SCRIPTURE: JOB 33
ELIHU’S VIEW ABOUT GOD:
- God is greater than man. (v. 12)
- God does speak but man may not perceive it. (v. 14)
- God may speak in their hearts and terrify them with warnings to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, to preserve his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword. (vs. 16-18)
- God sends an angel on his side as a mediator to tell a man what is right for him. (v. 23)
- God has found a ransom for men to spare him from going down to the pit. (vs. 24)
- God redeemed man’s soul from going down to the pit. (v. 28)
- God turns back man’s soul from the pit so that the light of life may shine on him,. (v. 30)
REACTION OF MEN WHEN THEY ARE UNDERGOING SUFFERING:
- A bed of pain and constant distress (v. 19)
- He finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal. (v. 20)
- His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his bones, once hidden, now stick out. (v. 21)
- His soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the messengers of death. (v. 22)
RESULTS OF MAN BEING RESTORED BY GOD:
- His flesh is renewed like a child’s; it is restored as in the days of his youth. (v. 25)
- He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God’s face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state. (v. 26)
- He comes to men and says, “I sinned, and perverted what was right, but I did not get what I deserved. (v. 27)
- He will live to enjoy the light. (v. 28)
THOUGHTS:
Elihu quoted Job’s own words and explained that God owed him no explanation of what he was doing. God may speak to us through dreams, in trials and through people. He is teaching us a valuable lesson in times of pain.
Job’s greatest test was not the pain but that he did not know why he was suffering. Many times in our lives, we also do not understand why our lives are going a certain way. We must learn to trust in God, who is good and not in the goodness of life.