Brief Outline:
Job 32-33
Elihu's first speech
God instructs man through affliction. Here, Elihu is introduced. All throughout the book of Job, Job has been desiring a "moderator". Elihu is just that. Elihu's speeches prepare the way for the Lord speech to come.Job 34
Elihu's Second Speech
Elihu's point was that God's justices was vindicated against what Job has been insinuating. Job had not been able to understand the purpose of his suffering.Job 35
Elihu's Third Speech
Job had wrong reasoning. It does not matter with God if a man is righteous or wicked in relation to worldly suffering.Job 36-37
Fourth Speech
This speech basically states that God always has a purpose when godly people are afflicted. He does so to lift us out of our pride and to show us his disciplining grace and love. Elihu wanted Job to take note of this and to notice God's power and pride in nature. Elihu concludes by stressing man's sinful frailty in God's presence.Discussion for this week:
1. In Job 35:6-
Elihu says,
"If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men."
Question:
Have you ever thought about how your sin affects God? How there is nothing that He receives from our hand, accept for our love and obedience, when we choose to give it to Him? I had never really thought about that. Our wickedness only affects ourselves and those around us. Please discuss how this verse may or may not have impacted you. Have you really thought about this before?
2. In Elihu's fourth speech, it talks about how God uses affliction that we may be experiencing to lift us out of our pride, and to show us His discipline and love.. One of the most powerful verses to me in the bible is..
"...for My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
2 Corinthians 12:9
Can you think of a time you might like to share with us, when God has used your affliction, to show how His power is made perfect in your weakness?
Please comment!! Have a great week! Please read Job 38-42 for next week!!
Sources: The New Unger's Bible Handbook revised by Gary N. Larson, My old trusty NIV Bible!
2 comments:
How God has used affliction in my life : When chrisitians have experienced "hard life stuff" and learn to fully give it up to God in complete faith they often look back and say, "Wow that was hard but so needed in my life in order for me to grow" This has been the case for me time and time again. Now, when things are going too perfect I ponder with God if it is time for some more "hard life stuff" because the past growth was so good and the intimacy with him is so pure when you have little control. God wants the best for us even if "hard life stuff" has to be what gets us there . . . And the best for us is a continually deepening relationship with him. However God probably doesn't intenially bring 'hard life stuff' into our lives just to grow us - or does he???
So it seems when you truely know yourself and God's faithfulness and how affliction can work you find yourself saying, "Com'on 'hard life stuff' what have you got to teach me this time!!! Bring it on!!! I am ready".
Galations 6:9 Do not give up for at just the right time you will reap a harvest of blessings if you just continue.
Hurricane Katrina taught me
1. How rich the love of strangers can be.
2. God can do wonderful things in your life everyday for weeks if you recognize him at work.
3. A moldy wedding dress really can be restored
4. Buying all new stuff for a flooded house is overwhelming
5. God works for the good of those who love him
Gosh, Michelle! If only I could be at that point in my faith and relationship with God someday that I'm truly like you say, "Com'on 'hard life stuff' What have you got to teach me this time!!! Bring it on!!! I am ready."
I've dealt with some affliction during the past several years, and my difficulty has been that it feels like it has come through people that I should be able to trust. I am still growing in this struggle and have a long way to go. Right now I am still so beat down, so wounded from past afflictions, still unable to fully give the struggle to God so that I can fully forgive, that the thought of the next afflication is honestly almost debilitating.
But in the midst of this long healing process, I am still able to see that I am learning. Bret gave me something to read last night that really convicted me. It was about the times of desert and wilderness in our Christian walk. But instead of focusing on the trials and lessons we learn from them, it suggested that perhaps God allows these afflictions in our lives (which often result in a time of wilderness/desert) not so that He can discipline us, but so that He is able to be alone with us. The article said, "He led me into the wilderness to clarify who I am in His eyes. He drew me to the desert so He could tell me how He feels about me."
I think I might have hit a milestone in my journey through the wilderness as I read that article last night. Could it be that God has allowed these afflictions to make me able to truly be alone with Him, so that He can tell me what I mean to him? I hope to spend some time over the next few days and weeks discovering this...
Post a Comment