The David Spoon Experience 9-25-23 part 2

1) Here we are in the heart of Elihu’s message to Job. So far, he’s been imparting wisdom to him. He’s been setting up one theological argument after another to show that Job has fallen off the trusting God wagon. In verse 16, he mentions that God has led Job away from danger, giving him freedom. How many times has the Lord delivered you and me from certain destruction, and we didn’t even realize it because it was based on His grace and mercy that He protected us? Many of you know my story. God saved me from certain death.

2) Elihu then brings up a point which is extremely valid for you and me today. He says you’re too obsessed with judgment on the godless. In other words, he’s saying that you’re so focused on the difficulty you’re getting and why the guy next to you isn’t getting it worse because you’re a much better person of faith than he is. The challenge that Elihu brings is why are you focused that way? Don’t worry about injustice. God will handle it for the people who are godless. But stop focusing on those things. Focus on His grace and mercy.

3) Here’s a portion that everybody is going to want to cross out of their Bibles, but we can’t do it. We’re told to be on guard, and turn back from evil, because it was God who sent suffering into our lives to prevent us from going down a path of true evil and separation from Him. That doesn’t square with a positive-only gospel, but God doesn’t care.

4) After making it clear that nobody can teach God, not now, not ever, Elihu states that God is exalted beyond what we can understand. A fascinating connection to Matthew 5:45 is brought up in Job 36:28. He states that God pours rain out on everyone and that blesses everyone. Just like when Jesus said the Father pours His rain out on the just and the unjust. That is a demonstration of God loving everybody. And then the ultimate statement, of course, was sending Jesus to die for us.