In this chapter Elihu rebukes Job, rather gently compared to the other friends. He offers correction in direct response to Job’s words (which he quotes).
” ‘You say, “I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.” Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night… he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings… Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones… then man prays to God, and he accepts him; …and he restores to man his righteousness. He sings before men and says: “I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.” ‘ ” (v9,12,14-16,19,26-28 abr)
Elihu details the ways in which God corrects, and restores people into right relationship with Him, for all have sinned and fall short of God’s righteousness. Elihu says God talks to people through visions / dreams, and through their suffering. He’s basically saying that though Job claimed to be innocent, but he is not, and though Job claimed God turned away from him, his suffering was God’s way of reaching out with a message.
How often have I gone through a difficult circumstance or trial, and asked God to remove it from me? How often have I been angry with God for allowing someone I care about to suffer? More times than I care to count. Yet Elihu says those difficult times are God reaching out to us, longing to restore us, so we can “sing” before others how God has saved and restored us.
When is the last time we “sang” the praises of God to those around us, even when our circumstances are dire? Do we continually praise God, or do we give “woe is me” speeches like Job, and justify ourselves instead of God. Is God not justified when He allows suffering? If He’s righteous and holy, isn’t He within His right to allow suffering?
These questions, and others, are questions we need to ponder when facing the somewhat bitter truth that we are not above reproach, and we are not above suffering. If anyone was above suffering, it would have been Jesus (who was sinless), yet He suffered more greatly than we ever will.
Peter agrees that the suffering we endure is meant to encourage our repentance from sin, turning us toward God: “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.” (1 Pt 4:1-2) Jesus suffered for the will of God, so we should too.
As counter-cultural as this sounds, I encourage us to embrace suffering. It is through hardship that we are strengthened by God, and drawn nearer to Him. As He walks through hardship with us, we gain a testimony of that experience that we can use to glorify God and encourage those around us. Paul encourages us to “not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord… but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2 Tim 1:8 abr). Are we ready to suffer for the will of God, so we may testify to His glory and righteousness, or would we rather numb the pain and try to distract ourselves from it?
Father God, our Holy and Righteous Lord, we humbly bow before Your throne. We confess we have tried to avoid hearing and embracing Your messages to us. We ask for Your gracious and merciful forgiveness. Please help us to embrace Your teaching, and heed Your voice, even when it speaks to us through pain and suffering. Please open our ears to what You have to say, and please help us to relay that testimony to those around us. May we learn to be grateful for Your lessons, no matter what their form, and may we learn to glorify You in all circumstances, especially in the midst of great trial. In the glorious and righteous name of Jesus we praise You, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training