their place.
Therefore, he knows their works.
He overthrows them in thenight and they are crushed.
He strikes them as wicked men andthe open sight of others, because
they turn their back from him andwould not consider any of his ways.
But if a man turns from his sins, is he ina place to tell God how to deal with him?
Look at verse 31.
(20:08):
“For has anyone said toGod, I have born chastening?
I will offend no more.
Teach me what I do not see.
If I have done iniquity,I will do no more.
Should he repay itaccording to your terms?
Just because you disavow it, youmust choose and not I therefore
speak what you know.” In verse34, he challenges Job again.
(20:29):
He says, “Men of understandingsay to me, wise men who listen to
me, Job speaks without knowledge.
His words are without wisdom.
Oh, that Job were tried tothe utmost because his answers
are like those of wicked men.
For he adds rebellion to his sin,he claps his hands among us and
multiplies his words against God.”
(20:51):
Now, that is a strong rebuke.
What he's saying here is thatJob has gone from bad to worse.
He started out accusing God and thenhe ended up charging God and saying
that God was being cruel to him.
Now that's what we read in chapter 30.
Now, Elihu is not talking about whatJob did before these sufferings came.
(21:11):
He's not taking theside of those three men.
Those three men said that Job wasa sinner, that he was a hypocrite
basically, and God was punishing him.
But Elihu was saying somethingdifferent and very interesting.
He's saying that Job didn'tsuffer because he sinned, but he
is sinning because he suffered.
A lot of Bible interpretershave noticed and made that
point, and that's exactly right.
(21:33):
Job did not suffer because he sinned,but he's sinning because he suffered.
In chapter 35, he rebukes Job again.
The Bible says in verse two that hesays this: “Do you think this is right?
Do you say, my righteousnessis more than God's?
For you say, what advantagewill it be to you?
What profit shall I havemore than if I had sinned?
(21:54):
I will answer you andyour companions with you.
Look to the heavens and see and beholdthe clouds, they are higher than you.
If you sin, what do youaccomplish against him?
Or if your transgressions aremultiplied, what do you do to him?
If you are righteous, what do you give himor what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness affects a man such asyou and your righteousness a son of man.
(22:17):
Because of the multitude ofoppressions, they cry out.
They cry out for help because of thearm of the mighty, but no one says,
where is God my maker, who gives songsin the night, who teaches us more
than the beast of the earth and makesus wiser than the birds of heaven?
There they cry out, but he does notanswer because of the pride of evil men.
Surely God will not listen to emptytalk, nor will the Almighty regard it,
(22:42):
although you say you do not see him.
Yet justice is before himand you must wait for him.
Now because he has not punished in hisanger nor taken much notice of folly,
therefore, Job opens his mouth in vain.
He multiplies words without knowledge.”
So again, he's saying, Job,you've gone from bad to worse.
(23:03):
So in verses five through eight, he says,do you think you're going to affect God?
Do you think that you'regoing to change God?
If you sin, do you think thatyou're going to hurt God?
That's not going to happen.
And if you're good, whatare you doing for him?
Are you helping him?
Are you benefiting him in some way?
That's not going to happen either.
And in verses nine through 13,Elihu talks about the question of
(23:24):
why God does not deliver peoplein trouble oppressed people.
He says, “Cry out,” but theydon't cry out to God and they
don't cry out from a pure heart.
In verses nine and 10, he says,it's sad that people suffer.
They're in pain, but they don'tturn to God with all their heart.
They cry out to God.
They're tormented, they're miserable,and they complain, but they won't
(23:44):
even really think about God.
Or they may pray to God, butthey're not sincere about it.
And he goes deeper into this in verses12 and 13 because he deals with the
question (23:53):
why doesn't God hear them?
It's because there ispride in their heart.
Now again, Elihu is not describingJob's character before all
these hardships struck his life.
What he's saying is, now that you'rehaving all these troubles, beware that
you're not being prideful about this.
And in verse 15, he says,Job, here's what you've done.
(24:15):
God has not punished you to thepoint of taking your life evidently.
That's what he means in verse 15 whenhe says “because he has not punished
in his anger.” That is, God has notgotten angry and just killed you.
And because God hasn't done that,you feel even more emboldened to
criticize him and to talk about thingsthat you really don't understand.
(24:36):
So Job and his three friendsargued about why Job suffered.
Elihu focused on what to do aboutit, the response that we should have.
His view was, if you can't see a reason,then you better leave that with God.
His approach was more practical.
He's saying to Job, you needto humble yourself before God.
You need to turn to God withall your heart and he will
(24:58):
deliver you from your suffering.
Now, Job's three friends hadbasically said the same thing, but
they meant it in a different way.
They meant that job needed to repentof the sins that he had committed
before all these troubles began.
So Elihu, though he disagreed withtheir position and Job's charge against
God, took an element of truth fromboth sides and then he gave his view.
(25:20):
Now that brings us to chapter 36, andElihu is saying, here, let me speak
just a few more words, so just bearwith me and I will show you that there
are yet words to speak on God's behalf.
You see, Elihu is saying to Job,I'm speaking on God's behalf to you.
I'm representing God here.
Now, I don't see in that that he's sayingthat he's inspired or he's a prophet.
(25:43):
He's just saying this is God'sviewpoint here, and this is why
many people believe that Elihu ina sense was a forerunner to God.
He spoke just before God did.
And I'm not saying that everythingthat Elihu said was exactly right,
but there is something interestingand that is that God corrected Job
(26:03):
for what he had said that was wrong.
God corrected his three friends becausethey had said some things that were wrong.
But he does not say oneword of correction to Elihu.
So that's why many people believe thatElihu is kind of laying the foundation
here for what God says in His response.
In verse 16 of Job chapter36, we find another important
(26:24):
principle that Elihu gives here.
Elihu states what he implied earlierin chapter 35 verses 11 and following,
and that is Job, if you had humbledyourself instead of getting mad about all
this, you might've been healed by now.
Things might have been different.
Look at verse 16.
Indeed, he would have brought you out ofdire distress into a broad place where
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there is no restraint, and what is seton your table would be full of riches.
And then in verse 18, he givesJob a very strong warning.
He says, “Because there iswrath”—he's talking about the wrath
of God—beware lest he,” that is,God, “take you away with one blow”.
He's saying, Job, you better be carefulhere about what you're saying because God
(27:08):
may just get angry and take your life.
He may just go ahead and kill you.
So you better be thankful.
You better be careful that you're stillalive because if you continue down this
road, God might just strike you down.
He says if God decides to do that, evena great ransom will not deliver you.
In other words, no amount ofmoney will change God's mind
if He decides to do that.
So he's saying, Job, you better settledown and you better be humble about this.
(27:32):
And in verse 22, he tells him, “Behold,God is exalted by his power: who teaches
like him?” What a question that is.
Who can teach like God?
God doesn't just teach in words.
He teaches by experiences thatHe puts us through in life.
He teaches us by hardship.
He's saying, Job, youneed to consider this.
And then he illustrates that by beginningto talk about the creation in verse 24.
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Now, this is very important.
Because when God answers Job out ofthe whirlwind beginning in chapter
38, the first thing that God talksabout and the last thing that he
really talks about is His creation.
Now all of these men haveappealed to nature, God's
creation, to make their point.
Job's three friends talked aboutGod's creation and they said,
(28:18):
Job, this proves that we're right.
Job refers sometimes to God'screation to justify himself.
Elihu comes along and he saysyou need to look at the creation.
But Elihu is not trying to justifyjob or condemn his three friends.
Elihu is saying there are things about thecreation that we just don't understand.
We just don't know why or how Goddoes these things, and in that way,
(28:42):
he truly was a forerunner of God.
So he talks about the lightningand the snow and the rain.
Why are these things here?
Sometimes he says thatGod shows his power.
God shows who's in charge, andsometimes he sends those things to
such an extent that men can't gooutside and work and do anything.
That's what he saysevidently in verse six.
In verses 10 through 12, he talksabout the strong wind and the
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cold and the frost and the rain.
Why does God send these things?
In verse 13, we have avery insightful statement.
He says “He causes it to come,whether for correction, or for his
land, or for mercy.” God does this.
Sometimes he uses the weather to correctpeople, to chasten people, sometimes to
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benefit the land, sometimes for mercy togive people food, to give water to drink.
He's saying Job, you cannoteven begin to understand all
the parts of God's creation.
You can't begin to answer thequestions about why and when and how
and where God does all these things.
And if you can't even answer thosequestions about the simple creation
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that you see around you, then you'renot in a position to criticize God
about what he allows on this earth.
Now, that is exactly what God is going tosay to Job in Job chapter 38 through 42.
So I would encourage you to readElihu’s case that he makes in chapter
32 through 37, and then immediatelyread what God says in chapter 38 through
(30:09):
42.
Thank you for listeningto My God and My Neighbor.
Stay connected with our podcast on ourwebsite and on Apple, Spotify, YouTube,
or wherever fine podcasts are distributed.
Tennessee Bible College, providingChristian education since 1975
in Cookeville, Tennessee, offersundergraduate and graduate programs.
(30:29):
Study at your level.
Aim higher and get in touch with us today.
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