Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

The book of Job is written in the third person. Until now, every speaker was introduced by their name (like ‘Then Job said…’). Here we see Elihu say ‘I’. This seems to firmly show that Elihu was the narrator and writer of the book. Although not mentioned previously, his direct quoting of what people said throughout the day show that he was there right from the beginning.

Chapter 32 starts by saying that the three good friends stopped speaking because Job was righteous in his own eyes. These four guys have exhausted all their arguments. They have nothing left. And the four of them took such twisted stances that Elihu was mad on behalf of God (righteous anger). The Holy Spirit was stirring within him and had built to such a point he had to speak out from that inspiring Spirit or burst.

In these chapters – all of them a speech by Elihu – he points out their positions to them. Job maintained that he hadn’t done anything specific to warrant had had happened to him or his family. But Job justified himself, although he knew better, and impugned the character of God. Job’s three friends were correct that God punishes wickedness. But they had religious thinking. They were stuck in the belief that God prospers the godly and punishes the ungodly only, therefore they condemned Job which was wrong. Their attitude pushed Job and he chose wrongly to move from defending his innocence of hidden sin to condemning God as being unjust.

Elihu had stayed silent because he was younger. He respected the opinions of these four older men. He was waiting for one of them to speak with wisdom. But none of them had. Since they were not seeing the truth of the situation, and he had it burning inside him, he needed to speak. He waited until they ran down, and then stepped forward. He told them he wasn’t speaking to win their favour. He was not here to flatter anyone. Several times he invites Job to respond to him to give his opinion as to what Elihu is saying (Job doesn’t get the chance). He was open to discussion. Elihu is a humble man and honoured these four friends. Elihu says a lot of things in these chapters, some of them echoed by God when HE responds. Elihu is also the only one in no way chastised for what he said or thought. Clearly, he was speaking truthfully when he said God inspired him. Elihu was totally aligned with God. These are some of the most trustworthy chapters in the book of Job.

Starting in chapter 33, Elihu turns his attention directly to Job. He states again that he is inspired directly by God to speak. He points out that Job had maintained none of these tragedies had originated because of any specific iniquity that Job committed. And that he was correct. But although Job was right that he didn’t SPECIFICALLY deserve what had happened, he was completely false in his belief that ANYONE could earn God’s blessings. Everyone is born under Sin and in a fallen world under the dominion of the devil. Everyone had sinned (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:10). Everyone deserves death (Romans 6:23). Just because Job was living a godly life doesn’t mean he didn’t deserve everything that happened. Our goodness cannot overcome our sinfulness. God’s treatment of Job was NOT unjust because Job was squarely in the devil’s authority and dominion. Until Jesus came and saved us, we were in the devil’s power. God made a covenant with the Israelites to demonstrate this principle clearly: we NEED a Saviour or we are doomed to be under the devil’s influence. But Job lived BEFORE Jesus and BEFORE the Law and had NO covenant with God. God would have been unjust to not let the devil exert his rights. [I am very grateful to the Lord that we have been totally set free from that and the devil has NO rights when it comes to us who are in Jesus – Romans 8:1]

Elihu’s two great statements to Job are (1) God is greater than man and owes him NO explanation for ANYTHING that happens to him (Job 33:12-13 ) and (2) God is not in charge of what happens on Earth (Job 34:13). God gave dominion of Earth to humanity (Genesis 1:26). Humanity gave it to the devil (Genesis 3). God could have stepped in and destroyed the devil right then, but He would have had to destroy Adam and Eve too. They were just as guilty. Instead, God set in action the plan of salvation (Revelation 13:8). This was the time Job lived in. The devil was in charge of the world (2 Corinthians 4:4). When the devil pressed his legal claim on an unredeemed human, God had to let him exercise his rights – but God also overweeningly protected Job’s life. The devil had rights, but they only went so far.

God’s character doesn’t change. It isn’t wishy-washy. He isn’t obligated to explain Himself to us. We are unable in our own wisdom and intelligence to understand everything that happens on Earth or why. But that doesn’t mean God is unjust. It means we don’t have the perspective or the innate ability to understand. What we CAN do is rest in our trust in God and our belief in His character. We can realise that all suffering is momentary (2 Corinthians 4:17). We can choose to cast everything onto God and let HIM handle it/worry about it (1 Peter 5:7). We can choose to rest in the supernatural peace of God as we look to Him as our Source for everything and rely on Jesus for our strength to endure and overcoming victory no matter what comes our way. God is eager to pardon us (John 3:16-18). God is eager to save humanity (2 Peter 3:9). He is not a tyrant, He is not unjust, and He is not looking to smite us.

Elihu calls for Job to humble himself before God. We need to defend the majesty and integrity of God like Elihu does. Elihu points out that Job’s approach to this situation should have been worship. It should have been asking God to show him IF he had done any wrong, and if there was nothing to rely on God’s superior goodness and wisdom. Job should have trusted that God would never do anything unjust. Elihu was angry about the way Job had condemned God and pointed out that Job had sided with the ungodly by saying that there was no advantage to serving God. Job had spoken without knowledge and without wisdom and the three good friends were just as bad. God is greater than humanity. In ourselves we cannot totally understand Him (we need Holy Spirit to start truly understanding God – 1 Corinthians 2:10). God is totally just. True trust in God means trusting when we don’t understand, trusting when we don’t have an explanation, and relying on God in EVERY situation – no matter what. If we believe in God’s goodness (His character), then we need to trust that He is what He is and that He is capable of guiding, correcting, leading, and preserving us in everything always. It means RESTING in Jesus – who IS our Sabbath Rest (Hebrews 4:9-11).

THIS is the lesson of the book of Job. Suffering is momentary. God has a GOOD and JUST character and CAN be trusted. We should believe His Word and trust Him in all situations. We are NOT owed an explanation and it is NOT relevant to our trust and reliance on and in Him.

Summary

Key Players: God, Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, Elihu.

Key Verse(s): Job 32:1-3; 33:8-14; 34:9-15; 35:2-8; 36:5-12; 37:1-5