Elihu: Suffering as a Disciple Part 3 (Job 32-37)
You are not in Charge! (35)
The sin of holding God to our own standards is revealed to be even more silly when we consider our influence on God. Can we hope to control God by being righteous? (Or can we hope to wield God or faith in Him like some sort of magical power?) If we, on the other hand, recognize this and try to control things by engaging in rebellion, what good is it for us in the end? We cannot hope to orchestrate things in our favor. We cannot stack the deck or control the universe for our own purposes! We are puny. Elihu points to the clouds building up (!) and shows how silly we are to think we are powerful. Our motivation—for good or ill—should never be to control God. He is not at our beck and call. We are His creatures, and He is our Creator. We do well to live in that truth.
But God Is Truly Good (36)
Lest we lose hope and become nihilistic in a fatalistic view of God, Elihu reminds us that God is good. God is just. And God is desirous of a relationship with us, His creatures. Ultimately, we can surrender to God’s ways and plans because we know that they are good. Here, Elihu’s words swing back towards the views of Job’s friends. It may sound a little optimistic to say that all rulers who endure are righteous and those who fail are evil. However, this is the true standard and outcome in God’s plans. In this sinful world full of sin and rebellion things are not always working out as they should in the short-term. They will in the long run though. We can rest in that truth.
Suffering as Blessing? (37)
God’s blessings are often beyond our comprehension. Some of the things that are essential for our good can be scary, even dangerous, if we are not protected from their dangers. Thunderstorms and blizzards can be hazardous if we are not prepared and within shelters when they come. And yet we need the blessings that they provide. Without them the crops that sustain life would die out. We are protected when we live following God’s direction. We are in danger when we do things our own way, heedless of the perils that exist. We can be afraid of the danger in the world, but we do better to fear and respect God and follow His plans. For He knows best what is good for us and what is not.
The sin of holding God to our own standards is revealed to be even more silly when we consider our influence on God. Can we hope to control God by being righteous? (Or can we hope to wield God or faith in Him like some sort of magical power?) If we, on the other hand, recognize this and try to control things by engaging in rebellion, what good is it for us in the end? We cannot hope to orchestrate things in our favor. We cannot stack the deck or control the universe for our own purposes! We are puny. Elihu points to the clouds building up (!) and shows how silly we are to think we are powerful. Our motivation—for good or ill—should never be to control God. He is not at our beck and call. We are His creatures, and He is our Creator. We do well to live in that truth.
But God Is Truly Good (36)
Lest we lose hope and become nihilistic in a fatalistic view of God, Elihu reminds us that God is good. God is just. And God is desirous of a relationship with us, His creatures. Ultimately, we can surrender to God’s ways and plans because we know that they are good. Here, Elihu’s words swing back towards the views of Job’s friends. It may sound a little optimistic to say that all rulers who endure are righteous and those who fail are evil. However, this is the true standard and outcome in God’s plans. In this sinful world full of sin and rebellion things are not always working out as they should in the short-term. They will in the long run though. We can rest in that truth.
Suffering as Blessing? (37)
God’s blessings are often beyond our comprehension. Some of the things that are essential for our good can be scary, even dangerous, if we are not protected from their dangers. Thunderstorms and blizzards can be hazardous if we are not prepared and within shelters when they come. And yet we need the blessings that they provide. Without them the crops that sustain life would die out. We are protected when we live following God’s direction. We are in danger when we do things our own way, heedless of the perils that exist. We can be afraid of the danger in the world, but we do better to fear and respect God and follow His plans. For He knows best what is good for us and what is not.
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