Day 13 – Job 35-37

Talking Points

• Elihu sees Job’s defense as a claim to be more righteous than God. When Job says he has done no wrong, Elihu sees it as implying God has.
• Elihu seems to understand the greatness of God. He sees His power and knows He is not like man. Yet, this issue of suffering he cannot reconcile.
• In these discourses, we see the temptation of man to make definitive statements based on incomplete information. Job’s friends speak as if they have the answer.

Thoughts

Following Job’s three friends, Elihu adds his long, winding discourse on the subject, only to end up in much the same place. Today, as we consider the deep questions of human suffering, we often end up in the same circular pattern.

• Is God good?
• If He is good, why doesn’t He stop suffering?
• If He doesn’t stop suffering, is He ultimately responsible for it?

While great truths about God are revealed as we wrestle with these questions, the bottom line is — the answer lies with God. This is not a copout, as some might think. Rather, it is acknowledging that what we do know of God is more than adequate to shape what we do not. God is just, trustworthy, powerful, and kind. These characteristics do not conflict with each other, but are perfectly reconciled in Him. Deep stuff.