Bob Feather January 22nd, 2008

English Language Bible Study Guide for January 22, 2008

What do you think of Elihu? Is he to be admired or pitied?

In today’s reading we find him continuing to attack Job and to present a defense of the Almighty. Yet when did Job claim to be without sin? And when did Job accuse God of injustice?

Job 34

1-4: Elihu prefaces this series of comments with a call for his audience to listen carefully.

5-9: Job has lived and spoken carelessly, if not maliciously and foolishly.

10-30: Let us remember who God is and what He has done.

• He is just (10-12, 17, 19,23)
• He is sovereign (13-15)
• He is powerful (20, 24)
• He is omniscient (21-22, 25)
• He is strict with sinners (26-28)
• He governs His creation (29-30)

(Credit for this succinct listing goes to Matthew Henry who mined it from the treasure of God’s Word)

Elihu is right about this. We give honor to earthly rulers and authorities; why not more honor to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

31-33: How Job should address God

34-37: Why Job’s friends should agree with Elihu

Job 35

Elihu addresses two errors which he perceives in Job’s thinking.

1-8: Religion is for God’s sake alone, and has no benefit to man

9-13: God is deaf to the cries of the oppressed

After this Elihu explains why God may delay His merciful deliverance (14-15), and concludes (16) by repeating the oft-spoken lie that Job’s comments are vain and foolish.

Tags: character of God, Elihu, Job

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Bob Feather January 21st, 2008

English Language Bible Study Guide for January 21, 2008

Job’s friends have given up hope of correcting Job; and Job has declared that he found their counsel to be worthless.  But the book doesn’t end here.

Job 32

Elihu speaks to Job’s friends.

2: Although we are told a bit about his family tree, we don’t know how long this young man has been listening.

2-3: Elihu is angry with Job because he justified himself rather than God; and Elihu is angry with Job’s friends because they didn’t have a satisfactory answer to Job’s questions.

4-7: He had been quiet throughout the previous discourses because of his age, and his hope that the elders would have been able to teach Job why these things had happened to him.

8: Elihu alludes to inspiration; later we understand that he was alluding to his being inspired.

9-11: Age does not guarantee wisdom.

14-22: I will not use your lame arguments with Job.

Job 33

Elihu addresses Job.

1-7: You asked for a representative of God to speak on His behalf; here I am.

8-12: You have spoken badly about God.

13-24: God draws men to Himself by various means

• 13-15: by dreams and visions
• 16-18: by quiet inspiration
• 19-22: by hardship and troubles
• 23-24: by His messengers, preachers of salvation by ransom

25-28: Consider what God saves man from

29-30: God often uses these methods to save man.

31-33: So you should listen carefully, Job.

Tags: Job

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Bob Feather January 20th, 2008

Job 25-31

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Bob Feather January 20th, 2008

English Language Bible Study Guide for January 20, 2008

Job rehearsed his blessed past in chapter 29; but now…

Job 30

Three times Job mentions “now” (verses 1, 9 and 16).

1-8: But now I no longer have respect in the community

9-10: And now I am despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

Psalm 22:7  All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8  He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

11-15: Because God has afflicted me, everyone around me takes liberty to add to my affliction. Consider all they have done:

• 11: They let loose all manner of meanness
• 12: They rise up against me and push me away
• 13: They keep mentioning my trouble and they twist the truth about my life
• 14: They fall on me like a tidal wave
• 15: Their attack on my character is actually an assault on my soul

16-24: And where is God?

• 19: He has cast me into the mire
• 20: He doesn’t hear me when I cry to Him
• 21: He has positioned Himself against me
• 22: He moves me about as with a strong wind
• 23: He holds my life in His hands

26-31: I have been my brother’s keeper; I have been the humanitarian’s humanitarian.

And when I looked for good, then evil came;

when I waited for light, there came darkness.

Who would recognize the Job of God’s testimony in the Job of these words?

Job 31

Job continues the thought that he had lived a God-honoring life, and that he can’t think of any reason of his own doing that these tragedies have struck him.

If I…

walked in vanity

hastened to deceit

turned away from the right path

have blotted my testimony

was deceived by a woman

stalked my neighbor

despised my servants

withheld from the poor

hurt widows

ate while orphans starved around me

refused clothing to the needy

struck orphans

trusted in gold

rejoiced in my wealth

worshipped the sun or moon

took pleasure in the downfall of my enemies

cursed those who hated me

denied my sinfulness

stolen any of that which I possessed

Then I…

deserve this affliction.

But I…

have done none of these things.

The words of Job are ended.

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