Moreover Elihu answered and said: “Do you think this is right? Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’? For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You? What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’ I will answer you, and your companions with you. Look to the heavens and see; and behold the clouds— they are higher than you. If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects a man such as you, and your righteousness a son of man. (Job 35:1-8)
We continue from the previous lesson with Elihu, a young man, who had heard Job and his friends talking for several days, giving his opinion to Job; I too will declare my opinion. For I am full of words; the spirit within me compels me. (Job 32: 17-18) My words come from my upright heart; my lips utter pure knowledge. (Job 33:3) He was definitely full of words, and they kept coming and coming.
“Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night, Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’ There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. Surely God will not listen to empty talk, nor will the Almighty regard it. Although you say you do not see Him, yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him. And now, because He has not punished in His anger, nor taken much notice of folly, therefore Job opens his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge.” (Job 35:9-16)
Elihu needed to learn a lesson about how to speak to elders. Even if it was God Who was leading him to explain to Job his error, which we will later find out it wasn't, he should not have been speaking to Job in this manner. Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. (I Timothy 5:1-2) A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1-2) The ignorance of immaturity, Elihu would continue to speak on God’s behalf, so he would claim, because he believed himself to be one who is perfect in knowledge.
We continue from the previous lesson with Elihu, a young man, who had heard Job and his friends talking for several days, giving his opinion to Job; I too will declare my opinion. For I am full of words; the spirit within me compels me. (Job 32: 17-18) My words come from my upright heart; my lips utter pure knowledge. (Job 33:3) He was definitely full of words, and they kept coming and coming.
“Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night, Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’ There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. Surely God will not listen to empty talk, nor will the Almighty regard it. Although you say you do not see Him, yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him. And now, because He has not punished in His anger, nor taken much notice of folly, therefore Job opens his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge.” (Job 35:9-16)
Elihu needed to learn a lesson about how to speak to elders. Even if it was God Who was leading him to explain to Job his error, which we will later find out it wasn't, he should not have been speaking to Job in this manner. Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. (I Timothy 5:1-2) A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. (Proverbs 15:1-2) The ignorance of immaturity, Elihu would continue to speak on God’s behalf, so he would claim, because he believed himself to be one who is perfect in knowledge.
Elihu also proceeded and said: “Bear with me a little, and I will show you that there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf. I will fetch my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you. Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding. He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the oppressed. He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; but they are on the throne with kings, for He has seated them forever, and they are exalted. And if they are bound in fetters, held in the cords of affliction, then He tells them their work and their transgressions— that they have acted defiantly. He also opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they turn from iniquity. If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. But if they do not obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. (Job 36:1-12)
“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry for help when He binds them. They die in youth, and their life ends among the perverted persons. He delivers the poor in their affliction, and opens their ears in oppression. Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, into a broad place where there is no restraint; and what is set on your table would be full of richness. But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice take hold of you. Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow; for a large ransom would not help you avoid it. Will your riches, or all the mighty forces, keep you from distress? Do not desire the night, when people are cut off in their place. Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, for you have chosen this rather than affliction. (Job 36:13-21)
Elihu, like so many people believe that our circumstances are a direct connection to the choices we've made in life, and that's not necessarily so. We won't always receive what we feel we or others deserve in this life, but we will receive what we deserve in eternity, because God will administer judgment and justice, even if things don't appear that way here. Job had every right to cry out to God and ask why He as allowing him to go through so much loss and suffering. That didn't make him wicked and evil, that made him human. We can cry out to God anytime we feel thing aren't right and we have questions. Who better to answer us and give you peace always in every way. (II Thessalonians 3:16)
“Behold, God is exalted by His power; who teaches like Him? Who has assigned Him His way, or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’? Remember to magnify His work, of which men have sung. Everyone has seen it; man looks on it from afar. Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered. For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man. Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, the thunder from His canopy? Look, He scatters His light upon it, and covers the depths of the sea. For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. He covers His hands with lightning, and commands it to strike. His thunder declares it, the cattle also, concerning the rising storm. (Job 36:22-33)
Elihu, like so many people believe that our circumstances are a direct connection to the choices we've made in life, and that's not necessarily so. We won't always receive what we feel we or others deserve in this life, but we will receive what we deserve in eternity, because God will administer judgment and justice, even if things don't appear that way here. Job had every right to cry out to God and ask why He as allowing him to go through so much loss and suffering. That didn't make him wicked and evil, that made him human. We can cry out to God anytime we feel thing aren't right and we have questions. Who better to answer us and give you peace always in every way. (II Thessalonians 3:16)
“Behold, God is exalted by His power; who teaches like Him? Who has assigned Him His way, or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’? Remember to magnify His work, of which men have sung. Everyone has seen it; man looks on it from afar. Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered. For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man. Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, the thunder from His canopy? Look, He scatters His light upon it, and covers the depths of the sea. For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. He covers His hands with lightning, and commands it to strike. His thunder declares it, the cattle also, concerning the rising storm. (Job 36:22-33)
“At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, and He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work. The beasts go into dens, and remain in their lairs. From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds of the north. By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen. Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the whole earth. He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy. (Job 37:1-13)
“Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know when God dispatches them, and causes the light of His cloud to shine? Do you know how the clouds are balanced, those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge? Why are your garments hot, when He quiets the earth by the south wind? With Him, have you spread out the skies, strong as a cast metal mirror? Teach us what we should say to Him, for we can prepare nothing because of the darkness. Should He be told that I wish to speak? If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up. Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them. He comes from the north as golden splendor; with God is awesome majesty. As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress. Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.” (Job 37:14-24)
Elihu finally finished! He resembles the slave girl that followed Paul and Silas around the city of Philippi, a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. (Acts 16:16-18) What she was saying sounded good, But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. (Acts 16:18) God would finally respond, and in a very similar way following, after Elihu finished. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge [Elihu]? Now prepare yourself like a man [Job]; I will question you, and you shall answer Me." (Job 38:1-3) God speaks when we continue...
Elihu finally finished! He resembles the slave girl that followed Paul and Silas around the city of Philippi, a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. (Acts 16:16-18) What she was saying sounded good, But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. (Acts 16:18) God would finally respond, and in a very similar way following, after Elihu finished. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge [Elihu]? Now prepare yourself like a man [Job]; I will question you, and you shall answer Me." (Job 38:1-3) God speaks when we continue...
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