We have been talking about the arguments between Believers of God Job and his three friends in the book of Job. We noted that the debates were so heated that it could probably had gone on and on and on and on and on… But as we will note next week, God stopped the debates in Job 38.
We will look at Job 36-37 today; the last words of Elihu, one of Job’s friends; take a close listen to what he states, because it all sounds sooooo good, BUT, there is something wrong with this picture. Let us note again that the entire Bible is God-breathed; BUT, just because it is God-breathed by God, it does not mean we can take a passage or a verse and claim it as truth. Remember rule #1 in studying God’s Word – understand God’s Word in context! The Bible is God breathed words but must always be understood in context!
Look at Job 37:1… Although it is God-breathed, who is stating these words in Job 36-37? Elihu, a mere human being, was directly speaking, NOT GOD HIMSELF!
Now, take a quick look at Job 38:1-2…. God convicts Job and his friends and proclaims the truths! God was saying, “I allowed you to speak long enough, let me tell you what is really true!!”
We’ll look at God’s direct truths next time but for now, read along with me then Job 36-37 and listen carefully to what Elihu is saying; what’s wrong with what is being said? Job 36-37….
Let me read again Job 36:1-4, with emphasis on Elihu……
Before he talked about God, Elihu stated that he knew God completely! Elihu was telling Job, “you don’t know God like I do!!” Ever hear someone tell you that or even worse, you state that to someone else? What type of a person, like Elihu, states “You don’t know God like I do!” Elihu egotistically elevated himself like God! This is a sin which all of us must be careful of. WE must always keep in mind that God is our CREATOR; we humans are the created!
Job 36:5-15, Elihu describes God…. Anything wrong with what he said? Without really knowing what was going on in the spiritual realm, Elihu tells Job that God was punishing him! We know from Job1-2 that Elihu here was basically using God to state a lie just to accuse Job of sin!
Job 36:16-21 - look again at how Elihu ends this passage in Job 36:21…. Elihu was so judgmental on Job!
In Job 36:22-33, there were good things said about God, BUT, Elihu continues in Chapter 37 at accusing Job. Look again at Job 37:14….
And so again, Elihu used the truths about God against Job and was basically telling Job, confess your sins already!!
All three of Job’s friends wrongly accused him of sinning because of Job’s sufferings! And Elihu (another “friend”) was the worst because he used the truths about God against Job. Can we be like those 4 “friends” of Job’s, strongly accusing Job of something he didn’t do? Can we also be like Job’s wife who told him to curse God and die already?
And so, what Biblical Principles can we note and apply to our lives today from Job 36-37?
First of all, Elihu stated that he knew all about God, as if he was God himself! Can we ever be like that? When we express ourselves knowing more about God than others, we end up judging people, which sinful?
1. Never forget who your Creator God is! Memorize and always pray Isaiah 64:8 - Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Let us always humble ourselves before God!
2. Be careful of using truths about God and wrongly accuse people of sins. Only God knows each person’s hearts! Memorize and pray always Psalm 51:10 - Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Let us always humble ourselves before God and unless asked, never accuse anyone personally of sin!
3. How should we be treating people? Along with the 2 Biblical Principles stated, note 1 Timothy 2:4… Our desires should be the same as God’s; for all people to know the truth and be saved!
4. How should we be treating other Christians? Note 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - It is God's will that you should be sanctified. We must pray for each other as Christians and help each other to be more and more like like Jesus Christ!
Take a moment to quietly ponder about these 4 Biblical Principles…. Pray about yourself, pray for non-believers close to you, pray for Believers to focus on sanctification (to be changed continuously to be more and more like Jesus Christ!)
Benediction: Lyrics from “Change my heart oh God” for all of us…
Change our hearts oh God Make it ever true
Change our hearts oh God May we be like You
You are the potter we are the clay
Mold us and make us This is what we pray
Change our hearts oh God Make it ever true
Change our hearts oh God May we be like You
