Gtcotr/ss101826
This morning we are going to discover and discuss 3 powerful truths spoken by a young man and recorded in the book of Job. Most people are somewhat familiar with Job and his terrible misfortunes.
Job 1:1 There was a man in
the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and
upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.
· BTW - blameless does not mean without fault but rather it indicates sincerity, honesty, benevolence, uprightness, and to be without guile.
The story of Job is not a fictious account. Ezekiel named Job along with Noah and Daniel in Ezekiel 14. As well, the New Testament quotes the book of Job (1Corinthians 3:19 - Job 5:13 & Job 5:17 – Hebrews 12:5).
In chapters 1 and 2, Job suffered the loss of everything from family to his farm, and from his wealth to his health. Afterwards he found himself sitting with friends in the dust for 7 days and 7 nights, bemoaning his life. Job complained and declared his innocence while his 3 old friends reasoned with him about his evident guilt. They went on and on for 29 chapters … chapter 3 to chapter 31. These 4 old men continued to argue until finally a young man who was also sitting and listening had enough and decided to speak up. This young man’s name was Elihu. Elihu means: He is my God!
When we read the Bible, it is important that we know who is speaking. You don’t want to do anything or say anything just because it is in the Bible. What Satan has to say is recorded in the Bible. Demons spoke to Jesus and you can find that recorded in the Bible. Pharisees and false prophets, liars and thieves said things that are written in the Bible; enemies of God spoke words that are recorded in the Bible. Just because something is written in the Bible does not make it true and does not make it good advice.
Just because something is written in the Bible does not make it the Word of God. And the converse is true – Just because the words are not coming from Jesus or the Apostle Paul, does not make the information false. God speaks through whomever He wills, and He can even speak through a donkey if He likes.
The best way to know if what you are reading is The Word, the Will, and the Way of God is to make sure it lines up in support of the One-Story God is telling. The One-Story God is telling is the story of redemption. Unless and until the words in question line up with the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith, we do not have the right interpretation. And when it does, we can trust it.
I believe Elihu spoke a lot of truth to those old men that day. In fact, there were only 5 men who spoke during those 7 days and Elihu was the only one of them that God did not correct or rebuke. Let’s look at 3 simple truths spoken by this young man.
1. There is a spirit in man.
Job 32 NKJV
6 ¶ So Elihu, the son of
Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: “I am young in years, and you are
very old; Therefore I was afraid, And dared not declare my opinion to you.
7 I said, ‘Age should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’
8 But there is a
spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
9 Great men are not always
wise, Nor do the aged always understand justice.”
·
Proverbs
20:27 The spirit of a man is the candle
of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.
·
Romans
8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness
with our spirit that we are children of God.
·
We
can’t always wait for someone else to do it.
· 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth …
2. Dreams and visions are the language of the spirit.
Job 33 NKJV
14 ¶ For God may speak in one
way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of
the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,
16 Then He opens the ears of
men, And seals their instruction.
·
Acts
2:17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the
last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons
and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old
men shall dream dreams.
· Joel 2:28 … (young and old, sons and daughters)
3. We cannot live without His Spirit.
Job 34 NKJV
14 If He should set His heart
on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
15 All flesh would perish
together, And man would return to dust.
·
1
Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written,
“The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a
life-giving spirit.
·
John
1:3 All things were made through Him,
and without Him nothing was made that was made.
· 1 John 5:12 If you have the Son, you have life; If you do not have the Son, you do not have life.
Elihu spoke these truths while Job was still suffering. We cannot allow our experiences or the experiences of others to dictate the truth or invalidate God’s Word. The fact of the matter is, God did rescue Job. One of the last things Elihu said to Job and his friends just before God spoke was:
Job 38: 14 Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.
Immediately after Elihu finished, God Himself began to speak for Himself. Sometimes it takes a bold friend who will speak the truth in love to open our ears so that we can hear what God wants to say directly to us. I want to encourage you this morning to speak the truth in love to your friends when they face trouble, disappointment, hardship, or loss. Point them to Jesus. Tell them about His love and how much He cares for them even when they are hurting.
Additional Points to Ponder from Elihu
·
God
will never do wickedly.
Job
34 NKJV
12 Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will
the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who
appointed Him over the whole world?
·
God
is watching.
Job
34:21 For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps.
Job
36 NKJV
11 If they obey and serve Him, They shall
spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
12 But if they do not obey, They shall perish by
the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.
Job 36:26 Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered.
