The Voice of God in Affliction

Job 32-37

Welcome to HCC this morning. We’re blessed to be continuing our study through the ancient book of Job today as we invite God to frame our understanding of suffering upon His word.

This morning we’re going to spend some time considering the words of Elihu found in chapters 32-37.

Some contend that Elihu’s words are just more of the same. A long-winded continuation of what we’ve already heard from Job’s three other friends; Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. A great deal of words, yet without a great deal of weight to them.

But is that true? Does Elihu really contribute nothing new to the debate? Or is there something different here in his words? A point of discontinuity with what has already been said?

My feeling is this; if the writer had wanted us, the readers, to think that Elihu offers nothing new, then why give him a whole six chapters of speech? We’ve seen how the other three friends have been running out of words, their speeches get shorter and shorter. The writer is wanting to show us something - that bad theology runs out of steam in life! It runs out of answers in the face of suffering. If that is the case then why would he give bad theology another 6 chapters of air time? It doesn’t seem to fit with the flow of the book.

Moreover, each of Job’s other friends are rebuked by God in chapter 42 for their bad advice, but Elihu isn’t. God has no words for Elihu.

Job doesn’t respond to Elihu either. He has answered Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar each time they’ve spoken, and each time Job’s response has been longer and more empassioned, but there is no response from Job to Elihu.

All of this seems to nudge us towards thinking that there’s something different about what Elihu says, and that we’re supposed to pay attention.

So what does Elihu actually say?

Elihu positions himself not just in opposition of what Job has said but also in opposition to Job’s three friends. And his anger burns against them all! Elihu is a young man, and his response is characterised by passion.

Up until this point in the debate we are told that Elihu had remained silent so as to allow those older (and therefore wiser) to have their say.

Job 32:7 ESV

7 I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.’

There are two Biblical principles to observe here - The first is a principle that we see in scripture over and over; that the young are to learn from their elders, that there is wisdom in age and experience, like a desposit of precious stones that the young must mine. Now even though that principle doesn’t run true in this story, that doesn’t negate it’s truth in general. When the younger generations believe the older generations have nothing to teach them, you can be sure that a whole lot of damage is about to get done to society. We in the church must richly value the wisdom and experience of those who have lived more life than us!

The second Biblical principle is a balance to the first - Age in and of itself does not give one wisdom, but it is God who gives understanding.

Job 32:8 ESV

8 But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.

So old age isn’t an absolute guaruntee of wisdom, as we see here in the case of Job’s three friends it’s possible on occasion for those who are older to be in the wrong and for the young to actually have it right, after all it’s God who makes us to understand.

Elihu rebukes Job’s three friends because they had no answer to Job’s situation and yet proclaimed him to be in the wrong. And he then rebukes Job, because he felt he could justify himself before God.

So what make’s Elihu’s words different to the other three’s? Remember that the words of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar can essentially be boiled down to:

“The righteous never suffer, and the wicked never prosper. Job is suffering, therefore he is not righteous.”

We noted the similarities between the modern prosperity gospel and this kind of thinking; basically - “if you’re suffering, it’s your fault.”

Though a lot of what Elihu says is similar to what has already been said, he does have a grid for the suffering of the righteous...

Job 36:7–9 ESV

7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted. 8 And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction, 9 then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

Elihu says that sometimes - the righteous do suffer. Sometimes God allows His own people to be afflicted. But to what end? Is Christian suffering just totally random? Just like a glitch in the matrix, nothing to do with God, just part and parcel of being in this world and nothing more?

Job 36:15 ESV

15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity.

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world. - CS Lewis

Elihu argues that sometimes, God is actually speaking to us in and through affliction! Why?

To open our ears. (36:15, 33:16)

To insruct us. (36:10)

To warn us. [Away from destructive paths.] (33:17)

To suppress pride within us. (33:17)

To rescue and deliver us by our affliction. (36:15)

Job 33:29–30 NIV

29 “God does all these things to a person— twice, even three times— 30 to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.

What this is saying is that God, from time to time and for His own reasons uses affliction as a tool in your life, sometimes more than once in order to get his message across. What is His Aim? His aim is to rescue us, to deliver us … (Job 36:16

Job 36:16 NIV

16 “He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.

To woo us out of the jaws of distress and into a spacious place.

“God will not protect you from anything that will make you more like Jesus.” - Elisabeth Elliot

The question is - are we prepared to listen if God wants to speak through suffering? Are we prepared to hear God’s voice in affliction?

Elihu rebuked Job because he believed that Job wasn’t listening. He was in danger of becoming angry and embittered against God. He wanted to put God in the dock! Effectively Job was saying - “God, It’s not right for you to allow this suffering in my life!”

In his pain, Job was in danger of rising up and making judgements about what God should and shouldn’t be doing, instead of meekly surrendering his understanding to Him.

Elihu reminds Job of this - that God is so much greater than man. His knowledge, His reasoning, His ways are so far above ours that we must in our suffering find a way to submit and surrender our need to know why, and instead trust in His goodness and mercy and His great love for us.