October 23, 2023
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Reading along with us in Job? Here’s today’s reading:
Job 35 (NIV)
1 Then Elihu said:
2“Do you think this is just?
You say, ‘I am in the right, not God.’
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,
and what do I gain by not sinning?’…..Continue Reading
Elihu is again speaking to Job. He is saying some false things about Job and his character. He is accusing Job of thinking that his righteousness is more than God`s. Job never said that for he knows that God is holy and perfect. That he was made by God out of clay like everyone else. Elihu also thinks that Job needs to repent from his wickedness. Also that Job`s many words are vain and without knowledge. Actually Job has shown more wisdom than any of his friends. Job does complain to God and he latter repents after God spoke to him in latter chapters. He is just puzzled and is suffering and is asking God why. This doesn`t make him a wicked man. Sometimes it is necessary to walk in other`s shoes. Like the old saying says. In other words to think about how we would do if we had that life and circumstances. I am afraid that none of us would fair as well as Job. As God spoke about Job that he was the most righteous man on earth. May the Lord guide our speech and steps.
Job 35
Reading on. Because I can’t wait any longer to get to chapter 38. Does seem like elihu acknowledging to know God completely is impossible. The Bible definitely tells us who God is. How we can get to know him? But doesn’t gives us all answers to life’s questions. Does seem like life creates more questions than we have answers. I would guess by design so that we continue to seek God’s counsel
Job 35: What Dennis said! Elihu would be best to shut his mouth and remain a fool than to open it and remove all doubt! -gy (oh me!)
Job 35
His ways are not our ways.
Praise God!
God certainly cares about the choices we make, but Elihu is right that He is not personally affected by them. And yet He is beyond gracious to reveal what He does to us and provide what He does. We are beyond comforted that He is always available to us as we cry to Him and we have assured access to Him through the sacrifice of His Son. He once again, like the others, presumes that Job has done something wrong and although Job has not been right in everything he has said about himself or God, we can recognize the challenges that Job has faced that would cause him to ask where are You God and what are you doing. He still maintains a measure of faith and will hear from God in a bit about the lessons that God seeks to give all of them.
Some more bold statements from Elihu about his views of Job self-righteousness. It made me wonder if Elihu or any of the other friends were in Job’s situation how would they fare? How would we fare? We are so blessed to have access to God and sometimes that is me praising Him, sometimes that is me thanking Him, but sometimes that is me frustrated with Him and even angry with Him. During these times in my weakness some may see me as being self-righteous too. I am so glad God’s thoughts are higher than mine and His ways deeper than mine but most of all for these times when I am less than grateful His grace and mercy covers me until I come back to my senses!
More Elihu
And Elihu continues on. Does God not listen to the plea of the suffering, does he not pay attention to it? He does, but his answer comes in his own time, in his own way, based on what is best for the person.