Page 132 - Job
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again. He waits at the end of the next speech and Job does not answer, so
chapter 35, verse 1, “Then Elihu continued.” Here is a simple outline for
you. In chapter 32 he simply introduces himself. He tells you why he got
into the debate. Then in chapter 33 he answers Job’s argument and Job
asks, “Why won’t God answer?” Well, Elihu tells him why. Then in
chapter 34 Job says, “God is unjust,” and Elihu answers that. In chapter
35 Job said, “Nothing is gained by being righteous.” I might as well be
wicked. God punishes the righteous and He punishes the wicked. And
then with tongue in cheek Job says, “I have an idea, it’s because He has
more fun punishing the righteous”. Real sarcasm! So Elihu answers that.
Then he gives his own view of God in chapters 36 and 37 which is the end
of Elihu’s speech. He then draws two important conclusions. Job, since
God is who God is, you ought to: 1: (chapter 36) Pray, and 2: (chapter
37) Worship.
He no sooner finishes his statement and Job gets the shock of his life
because God comes on the scene, and God speaks from heaven. That
shook him to his boots. We will pick that up in the next chapter, where
God gives seventy-nine questions in a row. Questions that neither Job, nor
the present day scientists have ever been able to answer.
Let’s look at each of these briefly. I have already done chapter 32. In
chapter 33, Elihu is responding to Job’s argument that God will not speak
to him. God will not answer. Job 33, verse 8,
“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound
of your words; (now he is quoting) ‘I am pure,
without transgression; I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.
Behold, He invents pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy.
He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches all my paths.’
Then Elihu says:
“Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this, for God is greater
than man.” Why do you complain against
Him that He does not give an account of all His doings?”
Job, you have been complaining that God will not answer you, that God
will not give an account of all of His doings. Let me tell you
something, Job. Verse 14,
“Indeed God speaks once, or twice, yet no one notices it.”
What is Elihu saying? He is saying, Really, Job? God will not speak? Or
you will not listen? Which is it? God has spoken once or twice, and then
he begins to name some of the ways God speaks. Verse 15
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