Is there ever a purpose for suffering? Thankfully, we can look past a lot of false accusations, to the rest of God's Word for encouragement. And it provides a perfect model for us as Christian moms.

Email your questions to: stephanie@ewach.com

Find our free printable resources at www.entrustedministries.com/podcast

Today's Reading: Job 32-37

Verses Referenced:

Job 36:2-4, 5-12

Hebrews 12:5-11

Job 37

Lamentations 3:27

Romans 1:19-20

This is a dwelling place where we believe

that the Lord is available and near and

2

more than anything, we want to help you

and your family pursue his presence.

3

we're coming to the

conclusion of the Book of Job.

4

After studying this book of the Bible,

you probably have questions and you may

5

also have questions about the Genesis

passages you might even wanna submit

6

a question about biblical parenting.

7

And Betsy is ready to field all of those

8

we're gonna record that episode

soon, so we need you to send

9

in whatever you're wondering.

10

You can email me those at

stephanie at EWC h.com.

11

That's S-T-E-P-H-A-N-I-E at EWC h.com.

12

Seriously, even the smallest of questions

we wanna hear from you and Betsy will be

13

happy to address any issues that she can.

14

Thankfully we concluded with the

accusations of job's, friends, but

15

I just wanna point out an irony to

the fact that they kept accusing

16

job of suffering because he was

unrighteous when the reality is

17

that job was actually put in this

situation because of his righteousness.

18

He was elevated because God

knew he would pass the test Is

19

that somewhat reassuring?

20

If you're going through circumstances that

are making you feel, where did I go wrong?

21

Maybe you haven't at all.

22

But it's possible the Lord is allowing

your character to be refined and

23

proven through this trial, even

if it wasn't of your own doing.

24

Today's reading was on

Job chapter 32, verse 37.

25

It was a long stretch, but we

combined these because they are

26

all of Allah, who's speeches.

27

He's been a silent observer for

many chapters, but he is burning

28

with anger as it says four times in

the opening verses of chapter 32,

29

and he can no longer stay silent.

30

Though he was younger and allowed his

elders to go first, he is now going to

31

give his perspective and it's a little bit

more nuanced than job's previous friends.

32

However, he's still pretty hard on job.

33

Some scholars have even considered

that Elihu might be the author of

34

Job as his speeches tied together

different sections of the book.

35

I find John MacArthur's commentary to be

helpful in summarizing Elihu speeches,

36

he divides them into six sections.

37

First of all, Elihu enters into the

debate to break the impasse job's.

38

Friends keep accusing job.

39

Job is absolutely committed

to his righteousness and they

40

are not making any progress.

41

In Chapter 32,

42

elihu continues with his second speech.

43

He charges job with his

presumption in criticizing God.

44

He says, job is not recognizing

that God may have a loving

45

purpose in allowing him to suffer.

46

In the third speech in chapter 34,

Elihu says that Job has wrongly accused

47

God of not acting with integrity.

48

When he says that it doesn't

pay off to lead a godly life.

49

The fourth speech in chapter 34, A Lie Who

Urges Job to Wait patiently upon the Lord.

50

In chapter 36 he begins his fifth speech

asserting that God is disciplining Job.

51

And then finally in the conclusion

of chapter 36 and then all of 37,

52

he says, human observers can hardly

expect to understand God's dealings

53

in administering justice and mercy.

54

Elihu highly elevates the Lord,

his character and his wisdom.

55

But ironically, he also

elevates himself pretty highly.

56

In chapter 36, he begins, bear with

me a little and I will show you for

57

I have yet something to say On God's

behalf, I will get my knowledge from

58

afar and ascribe righteousness to my

maker for truly my words are not false.

59

One who is perfect in

knowledge is with you.

60

Whoa.

61

That's a pretty confident statement

for someone who's going to say that we

62

can't know all of God's workings, but

he says he's perfect in knowledge still.

63

I like how he elevates the character

of God as he continues in chapter 36.

64

I behold God is mighty

and does not despise any.

65

He is mighty in strength of understanding.

66

He does not keep the wicked alive,

but gives the afflicted their right.

67

He does not withdraw his eyes from

the righteous, but with kings on the

68

throne, he sets them forever and they

are exalted, and if they're bound

69

in chains and caught in the cords of

affliction, then he declares to them

70

their work and their transgressions,

that they're behaving arrogantly.

71

He opens their ears to instruction and

commands that they return from iniquity.

72

If they listen and serve him.

73

They complete their day's in prosperity

and their years in pleasantness.

74

But if they do not listen, they perish

by the sword and die without knowledge.

75

Several times, Elihu mentions that God

can actually use suffering as a form

76

of discipline to warn us of future sin

or to refine our character, and he's

77

saying that God has been offering wisdom.

78

That job has been shutting out

79

Elihu quotes Job specifically

and condemns him for how he's

80

wrongly spoken of the Lord.

81

But there is even a time or two

that he wrongly attributes a quote

82

to job and accuses him falsely.

83

in the fourth speech.

84

He gives three reasons why he thinks

that job's prayers haven't been heard.

85

He believes it's job's pride,

his wrong motives, and a lack

86

of patient trust in his creator

87

Job's, greatest sin is the

way he accused the Lord and

88

demanded an audience with him.

89

It's helpful if we look into

the New Testament at Hebrews 12.

90

This is one of the key chapters in

scripture on the discipline of the Lord.

91

Often when we experience suffering, it

is the discipline of the Lord and he

92

is desiring to refine our character.

93

Hebrews 12 verse five begins, have

you forgotten the exhortation

94

that addresses you as son?

95

My son do not regard lightly

the discipline of the Lord nor

96

be weary when reproved by him.

97

For the Lord, disciplines the one he loves

and chastens every son whom he receives.

98

It is for discipline

that you have to endure.

99

God is treating us sons for

what son is there, whom his

100

father does not discipline.

101

If you are left without discipline

in which all have participated.

102

Then you are illegitimate

children and not sons.

103

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers

who disciplined us and we respected

104

them, shall we not much more be subject

to the father of spirits and live for?

105

They disciplined us for a short

time as it seemed best to them, but

106

he disciplines us for our good

that we may share in his holiness.

107

For the moment, all discipline

seems painful rather than pleasant,

108

but later it yields the peaceful

fruit of righteousness to those

109

who have been trained by it.

110

Elihu is somewhat on the right

track saying God can discipline us

111

or allowing suffering for our good.

112

As Hebrew says that we might share in

His Holiness, but he still doesn't have

113

a grasp on why Job is in this situation.

114

Obviously, we need to connect

this to our parenting.

115

There are going to be plenty of

times we're asking our kids to do

116

things that are uncomfortable for

them that they don't wanna do.

117

Might be something simple

like cleaning their rooms.

118

And if we were always the kind of moms

that picked up after them, justifying

119

that we just wanna serve our family,

we would be robbing our kids of the

120

opportunity to grow in character.

121

It's good for a man that he

bear the yoke in his youth.

122

Scripture tells us we need to

let our kids contribute to the

123

family to be diligent, to work

hard, to grow in their character.

124

Earthly parents discipline their children.

125

They show love and they

do it all with gentleness.

126

We can be thankful that God is so

invested in this process for us and

127

as parents, we should join him in it

128

in chapter 37.

129

It's a great prelude to what

God himself will say soon.

130

Let's get a taste of that.

131

In verse one, Elihu begins at this.

132

Also, my heart trembles

and leaps out of its place.

133

Keep listening to the thunder of his

voice and the rumbling that comes from

134

his mouth under the whole heaven.

135

He lets it go and his lightning

to the corners of the earth.

136

After it, his voice roars.

137

He thunders with his majestic

voice and he does not restrain the

138

lightnings when his voice is heard.

139

God thunders, wondrously with his voice.

140

He does great things that

we cannot comprehend for.

141

To the snow, he says, fall on the earth.

142

Likewise to the downpour, his mighty

downpour, he seals up the hand of every

143

man that all men whom he made may know it.

144

Then the beast go into their

layers and remain in their dens.

145

From its chamber comes the whirlwind

and cold from the scattering winds By

146

the breath of God, ice is given and

the broad waters are frozen fast.

147

He loads the thick cloud with moisture.

148

The clouds scatter his lightning.

149

They turn around and around by his

guidance to accomplish all that, he

150

commands them on the face of the habitable

world, whether for correction or for his

151

land or for love, he causes it to happen.

152

Hear this o Jobb.

153

Stop and consider the

wondrous works of God.

154

Lord, as I read your word today,

I can't help but wonder, how

155

do they know so much about you?

156

How do they know how you

control all of creation?

157

And I thank you that your word tells

us that you are a God who makes himself

158

known as Paul wrote in Romans one, for

what can be known about you is plain

159

to them because you have shown it to

them for your invisible attributes.

160

Namely, your eternal power and divine

nature have been clearly perceived

161

ever since the creation of the world

and the things that have been made.

162

So we are without excuse as

we read about your creation

163

and your might and your power.

164

Give us eyes to see where you're at.

165

Work all around us, whether it's

in the smallest of creation like a

166

snowflake or the sunsets in the sky.

167

Give us a fresh perspective of the

beauty you've placed around us.

168

Whether it's another neighborhood,

walk with our kids, or a

169

daily commute to school.

170

Help us to see your beauty

and majesty in all of it.

171

Taking our eyes off of ourselves,

embracing an opportunity

172

to live for you each day.

173

We thank you that everything that

was made was made through you, Jesus,

174

and we praise you for making us and

for making our children, and for

175

another day to lift up your name.

176

It is to you, we pray amen.