Job3-3

A. Find Out

1. How do the godless respond to correction? v.13,14

2. How do those who suffer differ? v.15

3. What is God doing? v.16

4. What appears to have happened to Job? v.17

5. How might he be tempted to try to get out of it? v.18

6. How might he think he could change things? v.19

B. Think:

1. How does Elihu distinguish between the godless & sufferers?

2. What category does he imply Job is in?

3. How does he counsel against trying to escape from this?

C. Comment:

Previously Elihu distinguished between the righteous, the wicked and those afflicted (v.5-7). Now again he distinguishes between the ‘godless' who are set in their ways (v.13) and so end up bringing destruction on themselves (v.14), and ‘those who suffer' (v.15) who God seeks to deliver from their suffering. The implication is that suffering is a form of discipline and that through it God is seeking to lead the sufferer from the edge of destruction into a wide open place of life and freedom and blessing (v.16).

You've just got to recognise, he continues, that for the moment it looks like you have been dumped with the judgment that the wicked suffer (v.17) as justice operates and so (implied) you have the choice of being ‘godless' or ‘a sufferer', for if it is the latter, there is hope for you.

Yet, he warns, the temptation is always there for you to try to take a short cut and instead of repenting (implied) you pay out money to get yourself out of this (v.18) in your desire to get back to your former place of riches and comfort. You can't buy your way out of what is happening, because whatever you do and however much you spend you can't change the cause of suffering and you can't alleviate the pain that you are experiencing (v.19). Accept that you are helpless to escape this other than through repentance. Your riches count for nothing here!

D. Application:

1. When God disciplines, there is only one path through!

2. Don't think you can escape by self-effort.

A. Find Out

1. What perverse ways must Job reject in his suffering? v.20,21

2. How does Elihu see God and what does he call Job to do? v.22-24

3. What further does he say about God? v.25,26

4. What does he attribute to the working of God? v.27-30

5. Why does He do that? v.31

6. What more does He do? v.32,32

B. Think:

1. How may verses 18-21 be bad reactions to suffering?

2. How would you summarise Elihu's descriptions of the Lord?

3. What should our response be?

C. Comment:

A note in your Bible says that the meaning for the Hebrew in verses 18-20 is uncertain and so we will seek to interpret it as it stands in the NIV. Yesterday we suggested that verses 18 and 19 were a warning to Job not to try to buy himself out of God's disciplinary suffering by money or self-effort. It won't work. Now he seems to warn him against letting the bitterness (implied) he feels distort his thinking and turn him to violent oppression (v.20) and evil (v.21). His talk about God not caring has led Elihu to conclude that Job seems to be veering towards evil (v.21).

Look, he goes on, God is a mighty teacher and there is none like Him (v.22) and so no one can accuse Him of doing wrong (v.23). You should praise Him for His wonderful works (v.24) that you see, like the rest of mankind who look on (v.25). His greatness is beyond our understanding (v.26).

Then he starts to consider the ways He sees God providing for us through what otherwise we call ‘nature'. It is God who provides rain for us (v.27,28) which is beyond our understanding (v.29), even more so as we see the lightning He provides (v.30). This is how He provides food for us (v.31) and reveals His power through the storm (v.32,33). We may not understand Him but we can praise Him for His power.

D. Application:

1. Never let pain create bad attitudes in you.

2. We don't have to understand the Lord to praise and worship Him!

• A right perspective of God means we cannot challenge Him

Front Page	ReadBibleAlive.com
Old Testament Contents	Book: The Challenges of Job (Job, chapters 32-42) SERIES 3 of 3 in Job : PART 3 of 5 : CHAPTERS 36 & 37 Study No.12 Passage: Job 36:1-12 Title: Elihu – God brings Repentance
Series 3 Contents: Part 1: Chapters 32,33 Part 2: Chapters 34,35 Part 3: 12. 36:1-12 13. 36:13-19 14. 36: 20-32 15. 37:1-13 16. 37:14-24 Recap No.3 Part 4: Chapters 38-41 Part 5: Chapter 42
	A. Find Out 1. List the things Elihu says about what he has to say. v.1-4 2. How does he describe the Lord? v.5 3. What does He do with the wicked and the righteous? v.6,7 4. What does He do with the afflicted? v.8-10 5. What two responses bring what outcomes? v.11,12 B. Think: 1. How does Elihu distinguish between the wicked and the afflicted? 2. How, according to Elihu, does God show fairness? C. Comment: In the previous chapter Elihu had picked up on Job saying that God doesn't take note of the wicked (35:15) because the wicked do appear to ‘get away with it'. Elihu isn't going to let that get by without comment. He has more to say on God's behalf (v.2). Is he being real or is he being ironical when he goes on to claim that what he has to say comes from afar, from God (v.3) and that God is there with them (v.4b) so he is making sure his words are true (v.4a). God may be great, he continues, but that doesn't mean to say He despises and ignores (implied) us (v.5). He does intervene in the affairs of mankind and He does bring the wicked to an end (v.6a). Then he mentions another group who he distinguishes from the wicked (v.6b) – the afflicted. The wicked, as he speaks of them, are those who appear to be set in their wickedness and who have hardened their hearts and so refuse to change and so God doesn't deal with them but just takes them. The ‘afflicted', though, He deals with to bring them to repentance. That is why they are afflicted, he seems to be saying. The obviously righteous He just blesses (v.7) but there are those who, maybe, He can bring to repentance who He deals with by affliction (v.8), convicting them of what they have done (v.9) by way of a means to bring repentance (v.10). Those who do repent He blesses (v.11) but those who refuse will perish (v.12). In all of this Elihu is making the point that God doesn't stand back disinterested but works to restore people through repentance. D. Application: 1. If we stray, the Lord seeks to bring us back. 2. There is no guarantee of our return. It is up to us.

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Old Testament Contents	Book: The Challenges of Job (Job, chapters 32-42) SERIES 3 of 3 in Job : PART 3 of 5 : CHAPTERS 36 & 37 Study No.13 Passage: Job 36:13-19 Title: Elihu – God is wooing you
Series 3 Contents: Part 1: Chapters 32,33 Part 2: Chapters 34,35 Part 3: 12. 36:1-12 13. 36:13-19 14. 36: 20-32 15. 37:1-13 16. 37:14-24 Recap No.3 Part 4: Chapters 38-41 Part 5: Chapter 42
	A. Find Out 1. How do the godless respond to correction? v.13,14 2. How do those who suffer differ? v.15 3. What is God doing? v.16 4. What appears to have happened to Job? v.17 5. How might he be tempted to try to get out of it? v.18 6. How might he think he could change things? v.19 B. Think: 1. How does Elihu distinguish between the godless & sufferers? 2. What category does he imply Job is in? 3. How does he counsel against trying to escape from this? C. Comment: Previously Elihu distinguished between the righteous, the wicked and those afflicted (v.5-7). Now again he distinguishes between the ‘godless' who are set in their ways (v.13) and so end up bringing destruction on themselves (v.14), and ‘those who suffer' (v.15) who God seeks to deliver from their suffering. The implication is that suffering is a form of discipline and that through it God is seeking to lead the sufferer from the edge of destruction into a wide open place of life and freedom and blessing (v.16). You've just got to recognise, he continues, that for the moment it looks like you have been dumped with the judgment that the wicked suffer (v.17) as justice operates and so (implied) you have the choice of being ‘godless' or ‘a sufferer', for if it is the latter, there is hope for you. Yet, he warns, the temptation is always there for you to try to take a short cut and instead of repenting (implied) you pay out money to get yourself out of this (v.18) in your desire to get back to your former place of riches and comfort. You can't buy your way out of what is happening, because whatever you do and however much you spend you can't change the cause of suffering and you can't alleviate the pain that you are experiencing (v.19). Accept that you are helpless to escape this other than through repentance. Your riches count for nothing here! D. Application: 1. When God disciplines, there is only one path through! 2. Don't think you can escape by self-effort.

Front Page	ReadBibleAlive.com
Old Testament Contents	Book: The Challenges of Job (Job, chapters 32-42) SERIES 3 of 3 in Job : PART 3 of 5 : CHAPTERS 36 & 37 Study No.14 Passage: Job 36:20-32 Title: Elihu – God is Mighty
Series 3 Contents: Part 1: Chapters 32,33 Part 2: Chapters 34,35 Part 3: 12. 36:1-12 13. 36:13-19 14. 36: 20-32 15. 37:1-13 16. 37:14-24 Recap No.3 Part 4: Chapters 38-41 Part 5: Chapter 42
	A. Find Out 1. What perverse ways must Job reject in his suffering? v.20,21 2. How does Elihu see God and what does he call Job to do? v.22-24 3. What further does he say about God? v.25,26 4. What does he attribute to the working of God? v.27-30 5. Why does He do that? v.31 6. What more does He do? v.32,32 B. Think: 1. How may verses 18-21 be bad reactions to suffering? 2. How would you summarise Elihu's descriptions of the Lord? 3. What should our response be? C. Comment: A note in your Bible says that the meaning for the Hebrew in verses 18-20 is uncertain and so we will seek to interpret it as it stands in the NIV. Yesterday we suggested that verses 18 and 19 were a warning to Job not to try to buy himself out of God's disciplinary suffering by money or self-effort. It won't work. Now he seems to warn him against letting the bitterness (implied) he feels distort his thinking and turn him to violent oppression (v.20) and evil (v.21). His talk about God not caring has led Elihu to conclude that Job seems to be veering towards evil (v.21). Look, he goes on, God is a mighty teacher and there is none like Him (v.22) and so no one can accuse Him of doing wrong (v.23). You should praise Him for His wonderful works (v.24) that you see, like the rest of mankind who look on (v.25). His greatness is beyond our understanding (v.26). Then he starts to consider the ways He sees God providing for us through what otherwise we call ‘nature'. It is God who provides rain for us (v.27,28) which is beyond our understanding (v.29), even more so as we see the lightning He provides (v.30). This is how He provides food for us (v.31) and reveals His power through the storm (v.32,33). We may not understand Him but we can praise Him for His power. D. Application: 1. Never let pain create bad attitudes in you. 2. We don't have to understand the Lord to praise and worship Him!

Front Page	ReadBibleAlive.com
Old Testament Contents	Book: The Challenges of Job (Job, chapters 32-42) SERIES 3 of 3 in Job : PART 3 of 5 : CHAPTERS 36 & 37 Study No.15 Passage: Job 37:1-13 Title: Elihu - God's marvellous ways
Series 3 Contents: Part 1: Chapters 32,33 Part 2: Chapters 34,35 Part 3: 12. 36:1-12 13. 36:13-19 14. 36: 20-32 15. 37:1-13 16. 37:14-24 Recap No.3 Part 4: Chapters 38-41 Part 5: Chapter 42
	A. Find Out 1. Why does Elihu's heart pound? v.1-4 2. What does he say He does? v.5 3. What example does he give? v.6-8 4. What further does God do and why? v.9-13 5. What does he tell Job to do? v.14 6. What does he ask of Job? v.15-18 B. Think: 1. What aspects of God's activity is Elihu focusing upon? 2. Why? 3. What do you think should be the outcome? C. Comment: Elihu has just been extolling the works of God, and particularly His provision of rain. Now he expounds on God's works in Creation further. He speaks of God's voice roaring (v.2) as it is heard through the might of storms (v.3-5), activities we just don't understand. (We can observe them but not understand them!) He pours out snow or rain (v.6) that brings all our activity to a halt (v.7) so that even the animals dive for cover (v.8). He brings winds (9), ice (v.10) and lightning (v.11) and they do whatever He demands of them (v.12) and whatever the purpose – to discipline or to bless (v.13) Stop and think about this, Elihu demands of Job, consider God's wonderful ways (v.14). Put yourself in the frame: do you know how He does these things (v.15), does your knowledge match His perfect knowledge (v.16)? When you swelter in a drought (v.17), do you have any part in what He is doing (v.18)? The thrust of Elihu's arguing has become very focused. Job, think about what you see happen in nature and realise it is God's activity and then be honest – do you understand any of what He does and how He does it? Does your hand play a part in it all? Of course not! Get a proper perspective in all this. Realise His greatness and realise your smallness – and worship Him (implied). D. Application: 1. Do we worship the Lord for His mighty acts? (See Rom 1:19,20) 2. Do we realise that God does intervene in the work of the world?

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Old Testament Contents	Book: The Challenges of Job (Job, chapters 32-42) SERIES 3 of 3 in Job : PART 3 of 5 : CHAPTERS 36 & 37 Study No.16 Passage: Job 37:14-24 Title: Elihu – we cannot challenge Him
Series 3 Contents: Part 1: Chapters 32,33 Part 2: Chapters 34,35 Part 3: 12. 36:1-12 13. 36:13-19 14. 36: 20-32 15. 37:1-13 16. 37:14-24 Recap No.3 Part 4: Chapters 38-41 Part 5: Chapter 42
	A. Find Out 1. Why does Elihu say we cannot present our case to God? v.19 2. What would we risk? v.20 3. To what does he compare looking at God? v.21,22 4. What does he conclude about God's greatness? v.23a 5. What does he conclude about his character? v.23b 6. Therefore how should be view him? v.24 B. Think: 1. What does Elihu say we cannot do? 2. Why? C. Comment: We draw near to the end of Elihu's speeches. He has been declaring God's greatness, His awesome power seen in the works of nature. Now he starts to draw to a conclusion. He has just reminded us that we really haven't a clue when it comes to understanding how God works, and so he concludes that we really can't challenge God because by comparison we are in total darkness (v.19). God understands and knows everything and by comparison we understand and know nothing! Dare we tiny mortals challenge God (like Job has been doing) and demand to speak to Him? Surely we risk being utterly swallowed up by Him (v.20), is what he concludes about this foolish course. It's like, he says, looking at the sun on a clear day (v.21) when God turns up in all of His splendour (v.22). God is utterly beyond us and His splendour is so great and we've just got to trust in His perfect righteousness and justice (v.23) that he does no wrong and certainly does not oppress. Those who are wise revere Him (v.24). That is the end of all this! So we come to the end of Elihu's speaking and we will see that there is almost a seamless blend with what he has been saying as God continues to speak and chasten Job. He will not give clever answers but will simply remind Job of His greatness. D. Application: 1. Get a right perspective! Revere the Lord. Worship Him! 2. Hold your tongue on a bad day or you'll appear foolish.

A. Find Out

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D. Application:

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D. Application:

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LESSONS?

PRAY :

PART 4: "The Lord Speaks"