Job Chapter 36
Please read: Job 36 –
The final speech of Elihu contained in this chapter and the next, is his most majestic speech yet. He spoke about the greatness of God and His great righteousness with an aim to defend the justice of God. Which of course was Elihu’s big mistake, God doesn’t need anyone to defend Him. God is God. If you recall, Job had already shown his understanding of God when he asked his wife, "Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" Job merely yearned to ask God why.
Elihu claimed that his knowledge came from God. It may be true that he had gained knowledge from a relationship with God, but he extrapolated his knowledge to fit the narrative of his own conjecture. We can want for God to behave in a certain way and find verses in the Bible to back up our thinking. But we must be careful when we take verses out of context to fit our own thinking because we can be guilty of distorting the Word of God.
Let's Reflect
1. The beginning of the chapter gives us an indication that Job and his 3 friends may have grown tired of listening to Elihu. What indicates they had heard enough?
2. Right away he picks up the same theme he discussed earlier. What is this theme? See verse 6.
3. According to verse 9 God will bring affliction upon a king who is acting in what way?
4. God presents that king with a choice to listen to Him or not. What does Elihu say that God will do for the king who listens and obeys God?
5. Elihu does say a number of things that are correct. One truth is found in verse 15. Sometimes God does send adversity to get a person’s attention. This is called the chastening of the LORD. How does Elihu describe the work of God when He is working to get the attention of the sinner?
6. Elihu admonishes Job not to delay confessing his sin because the judgement of God upon his life could lead to anger and resentment. He thinks that Job is crying out to God for help while ignoring the sin in his life and he warns Job that God will not relieve him of his discomforts without confession. He also warns Job not to seek what (another means of relief from discomfort)? See verse 20.
7. According to verse 23 what does Elihu think that Job has been doing in his crying out to God?
8. In verses 24-33 Elihu continues to scold Job as if to say that Job crying out to God is evidence that he doesn’t understand the greatness of God. So, Elihu takes it upon himself to explain it to him. What elements of nature did Elihu eloquently talk about to explain God’s greatness?
