Warren Phillips - Hast Thou Considered My Servant Job - Class 3 - The Speeches of Elihu

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   This is the 1981 Texas Christadelphian Bible School. Our third class brother, Warren Phillips, is subject, as Thou considered my servant Joe, subject to today’s class, The Speeches of a Life. Good morning everyone. To have a very brief moment of recapping what we’ve considered so far this week so that everything will be refreshed in our minds and fit well together. We remember we started out by learning that Job was a very rich man and a very just man.

2. 0:45

   One who was perfect and upright, one that feared God and his chueth evil, that there was none like him in all the earth. And we found that there was an enemy of Job. It turned out to be an enemy of God as well, that felt that Job was only righteous because God was paying him to be righteous, and that he was paying God back. But what God had given him and therefore this challenge was laid before the Lord, And the Lord permitted Job to be tested. And first of all we found that all of his wealth was removed, as well as his ten children.

3. 1:17

   But even in that Job maintained his integrity and cursed God not with his lips, and said, he said the Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. And consequently at another meeting of the Ecclesia, this enemy was present, and claimed that even when God approached him and said, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in all the earth.

4. 1:39

   He claimed that Job was even more wicked than he thought, and claiming that Job was really only interested in his own personal physical well-being. He didn’t really care too much about his wealth, although I’m sure he would have liked to have had it. But he said that he really didn’t care too much about his children either.

5. 1:54

   All he was interested in was in his own skin, And in fact he worded it that way, saying skin for skin, all will a man give for his life. And so we find that the Lord permitted the enemy to put Job to a further test and let him reach forth his hand and touch him with one stipulation, and that was that he’d take not away his life.

6. 2:14

   And so we find that Job was smitten with boils from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot, and he was left in a very miserable condition, a condition that lasted for quite some period of time. We suggested that it certainly was weeks, maybe possibly even months. We find that his wife comes along and suggests that he cursed God and die, feeling that she would rather see Job dead than suffering. And Job, very gentle, rebukes her, recognizing that even though she’d been a righteous woman to that time, that she was talking as a silly woman, as a woman that wasn’t interested in the things of God, and said unto her be not as the silly women. In other words, you haven’t been that way. Don’t start it now.

7. 2:58

   And then we find that his three friends come along how they sit with him for seven days, not saying anything until finally Job curses his day, opening up the opportunity for his friends to speak. And they also are interested in the well-being of Job and bring out the idea that they feel that he’s suffering because of some particular sin that he’s committed. Believing in what we refer to as the doctrine of exact retribution, That if a person has committed a little sin now, he’ll be punished a little bit now, but if he’s committed a big sin now, he’ll be punished tremendously now in proportion to the sin that he is.

8. 3:34

   Committed, and we examined that Doctor of Retribution. We followed the. Arguments of his three friends. Or that Eliphaz felt that he had received a heavenly vision. Therefore could not be convinced how Bill Dad claimed the wisdom of antiquity, that there was a tradition that they had always accepted, and therefore it must be right, and how that so?

9. 3:57

   For being a very crude individual suggested that perhaps Job was suffering for some unknown sin, And even later on a suggestion was made that it may be a sin of omission and not a sin of Commission, or which Job was suffering. And in all of these things, Job was very effective in answering them, totally changing his own mind in regard to exact retribution, realizing that with his own, with his own case, he had not committed any particularly terrible sin which.

10. 4:26

    We’re also aware of because of the commendation of the Lord at the beginning of the book. And then we find that he pointed out that even in life it is obvious that there are many individuals that seem to fare far better. Who are not interested in the things of God or his plan of salvation and don’t try to water and establish their life.

11. 4:45

    In a manner that’s pleasing to God. And yet they seem to get along far, far better than many individuals who are are interested in the things of God who want to live in accordance with God’s great plan of salvation and His law and His commandments and statutes. And even when death comes, some of these individuals who have been far more wicked may die very suddenly, such as with a heart attack. Where others who have tried to make righteousness a way of life, they find that suffering may linger for many weeks or months before they actually die.

12. 5:19

    And so he recognized that exact retribution wasn’t true. However, we noticed that even in all this, Job wished that he could have it out with God. He felt that because of his righteousness, God really wasn’t treating him quite right. He wished that he could have a a discussion with God and that if he could, he’d be able to prove his point that he was right and God was wrong. And yet God was silent, and he charged God with that charge that he hadn’t spoken when he had called unto him. Undoubtedly he had prayed often under this condition and God hadn’t answered him, and consequently he wishes that he could have a dazement.

13. 5:59

    Someone who might be a go between between him and God, if indeed he couldn’t have it out with God himself. Perhaps a go between might be able to talk with God and he felt it would be on his behalf. Because certainly he thought he was right and God was the one that was wrong, and therefore if he could have a Daisman, forgetting that a daisman worked for both. Parties as a go between.

14. 6:22

    He felt that surely he would be exonerated and the Daisman would speak to God on his behalf. He longs for that day’s been, and we’re going to see that day’s Been show up in just a moment. But we do. Find that there’s one thing that does seem to crop up that we didn’t mention yesterday in our closing moments, and that is the Job had not completely abandoned the idea that eventually all things would become equal. And there are two views in regards to Job looking forward to the resurrection, one of which is that Job now is convinced where perhaps he may not have been before, if there would indeed be a resurrection of the dead. And at that time he would be exonerated, and it would be proven that he was righteous after all, and that he had suffered unjustly.

15. 7:08

    Another view, of course, is that he always recognized the resurrection. Of the dead. And realized that even though God would not make things perfectly equal now in this life, in this mortal life, that surely all things would be made equal at the time of the resurrection. And consequently we have those very beautiful words that have often been quoted in the 19th chapter of Job, where we read starting with the 25th verse.

16. 7:37

    For I know that my Redeemer liveth. And that he shall stand at the latter days upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold and not another, though my reigns be consumed within me. And how often it is we’ve turned to that beautiful passage and used it as we look forward to the time of the resurrection of the dead, when all things shall be made right and perfect. And so we.

17. 8:11

    Find that Job did desire a days man. We found also that Job’s friends had been silenced by the things that he had to say. We recognize that in the third round of speeches. The second individual, Bildad, came forth with a speech of only 5 verses long, and Job’s third friend Zofar didn’t even come forth at all.

18. 8:35

    But instead Job concludes with two rather lengthy monologues expounding the things that he feels are so. And then we left that, and we’re now about to consider the introduction of a very interesting young man that we’ve read about here in the 32nd chapter of Job. And it would seem to us that this man was always present throughout the debate. Sometimes we might look upon Job and his free friends and say, well, they were the only ones that was present. We might even say, well, maybe.

19. 9:06

    His wife was still standing in the background, but it would seem to me that there are other individuals present as well, listening to this debate as it went on. Certainly this young man Eli, who was present. It’s obviously obvious by what we’ve read here. In the 32nd chapter he was present. He heard the debate between Job and his three friends, and he was not very satisfied with his outcome.

20. 9:31

    He was a very polite young man, however. He recognized that he should listen to his elders before he put forth his own opinion, and consequently in verse four we read now Eli, who waited until Job had spoken because they were elder than. He. And in the middle of verse six we read I am young and ye are very old. Wherefore I was afraid, and does not show you my opinion. I said days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

21. 10:01

    He was wise enough to recognize that his. Elders had the opportunity to amass more knowledge than hate and more wisdom if that knowledge had been applied and considered properly. Yet that did not mean that he couldn’t speak up after they’d finished speaking. And when he does speak up, he speaks up in a very polite manner. He’s willing to give the type of courtesy necessary to his elders, but it doesn’t mean that he has to remain silent forever. And he points out in verse 8, but there isn’t a spirit of man. There is a spirit in man.

22. 10:37

    And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise, neither do the ages understand judgment. Therefore I said, hearken to me, and I also will show you mine opinion. He pointed out in a courteous manner that sometimes just because a person is older doesn’t necessarily. Mean that they know everything.

23. 11:00

    Sometimes a younger person has been permitted by God to grasp things that an older person may not as yet have perceived. It isn’t a case that just because a person is old, they know more than a person just because he’s younger. He’s polite in introducing this, and we do find that he has a very good reason for being displeased with both Job and his three friends. And that reason is put forward at the beginning of the chapter in verse 2.

24. 11:32

    Then was the then was kindled the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barekal, the buzzite of the kindred of Ram. And these are the reasons against Job. Was his wrath kindled because he justified himself rather than God? That’s a problem that Elihu is going to answer, and also against his three friends. Was his wrath kindled because they found no answer and yet had condemned Job? And I think that this perhaps may be a trait that we all share to 1° or another.

25. 12:07

    How often it is that we may have debated with those of other faiths, and perhaps have not fared quite as well as we ought to. In the truth, we certainly ought to have a reason for the. Hope that lieth in us we ought to be able to prove all things, and how often it is that when we may be worsened in a discussion with somebody of another faith.

26. 12:31

    We may feel that, well, we’ve got the truth and therefore they must be wrong. And the only reason we’re worse in the discussion is because we’re not quite as familiar with the truth as we ought to and ought to be in that in itself should be a reason for us to study much more diligently.

27. 12:47

    But quite often we find that the same type of reasoning is applied within in our own meetings when we have a dispute within the Ecclesia and we find that somebody else within the meeting may be able to. To do a little bit. Better in a debate with us than we do ourselves, We go on the assumption that, well, you know, we can’t be wrong, and therefore they must be, even though the arguments have been presented that they presented a much better than the ones we’ve presented. We merely assume that it’s because of our own shortcoming, or perhaps because of their stubbornness, that we haven’t been able to do as well as we should. Instead of sitting back and saying, you know, it just may be that I’ve made the mistake and they’ve got a good. Point And we’re not willing to accept it. And how often this is the case with some disputes within our ecclesias.

28. 13:34

    Instead of going right back to the word of God and saying I ought to study it all over again, I ought to see to it that I can prove every single thing that I hold to, We sit back and just assume we’ve been right. Because that’s what we believed all along, and that’s what we were taught when we were young, perhaps by others. Instead of saying I ought to go back to the word of God myself, and I ought to prove all things and hold fast to that which is true, these three individuals found no answer, and yet they still condemned Job.

29. 14:05

    They felt that they certainly had to be right. Why They couldn’t be wrong, and therefore the only one left that could be wrong would be Job, And it may be that Job was just a little bit more clever debating than they were. Or it may also be that Job was just stubborn and that’s all there was to it, and he just wouldn’t listen to their what they thought was good, sound reasoning, and therefore they found no answer and yet condemned Job.

30. 14:32

    We may ourselves be in this position on all too many occasions. And we find that this young man is willing to speak forth. He’s willing to discuss with Job and his three friends. But as he speaks forth, we find that instead of challenging Job’s three friends, he has very little to say to them. Other than saying look, they didn’t answer him. Instead, we find that the four speeches that Eli who makes are directed primarily against Job and his attitude toward God and his upholding of his own righteousness. And we might say, why is it that he didn’t have anything to say against the obviously erroneous arguments that the three friends had put forth?

31. 15:15

    For when we come to the 42nd chapter, we find that the Almighty says to his three friends, that was not spoken, that which is right concerning me as my servant Jobath. Why is it that Eli, who didn’t speak up and say, look, you fellows, you are wrong in these particular things? He doesn’t say a word to them, but he has a a multitude of words to say to Joe, and I think the reason is that Job has already done a very good job in putting the three friends to silence. In fact, he’s done such a good job it’s unnecessary for a lie. Who to hash over the very same things? Why does he have to go back and put them to silence when Job has already done a very good job at it? But the three friends were the ones that found no answer, and he felt that an answer should be given to Job even though. We find that Job had been righteous, mechanically righteous to begin with.

32. 16:12

    There is a problem that crops up during this time of suffering, and that problem is that Job has justified himself rather than God. Job feels that he deserves something better, that God was being absolutely unjust in the way that Job was treated. He’s charged God with unjustice. He’s charged God, essentially, with doing wrong.

33. 16:35

    And this is something that Eli who cannot stand and Eli who has to speak up. Eli who is going to indeed be the Daisman. That Job had desired someone that would be the go between between him and God. And yet we find a very remarkable thing that we touched on yesterday. A Daisman or a mediator is one who is to mediate between 2 individuals.

34. 16:59

    And we have here in Elihu a very beautiful type of Christ. We have a type of Christ in Job as well. In Job, we have a type of Yahweh’s righteous suffering servant, an individual who is. Suffering not for something that he’s committed himself, but on behalf of another individual. He’s suffering that this enemy might be brought to righteousness eventually. In Elihu we find an individual who is a type of Christ as the intercession or the mediator or the days men between God and men.

35. 17:33

    And we recognize yesterday how that before Christ to represent men to. God. He had to represent God to man, and consequently the life that Jesus lived was indeed a manifestation of God. Not that Jesus was God himself, but since God cannot be seen, since he has not been seen, nor can be seen by mortal eyes, since he dwells in a light that no man can approach unto, the only way that we can know God is by his revelation of himself to US. One way, of course, is by what he says about himself in his inspired word and another.

36. 18:11

    Way was reflecting His righteousness, his character, His Holiness, and His purpose in the way in which his Son lived his life so much. So that the Lord Jesus Christ could say He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. Because indeed he lived in a very godly way. And consequently we find that the Lord Jesus Christ represents men to God, a God to men. Excuse me?

37. 18:39

    Before he represents men to God and likewise. Eli, who does the very same thing instead of taking Job’s. Case. And pleading it before. God, He takes up God’s case and he upholds the righteousness of his Maker. And on a number of occasions throughout his speeches, he said, I will yet speak for God.

38. 19:02

    I will speak for my maker, and consequently he represents God to men before representing men to God. Now there’s one other thing that I’d like to mention. We are truly privileged. We have information that Job’s wife or Job, or his three friends or Rely, who did not have. We know that Job was being tested for the purpose of bringing an unrighteous individual to a better way of life, a life of righteousness.

39. 19:34

    We find a very interesting thing in considering this. We find that this Satan, this enemy, is spoken of in the first two chapters of Job. After that we have 40 chapters to explain to Job why he’s suffering. As we go through these 40 chapters, we find that. Not once again in the book of Job is Satan mentioned.

40. 19:58

    And that’s strange indeed, if indeed this is a fallen Angel devil that’s causing all of this havoc. Doesn’t it seem strange to you that Job’s wife doesn’t mention to Job that that’s the reason he’s suffering? That Job himself doesn’t bring up such a proposition that Eliphast build out a jolfa to fail to mention it in their speeches, which we know are quite lengthy for that debate, rage for 28 chapters? And now, as we come upon the young man Elihu, we’re going to find that Elihu doesn’t mention that idea either. And then when we get on to the most beautiful speeches of all those of the Almighty, we find that the Almighty doesn’t mention any fallen Angel devil either. In fact, when we come to the epilogue. The last 11 verses of the book of Job, we still have a failure to mention this Satan again, and we might say why? How come?

41. 20:52

    Isn’t it strange that we’ll spend 40 chapters to explain to Job why he’s suffering? And never get around to really telling him. Why it is, after all, if indeed it’s because a fallen Angel devil has caused all of this problem tremendously. Interesting, isn’t it? I’d like to string you along for another two or three days if I could. I’d like to make a statement now that when we get to that epilogue, I’d like to suggest what happened to this enemy. I think there is a suggestion there in one verse, and this is one of the reasons that I haven’t put forth a very few copies of the notes that I have for your disposal. I’d like to hold them back to Saturday because I know that everybody’s going to be flipping over to the last page. So I’d like to hold it back.

42. 21:39

    There’s going to be a number of suggestions we’re going to make then. Amongst which I’m going to suggest what I think happened to this Satan. I hope you’d be interested to listen until then, but let’s take a look at the speeches of Eli, who now we find that he was very displeased with Job because he had justified himself.

43. 21:58

    Rather than God, and in the presentation of his speeches, he approaches Job in a rather polite way when we get over to the. 34th chapter verse 36 if you look. In the margin, the way that it’s worded, is my father let Job be tried a very polite way. It would seem as though what Eli who is doing is appealing unto Job his elder in the very same way that he might appeal unto his own father, although I’m sure that Eli, who was not. The son of Job.

44. 22:34

    So we can set that aside. But he was appealing unto Job as the young man might appeal unto his father, maintaining a proper respect and reverence for his father, but yet still bringing up something that he feels might be helpful to him. And so, even though he’s not the son of Job, actually he does say, my father, let Job be tried.

45. 22:54

    In other words, would you be so good as to look at yourself objectively, if that’s possible, and really listen to what I have to say? Because it’s worthwhile listening to. It’s a polite way in which you lie. Who approaches Job? Now we find that he first gives a little summary of some of Job’s charges against God. Let us go to the 33rd chapter, the 10th verse, and there he says, Behold, he findeth occasion against me. These are the words of Job.

46. 23:27

    It’s what? Eli who is saying? That job has charged God. With says he counted me as his enemy. One of the things that Job had done Eli, who did not agree that he should do this. Actually, this first speech covers the subject that God is not arbitrarily hostile, and neither is he silent.

47. 23:50

    Now remember, Job had often called upon God desiring to have it out with him wanting. To have a debate with him, feeling that if and only he could talk it over with God, Job would be able to prove that he was right and God was wrong, and treating him the way in which he had.

48. 24:06

    And yet we find that this claim has been brought up, that he counteth me for his enemy. And as we go down to the 13th verse, he says, Why does not thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters. For God speaketh once, yeah, twice. Yet man perceiveth not, And so here now he is covering that other part that Job had claimed that God was silent.

49. 24:31

    That he never really did. Answer, even though Job had called upon him on a number of occasions. And so we find Eli who is going to answer these two charges. He’s going to point out that God really isn’t Job’s enemy after all, and that God doesn’t really remain silent. That perhaps it isn’t the problem that God has been silent. But perhaps the problem is that Job hasn’t been able to listen. And here he points out to Job that God speaks in a number of ways, even though he doesn’t have to. As in verse 13 we read, He giveth not account of this of his Himself.

50. 25:09

    His matters unto man. He doesn’t have to tell us why he does things and I think it might do well. For us to remember that God is omnipotent, He’s all powerful. He’s the creator and sustainer of the universe. He doesn’t have to come to lowly little man and tell him why he does the things that he. Does, and even though he doesn’t have to give an account of himself to us, who are so insignificant yet because of his goodness and mercy and love and kindness to us. In his desire to uplift us from the lowly condition in which we are, in His desire to help us develop a character that will eventually be acceptable before him, that we might receive immortality, and eventually God might be All in all that He eventually may not only demonstrate himself and manifest himself through the Lord Jesus Christ, but through all of the sons and daughters as well, through us. He does tell us why he does things on many occasions, perhaps not all because in our mortal minds we might not be able to understand all of the reasons why God does what he does, but he doesn’t remain totally silent. Even though he doesn’t have to give an account of what he does to us on many occasions, he does tell us why. And he tells us in many different ways, and we find three of them spoken of here in the first speech of Elijah. First of all, he tells us that God speaks in a night vision, verse 15, in a dream, in the vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon man in

51. 26:51

    slumbering upon his bed. This is one of the ways that God speaks, and we know that as we go to the Scriptures, very often individuals were spoken to by God in dreams. Now, I don’t think too many of us have dreams that are significant today. But we do find that in both Old and New Testament times, God made use of dreams, a night vision, to speak to people. Surely we know that Joseph had dreams. We also recognize the dream of the Butler and the Baker that Joseph interpreted.

52. 27:26

    And as we move. Forward through the Old Testament we find that on a number of occasions this method is employed. Even a king that worship false gods received a dream of significance. We remember Nebuchadnezzar’s dream that Daniel interpreted. And then when we move forward in the New Testament, we find that this method is still employed by God.

53. 27:47

    We remember Joseph, the husband of Mary, the foster father of Jesus. How that he was. One of a dream to go down into Egypt and take the child with him. Because Herod sought the child’s life, we find that God has made use of this particular method, and Job is reminded of it. That God does speak in dreams to individuals, but that’s not always the way that he speaks.

54. 28:10

    Verse 16 Then he openeth his ears of men and sealeth their instruction. There is another way that God. Speaks. Sometimes God speaks by an open vision. There have been many occasions where God has sent his Angel to actually speak with an individual, not when they’re asleep, but when they’re wide awake. We also find that God has inspired the word of God to be written.

55. 28:40

    And here we have before us one of the ways in which God speaks to us. It’s really the primary way that God speaks to us today. Oh, we know that there. Are others, And I know some might take exception to this, I hope not, but since we’ve been talking a little bit about it this week and Brother Peter’s classes.

56. 28:57

    We realize that wisdom crieth without She entered her voice in the streets, and we can look about us and see by the things all around about us, the manifestation of God Himself. We have an opportunity, by seeing in events about us, that God still is reminding us that he is the creator and sustainer of all things. And many of those events around about us reflect the glory and wisdom of God that we shouldn’t certainly be learning from. But here we find that God has spoken. Both by dreams and by open vision. And we have before us today the word of God. And if we say that God hasn’t spoken to us, the problem isn’t that God hasn’t spoken.

57. 29:38

    The problem is that we haven’t bothered to listen. If we have our Bibles before us and fail to read and study them in the way that we ought to, we can’t accuse God of being silent when we pray. The problem is that we haven’t listened to him. He’s already spoken. And since he’s spoken, and we may have ignored his word, can we turn around and say, well, you know, the only way that we’re going to accept God speaking to us is if he gives sends us an angelic visitation. What a very awkward thing that would be. And I can’t help but say now that that’s exactly what the Pentecostal views seem to border on quite often. They’ve turned their back on much of the things that God has had to say and claim that what they really have is a personal angelic visitation, that God is speaking to their heart and they don’t really need the Bible.

58. 30:25

    We’ve got the Bible before us. It is the word of God. God has spoken. And the problem isn’t necessarily that God hasn’t spoken. But the problem may be that all of the little jobs, the little jobs here in this room may not have listened quite as attentively as we ought to to that still small voice that’s recorded in the pages of Scripture.

59. 30:44

    But as we move through this first speech of Elihu, we find that Elihu brings up another way in which God speaks. And when God speaks this way, all of the little jobs in this room that may have ignored that still small voice are going to set up and take notice. He speaks in such a way that we can’t fail to listen and we find that introduced to us in the 19th. Verse He is chastened also with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones strong pain. And so here we find that there are times when if an individual has not listened to the night vision or to the open vision, read the word of.

60. 31:26

    Scripture that we have before us, that God may speak a little bit louder. He may speak by sending pain and trial and tribulation upon us. And this is something that every single one of us face in our life, to greater or lesser degree at one time or another Throughout our lives we find that God sometimes can speak to us by pain.

61. 31:47

    You know, we may instruct our own children and we may tell our children not to touch the. Stove, because it’s hot and they may know that we’ve given them that instruction. And when we turn our back and go off in the other room, they want to find out for themselves and they reach forth their finger and they put it on the stove and wow do they listen then?

62. 32:07

    Because their finger is burned, and even though they might not have listened to what we’ve had to say, when they put forth their hand and they burn it on that stove, boy, that message gets across and it hurt. And likewise, there are times when God may speak to us. We may have been ignored some of the things that He said in His word, but when He speaks to us on beds of pain, boy do we recognize our mortality then do we recognize that we can’t really get along by ourself, that we really have need of God? We then set up and take notice.

63. 32:39

    There are times when God speaks on beds of pain, and we come now to the second reason for suffering. We already have brought up one, and that was the only reason that Job’s three friends could see. They recognized that suffering had come because of sin. They had carried it to an extreme which was not totally correct. In feeling that.

64. 33:04

    All suffering was the result of sin. It is indirectly because of sin. We find that suffering has come upon humanity, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that because a person has committed a little sin, they’re going to suffer a little, or because they’ve committed a big sin, they’re going to suffer a lot. But we do find that there are times when God may make use of pain to bring an individual to him with the idea that it is far better to be corrected now and have a top opportunity to live in the Kingdom of God, then to be ignored now and to go on in our unrighteous ways and forfeit that opportunity to live forever in the Kingdom.

65. 33:46

    And consequently, we find that I’m not going to read every verse of this chapter. Time doesn’t permit. We find that this is the reason, the lie who is bringing out it is to save an individual from the pit, that pit being the pit of death, the grave. It is far better that God speak to an individual today on beds of pain, that they might be brought back to it. Then just ignore the individual and let them go in their ungodly way and be rejected that the judgment seat and remain in that pit forever.

66. 34:16

    What a sad thing that would be. And you notice how often where our attention is brought to that in the 24th verse. It ends by Speaking of that. Then he is gracious unto him, and saith deliver him from going down to the pit. I have found a ransom. God’s purpose is to save us from eternal death. Again we find the very same thought is brought out on the 28th chapter.

67. 34:42

    He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see light. And again in the 30th chapter to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. This. Is the purpose. There is a time when God may speak to us in a very formidable way, by permitting us to have trials and tribulations in this life, by permitting us even to lie on beds of pain, to correct us, to bring us to Him so that we might eventually be saved from eternal death and be delivered even unto eternal life.

68. 35:20

    That’s the purpose. You know, I’d I’d like to illustrate this a little bit. Hasn’t there been times, perhaps in our own life, certainly in the lives of some of our loved ones, when they may have had some physical problem and may realize that in order to correct this physical problem, more pain must be introduced in order to correct it?

69. 35:42

    Perhaps they may have a growth and realize that. That has to be actually cut out of their flesh, lest it eventually terminate their life, and therefore they’re willing to go to the hospital. They’re willing to prevent someone to actually cut into their flesh and to remove this problem knowing that it’s going to hurt, knowing that there’s going to be a a period of convalescence that might be much more painful that the than the pain that they’ve been doing up to that particular time. But they’re willing to do it because they realize that the end result is worth it.

70. 36:15

    They realize that it will save their life. That is, of course, their mortal life, that they might live out a normal mortal life. We’re willing to do this, aren’t we? We know also that a woman is perfectly willing to bear a child and to go through the labor that is going to take place in order to bring that child into the world for the purpose of helping someone else, of giving someone else life. Even though she knows it’s going to be uncomfortable, she’s willing to go.

71. 36:43

    Through that pain in order to bring forth a child that it might live because of the joy she’ll have with that child later on. There are times in our lives when we are willing to endure pain because we know we’re going to be better off for it. And likewise, we find that there are times when God will chasten us.

72. 37:05

    He doesn’t just speak to us in His word of truth and say, OK, you’ve got the Bible, you’re on your own. From here on we find that there are times when God will bring difficulties upon us, and the problem is how we’re going to react to it. We’re going to say a little bit more about that when we get into the 4th speech of Eli Who, because Eli who seems to bracket his talks 1st and the last.

73. 37:26

    Speech with this idea of pain. Bringing a person to God. So this is a purpose of his first speech, to show Job that there’s another reason for pain. It can be to correct an individual. It can be to build a character that’ll be pleasing to God, so that. Eventually they’ll be saved from eternal death.

74. 37:45

    That’s the purpose of his first speech. He isn’t really silent. There are times when he speaks to them by beds of pain. And then we find that Eli, who gets to his second speech in the 34th chapter, and in this 34th chapter he brings up two of the unfortunate charges that God has made. That Job is made against God because of the stress under which he is is bearing up.

75. 38:10

    Here we find that. He mentions the two of them first and the fifth verse, and then in the ninth verse, and in this 34th chapter. In this second speech he answers the charge of the fifth verse, and in the third speech he answers the charge of the ninth verse. First of all, that fifth verse says, I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgment. In other words, what Job had actually said is that he had lived a righteous life.

76. 38:37

    And of course we know that he had mechanically. Job had been righteous. The Lord had said that in the 1st and 2nd chapter. And yet we find that Job felt that God hadn’t quite treated him right. Job felt that because of his personal righteousness, God should have treated him a little better. God should never have brought him to the condition that he is here where that he’s suffering tremendously for no apparent reason. In fact, even the Lord said unto the enemy, Thou moveth me to destroy him without a cause.

77. 39:10

    And so here Job, not realizing that his suffering might be for the benefit of someone else, says that God has taken away his judgment. God hasn’t treated him justly. In other words, God has done wrong, and that’s certainly not a very complimentary thing for us to say about our creator and sustainer. That was an unfortunate charge that Job had made. He made another charge in the ninth verse. It profiteth a man nothing, that he should delight himself with God.

78. 39:39

    In other words, what he’s saying is there’s no prophet whatsoever whether a man should delight himself with God and try to live in accordance with his laws and its statues. It doesn’t really matter whether we’re good people or bad. People, there’s no prophet either way. And we find that Eli who is going to answer that in the next speech. But here in this speech, we find that Eli, who brings up a very, very interesting answer in regard to God. Taking away Job’s judgment, instead, he points out verse 10. Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding. Far be it from God that he should do. Wickedness or from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity. Job had charged that since he lived a good life, God should have treated him better, and God had taken away his judgment. God wasn’t doing right.

79. 40:33

    And here we find that Eli, who says far be it from God that he should do wickedness, or from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity. And then he brings up a very interesting argument. Again, we don’t have time to go through the entire chapter. But the argument seems to go on this wise. He points out that God has demonstrated in his creating and sustaining of this planet and of man upon it, that he is a good and beneficent and just.

80. 41:02

    God. He didn’t have to create us. He didn’t have to give us the life that He gave us. And even if He did create us and sustain us, he didn’t have to give us the many blessings that we enjoy. He didn’t have to treat us in the good and just way in which He does. Why?

81. 41:20

    He could have created us, just to make us suffer if he wanted to. But instead, because of the goodness, because of the way in which God has ordered and established everything and showed himself to be a good and beneficent ruler, He demonstrates that he is a good and gracious God, that he’s not a God of iniquity, that he’s a God of goodness, the very creation that we see.

82. 41:45

    Around About Us brings forth this fact very, very forcefully. And then he carries his argument a little bit further, and he says, now, look, you would expect that the rulers of the world around about us. That men would rule justly. How much more would we expect that the Creator and Sustainer of all things, the one who has not only created this planet, but the entire universe, the one who has given life not only to man but all the living creatures around us, would conduct?

83. 42:16

    Himself in a just and righteous way. If we look upon world. Rulers. And would expect. Even though we all don’t always find it the case, if we look upon world rulers and would expect some type of justice in the governments of the world, how much more would we expect the most righteous of all to conduct himself in a manner which is just?

84. 42:38

    How much more would we expect the Creator and sustainer of all things to conduct himself properly? And so he uses this argument to demonstrate that God indeed is a good and righteous and just God, and that he should never be accused of the folly that Job has accused him of. And then in his third speech will not be able to get on to his fourth this morning. He goes on to take up that other charge that God, that Job has made in the ninth verse.

85. 43:07

    It profiteth a man nothing, that he should delight himself with God. And he brings up a rather interesting and unique argument, A very unique argument, his third speech being contained in the 35th chapter of Job.

86. 43:24

    And there we find that he points out that nobody can give God anything, one way or another. If a man is righteous, he can’t give anything to God by his righteousness. Or if a man is wicked, he can’t take away anything from God by his wickedness. We know that God doesn’t change, that God always was and always will be.

87. 43:49

    There is nothing that we can do to affect God one way or another. And by saying that, I don’t mean that we don’t displease God. I don’t mean that he God isn’t sad when we don’t live righteously. Neither do I mean that we don’t please God when we live properly. Why? God himself said in regard to the Lord Jesus Christ, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

88. 44:12

    And so we know that God does have an emotion, and God can feel pleased or displeased in the way in which we live. But we can’t take anything away from God by our wickedness. Neither can we actually give anything to God. We find that the Apostle tells us that even after we’ve rendered every possible service we can to God, we’re still unprofitable servants, and so there’s nothing we can give.

89. 44:37

    To God by the way in which we live. There’s nothing we can take away from God by the way in which we live, and therefore our righteousness or our unrighteousness must have to do only with man and not to God. If we’re righteous, that righteousness is going to benefit ourselves. Since we’re not giving God anything, that righteousness must be a benefit to us.

90. 44:58

    And since we can’t take anything away from God, our iniquity must only come back upon our own head and be something that we remove from ourselves. What a very interesting argument. It’s not an argument that I would ever thought of. Unless it was contained here in this beautiful 35th chapter of Job. So here we find that Eli, who points out to Job that a person’s wickedness can’t take anything from God.

91. 45:22

    Neither can their righteousness give anything to God. Therefore the Prophet must be for the individual himself. And yet, Job still has a problem. Here he is having been a righteous man, and yet he’s suffering tremendously, and it doesn’t seem to him as though there’s any profit whatsoever. Because of his righteousness, he still has a little bit more to learn.

92. 45:45

    Our time is gone this morning, but tomorrow we’re going to come back, give a very brief review of these first three speeches of Elihu, and go on into the 4th speech where Elihu takes up some fascinating things that are going to help us to understand the chastisement. That we can receive in our own life from our Heavenly Father.