You're in Big Trouble Dude

O. T. 1155 "You're in Big Trouble Dude"
Feb. 21, 2018
Job 32-37

LET IT GLOW

Look out now. Just when we thought we were through with the lecturing, here comes one last friend. His name is Elihu. He is the youngest of of four. He was listening and observing as Job and the 3 debated their beliefs.
I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get this over. That's why I think it would be acceptable to do an overview of Elihu's 4 speeches. They are broken down like this:

1. Initial message covers chapters 32 and 33;
2. Second speech is found in chapter 34;
3. Third speech is in chapter 35;
4. Final speech is in chapters 36 and 37.

Elihu communicated two points:
1. God disciplines a person to turn him from the error of his ways.
2. God governs justly. He is fair. He is sovereignly in control over all.

Swindoll's gives us some good insight:
1. In the first speech, Elihu could have summed up his thoughts like this:
God has not been silent, but His message is not as you had expected.
(Job 33:13-14)
God speaks in a dream or a vision of the night. (Job 33:15)
God speaks when we are sick. (33:19)
Could it be that in those days when God spoke through dreams and visions, He spoke directly to individuals in a supernatural manner, using a "mediating angel?" (33:23-26)
(I wonder if it was Jesus, before He took on the form of a man. As in Jacob's case when he wrestled with an angel all night. )
Was Job listening to what God was saying through his circumstances?
Are we listening?

2. The second speech Elihu gave addressed Job and the 3 men was because he refused to live on God's terms. Do you think He should start living on yours? You should be pushed to the wall and called to account for wickedly talking back to God the way you have. You compounded your sin by rebelling against God's discipline. Wow!
Do we live on God's terms or on our terms? By our rules or His?

LET IT GROW 

3. In his third speech, Elihu builds a case against those with impure motives (Job). He emphasizes that is the reason for God's silence. (35:12-16)
Do we do a motive check often? God looks upon the heart.

4. The final speech of Elihu has him making four good points:

1. God protectively watches over the righteous.
2. If the righteous commit a transgression, He let's them know they've done wrong.
3. If they respond to the rod of discipline, He restores them.
4. If they persist, they will surely suffer the consequences.

Finally someone gets it right. It's all about God.
Is He trying to remold us like a lump of clay? When we make a mess of our life of clay, does God give up on us? No. He keeps working on us.
Have we had our own ideas about how we should do things, act this way, be that, and if you don't then you are wrong and in big trouble dude. (Michelle on Full House used that phrase often. )
Instead of condemning the person, aren't we supposed to love them back to Jesus?
Ouch!

LET IT GO

Oh Lord Jesus, remold this messy lump of clay.
Change my heart God, too as I surrender to
Your will,
Your way,
Today,
I pray.