Job 34-36
As I read
over this, it seems there are a couple of things to remember. First, in the
final event, it is the Spirit who is writing this, so the message He is
conveying is important for us. Second, Elihu, through the Spirit, puts his
finger on some important points; but he is removed from Job's pain. In each
chapter, we almost need to re-read chapter 1 to see what Job is grieving.
Reading what Elihu says in correction to Job, you realize he didn't feel Job's
agony. If this had happened to me, it would have been a miracle if I could have
put two meaningful thoughts together. Job is speaking out of grief and
incredible physical pain. Fourth, there is a reason this happened to Job, not
only for his good, but for ours. Job was one of a kind, the most spiritual,
righteous, God-loving man on earth. God knew He could hit him hard and take him
to task even in his extreme suffering, because of who God had made him. Our job
is to observe and learn what happened behind the scenes. Then we need to see where
Job and his friends thought wrongly of God and learn to trust Him totally.
This reminds me of a question I’ve asked in teaching
Acts, regarding why God didn't stop Paul before he was guilty of persecuting
and killing so many believers. Why didn't God stop Paul? It was for His own
purpose. God worked for the good of His plan of redemption. According to His
wisdom, love, and purpose in the lives of Paul and all those battered believers
He brought personal good (heaven is good) and ultimate good. And, Paul got the
message - But I received mercy for this
reason, that in me, as the foremost (of sinners), Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to
those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Tim. 1:16) And like Job, Paul simply bowed to the
sovereign might and wisdom of God. Here's the next verse of that quote. To the King of the ages, immortal,
invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Tim.
1:17)
Job 34
Vs.
1-6 This looks like Elihu's introduction to his next point. Notice how he asks
permission to speak, and then how he restates a part of what Job said.
Vs.
7-9 Unfortunately Job was pushed to express some stuff that made him sound like
the ungodly. In v. 9 Elihu summarizes what Job said in 21:8-26. This was kind
of silly of Job to say. We'd say it was excusable because of his pain, but
because of his pain, his narrow view of God's actions and the pressure of his
friends, Job showed what was in his heart. A statement like this is always
wrong.
Vs.
10-11 Elihu justifies God. We may not understand God, but we know Him and
should always justify Him. Notice too that Elihu doesn't try to prove Job is
wrong. Instead, he proves God is right.
Vs.
12-33 Verse 12 is the cardinal statement here. All of their thinking had to
give truth to this statement. God, the Creator, can never do wrong. Much of
what follows here sounds like what Job's friends said, but it is meant
differently coming from Elihu. He doesn't think this happened to Job because
Job sinned. He is simply saying that if you don't understand what God is doing,
don't charge Him with injustice. He can't do wrong. It seems to imply that we
understand justice because of God's image. Surely the Maker and Sustainer of
all, who gives us this sense of justice, can never be unjust.
Vs.
34-37 This is the charge against Job. Job had been prodded to accuse God of
wrong. His friends insisted that Job's suffering was because of sin; and Job,
therefore, assumed that punishment was the general meaning of things, only that
Job wasn't guilty enough to deserve what happened to him. Note that this is not
the same as cursing God. Satan never won his bet with God. Job never stopped
loving God or trusting what he knew to be true of God. And remember, Job was
always in terrible grief and pain.
Job 35
Chapters
35-37 roll together as one argument with two parts and they will be Elihu's
final words.
Vs.
2-3 It seems there are two things that Elihu thinks are wrong. First, Job
demanded the right to have an answer. Second, Job took the statement in 34:9
further, by saying it was of no advantage to be righteous instead of
rebellious.
V. 4 Here,
here!
Vs.
5-8 This is an interesting statement, and even more interesting if you
understand that it comes from God. We are not doing God a favor by being
righteous, like cheering up the old boy. "Oh look, Dan obeyed. Now I feel
better. Now I'm happy." God is complete in Himself.
Vs.
9-15 It seems Elihu is saying that it is only pain that makes us want an answer
from God. We never ask for an answer when things are going well. Duh! This
means that God's "silence" is really our perception, and evidence
that we are focused on us and really don't know God and His working. Why don't
we demand that God should tell us why things are going good? We don't mind His
"silence" then, do we?
V. 16
The verdict: Job doesn't know God as well as he thought he did.
Job 36
In what
follows, Elihu seems to finish showing that it is always better to be
righteous, and then he moves to answer the question about our right to demand
an answer.
Vs. 1-4
Unlike Job's friends who aimed at correcting Job, Elihu is focused on speaking on God's behalf.
Vs. 5-16
It seems Elihu is describing God's wisdom in dealing with people.
Vs. 17-23 The first two verses sound like Matthew 7:1-2, Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with the judgment you
pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured
to you. The key verses here seem to be 22-23, where
God is described as a teacher.
Vs. 24-33
Some people feel that as Elihu was speaking, a storm began forming on the
horizon. Elihu seems to be saying to Job and the others that we should always
extol God's works and trust His heart, power and wisdom. This is why Job has no
right to demand an answer, because of God's wisdom and power. We behold His
works from afar and really don’t know Him well. Even with the Spirit, Paul
confessed that we see as if looking into a clouded mirror. That face to face
hasn’t happened yet, so we always need to hold to the Word and what we know is
true of God. He cannot do wrong.
This
chapter flows into the next and then into God's description of His might and
wisdom. We don't demand that God explain gravity to us, but we're sure thankful
it works. We simply trust. And still, deep in Job, there was this sense of
trust and understanding, that directing all of God's power and wisdom, there is
a heart of love. This is why God will finally say that Job spoke what was true
of God, unlike Job's friends who spoke what was wrong.
As
disciples, abiding every day in Christ, following Him in the harvest, carrying
our cross, we should expect God to bring the unexpected to us. We are living
for Him and His work as His servants. Our problem is that we expect Him to work
according to our likes and wishes. The great events of redemptive history all
looked like disasters, and suddenly God used them to show His majesty and
grace. To read about the greatest of these disasters, read the gospels or the
short version in Isaiah 53. That's our Lord, and the servant isn't greater than
his master, nor is he who is sent greater than He who sent him.
2 Corinthians 4:1-12
Paul is
still describing the effects of how God brought him and his co-workers through
the emotional turmoil they were in. As we see it here, God brought Paul through
these troubles in this particular way to give him this heart and these words
for the Corinthians.
Vs. 1-2
Bearing fruit in spite of their weakness, they see they have been given this
ministry by God's mercy. Paul is justifying God. Again, you understand that
Paul is also addressing criticism against him in Corinth. Paul didn't choose
the ministry. God chose him for the ministry by His mercy.
Vs. 3-6
But what about Paul not being a good speaker? Just like us, Paul's clearest
witness for Christ was Jesus' light shining in his heart. So, it's not about us
and our abilities, it is all about Him being able to simply shine through us.
You don't have to be a well-educated super-apostle for that to be possible. If
the gospel is veiled, it is not because of our inferiority. It is because of
the enemy. Remember, there is an enemy.
Vs. 7-12
And, in submission to Christ, what comes out of the cracked pot? It is what God
brings out through taking us through experiences that make us realize the
greatness of His love and power and wisdom. Suffering in us produces life in
others as we share what He is doing. God gives the glory to the message, not
the cracked vase. But the cracked vase does get to see the glory of God.
You
understand then, that God is doing exactly what Paul is describing. God took
Paul through great distress to prepare him to write these words to correct and
bring life to this troubled church. Isn't it interesting that this is very much
like what we're seeing in Job? And why not? It's the Lord, and the same author
of both of these servants.
As disciples, we need to see this pruning by
the Father as normal in the harvest. When we see how God led Job and Paul and
so many others, should we expect something easier for ourselves? If we really
desire God to use us to bear fruit following Christ on earth, we need to let
Him shape us through suffering. It is easy to be fruitless, but fruitlessness
and comfort is our choice, not what God has called us to. Knowing Christ and His
blessing in the harvest will look more like what we're reading, than what most
Christians in suburban America are living. For
it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only
believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30engaged
in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
(Philippians 1:29)
Psalm 44:1-8
Vs. 1-3
You did it then….
Vs. 4-8
And you do it now….
It is in
God we trust. He is enough.
Proverbs 22:10-12
V. 10 This
reads like Romans 16:17-20.
V. 11
Maybe we are too tolerant of the cranky. If we really love purity of heart and gracious speech, we also need to rebuke the
scoffer.
V. 12 The
Lord sees it all. Nothing is hidden or will remain hidden. We should be praying
for the Lord to do this and fulfill His promise, especially where it is
hindering the harvest and the making of disciples.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year
Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't
work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/
and click on “Every
Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are
following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple,
following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship
culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging
each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make
disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here
or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some
explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My
comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on
Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups
will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with
and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the
harvest.
If you would like a complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is
still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's
keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you
what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in
fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is
encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the
comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding,
that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but
only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these
to use on your computer or to print.
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