Als Alles Tegen Zit - 4/6

Angry words of Truth Sermon series on the book of Job. 4/6 Job 32-37 Job’s faith has remained strong in the face of terrible havoc. His theology has remained steady despite the onslaught of his friends. He has disarmed them in the midst of terrible suffering, but his view of God has taken a plunge. These rounds of debate have left him feeling distant from God. He mourns his lost reputation, declares his righteousness before God and the unfair nature of his circumstances, and finally he calls God to account. Have you ever won the argument, but lost perspective and created distance in the relationship? This is where Job has ended up… and this - honestly - is where many faithful, Church-attending, tithe-contributing, evangelising Christians live their lives. Theology at the expense of relationship. A God I prefer to keep at a distance… I keep Him happy with my good deeds and appeasements, but I’m afraid of what He might do to my life if He comes too close. Elihu shatters this construct. Did you notice that Elihu seemingly comes out of nowhere? And he comes swinging. He’s angry. For all the right reasons, but his tone is hard to accept or condone… and you have to work to get to the heart of what he’s saying. But in the end… Elihu is right. Four observations about Elihu’s monologue: >> The author presents the words of Elihu als a balance between Job and his three friends. 32:2-3 In other words… this isn’t more of the same - even though he might say something here or there that agrees with something one of the others has said. >> There is no rebuttal from Job. The easiest explanation of Job’s silence is that he agrees with what Elihu says and is rebuked. >> God does not condemn Elihu for what he said and in fact begins His monologue where Elihu ends. 38-42 >> Elihu contributes something to the discussion on Job’s suffering that has not yet been mentioned. 36:5-12, 15 Three Rebukes (32-34) Elihu comes out swinging and rebukes the three friends first for not answering Job’s question. The simply dealt in simplicities… “Job, such suffering must have been caused by your personal sin. So confess already.” They never listened to the content of Job’s sputterings in order to consider anything else. They were stubborn and unhelpful and caused more harm than good. Elihu rebukes Job as well… on two fronts and he uses his own words to condemn him. 33:8-13Job said that he is righteous and has not sinned. And then you called God your enemy. Elihu rebukes Job for overstating his righteousness, exaggerating God’s role in this, and furthermore for calling God to account. “When does God ever give an account for His actions?” (33:13) Elihu then explains that God communicates in many ways. Number one: He speaks (14-15) secondly: through suffering (16-19). Now let us be careful in placing too much emphasis on dreams. Job was written before the giving of the law and so there was no written Word of the Lord. He spoke through men and in dreams. The plain written Word of God has replaced these temporary and often unclear revelations of His will. For a longer study of his, I direct you to Paul’s explanations in 1 Corinthians 11-13. Elihu’s conclusion is that suffering communicates God’s will… to open our ears. To save us (verse 18) and not to condemn us. He will say more on this. 34:5-12Job said that God withheld justice and has made Job appear to be a liar. Elihu rebukes Job by taking these words to their logical conclusion: “What’s the point in trying to please God?” (verse 9). He strongly disarms this conclusion and restates a point Bildad made: God doesn’t bend justice. He is not unjust. (verse 11-12) Elihu calls for Job to repent of these conclusions (35:2-3)… and we don’t see Job countering Elihu’s rebukes. A theologie of Suffering (36:5-12, 15) So what about righteous suffering then? Elihu offers a coherent theology of suffering that includes God’s righteous condemnation of the ungodly, His protection of the righteous, and His permission of suffering in the lives of the righteous. “And when...” in verse 8 is important. And when the righteous are bound in chains, when they suffer, it is to reveal their actions and pride. He opens their ear to rebuke and repentance. Verse 15: It is through the suffering that God saves the sufferer. God has a purpose with the suffering of His saints. >>The suffering of the righteous is a sign of God’s love to refine His faithful servant.> God and Satan employ suffering as a means to an end: Satan wants to wrench our faith away from God (bid God farewell) and God wants to enlarge our faith in Him. >>God works as a wise surgeon, who despite the pain, will cut away every spore of idolatry in our heart. There is unfair suffering that we must endure for the hidden lesson. God works to enlarge our faith in Him… and He shakes the bottle or our lives to reveal the dirt that has settled at the bottom. He knows it’s there - even when we don’t - and He knows what it will take to clean it up. Do you trust Him when begins this work in your heart?