God Uses Suffering to Teach
Study note
Elihu asks for patience as he speaks on God's behalf. God is mighty but does not despise anyone. He does not keep the wicked alive, and he gives justice to the afflicted. When people are bound in chains of suffering, God shows them what they have done wrong. He opens their ears to correction. If they obey and serve him, they will spend their days in prosperity. But if they refuse, they will perish. God delivers the afflicted through their suffering.
1 Elihu went on and said, Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 'Stick with me just a bit longer. I have more to say in defense of God.' Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
3 'I am pulling my knowledge from deep and wide. I am going to show that the God who made me is right.' I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 'I promise you, nothing I say is false. Standing before you is someone who truly understands what he is talking about.' For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 'God is exceedingly powerful, but he does not look down on anyone. He is mighty in both strength and in wisdom.' Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 'He does not let wicked people keep living. He stands up for those who are suffering and makes sure they get justice.' He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 'He never takes his eyes off people who do right. He seats them on thrones alongside kings and lifts them up forever.' He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 'But if people find themselves chained up, trapped in the ropes of their own suffering,' And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 'God shows them exactly what they did -- that they were acting out of pride and arrogance.' Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 'He opens their ears so they can hear his correction, and he tells them to turn away from doing evil.' He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 'If they listen to him and do what he says, the rest of their days will be full of good things, and their years will be full of happiness.' If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 'But if they refuse to listen, they will be wiped out by the sword and die without ever gaining understanding.' But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 'People who have no respect for God in their hearts nurse their anger. Even when God ties them up, they refuse to cry out for help.' But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 'They die while they are still young. Their life ends in total disgrace.' They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 'But for those who are suffering, God uses their suffering itself to rescue them. He grabs their attention through their pain.' He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
A Warning to Job
Study note
Elihu tells Job that God is trying to draw him out of his distress into a wide, open place of freedom. But Job is obsessed with the case of the wicked. No amount of wealth or effort can save a person. Elihu warns Job not to long for the night -- a metaphor for death. He should be careful not to turn to sin, which he seems to prefer over suffering.
16 'He is trying to pull you out of the tight grip of trouble into a wide, open space where you are free. Your table will be covered with the best food.' Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 'But right now, you are weighed down by the judgment that wicked people deserve. Judgment and justice have clamped down on you.' But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 'Watch out -- do not let riches lure you off track. Do not let a big payoff pull you to the wrong side.' Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 'Would all your wealth or all the effort you could possibly put in be enough to keep you out of trouble?' Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 'Do not wish for the night, the time when entire communities are swept away.' Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 'Be very careful not to turn toward evil. It seems like you would rather do that than face your suffering.' Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
The Power of God in the Storm
Study note
Elihu transitions into one of the most beautiful nature passages in the Bible. God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? Remember to praise his work, which all people have seen. God is great beyond our understanding. He draws up drops of water and distills them as rain from the clouds. He spreads out the clouds and covers the depths of the sea. Thunder announces his presence. This passage prepares the reader for God's own speech from the whirlwind.
22 'Look at how high God is lifted up by his power. What teacher anywhere could compare with him?' Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 'Who has ever told God what to do? Who can say to his face, "You made a mistake"?' Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 'Make sure you celebrate the things he has done, because every person who has ever lived has looked at his work.' Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 'All of humanity has gazed at it. People stare at it from far away.' Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 'How magnificent God is -- far beyond anything we can comprehend! The number of his years cannot even be calculated.' Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 'He scoops up tiny drops of water, filters them through the mist, and they come back down as rain.' For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 'The clouds release all their moisture, and showers of rain pour down on everyone below.' Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 'Can anyone understand how he spreads out the clouds? Can anyone explain the thunder that rolls out from where he lives?' Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 'Look how he flings his lightning in every direction and lights up the bottom of the sea.' Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 'This is how he takes care of the nations and makes sure there is plenty of food.' For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 'He scoops lightning up in both hands and aims it right where he wants it to go.' With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33 'The crash of his thunder announces that he is coming. Even the cattle can tell that a storm is on its way.' The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.