Let God Be God. Over the years I have been told a version of this statement many, many times:

Transcription

1 Let God Be God (Job 32:1-37:24 November 13, 2016) Over the years I have been told a version of this statement many, many times: I used to trust the Scriptures where it says God works all things together for good. But some events in my life have shattered my faith in what God is doing. I cannot see any way what has happened can ever be for good. The events vary a painful marriage breakdown, the death of a child, a tragic natural disaster, a brutal crime. These faithful men and women want to believe that every event even the horrific ones are all part of God s masterplan for good. But some tragedy occurs it is so painful, horrendous, incomprehensible that they lie awake running through every scenario in their heads and they cannot simply cannot comprehend how this could possibly ever lead to good. They feel confused, betrayed, let down, abandoned by God. And then it can grow so much worse they think about the consequences for the future or some misguided friend says have you considered that there must be some sin in your life that brought all of this about or they simply walk away from the faith. Many of you have had these thoughts. Others will be there one day. It is a painful, difficult time where our faith is stretched to the absolute limit. As we have seen over the past few months this is the very situation Job found Himself in. A godly man. A praying man. A man who made sacrifices for his children just in case they might sin. He had no huge hidden sin. 1

2 But God allowed Satan to devastate him he lost his wealth, his position, his family and even his health. His friends looked at this and concluded the only possible explanation is that Job is not all he appears to be. He must be harbouring some great sin. So Job confess your sin and God will end the pain. Job searched his heart. He longed to find this sin so he could confess it and end the pain. He found small transgressions but no great sin. He came to a different conclusion. Somehow God had overlooked his situation. He had been misjudged and mislabelled. He believed that the way out was to have his day in court then God would see how righteous he was and declare him innocent. These two positions are put forward in an increasingly passionate argument between Job and his three friends in chapters Finally, in chapter 31, Job lists all the sins men commonly fall into lust, lying, adultery, rejecting the poor, greed, exulting over enemies and he categorically denies falling into these sins himself. He ends by saying if the adversary were to write out all the sins against him and put them on a scroll it would be so tiny it could sit on his shoulder and he would approach God like a prince to plead his case. With that Job thinks he has said enough I mean what more can he add? Chapter 31 ends with The words of Job are ended. Now in the first verse of chapter 32 we find that the three friends also have nothing have nothing more to say. They heard flat out Job deny their wisdom. Job is intractable. What more could they say? Both sides think the other is blind and unreasonable. Their positions are the only way they can understand this tragic situation that developed. Now it is at this moment that another man steps forward. In the OT there are a number of mysterious figures who appear in the story of the Bible. Enoch who walked with God and was not. 2

3 Melchizedek the mysterious King who was blessed by Abraham. The Commander of the Lord s army who was worshipped by Joshua. The Fourth Man in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who had the appearance of a son of the gods. There is a great deal of speculation and debate about who these men were. Some were men others were probably appearances by the Lord Jesus in His preincarnate form. Today we encounter one other mysterious figure who appears in the pages of Scripture. His name is Elihu and he appears in Job chapters There is a great deal of speculation as to who he is. In general he is usually classed as either a fictional character or an arrogant fool or as a man of God. Many commentators over the last few hundred years or so have declared that Elihu is a proud, boastful, arrogant young man who speaks his own brand of foolishness. The friends speak one brand of foolishness Elihu speaks another. Then, others have gone to the other extreme and even seen Elihu as an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. Personally, I think the best way to decide who Elihu is is to let the text speak for itself. Turn with me in your Bibles to Job 32. Remember up until this point we have no inkling that Elihu even exists. Now he appears for a dramatic cameo. Before we look at what Elihu said we need to know who he is to decide how much weight we give to his words. Elihu is quite clear about who he is and how much weight to give to his words. Look down to Job 36:2 4: Bear with me a little, and I will show you, for I have yet something to say on God s behalf. I will get my knowledge from afar and ascribe righteousness to my Maker. For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you. 3

4 These are big assertions. Elihu claims to speak on God s behalf. He claims to speak with perfect knowledge which comes from afar. In Scripture it is only prophets who speak on God s behalf and speak with perfect knowledge. Remember the test of a true prophet everything he says comes to pass perfectly. Now look back at Job 32:6 10: And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you. I said, Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom. But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right. Therefore I say, Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion. Elihu says I am young you guys are old. Normally age has more wisdom that youth so I kept my mouth shut and opened my ears. But as I listened I realized you old guys weren t speaking at lot of sense and I know that wisdom doesn t just come from growing old. Where does true wisdom come from? It is the spirit in man the Spirit of God placed within a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. True wisdom comes when God chooses a man to be His voice and gives him divine wisdom. Elihu claims to be that man Therefore I say, Listen to me. Verse 18 The Spirit of God within me compels me to speak. Verses 19 and 20 I will burst if I don t say what God has put within me. Elihu clearly claims to be a prophet of God compelled to speak the words of God by the Spirit of God. Remember, God never criticizes the words of Elihu. God never asks Elihu to repent. He speaks truth. He has a message for Job and his friends. 4

5 The fact that Elihu speaks the very words of God explains why he can seem arrogant. He is not expressing his viewpoint his ideas he is speaking for God. As well, when we look at what Elihu says we will see that he is spot on with the admonition and the counsel he gives. What we will see is that Elihu s counsel are words you and I desperately need to hear today. Look at Job 32:2 5: Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. He burned with anger also at Job s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger. Elihu is an angry young man. He is burning with righteous indignation. He knows the question of suffering is difficult, painful, confusing. He knows Job and his friends have struggled mightily with this question. But he is angry because the answers of Job and his three friends reflected poorly on God. Job s problem was that justified himself rather than God. Job s friends problem was they had no answer to suffering except to declare Job must have hidden sin. Both of these views about God are wrong. If the friends are right punishment, suffering is the direct result of sin and since Job has no great sin this would make God unjust to have punished an innocent man. Job is saying this directly. I am innocent and I am suffering. By implication God is treating me unjustly. Instead of saying no matter what God will be proved righteous Job insisted that everyone should see that he is righteous but in doing so he implies that God is negligent and unjust. And Elihu won t tolerate this. Brothers and sisters suffering is hard it is difficult no answer always sits easily with us. 5

6 I am convinced God wants us to wrestle with the question of suffering. But whatever you do never conclude that God is unjust or his anger will burn against you. You may not understand it you may not like it but don t say God is unjust. I have heard it from too many lips. God let my child get cancer. God let the African children starve. My wife did nothing but serve Him and she died. God is unjust. No matter the pain don t let yourself go there. So where should you go? How should you approach the incredibly difficult question of suffering? Glad you asked. If you are struggling with why bad things happen listen to the four speeches of Elihu: Here is what they say: There is an answer to the profoundly difficult question of suffering IF you have ears to hear: LET GOD BE GOD Let God decide what is right, just, fair and good. Elihu gives four speeches which give various incredibly helpful understandings of the question of suffering. Let s look at is first speech. Speech 1 Suffering has a purpose such as pointing us to our need of a Saviour Look at chapter 33. In verses 1-7 Elihu says he is going to bring a prophecy the words of God to answer Job. 6

7 Then in verses 8-11 Elihu summarises Job s complaint. Surely you have spoken in my ears, and I have heard the sound of your words. You say, I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me. Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy, he puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths. Job declares he has no great hidden sin and yet it seems to him that God has targeted him and made him His enemy which is unjust. Verse 12: Behold, in this you are not right. Job has made the same error you and I make all the time. Bad things happen we automatically assume that it is some kind of divine punishment. What have I done wrong? What sin do I need to get rid of? Sometimes that is the case. We sin and there are consequences. Suffering can be directly related to sin. But not always. Not in Job s case. And if anyone should know that not all suffering is due to sin it should be Christians. Our whole faith is built around the notion that Jesus was entirely innocent and yet suffered more than any man who ever lived. We are told we will suffer just for being His. So what is going on? Verse 12: I will answer you, for God is greater than man. LET GOD BE GOD God s ways are greater than ours. He can have purposes we cannot even dream of. Elihu is going to show Job what they are in his case: Verse 13: Why do you contend against him, saying, He will answer none of man s words? Job is saying I am pleading with God for an answer and I got none. I guarantee everyone here has been there. 7

8 You have no idea why something horrific happened in your life. You cannot imagine how it could possibly lead to any good. You are begging God show me? tell me? I m hurting and you say He isn t answering me. Notice Elihu s answer in verse 14 on God has answered you just aren t listening. First he says God speaks in many ways. Something horrific happens your wife dies leaving you with three young children. You weep and call out to God. What you really want is for God to appear and show you from an eternal perspective why He did this. You want to let God know what you think man to God unless God can satisfy you of why He did it. Few of us really expect that to happen. What we hope for is that God speaks through His Word, through pastors, friends, prayer. That you find enough faith and godly perspective to get through this. But, Elihu says remember God speaks in many and mysterious ways and often we fail to perceive it is God talking. In verses he gives one example. God can speak through conviction of sin on our conscience. He speaks of God sending a nightmare to a man who is involved in some deep sin it is so terrifying that he wakes and repents of that sin and in this way his soul is saved from the pit. I m not going to ask for a show of hands. But I suspect I am not the only one who has woken in a cold sweat convicted of sin in the middle of the night. If that is you as well then God has spoken to you through your conscience. But now in verses he begins his real point. What is happening in Job s case? Pain and suffering is one of the most powerful ways God talks to us. Job is saying why doesn t God speak. Elihu says God is speaking you just aren t listening. He pictures a man writhing in agony on his bed. His bones ache. He has no appetite. He is wasted away. He is near death. 8

9 But what this man has failed to realise is that death is not an end to suffering it is the beginning of eternal suffering. He needs saving. Just stop here for a moment. When we read chapters who was Job s Saviour? In reality it was Job. Job knew he needed a mediator but the job of that mediator was merely to show God how great Job was. Job is a good man but he has fallen into the error many good men make. He thinks he is good enough. Elihu knows Job is not good enough. What Job needs is a totally different kind of Mediator. Job s suffering was not designed to point to any one great hidden sin but to sin in general and the solution to sin. What he needs is an angel a Messenger a Mediator who can deal with all of his sin. The term one of the thousand or better one out of the thousand is meant to tell us that this one is not an ordinary angel One greater than an angel. He can declare to man what is right or perhaps better He can declare this sinner to be righteous. Job wanted God to see he was righteous but what he needs is a Mediator to declare him righteous to deliver him from the pit. How? Through a ransom. Job and probably Elihu have no idea what ransom could possibly redeem us. We know. We know that that this points directly to Jesus who gave His life as a ransom for many. Trusting this Mediator this leads to salvation. His vigour is restored. He prays to God and confesses his sin. He is redeemed from the pit. 9

10 Job was a good man but no man is good enough. Job s salvation is not built on Job s righteousness. Job like all of us needed to be woken to the truth that He needs a Mediator, a Redeemer, a Ransom. Job 33:29 30: Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life. God sent the suffering to show Job how He saves and to give him the light of eternal life. Remember in verse 10 Job had said God has counted me as his enemy. Elihu says God does these things to save you. This is love not hate. Pain can be the voice of God to point us to Jesus. In his book The Problem of Pain CS Lewis said this: God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world. When everything in your life is going well we don t hear the voice of God telling us we need a Redeemer. The voice of God sounds like a whisper. If we don t heed it He can speak in our conscience. But, if we keep ignoring the voice of God finally in love He can bring out the megaphone of pain. More people come to Christ in a warzone than on a cruise ship. Please don t get me wrong. I am not saying that every time something bad happens it is always a message that you aren t actually saved and God is getting your attention. No no no. It is one purpose of suffering. Pain and suffering can alert us to our need of salvation. It can remind us we can t save ourselves. Elihu s point is that suffering is not always negative. God can have purposes for good in our suffering that we can barely imagine. 10

11 If it wakes us to the fact we need a Mediator we need saving then it is a mercy. I think also of Joni Eareckson Tada. I am sure you know the basic story of Joni beautiful, young, athletic girl she had everything and then she dove into a river in 1967 and found herself a paraplegic at 17. She thought she had been a Christian. But she soon realised that her hope was in this world. At first life seemed very bleak. The only ray of hope was death. She had no way of taking her own life so she asked friends to end her life. When they said no, she tried to kill herself by thrashing her neck violently from side to side. That didn t work. She spiralled into a deep darkness. Now fast forward decades. In an article in Moody Monthly she says when I see Christ: I will thank God for the quadriplegia. What?? Then she says why: I thank it for: Enabling me to step into the grander, greater joy, that I will experience for the rest of eternity. In another article in Christianity Today she tells of her prayer. This is what she regularly prays: Why? Oh, thank you, thank you for this wheelchair! This paralysis is my greatest mercy. She goes on to say she had turned from God to the world. Quadriplegia was God s megaphone to wean her from the world and tell he she needed Christ. Now she has Christ and eternity and that is better. Thank you for this wheelchair! This paralysis is my greatest mercy! Suffering has a purpose such as pointing us to our need of a Saviour This leads us to Elihu s second speech where he makes this point: 11

12 Speech 2 Suffering in the world NEVER makes God unjust Underline circle bold NEVER A child is run down by a drunk driver. A baby is born terribly disabled. A man is shot trying to stop a rapist. The cry inevitably rises God that is just wrong! It How could you allow this? No matter how you cut it that is unjust! Really? Elihu wants to know who are we to decide what is unjust, wrong and unjust? Who decides if God has been unjust in having such things happen in His world? What we tend to do is use our standards as the reference for what is right. If I think it is clearly unfair it must be unjust. I wouldn t run the world this way so neither should God. Elihu says wait on a minute every notion of good and evil right and wrong just and unjust fair and unfair comes from above. God sets the rules not us. Elihu argues ultimately God Himself is the only judge of what is just and unjust and to decide you know better than God is a very big call. Unless you have perfect power, wisdom and authority no man can make this call. Look at chapter 34. In verses 1-6 he recounts Job s accusation. Job says I am just I am being treated unfairly my rights are being trampled on. In verses 7-9 Elihu says be very careful Job. You are sucking up the words of scoffers like water you are saying the same thing as evildoers. Elihu then sets the record straight. First by definition the One in charge of the universe gets to set the rules. 12

13 Let me say that again. Write it down. By definition the One in charge of the universe gets to set the rules. LET GOD BE GOD It is God s creation He gets to decide what is fair and what is not what is good and evil. Verses 10 12: Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. By definition if God does it it is just right fair. If God says it, allows it, decrees it it is right. No one gave God charge over the earth. There is no higher authority who sets the rules. God created it He can run it any way He chooses and by definition what He does is right and good. Just remember who you are dealing with if God stops preserving our life every man woman and child would drop dead. Second do you really want to tell this God that He is being unjust? Verses God is righteous and mighty He governs everything do you really want to tell Him that He is not being just? No one tells an earthly King I don t like your justice it is worthless and wicked but you want to tell God He is unjust? God can wipe all men away in a moment. Verses God shows no partiality. God knows with perfect insight everything that happens the thoughts of a man s heart. God doesn t miss things or make mistakes. Job God didn t miss what was happening to you. When evil happens His judgment is public and all the universe affirms His perfect justice. 13

14 But the key verses are verses 29-30: When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man? that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people. What about when wrong seems to occur and God seems quiet. This was Job s complaint. Job believed he was suffering unjustly and God was silent about it. I hear this a lot. Where is God? When a Hitler rises up and God seems silent. Or when an innocent man is wrongly imprisoned. But do you really want to say God is wrong? God says He raised up Pharoah and Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus evil men before we say this is unjust remember that God used them for good. Or what about Pilate and the High Priest they condemned innocent Jesus to death evil acts but God used them for the greatest ultimate good. We don t know every fact we don t know the flow of history we must never condemn God when He chooses silence for a time. Third we need to repent of our prideful arrogance. Verses if you ever have these thoughts about God repent. The ESV is not a great translation here. The sense is that Elihu is saying Job needs to realise that he has erred in accusing God of being unjust he needs to never do this again he needs to ask God to show him the error of his ways and repent of his pride. In verses Elihu says if not Job will be tried to the end. If Job continues with his proud self-righteousness his trials and suffering will continue because he acts wickedly and multiplies his words against God. The point of this chapter is that God by definition gets to decide how His world runs and everything He does is just and fair whether we can understand it or not. One of the main reasons many are not Christians is that they think God is unjust. They think God gets it wrong. God should allow two men who love each other to marry. Love is fair. 14

15 God should let all religions come to heaven. Equality is fair. God should not allow suffering. Suffering is unfair. God is unjust. LET GOD BE GOD Elihu says if God is God then by definition whatever He does, allows or decrees is fair, just and right and we don t get to argue. Brothers and sisters here is the reality. Our view of justice is patently inadequate. If you and I were God we would never have let Satan loose on Job, we would have rescued Joseph from prison, we would have never let Jesus suffer on the cross and in doing these things we would have messed up any chance this fallen world and fallen men and women have of redemption. God knows what He is doing. God is never unjust. We come now to Elihu s third speech: Speech 3 Suffering is not always punishment from God Whether we want to admit it or not we often live our lives trying to manipulate God. If we want something bad enough we try and earn it. We do some good deeds, we fast, we pray, we give more and we expect that God will notice and reward us. Monasticism tried to earn favour by inducing suffering whipping themselves sleeping on cold hard floors. Conversely if something bad happens our immediate thought is what did I do to deserve this? Is there some sin I need to deal with to earn God? Job is mistakenly thinking this way. Look at Job 35:2 3: Do you think this to be just? Do you say, It is my right before God, that you ask, What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned? Job is saying I was a righteous man. I sacrificed, I prayed, I watched my life carefully. My thanks for this is losing my family, my wealth, my position and my health. Seriously could things be worse if I was a blatant sinner? 15

16 I might as well have slept around, oppressed the poor and never prayed. You and I say the same thing. Something bad happens and we want to complain I deserve better than this. I go to church, I give, I serve surely I deserve better than the pagan next door. I hear it in many ways. It is just not fair my husband and I love God but we can t have children yet the immoral, unmarried 15 year old can? My child gets picked on at school for saying homosexuality is a sin yet the drug dealer s kid gets to be school captain. Job is saying where is my reward for being righteous? because frankly all this suffering is not much reward. Elihu answers this with two points. First our actions don t sway God s plans. Look at verses 5-8: Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man. God doesn t change the course of history because of how you act. He does not change His eternal decrees based on you. God is not in heaven hanging on my every action. God does not get out of bed and say I hope Craig is going to have a good day it will bring Me blessing and make Me happier. Oh Craig did something good I will bless him. I will change the course of his life predetermined since eternity past because he was kind to an old lady. That is such a low view of God. LET GOD BE GOD It is not that God doesn t care about how we live He cares very much. The point is God is not swayed by how we live to change His plans. 16

17 He has a plan and He will carry that plan out. Our actions affect men not God. But second our faith affects how we handle adversity. Elihu says people are always crying out to God for help but very few do it in faith. Very few stop to realise that God is the Creator and Sustainer this sets us apart from the animals. Here is the difference. The cry without faith says this: God if You are there what is fair is that You help me I am being mistreated. Or God show me what I have to do to earn Your favour. The cry of faith says this: Lord you are the Creator and Sustainer You only do good. I deserve far worse than I am getting. Teach me what I need to learn in this trial. Strengthen me through it. This is the prayer He hears and answers. I trust you heard what Steph said: God is sovereign. It is such a comfort to me knowing that God is in control. He ordained all of my trials, and therefore my suffering has a purpose, which is that God would use it for my good and His glory. In contrast Elihu says of Job in verses 14-16: Instead of the cry of faith You say you are waiting to have your case put before God but you don t see Him act. You need to realise that this is not punishment due to God s anger with you. To say otherwise is to multiply words without knowledge. Punishment is but one reason for suffering. In His sovereign purposes there are so many reasons God might choose to bless us with suffering. 17

18 Here are a few of them: To encourage repentance To mature us To edify the church To encourage a longing for heaven To teach us about Christ and His gospel I suspect when we get to heaven we will find there are so many more reasons God allows suffering than we can possibly imagine. Now let me put this together. Think again about your greatest trial. Think of the pain and the hurt. Think of the times it felt like punishment and you don t know why. Now what if God granted you a glimpse into His sovereign purposes and you realised that the suffering and pain was intended to work blessing in your life? The suffering is not punishment but for your good. Would you be angry? You mean You put me through all this just to teach me a lesson? Would you be confused? Wasn t there any easier way to learn this? Or would you be thankful? If that is what it took bless you Lord! Now we come to Elihu s final speech. Speech 4 Suffering does not mean God does not care Read chapter 36 and 37 a few times they are awesome. I can only point out a few highlights. Look at Job 36:5 7: Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding. He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right. He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted. God is mighty and does not despise any. He is mighty in understanding He knows what He is doing. 18

19 The wicked might seem to prosper now but their day is coming. He never withdraws His eye from the righteous. He knows when you suffer. He cares when you suffer. And He has a plan for your good to make you a King reigning forever exalted. This God cares. Look at verses If they are caught in affliction or chains of sin He declares to them their transgressions and commands that they turn from their sin and if they listen He will bless them. If they don t He will bring the sword. This is mercy not punishment. Look at verse 15: He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity. Remember pain can be God s megaphone. It can warn us and cause us to turn to God to tell us we need a Saviour before it is too late. Verse 16 Job you seemed to be in a good place you weren t if you are relying on your own righteousness you were in distress literally in the mouth of distress. Job needed to know that He needs a real Redeemer and if the pain and suffering did that it is a blessing. In verses Elihu warns Job not to become bitter and judgmental. Consumed with human notions of justice and fairness it can lead you astray. Instead verses be consumed with the greatness and glory of God. Extol His power and majesty. God is great and we are not. This God knows what He is doing. LET GOD BE GOD Extol His works. Rejoice in the power of His creation. Consider rain and lightning we don t even understand something simple like this so who can understand His justice and the flow of history. 19

20 In chapter 37 Elihu focusses on the fact that God is so great we cannot possibly comprehend His ways. Job 37:5: God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. Clouds, snow, wind, seasons all are in the hand of God. Job 37:14: Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God. The more we realise how great God is the less we will question His actions. In verses 19 and 20 Elihu says it is folly to draw up a case saying this God doesn t know and doesn t care what happened to me. Look at how Elihu ends verses 23-24: The Almighty we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit. This God who is so great in power and justice He will not violate His abundant righteousness. So fear Him. LET GOD BE GOD Job whether you can understand it or not what this God always does is right and just and caring. Even in suffering God cares. Steph said this a little earlier: I know in an even deeper way that God is faithful and trustworthy. He brought me through this difficult time and blessed me so much in the process. Elihu pointed Job to the Mediator to come. But you and I know full well just how caring this God is. We know who the Mediator is. We have the cross. We have the death of the Lord Jesus. 20

21 We know God loved us enough to send His only Son to die that sinners might live. Job doesn t have all that but what He did have was a prophet who called on Him to repent of his arrogance and pride before a holy God. What stuns me is that this godly man did not repent at this time. It seems Elihu s speech is met with silence so out of the whirlwind God Himself speaks. It takes an appearance of God for Job to finally say I was wrong. I can only make sense of why it takes this for such a godly man to repent because the question of suffering is so incredibly hard. It is so personal. It is so painful. It makes so little sense at times. It is so hard to accept that God works good through the pain and death of infants, through natural disasters and cancer. So I do cut Job some slack. But, my plea to you is this. Listen to Elihu. Don t wait for God to have to do something really drastic to get your attention. There are answers to suffering. Deep satisfying answers. And because we live on this side of the cross we have very definite, concrete answers. Jesus came to end the suffering and pain. That is how much God cares. In Jesus we find the ultimate answer to the question of suffering. If we have ears to hear if we will let God be God this is an answer that satisfies the deepest questions of the heart. 21

22 Main Point: Let God Be God (Job 32:1-37:24 November 13, 2016) There is an answer to the profoundly difficult question of suffering IF you have ears to hear: LET GOD BE GOD Why is it so hard to trust that God is working all things for good in the midst of intense suffering? Summarise the positions of Job and the three friends. Why was each wrong? What are the possibilities for who Elihu was? Who do you think he was and why? Why is Elihu burning with anger? When is it right for us to burn with anger? What ways can God speak to us today? How can suffering be a method for God to talk to us today? In what ways can it be God s megaphone? What was the message of Job s suffering? Read 33:22-28 in what ways does this message point to Jesus? Have you ever felt God was unfair or unjust? Why do even Christians sometimes feel this way? How does Elihu show this is an inadequate false view of God? If God is Creator and Sustainer why does this mean He decides what is right, fair and just? How can God remaining silent before perceived injustice work for good? Why do we struggle to let God be God? Why do we default to trying to earn God s favour? Why do we think anything we can do would affect God s actions and plan? Why is this a manifestly inadequate view? How should the man or woman of faith pray in adversity? How do you know God cares? How can you know He cares in the middle of trials? 22

23 How does focussing on God s power and majesty help us to trust His plan? How does the cross ultimately answer all of our questions about suffering? 23