The Book of Job
Job’s suffering was terrible and under great pressure, his faith in God fails him and he complains against God that he ‘is innocent and God is at fault’ for allowing suffering into his life
Job’s 3 friends now give up arguing with Job (Job 4 – 31) because he refused to accept their opinion about the reason for his suffering
Job 32: 1
Now, another friend, a 4th friend, arrives on the scene and begins to offer his opinion to Job (Job 32-37)
His name is Elihu and he has the same opinion as Job’s 3 friends
Job 32: 2
Was Elihu right?
No – (Job 1: 1, Job 1: 8, Job 2: 3)
Elihu is younger than Job’s 3 friends (Job 32: 4) and even though he was wrong about the reason for Job’s suffering he does make some good points about understanding God’s ways:
‘Just because someone is older, does not mean they are always right in what they say about the ways of God’
Job 32: 9a
So, where does wisdom come from – how do we know God’s ways?
Job 32: 8 ‘It is the spirit of Almighty God that comes to us and gives us wisdom’
If we want to avoid being like Job’s 3 older friends, offering our own opinions about God’s ways, we must listen to God and then speak what God says
Listening to God is a challenge for us who live in the Age of Technology
Job 33: 14
Modern communication has become a priority in our Life
How can we hear from God when we are ‘tuned in’ 24/7 to the Inter Web, Netflix, Movies, Face Book, Radio, ITunes, Wechat, and WhatsApp?
“OK Pastor smarty pants – How can I hear from God”?
We hear from God in quietness!
When we are quietly asleep, God speaks to us
Job 33: 15
When we are quietly listening, God speaks to us
Job 33: 16a
When we are subdued and quieted by pain, God speaks to us
Job 33: 19
When we are quietly meditating in God’s Word, God speaks to us
(Job’s friends had no access to God’s Word as we do)
Matthew 4: 4 (Jesus said) ‘It is not just bread that keeps people alive. Their lives depend on what God says.’
By God’s Word we know that Job’s friends were wrong in accusing Job of sinning and bringing this suffering into his and his family’s lives
Job 1: 1, Job 1: 8
And by God’s Word we know that Job was wrong in his complaint that God was at fault in allowing this suffering into his Life Job 2: 3
Here’s a few other things we learn from Elihu:
1/ when suffering comes into our lives we must not complain against God about it
Job 35: 16 ‘you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool.’
2/ when suffering comes into our lives we must maintain our faith, turn to God in prayer, and expect Him to bring our suffering to an end
Job 33: 26 ‘That person will pray to God, and God will listen to him. He will see God’s face and will shout with happiness. And God will set things right for him again’
3/ when suffering comes into our lives we must submit to God’s sovereignty
Job 34: 10-15 ‘The Almighty can do no wrong…Who set the whole world in place…If God were to take back His Spirit and withdraw His breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust’.
revdotdavid 