Podcasts about Elihu

Welcome back to What If I'm Wrong? A show where we might not give you the answers, but we will ask some really good questions. On today's episode, we're joined by Lauren Shiek, who discovered she had a brain tumor while playing division one softball. Today we're kicking off a new theme: Generational Wisdom. What might you be misunderstanding about Generation Z? This week's episode dives into Gen Z and the journey of navigating a brain tumor—a powerful story of resilience, perspective, and faith. Heather shares about the word disillusionment—and how she is in the process of this herself.  Join host Heather Thompson Day and submission specialist Haley Hoskins as they explore generation Z  In Day in the Bible, Heather reflects on Elihu—the youngest in the group. Have a story to share? Email us at whatifimwrongpod@gmail.com. Host Bio:  Dr. Heather Thompson Day is an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller, and has been a contributor for Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Newsweek and the Barna Group.  Heather was a communication professor for 13 years teaching both graduate and undergraduate students in Public Speaking, Persuasion, and Social Media. She is now the founder of It Is Day Ministries, a nonprofit organization that trains churches, leaders, and laypeople in what Heather calls Cross Communication, a gospel centered communication approach that points you higher, to the cross, every time you open your mouth.  Heather's writing has been featured on outlets like the Today Show, and the National Communication Association. She has been interviewed by BBC Radio Live and The Wall Street Journal.  She believes her calling is to stand in the gaps of our churches. She is the author of 9 books; including It's Not Your Turn, I'll See You Tomorrow, and What If I'm Wrong? Heather's Social Media Heather's Instagram Heather's Website  Heather's TikTok Heather's YouTube  Haley's Social media Haley's Instagram What If I'm Wrong Social Media What If I'm Wrong Instagram  What If I'm Wrong YouTube What If I'm Wrong Tik Tok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Sunday morning sermon by Pastor Brett Deal. What must it have been like for Job when God showed up! One second the young Elihu is encouraging Job to “Keep listening to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth [because] God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things that we cannot comprehend,” and “then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind” (Job 37.2,5; 38.1)!!! Job's been desperate for God to show up, to answer His unanswered appeals. Maybe you've felt like that, thinking, “If God would just show up and answer me, I could move on with my life!” What Job experienced—all the extreme audiovisuals aside—is the same God who speaks to us today. He begins by making us aware of His presence. He doesn't always show up in a hurricane or in grand visions (check out Ezekiel 1). Sometimes, God reveals His presence quietly with a still small voice (1 Kings 19.11-13). God makes us aware of His presence and then He answers (but probably not in the way we expected). God answers us like He did Job: with questions. Yes, questions! This can hardly feel like what we were waiting for! More questions? Really?! Eritrean theologian Tewoldemedhin Habtu, reflecting on Job 38-39, believes, “Questions are an effective way of teaching, because they force the learner to think for himself.” Friends, isn't that just like God? His presence ministers to us and then His questions broaden our tunnel vision perspective. We want God to make sense of our suffering, but instead, God lovingly (and at times quite amusingly) asks us questions far beyond our capacity. God's questions generously invited Job to loosen his grip on bitterness and disillusionment by contemplating God's kindness toward His whole creation. As you spend time in God's presence this week, give your questions a rest and listen to the questions He's asking you. Listen to the voice of the One who endows the heart with wisdom and gives understanding to the mind (Job 38.36). You might be surprised what you learn.

The horrible flash floods in Texas have claimed almost 300 lives missing or dead. There was no warning, and the shallow rivers in the region are quickly filled to overflowing, roaring down stream and carrying trees and buildings and vehicles with it, as well as animal and human victims. Some will say, that God didn't want this to happen. He was standing by and watching, and couldn't do anything to stop the flooding. But the Bible refutes such nonsense! God works ALL THINGS after the council of His Will! God has a reason and purpose for these floods, but that doesn't mean that we know the why of it all at this time. The Bible teaches that God not only made the weather system and processes, but that God controls them also. Many texts bear this truth out. God sends the rain, the floods, the heat of the sun, earthquakes, storms, the wind, eclipses, droughts, and a host of other meteorological events. In these texts, God takes personal responsibility for bringing all these things to pass. Sometimes God sends these things for judgment and wrath against ungodliness. The global flood that destroyed almost all mankind is but one such incident, where God took personal responsibility for bringing it about. God carries out these things, rarely directly, but overwhelmingly by His providence. God is the ultimate cause of all things that exist or take place! The Psalmist proclaims that the wind, the floods, the lightnings, the fire, the hail, they all fulfill God's word! In the book of Job, both Elihu and God Himself give God the credit as the meticulous cause of whirlwinds, cold, rainstorms, etc., and of them all obeying God's commands.

In this episode, we examine Job's final protest and solemn oath, Elihu's function in the narrative, and what it means for the Lord to answer Job "out of the whirlwind."

When Job demands answers from God, hes met not with explanations, but with awe. In this powerful sermon, we explore how God responds from the storm, lifting Jobs eyes from suffering to the wonder, wisdom, and wildness of creation. Discover how Gods care is both cosmic and personal, and why we are never alone, even in the chaos. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript The word of the Lord is being read from the Book of Job, Chapter 38, verses 1 to 21. Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said,Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know. Who stretched a measuring line across it?On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstonewhile the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness;when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,when I said, This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt?Have you ever given orders to the morning or shown the dawn its place,that it might take the earth by the edges and shake the wicked out of it?The earth takes shape like clay under a seal; its features stand out like those of a garment.The wicked are denied their light, and their upraised arm is broken.Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea or walked in the recesses of the deep?Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.What is the way to the abode of light? And where does darkness reside?Can you take them to their places? Do you know the paths to their dwellings?Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years. Good morning everyone. We could probably have some light, I think. It might help you. I don't know if it'll make you go to sleep or not, but anyway. We are looking at, actually, four chapters in Job today, although we just had the start read. If you've got a Bible or something on your phone, you're welcome to follow along. But a lot of the material I'll have up on the screen or read out for us. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for the richness of your word. And we thank you, Lord, that your kindness to us is in revealing who you are, who we are, and our place in this creation. We thank you, Lord, for your goodness to us this morning and every day, in providing all that we need for life and showing us the way to salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ. We pray that you'd open our hearts today to all that you would say to us in Your Word by Your Holy Spirit. Amen. Left on Read with God Well, the young people have an expression: to be left on read. It means that you've sent a message to someone and they have clearly seen it. A read receipt has come through. It says delivered and read in whatever, you know, WhatsApp or Messenger or whatever. But they have not responded. So it's not like, you know, they haven't seen the message. Oh, they've seen it. But something about their life your message, your priority in their life means that you've been left on read. Well, at this point in the book of Job, Job is feeling like he is left on read with God. We've had speeches back and forth. We've had lots of human words. But in all the chapters between chapter 3 and 37, we've not had a word from God. Job has been crying out to God because of his suffering. All that he has lost, the changes in his life. Everything good that he had seems to have been taken away. And he believes that God is in charge of the world, and so he cannot understand the justice behind a righteous man such as himself receiving such terrible treatment at the hands of a good God. He had done good. Why had he not experienced good in his life? And he knew that he did not deserve this suffering, this change in his fortunes. So why was God doing it? He cries out to God. In fact, more than just sending God a message, he's actually longing to take God to court, if you like. He's kind of moving from just messages between friends to an episode of Law and Order. He is in the courtroom and he is crying out for God the defendant and the judge to answer him. So you actually see lots of courtroom imagery throughout the whole book of Job. We see at the beginning God, the heavenly Judge on the throne, and the angels coming before Him. The accuser comes and says, What is the justice in this man's life? You are saying he is worshiping you and being righteous, and yet he has so much. It's unjust. He doesn't really love you for you; it's because of all the stuff he's got. And so the whole scenario of Job's change in life and his suffering is set up in this sort of courtroom assembly. But Job himself then starts to style himself as a plaintiff in a court case, calling out to God to take his case and also to answer him as his opposition. He longs for there to be someone a witness, an arbiter, a mediator in the courtroom between him and God. And actually, when he calls for a Redeemer and says, I know there must be someone, he's still using this picture. I want someone to stand on my side, to be my legal advocate. To provide what I need. As I stand before God the Judge. God Speaks from the Storm So when we come to God speaking in chapter 38, we actually see God begin His own cross-examination of Job. God speaks. And yes, He will engage in this courtroom scene and these questions of justice. Now, what He says in answer to Job's complaints may be very unexpected. But when we see the beginning of chapter 38, we can imagine exactly a defense attorney standing there saying, Brace yourself. Are you ready for my questions? So God answers Job. In our NIV translation, we just have, Then the Lord spoke to Job. That's appropriate. I'm not a Hebrew scholar, but what I do know is that there's a difference between the way that God speaks here and the way God has spoken the only other times we've seen Him speak (in chapters 1 and 2). In chapters 1 and 2, God speaks to the Satan the accuser, the adversary and He does not... (the Hebrew doesn't use the normal everyday sort of reply form of the word). It's not like this is a dialogue between God and Satan. Satan says something and God speaks, but He doesn't "reply" in the sense that they are equals. Here, however, the language is back to normal. God answers Job, as you and I would answer or reply to one another in conversation. He has now brought Himself into dialogue with Job. Not that either one's character or essence has changed, but that God is willing to have a conversation with this human being. Face to face. But it's not really face to face. It's not equal. God speaks to Job out of the storm. Throughout the book of Job, Job has been using this imagery of God Himself. You might have heard that we are expecting a "weather bomb" off the east coast of Australia this coming week. And you think to yourself, Ah, do you need to just really escalate this imagery? It'll probably be quite rainy and windy. However, the picture of God speaking out of the storm is that escalated "weather bomb" language. This is power. This is threat. And Job knows this about God, because Job has used this language of Him before. In that first courtroom scene in chapter 9, when he's saying, You're the Judge I want to bring my case before You. But I feel so powerless. If He does come to me, He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason. And then, towards the end of the speeches, just before the final human arbiter (Elihu) speaks, Job says to God, You snatch me up and drive me before the wind; You toss me about in the storm. Elihu, in his speeches (before God finally speaks in answer), says this too about God: His thunder announces the coming storm. All the threat that you experience when a weather bomb is on its way... This is the power and holiness and otherness of the great God of the universe. But God, out of His great power and otherness, does not destroy Job when He speaks to him out of the storm. He says, Who is this that obscures My plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man. Like a warrior. I will question you, and you shall answer Me. And so we wonder, what will God say in response to Job's suffering and his request for justice? Will He go into the explanation of Satan coming before God in chapters 1 and 2? Will He say, Actually, you werent as righteous as you thought. Everybody gets tough times? What is He going to say? The Vastness of Creation Well, God begins His answer to Job by lifting his eyes to the vastness of creation. He lifts Jobs eyes above Jobs own human story, and He tells Job just how vast and indescribable how unfathomable and transcendent God really is. He begins by saying, Were you there when I laid the earths foundation? He pictures Himself as a builder and an architect. He says, Were you there? Who marked off its dimensions? Who stretched a measuring line across it? Did you lay the concrete footings? No, I did that. And more than just doing a building for you humans. This was set in a vast heavenly realm: ...the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy. God doesn't give a lot of insights into the heavenly realm in these chapters, but it's always there God's ways are ancient, transcendent. There were beings around before you, and they are truly beyond our comprehension. Have you ever given orders to the morning? Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea and walked in the recesses of the deep? (Maybe the Mariana Trench, or whatever it's called something I learned from Octonauts.) What is the way to the abode of light? Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or seen the storehouses of hail, which I reserve for times of trouble? Does the rain have a father? From whose womb comes the ice? Can you bind the chains of Pleiades or loosen Orion's belt? (He's talking about the stars.) Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons and lead out the Bear with its cubs? (That's referring to a constellation.) Can you raise your voice to the clouds? Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? God's ways are ancient and transcendent and truly beyond our comprehension. Science may get us so far, but a lot of what we observe, we still not we are still not able to say why or how and for what purpose. But God knows. And God has been in this business for an awfully long time. God's Intricate Care for Creation But He also then says moving from this large picture down to an intricate care picture. He says: Who gives the ibis wisdom? Who gives the rooster understanding? Do you hunt the prey for the lioness and satisfy the hunger of the lions? Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food? Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? God knows. God's knowledge of creation is far greater than human knowledge, and it's intricate and caring. And you might notice that these animals and birds mentioned are not ones that humans domesticate or find useful. They aren't God speaking about the cattle and the sheep grazing (there are parts in the Psalms where He does that, to make a different point: See what I can do to care for you.). But this is not that. This is, See all the strange and unconnected-to-human-life parts of creation that I know, that I love. My knowledge is intricate. You say I haven't seen your suffering. I see all. And I care for all. Wild and Playful Creatures And then related, and starting to move on from here He starts to have this really kind of strange, wild and playful description of creation. Who let the wild donkey go free? I gave it the wasteland as its home; it laughs at the commotion in the town. Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness? Will you rely on it for its great strength? (The answer being no not a chance.) Then this long excursus on the ostrich: The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully, though they cannot compare with the wings and feathers of the stork. She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand, unmindful that a foot may crush them or that some wild animal may trample them. She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers. She cares not that her labor was in vain, for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense. Yet when she spreads her feathers to run, she laughs at horse and rider. The ostrich is a nonsense creature. God says it's got this big body and a long neck and a funny tiny head. It lays its eggs in the sand rather than putting them in a nest or sitting on them. It makes these foolish decisions. It looks ridiculous. And yet when it runs, God says, I delight in it. It is fast and crazy and wild and stupid, and I love it. This creation that I have made. Look around. It is full of wildness and nonsense and play. And it is not always centered on you. An ostrich goes its own way. A horse, a hawk. An eagle. An ox. A mountain goat, a donkey. All of these wild, free creatures. I made them. I love them. I delight in them. And they're not really part of your story. Behemoth and Leviathan: Chaos Contained He goes on then into chapter 40 and 41, and He moves into these animals that seem to be mythological. And the point here is that God's power contains and holds in check all that seems out of control, including chaos and injustice. So we've got wildness, we've got nonsense, we've got play. But now we've got two creatures called Behemoth and Leviathan. Now, in my household, we have conversations about whether Behemoth (which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an ox; what strength it has in its loins, what power in the muscles of its belly, its tail is like a cedar, etc., etc.) is a hippo, a rhino, or a dinosaur because its tail is like a cedar and hippos have, like, tiny little tails. What is this creature? The Leviathan. Similarly, it's in the sea. Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook? Tie down its tongue with a rope? Can you make a pet of it or put it on a leash for the young women in your house? No one is fierce enough to rouse it. Who then is able to stand against Me? Everything under heaven belongs to Me. These creatures Behemoth (this kind of mythological, dinosaur-like, big, scary chaos creature on land) and Leviathan (the Kraken, if you like, in the ocean) are mythological beasts, terrifying to all the sailors and the pirates and everybody in the Psalms. Leviathan stands for all the forces of chaos and opposition to God. There are creatures, of course, on the earth that God could say, "I control this," but these ones seem to be imbued with this kind of symbolic chaos meaning, and even a dark and evil meaning. The great beast on land and the great beast in the sea. But God contains and holds in check all that seems out of control, all that seems terrifying, all that seems chaotic and even unjust. There is chaos in God's world, and yet it is not out of God's ultimate control. God's Justice Is Bigger Than Ours Finally, in chapter 40 at the beginning, He teaches us this. God's story is bigger than our story. God's justice is bigger than our justice. But its not in opposition to our story and our justice. I don't know if you've ever heard preachers or teachers say, "Well, you know, I appreciate that your heart is for the vulnerable. I appreciate that you don't feel that that is right. But God's justice God's rightness is beyond ours." And it sort of undercuts that feeling that sometimes we have, that things aren't right and that we're supposed to live with this very, very significant cognitive dissonance that, you know, God doesn't actually care about the things we care about. No, God's justice is bigger. God's ways are higher. He does care about human right and wrong. He does care about the treatment of the vulnerable and the marginalized. He does care when people do wicked things. So in chapter 40, He says again to Job, Brace yourself like a man. Would you discredit My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God's? Can your voice thunder like His? Unleash the fury of your wrath; look at all who are proud and bring them low. Look at all who are proud and humble them. Crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. "Then I Myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you." God cares about the behavior of human beings, and He knows when the proud are being wicked. He knows when human beings who have abused and hurt other human beings deserve justice, and He will bring it ultimately, of course, in the death and the condemnation of the wicked. But God's justice is not in opposition to the justice that you and I desire, even though He is so far above our ways. Job's Humble Response So Job responds, and he responds twice. (If you were at Andy Prado's talk on Wednesday night, you'll know that the first response is one of humility, and we'll look at the next one next week.) He knows, actually, you're right: my story is small. Humans are small in light of God's wisdom and power. Job answered the Lord, I am unworthy how can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer twice, but I will say no more. "I am humbled. You have shown me the vastness of Your creation. You have lifted my eyes to the intricacy of Your plans, and I know that they are beyond my own story." Humans Are Small, But Not Worthless or Alone But God would not want Job to stop there. He knows that Job needs to hear more than just "humans are small." (So really, is that why He's come to him?) Humans are small. God is big. But humans are not worthless. When God came to us in Jesus Christ, He did the same. He looked around. Creation. He saw what was there. He saw the sparrows rising and falling. And He said to the people around Him, Look at this creation. God cares for these. He could be quoting Job about these sparrows. But Jesus said, Are you not worth more than many sparrows? Does not God care for you so much more than even these utterly gorgeous little creatures? Psalm 8 says that God deserves all the praise and glory. And yet what is humankind? That you care for them? That you raise them up? That you love them? Humans are small, but they are not worthless. And humans are small. But they are not alone in this world with its chaos and sufferings. The God who is big is also personal. God came to Job to answer him. God answers him as a friend a very high, transcendent, complex, holy-other friend. God says, Look around at this creation. It is made personally by Me, and I am with you in it. In its chaos, in its dark, in its light. You are not alone in this world. A New Way of Looking at Things From C.S. Lewis I learnt something new a new way of looking at things from C.S. Lewis this week. I'm going to read to you from one of his essays, from a book called God in the Dock. He says: There is an activity of God displayed throughout creation a wholesale activity, let us say which people refuse to recognize. The miracles done by God Incarnate, Jesus, living as a man in Palestine, perform the very same things as this wholesale activity, but at a different speed and on a smaller scale. So think about the things that we've looked at in Job chapters 38 to 41: the seas being in God's control. Jesus calming the storm. Jesus walking on water. God feeding the the ravens. God taking great delight in His creation. Jesus feeding the 5000. Jesus bringing healing and restoration. Jesus having meals. Jesus turning water into wine. One of the chief purposes of these miracles is that people, having seen a thing done by a personal power on the small scale, may recognize, when they see the same thing done on the large scale, that the power behind it is also personal indeed the very same Person who lived among us 2000 years ago. The miracles, in fact, are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see. Of that larger script, part is already visible and part is still unsolved the script of God's plan. In other words, some of the miracles of Jesus do locally what God has already done universally (provide calm, be over all the chaos). Others do locally what He has not yet done but will do (healing, restoration, resurrection). In that sense, and from our human point of view, some are reminders and others prophecies. God creates the vine and teaches it to draw up water by its roots and, with the aid of the sun, to turn that water into a juice which will ferment and take on certain qualities. Thus, every year from Noah's time till ours, God turns water into wine. But when Christ at Cana makes water into wine, the mask is off. But the miracle has only half its effect if it only convinces us that Christ is God (obviously essential, and we always preach it like that). It will have its full effect if whenever we see a vineyard or drink a glass of wine or juice, we remember that here works He who sat at the wedding party in Cana. God's entire creation is personal. God knows it. God loves it. The other transcendent, powerful God is the God who walked among us in Jesus, but who has never been far from us in every circumstance. Amen.

In this episode, we will discuss the book of Job with questions on the dialogue throughout the book, Elihu, and why he speaks so late, and what happens to Satan after the book ends. Join Karla and Mike as they converse with Dr. Dominick Hernandez to get your questions answered!   To check out Dr. Hernandez's resources mentioned in this episode, visit:   Books: The Prosperity of the Wicked https://amzn.to/43pwtqx   Illustrated Job in Hebrew https://amzn.to/43BPTqV   Engaging the Old Testament: How to Read Biblical Narrative, Poetry, and Prophecy Well https://amzn.to/4kPsQjr   Proverbs: Pathways to Wisdom https://amzn.to/3Zbu6Fc   Connect further with Dr. Hernandez: domshernandez.com  

In this sermon from our Job: The Mystery of Suffering series, we explore what happens when well-meaning words miss the mark. As Job's friends try to explain his pain through a rigid lens of retribution and reward, were invited to reflect on our own assumptions about suffering, faith, and Gods justice. Join us as we wrestle with tough questions and discover the hope found in the innocent suffering of Christ. To catch up on the latest sermons from Deep Creek, go to iTunes, Spotify ordeepcreekanglican.comand check out the website for more info about whats happening. We are a welcoming and growing multigenerational church in Doncaster East in Melbourne with refreshing faith in Jesus Christ. We think that looks like being life-giving to the believer, surprising to the world, and strengthening to the weary and doubting. Read the transcript This morning's reading is from Job chapter 22, verses 2 to 30, and can be found on page 811 of the red pew Bibles, if you have those. Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person benefit him?What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless?Is it for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you?Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?You demanded security from your relatives for no reason; you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.You gave no water to the weary, and you withheld food from the hungry.Though you were a powerful man, owning land, and an honored man living on it, you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless.That is why snares are all around you, why sudden peril terrifies you, why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars?Yet you say, What does God know? Does he judge through such darkness?Thick clouds veil him so he does not see us, as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod?They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood.They said to God, Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things.So I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying,Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored.If you remove wickedness far from your tent and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.When people are brought low and you say, Lift them up! then he will save the downcast.He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands. Thank you, Angie. Well, I lost my voice during the week, so I might sound a little bit unusual today. My thanks to Chantelle, who's leading the singing, despite me choosing all the songs and making all the plans to be the person. So thank you very much. And thank you to the staff who've managed while I've been working from home this week. We particularly want to acknowledge that for those who have come from Iran, this is a very difficult time. On Friday, you might be aware that Israel began to send artillery to bomb Iran. That has been reciprocated, and we certainly fear a significant escalation. So we want to say to all of our congregation members who are from Iran and who have friends and family there that we're with you and we're praying for you. Of course, we know that many in Israel also have no control over what their leaders choose to do, and their leaders are making decisions based on all kinds of bad things that have been done on all sides. And so it's a very complex and dark and difficult situation. So, we love you and we're praying for you and for the people of Iran and Israel. Job's Friends We are continuing in our series on the Book of Job, and they tell me that having a raspy voice is kind of good for today because we're looking at some serious challenges in the way that people have spoken to each other and related, particularly around how friends have been together. Now, I didn't invent thissomeone else (awesome) on the internet did. This is an original painting featuring Job and his friends. And for those listening to the podcast, it has the word Friends, which we could say you know, So no one told you life was gonna be this way? (That Friends.) Thank you very much. So, the show Friends, of course, was one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. It started in 1994, and I was really busy doing Year 11 at that time, so I never got into Friends (I know that's horrifying to some of you). But of course, you can't help but know that the teaching and the story of Friends is not really about an overarching arc; it's about how these relationships unfold and how they navigate life together. These friends, living in the US (on the sofa at Central Perk), had 236 episodes of just friends interacting with each other. The way in which human relationshipsand indeed some of the changes that were happening in our society, particularly around intimacy and how we considered moral choiceswere shown through friendships. And you could see that being a friend didn't always mean you were a good one. Sometimes you said things that indicated you had a really different perspective. Sometimes you wounded each other through how you spoke, through how you cared (or didn't). And that's exactly what we find in the Book of Job. The bulk of the Book of Job actually revolves around a dialogue between friends. They go back and forth and back and forth, and it's not so much about getting somewhere; it's about how they speak about life from their perspectives and how they teach one another about what it means to live through the mess. Now, Job's friends here are dressed very finely, and they match how Job would have looked before all the suffering and disaster came upon him and his family. So Job was a great man and a good man. Job was wealthy. Job was prosperous. Job was wise. He had very substantial holdings, with lots of flocks and herds, and a large family with lots of kids. He was well respected, and I suspect this was his crew. This is Job and the boys. (I can say that because we've got the youth in today, and Phoebe's not here, so she can't just die.) And these fellows represent the whole of the ancient Near East. They're not from Israel or Jerusalem; this is a really multicultural crew. I imagine them meeting at the Qantas Club or the RACV Club, or maybe the Melbourne Clubthese are the boys. And we've got Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar: Eliphaz a Temanite (Teman was an Edomite region known for its wisdom). When Eliphaz speaks, he is the most respected, and he comes in quite pastorally. He probably has the highest EQ (emotional intelligence) as he begins. He is kind of a mystical personhe talks about having a vision, and a spirit came past him and he learned some thingsbut he's really representing the broad wisdom tradition in the ancient Near East. Bildad a Shuhite (Shuah was a descendant of Abraham). He is the one who refers to the ancestors: "Don't you know the history of the worldview that we have?" He says no one has ever broken these traditional teachings. Think about what your ancestors taught you. As he says in Job 8, "Ask the former generation Will they not instruct you?" Zophar (we're not exactly sure where Naamah is). He is probably the most impulsive or abrasive of the friends. Everyone's got someone like that in the crew: when they're good, they're very, very good, and when they're grumpy When Zophar speaks to Job, he has the least pastoral sensitivity. He even says to Job, "I think Gods even forgotten some of your sin. I think you're getting a discount on the way you are suffering." So these men come to visit Job, and in chapter 2 we see that they bring with them a full Middle Eastern obligation to mourn with their suffering friend. They set out from their homes and come to him, and they sit in the dust with him. They weep aloud and tear their robesexpressions of shared mourning and griefand they sprinkle dust on their heads. They sit with Job on the ground for seven days and seven nights. This is exactly what you want from your friends. They had lived a life together that was wealthy, prosperous, wise, and high-powered, well respected. But now one of their number has fallenfallen he has. Job was wealthy, prosperous, wise, well respected, and now everything is gone. His children are dead. His flocks and herds have been killed. His servants have been killed. His homes have been destroyed. And now his health is also gone. When one of their friends has fallen, they come to be with him. No one said a word to him because they saw how great his suffering was. But after a week, the dialogues begin. They approach Job's suffering with a desire to fix it, and their solution comes from their worldview and their wisdom. And so they bring these "wise" words, and we see cycles where Eliphaz speaks and Job replies; Bildad speaks and Job replies; Zophar speaks and Job replies. This happens three times. Towards the end of the third cycle, there's a discourse on wisdom (it might be Job replying, or it might just be an indication that the cycle is about to change). Then there is a young fellow who's not part of the boys. His name's Elihu (or Elihu), and he also has a long block of teaching. We're not exactly sure how he fits into the picture; we think probably he's someone from the community who's been listening to this. There is a lot of poetry in the text, so whether they were actually composing these speeches as they sat in the dust probably not. But Elihu comes in and says, "You guys, you old guys, you haven't managed to convince him. Let me have a go." (We all know someone like that.) He pretty much says the same sort of stuff, but he claims, "I know this from experience, not just from wisdom." He, like a few of them, does talk not just about suffering as retribution and reward, but also about discipline. But for the most part, he doesn't add anything. So we're not going to look at his words today. Retribution and Reward So, as I just said, what happens in these cycles is the friends applying a worldview to Job's suffering to try and fix it, and the worldview that they apply I've called retribution and reward. So if you do bad, you get bad. If you do good, you get good. This formula applies both to how you act among human beings and to how you interact with God in His world as Judge. If you do wicked things, God will punish you. If you are righteous, then God will reward you. And the boys and Job were pretty sure that this was how life had worked for them for decades, because they had done good by each other and in their community. They had been wise, they had been righteous, and they had prospered. We see at the beginning of the book that Job is not just a great man; he's a good man. So when someone looked at him with everything that he had, they would say, "Yes, this absolutely matches up. The equation makes sense." Again, you do good, you get good; you do bad, you get bad. Now, the Scriptures are permeated with this type of teaching, particularly if you look at the book of Deuteronomy, where God laid out how He intends humankind to liveand more specifically how He intended Israel to live as His people. He gave them the Law through Moses, worked out in great detail. Then at the end of Deuteronomy, you see God's promises: a list of consequences and rewards (or blessings) for disobedience or obedience to the Law. So, Israel, if you keep My law, if you follow Me, if you worship Me, if you are humble before Meif you live in the way that I have outlined for youthen you will flourish. You will thrive; you'll be in a land of milk and honey. But if you don't, then consequences will come: like exile, losing your land, drought and plague, and all the things that you might have hoped would happen to your enemies. This could happen to you. Then as you come into the prophets and the Psalms, you see the prophets saying to Israel, "The way that you've behaved has brought you into this place. Go back and look at Deuteronomy 29 and 30that's what's happening to you right now." Yet throughout the Psalms, there are laments like, "Why is this happening? Is it always that we did bad and got bad? We did good and we get good?" The questions are starting to come up. You might know that one of the Psalms says, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread." So still, underneath it: if you do good, you'll get good. Your kids will be prosperous and happy and healthy and all the things we want. When you come to the Wisdom literature (which Job is part of), you see that wisdom itself is considered a way of living where good gets you good and bad gets you bad. And so it's really smart: God says to live His way because you will actually end up successful. However, there's always exceptions, and the entire Old Testament is nuanced. There is teaching that says, "Hang on a second. Someone who is righteous is sufferingwhy?" Or, "Israel is trying to return to the Lord, and yet something bad is happeningwhat is going on?" But the friends have flattened the nuance and the larger picture into just the wisdom of the vending machine. So when they come to speak to Job in his sufferingafter they've done the right thingthey basically try to fix the situation with a vending-machine wisdom transaction. You do good: you put your money in, you press your button, and you get your Mars bar or your can of Coke. And if you don't, well, it's not because the vending machine is broken or needs a kick; it's because you put the wrong thing in. Or if you get a cup of muddy water out of the vending machineor if you wanted a Mars bar and got a box of sultanas (especially one that's been in the bottom of a school bag for three years)then it's because that's what you deserved. You must have pressed that button. And so the friends come to Job and they begin by saying, "Oh, look, can I venture a word with you?" (This is Eliphaz in chapter 4.) "Can I saylook, if you're suffering now but you're really righteous, it's only going to be temporary. Just hold on. Don't make too much of a mess of this. It's only going to be temporary, because we know if you've put good things in, good stuff's going to come out of it." I think Eliphaz is probably looking at Job's face while saying this, and Job's like, "Ah" So Eliphaz starts to get a little bit stronger. Then the other friends come in and they're like, "Look, your kids are deadit's really awfuland so they were definitely worse than you. But you've got a little bit of hope, because clearly you weren't as bad as them." And then it really starts to escalate to where we had our reading today, where they say, "Well, if you're getting muddy water and three-year-old sultanas, it's because you're actually a terrible secret sinner." And so in chapter 22 that Angie read for us, Eliphazwho started off saying, "Don't worry, it's only going to be temporary"now says, "Oh, actually, I think you've been ripping off your workers. I think that you actually are not as wise and wonderful as you thought. You gave no water to the weary. You withheld food from the hungry." He's deciding that he has to find some fault here, because if Job is continuing to suffer, then he must be far more wicked than anyone knew. They have flattened the teaching of Proverbs (which says, "If you keep the commands of God, they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity") and they've turned it into a vending machine. You put in righteousness, you get blessing; you put in foolishness and you get shame. Now, it might be easy for us to point fingers at the friends, but we have a tendency to flatten the teachings of Scripture and who God is when we're faced with very challenging circumstancesparticularly in other people's lives. Because, like the friends, if you've lived with a formula and it doesn't seem to be working for someone else, you've got two options: you can either force their situation into the formula, or you can have your entire life start to unravel. Now, we (the church and Christians) might do something similar when we say things like: If you give a large tithe to the church, you'll get a large breakthrough in your life. If you have enough faith, you will be healed. If you stay pure as a young person, God will give you a great spouse. If your church is growing in number, the preacher must be saying all the true things. Everything happens for a reason. God won't give you more than you can handle. Hashtag blessed. And of course, when we have testimonies with a nice victorious finish to a part of someone's life, we don't really acknowledge that God is at work in the boring and the unsuccessfuland the "Oh wait, I thought I had a testimony three years ago and then everything went to heck." We can do this ourselves. And then, of course, when we sit with someone whose grief and pain is not resolved quickly, we become quite tired, and we might move to things like: "Well, what sin has opened the door that this has happened to you?" "What are you not doing right in life that you still haven't got enough money?" "Why are you not as clean and shiny as the rest of us?" "Is God really with you and at work in your life?" Now, of course, if you go to Job's responses, you can see that exactly what happens to him is what happens to us. When people say these things, you start to feel very isolated. You're isolated from the community of God's friends, from your own friends. And then you start to wonder, "Am I isolated from God, actually?" You feel shame. I must be doing something wrong. I'm not trying hard enough to be healed. I haven't got enough faith. I gave, but nothing came back. Maybe I shouldn't have given. Maybe I didn't give enough. What's going on? And so we get a distorted view of ourselves. We get a distorted view of God. And it's no wonder that someone who sits with pain or a very significant challenge in their life could find it really hard to be part of a community where we flatten things out to retribution and reward. So today we have an opportunity for a halfway-through learning. We've got three more weeks of this series, and we're actually going to learn some deep, deep theology about the way God works and what the real solutionif we can call it thatto Job's situation is (and was). But today I just want us to unlearn some things from the friends. I think we've heard the challenge and the rebuke of what we can do when we flatten things out and talk about God as a vending machine. But let's also see these three things. And I've got my gratitude to an author from New Zealand, William H. C., who runs a Chinese church over there, for these particular points. Three Things the Friends Didn't Take into Account The first thing that the friends didn't take into account was that there is a spiritual realm and spiritual evil at work in human circumstances. For them, they had shrunk good and bad, wisdom and foolishness, reward and punishment to the human realm alone. And we know in chapters 1 and 2 of Job that whatever was going on between God in the heavenly realm and the accuser (Satan) was saying to God, "Oh, look at this guy. He does not love you for you; he loves you because of the stuff he's got." And that interplay is hard for us to understand. But what we need to know is that there is a spiritual realm that is hard for us to understand, and it is mysterious, and it is in operation over what human beings experience in life. Secondly, the friends didn't consider that God's judgment of good and badof righteousness and wickedness, reward and retributionwas never promised to be fully experienced in one life. In fact, God's promise is that even when the wicked prosper (and they do on the earth), God's justice will happen at the end of human history. Outside of human history, there is a good Judge, and those who have sought to live His way, even if they suffer, will find that their tears are wiped away. Thirdly, there is actually innocent suffering. Now, if you're a theologian you might ask, "Well, how could Job ever be sure that he was truly innocent?" I think that's a great question, and it's answered by the fact that the suffering he undergoes is outrageous. And so he is always justified in a retributionreward world because the quantum doesn't match. If he had (and he would acknowledge if he had) done things that were wrong, he had not done them to the extent that warranted this ginormous disaster. But of course, we know that when humans relate to a holy God, there is never true innocence on our part. But it is God's grace that enables us to have all that we havethe rain falls on the wicked and the righteous, we have every breath, and of course, we have His deep love. But there was one who suffered entirely innocently. And when there is one who does that for us, then we can find true healing. So let me read to you from 1 Peter as we close. This is 1 Peter, chapter 2: Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. The death of the innocent Savior means that mysterious spiritual evilthat battle we don't understand and sometimes have no ability to changeis dealt with. And the death of the innocent Savior means that judgment outside of human history won't only fall to retribution, but instead brings great grace and forgiveness and flourishing and thriving forever. When the innocent Savior suffered, then we got more than wisdom. Job is interacting with God and challenging our flat ideas of who God is. But Jesus shows us God's heart and heals us. Amen.

Jim Reske teaches the Gospel according to Job, focusing on the second half of the book of Job.This podcast episode delves into the second half of the book of Job (chapters 32-42), focusing on the speeches of Elihu and God, and Job's final response. Jim discusses Job's complex journey through suffering, including his increasing self-vindication and vacillation between religious and irreligious views on suffering. A central theme introduced is contrasting two ways of viewing the Christian life: a "single line" of moral progression based on human effort versus a "double line" representing growth in awareness of God's holiness and one's own sin, with the cross bridging the gap. This latter concept is described as the "fishtail illustration," copyrighted by the speaker, which illustrates how understanding the gospel propels Christian life forward. The speaker initially found the ending of Job challenging, particularly God's seemingly angry "blast" against Job.The key to understanding the latter part of Job, according to the speaker, is the character of Elihu, presented as a prophet who argues that Job's sin lies in his response to suffering and his perception of God, not the suffering itself. Elihu challenges Job's "single line" paradigm and points towards the need for an intercessor and a ransom. Ultimately, the book of Job is understood as highlighting the infinite gap between humanity and God and the necessity of God's suffering (the cross) to fill that gap, rather than human moral performance

Jim Reske teaches the Gospel according to Job, focusing on the second half of the book of Job.This podcast episode delves into the second half of the book of Job (chapters 32-42), focusing on the speeches of Elihu and God, and Job's final response. Jim discusses Job's complex journey through suffering, including his increasing self-vindication and vacillation between religious and irreligious views on suffering. A central theme introduced is contrasting two ways of viewing the Christian life: a "single line" of moral progression based on human effort versus a "double line" representing growth in awareness of God's holiness and one's own sin, with the cross bridging the gap. This latter concept is described as the "fishtail illustration," copyrighted by the speaker, which illustrates how understanding the gospel propels Christian life forward. The speaker initially found the ending of Job challenging, particularly God's seemingly angry "blast" against Job.The key to understanding the latter part of Job, according to the speaker, is the character of Elihu, presented as a prophet who argues that Job's sin lies in his response to suffering and his perception of God, not the suffering itself. Elihu challenges Job's "single line" paradigm and points towards the need for an intercessor and a ransom. Ultimately, the book of Job is understood as highlighting the infinite gap between humanity and God and the necessity of God's suffering (the cross) to fill that gap, rather than human moral performance

As we wrap up this long series, I really hope we are able to take away some things to help us grow in our walk with Christ. Elihu is continuing to speak on how God use the storms to speak a different messages to different people. Verses 6-7, 13, and 19 were really insightful for me personally. I really hope you guys enjoyed this series, love you all dearly

Jim Reske teaches the Gospel according to Job, focusing on the second half of the book of Job.This podcast episode delves into the second half of the book of Job (chapters 32-42), focusing on the speeches of Elihu and God, and Job's final response. Jim discusses Job's complex journey through suffering, including his increasing self-vindication and vacillation between religious and irreligious views on suffering. A central theme introduced is contrasting two ways of viewing the Christian life: a "single line" of moral progression based on human effort versus a "double line" representing growth in awareness of God's holiness and one's own sin, with the cross bridging the gap. This latter concept is described as the "fishtail illustration," copyrighted by the speaker, which illustrates how understanding the gospel propels Christian life forward. The speaker initially found the ending of Job challenging, particularly God's seemingly angry "blast" against Job.The key to understanding the latter part of Job, according to the speaker, is the character of Elihu, presented as a prophet who argues that Job's sin lies in his response to suffering and his perception of God, not the suffering itself. Elihu challenges Job's "single line" paradigm and points towards the need for an intercessor and a ransom. Ultimately, the book of Job is understood as highlighting the infinite gap between humanity and God and the necessity of God's suffering (the cross) to fill that gap, rather than human moral performance

Text: Job 32 : 1 - 22 James Martin

Join my husband and I as we go through the entire Bible in a year, in conjunction with the Bible Discovery Guide and The Daily Show. This weekend we answer some of the big questions and viewer questions concerning suffering, Satan, and mysterious figures like Leviathan and Elihu. If you want to know your Bible better, then this is a great place to help deepen your big picture understanding.

Welcome back beloved! Through Job 36 this is probably my favorite chapter through all of Elihu's words because there is so much wisdom in these verses, just so much eye opening. Today will be a little bit of a longer episode because it's a longer chapter, but we will be looking at some original language of course and commentary, answering questions like what does it mean to be bound in chords of affliction how does God deliver the afflicted through their affliction, and many other questions :)Josiahmovius12@yahoo.comHttps://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/how-does-god-deliver-me-from-pain-by-pain

As we resume this series through Elihu's continued words to Job, we will look at the words Elihu says in chapter 35 in Job and why they are true in today chapter. Josiahmovius12@yahoo.com

ILLUSTRATION: You know what is one of the most terrifying questions as a dad? It's when I go to the pharmacy to pick up medication for one of my kids and they say, “What's their birthday” lol, I can tell you the day they were born on, but the year they were born? I still have to ask everytime. I get all nervous pulling up to the window. Can we all admit that there is something really special about moms? Whether you have a mom, are a mom, or just know a mom, there is something special about them. This morning, I just want to speak to the ladies in the crowd and encourage all of us when it comes to the responsibility God has put in our hands… SCIPTURE: In the Old Testament there is a story that I thought would be appropriate for today: There was a man named Elkanhah who had two wives - I know, I have no idea how he did it.. He had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Every year Elkanhah and his family would go up to Shiloh to worship God, this is before Israel had a temple and they would worship God in a tent called the Tabernacle. When Elkanah would go up to worship God he would sacrifice an animal and give a portion to Peninnah for her and his children with her but he would give his other wife Hannah a double portion because he loved her and she was unable to have kids… Every year this would happen but a rivalry between the women happened. Can you imagine your husband having another wife - imagine the jealousy and the rivalry that would come up. You think comparison is bad with today's social media, imagine living next door to that person… Listen to what happened to Hannah 1 Samuel 1:6-8 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah's womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?” Can I just speak for a moment to those of you who on this mother's day are feeling excluded? I want you to know that God sees you and you are not alone. I know for some Mother's day is a reminder of loss. The loss of a mother, the loss of becoming a mother or never able to become a mother. Hannah knew what that was like, she was a woman who couldn't have children and had to share a husband with a woman who could and made her feel less than.. and her husband didn't get it… If that's you today, can I remind you of Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. God is close to those who are brokenhearted. Jesus said those who mourn are blessed because they will be comforted. If mother's day is difficult for you, I'd encourage you to run to God and let Him draw you near. Listen to Hannah's desperate prayer to God… 1 Samuel 1:9-11 9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord's house. 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” this is the prayer of the desperate… We've all prayed this prayer… The priest Eli actually thinks she's drunk because he doesn't know what's going on and she just keeps mouthing the prayer. when Hannah goes home God answers her prayer and gives her a son that they name Samuel, and this is the part I want to hone in on and challenge us all with. listen: 1 Samuel 1:21-22 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e] an ephah[f]of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. Here's what strikes me about Hannah The thing she wanted most was the very thing she gave back to God. b As parents, it's tempting to believe our children are ours, but Hannah knew better. b Our children are gifts from God and it's our job to give them back to Him. b For most of us this means leading them to know Him, to disciple them, to talk to them about Jesus as a normal part of life. CLOSING ILLUSTRATION: The reality is, Jenni is the one who knows things about our kids that no one else knows. She remembers all the sweet things they did when they were little and she has been watching over them all their life. But so have I. As your kids get older one of the hardest lessons to learn is they are not yours really. You are just a steward of them. The question I think God will ask us about one day is what we did with what He gave us. Did we teach them to love others like He does? did we teach them to love God? Or did we just make sure they were good at sports, or didn't annoy us too much? This sermon isn't meant to make you feel guilty, but to remind us of the how much God has entrusted to you - He believes you are capable of raising your children to know Him, it starts with giving them back to Him and realizing He knows everything about your child. Hannah dedicated her son to the Lord and He changed the world, He will be the one who anoints King David and out of King David will come Jesus - all because a mom faithfully committed her son to God's service… ------------------ 1 Samuel 1:1-28 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite[a] from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2 He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. 3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah's womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8 Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don't you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?” 9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord's house. 10 In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” 15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” 17 Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” 18 She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. 19 Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[b] saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” Hannah Dedicates Samuel 21 When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22 Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”[c] 23 “Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his[d] word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 24 After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull,[e] an ephah[f] of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. Hannah prayed for children and God finally gave her Samuel. What's wild is she gives him back to God. The very thing she longed for, she gave to God. The reality is none of our children are ours, we all have the unreal expectation that we can control the outcomes of their lives, but that's not true. What we can control is giving them to God - committing them to Him through: Prayer Intention - raising your kids to know God as a friend Personal commitment

In today's study through Job 34, there are some true and false things that Elihu says and we will be examining what those are. Had a commentary controversy with some of the claims Elihu makes and then I personally looked at all the different things being said by other commentators and didn't agree with some of it; I'll break all that down. Hope this series is blessing you guys :)Josiahmovius12@yahoo.com

As we continue this series on looking at “Elihu” and his words to Job part 2, we will be examining what is true and false in what Elihu says, looking at lots of interesting commentary and Hebrew language; let us continue to learn from our trials through Gods Word!Josiahmovius12@yahoo.com

Elihu chides Job for his pride and his failure to grasp God's transcendence.

The book of Job is one of the most interesting books in the Bible, we can learn SO much from this particular book. There is a man name. “Elihu” that comes on later in the book that scholars say was written by Moses possibly, that is not rebuked by the Lord at the end of the book of Job. Why is this? Come join me today as we dive into part 1 of this series :)Josiahmovius12@yahoo.com

I hope you had a wonderful Good Friday and a blessed Resurrection Sunday! He is risen. Praise God.I can't believe we are on part 5 of the Story of Job. We only have one more episode after this one. In this episode, we hear from someone new--Elihu. Job has stopped speaking and his friends are also done with their opinions and "words of wisdom." Elihu is younger, but has much to share. He is not happy with Job or his three friends.We are reading Job 32 through 37.If you have been blessed by this podcast and would like toshow your support with a $1 donation, please go to paypal.me/hcharltoncrespin. 10%of any donations I receive goes to the church. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BedtimeBibleStoriesforAdults 15% off ClevrBlends Sleeptime Latte: https://www.clevrblends.com/discount/BLONDE15?rfsn=6713548.9b6046f

Elihu counsels Job to allow God to teach him through his suffering and understand His justice and sovereignty.

Join Pastor Balla in today's Daily Devotion from Job 36:22-26 (ESV) and be drawn into awe at the unsearchable greatness of our God. Elihu invites us to behold the Almighty—exalted in power, unrivaled in wisdom, and beyond the counsel of men. In a world that constantly seeks to define and limit God, this passage lifts our eyes to His majesty. Though we may question His ways in suffering, we are reminded that His power is matched by His love, made known to us fully in Jesus Christ. From creation's grandeur to the mystery of the Incarnation, God reveals Himself as both unknowable in greatness and intimately near in grace.

Verses 1 to 8 of 1 Samuel 1. There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven's Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.“Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren't you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn't that better than having ten sons?”

In contrast to Job's three friends, Elihu chastises them and Job as he answers Job's questions.

Join Pastor Balla for today's Daily Devotion from Job 34:10-13 (ESV) as we reflect on the unchanging justice of Godin a world full of shifting values. Elihu boldly proclaims that God will not do wickedly—a reminder that our Lord's justice is rooted in His holy and unchangeable character. Though suffering and evil often seem to go unanswered, Scripture assures us that God's justice never fails and is perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who bore our sin on the cross. In Him, justice and mercy meet. Even when we do not understand His ways, we can trust that God is working for our good and His glory. Today's devotion offers hope to the suffering, clarity to the confused, and rest to those weary of the world's instability.

Welcome to today's Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla from Job 33:12-14 (ESV). Elihu reminds us of a vital truth: God is always speaking, even when we don't perceive it. In our suffering, confusion, or silence, we may feel forgotten—but Scripture assures us that God speaks in one way, and in two, though we may not recognize it. Through His Word, His creation, His people, and even through trials, the Lord makes Himself known. Join Pastor Balla for this Christ-centered devotion rooted in Lutheran theology and discover how to listen for God's voice with humility and faith. Whether you're seeking direction or comfort, this message encourages you to trust in God's divine communication and unshakable presence. Subscribe for daily Biblical encouragement that helps you walk faithfully before the God who speaks.

Welcome to today's Daily Devotion with Pastor Balla, featuring Job 32:6-9 (ESV). In this powerful passage, Elihu—a young and humble voice—reminds us that true wisdom comes not from age or experience, but from the Spirit of God. While honoring the wisdom of elders, Elihu speaks a timeless truth: it is the breath of the Almighty that gives understanding. In a culture that prizes credentials and human knowledge, we are called back to the source of divine insight—God's Word and His Spirit. Whether young or old, experienced or new in faith, our wisdom is grounded not in ourselves but in Christ. Pastor Balla offers faithful Lutheran reflection, rooted in Scripture, humility, and trust in the Holy Spirit's work. Subscribe for daily devotions that deepen your faith and draw you closer to the heart of God.

One more interruption occurs before we get to God's reply, as Elihu comes out of nowhere and rebukes both Job and his friends. But is he right? Read Job 32 and 37 and thanks for listening! 

Hallelujah bless you guys and let's live by faith in the Holy Spirit! Basham Banned Broadcast for all lost souls going live now...GET NOTIFIED WHEN WE GO LIVE HERE AND DOWNLOAD THE APP!fringeradionetwork.comHOW TO SOW THE SEED FINANCIALLY:PAYPAL:spiritforce01@gmail.comBITCOIN:3H4Z2X22DuVUjWPsXKPEsWZmT9c4hDmYvyVENMO:@faithbucksCASHAPP:$spiritforcebucksPATREON:Michael BashamHOME BASE SITE:FAITHBUCKS.COM

PSA.74:2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.We are in the midst of a major spiritual war before the Antichrist shows up and then Jesus shows up! SO LET'S HAVE FUN SHARING THE WORD TOGETHER !!!FEAR IS A SIN! Let's move our lives into God and receive His rest and peace on all sides no matter how much of a drama queen the Enemy is. We further explore the parallell battles between David and Saul leading up to his "inaugeration"GET NOTIFIED WHEN WE GO LIVE HERE AND DOWNLOAD THE APP!fringeradionetwork.comHOW TO SOW THE SEED FINANCIALLY:PAYPAL:spiritforce01@gmail.comBITCOIN:3H4Z2X22DuVUjWPsXKPEsWZmT9c4hDmYvyVENMO:@faithbucksCASHAPP:$spiritforcebucksPATREON:Michael BashamHOME BASE SITE:FAITHBUCKS.COM

Daily Dose of Hope March 26, 2025 Day 4 of Week 25   Scripture:  Job 37-39; Psalm 103: Revelation 21   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Tonight is Recharge night so please come and join us at 6:30pm in the Garage for community, worship, fellowship, and study.37-39.    The Old Testament Scripture is Job 37-39.  The first chapter is the continuation of Elihu's response.  Then, we hear from the Lord.  He speaks directly to Job.  God basically asserts his authority.  He speaks of how he is creator and knows everything about the world.  He asks Job if he was there when the ocean was created, when the morning was spoken into being...  Basically, he is asking Job, who are you to question me???  God is sovereign, he is in control, and Job is not.  These are questions not meant for Job to actually answer, but to humble him.  I'm not sure what I think about this yet.  More tomorrow.   The New Testament passage is Revelation 21.  John's final vision is that the redemption of creation is now complete. The old earth and creation, that which was broken and sinful, has passed away and a new earth has come. Finally. this is what we have been waiting for. God's people reside in this new earth.   There is no more populace simply mechanically following the ways of the world. There is passion. God's people dwell with the Almighty himself, his glory fully revealed. And now, there will be no more tears, suffering, or loss. All is new, all is healed, and all is redeemed.   Then, there is a description of God's Holy City. Please be sure to read through this beautiful vision. This city is a place of perfect worship, where humanity is not seeking achievement but rather exists to worship God in the presence of God. God's Kingdom is fully revealed and it is incredible.   I have a seminary professor who used to tell us that our lives, as believers, are intended to be a preview to the world of the perfect world to come. So very convicting! If someone were to look at your life, what might they deduce about God's perfect world to come?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope March 25, 2025 Day 3 of Week 52   Scripture:  Job 34-36; Revelation 20   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  We are on day 3 of our very last week of reading the whole Bible in a year.  I'm so proud of all of you!    Our Old Testament Scripture is back in the book of Job.  Today, we look at chapters 34-36.  We continue to hear from Elihu, Job's friend who showed up yesterday in the Scripture.  Elihu operates under the same assumption as Job's other friends.  God is just and so God must operate the world according to his justice.  But Elihu's statements are a bit more complex than the others.  He states that God may use tragedy and suffering to build someone's character.  God may also allow people to suffer so they will avoid sin in the future.  Elihu is adamant that Job is wrong for accusing God of being unjust.  Tomorrow, we will finally hear the Lord speak.    Our New Testament Scripture is Revelation 20.  John sees an angel chaining up Satan and throwing him in the lake of fire, where he will be for one thousand years.  That means, for one thousand years, Satan won't have his normal influence on humanity and our world.  Jesus will be in charge.  But after these many years of peace, Satan is released and some people still decide to follow him.  It is a sad state that people who have known the peace of Jesus would choose rebellion against God.  But it happens all the time.  What is it about us as humans that we think we know better than God?   Ultimately, Satan will be defeated permanently.  And those who have died before will be judged by what they did in their lives.  If they knew Jesus Christ, then they will be saved by his blood.  Their name will be in the Book of Life.  Those who didn't know Jesus will be judged on their own deeds, which won't turn out so well.    By this point, Satan and death have been firmly defeated.  All that was wrong has been made right.  While the events in this chapter may not be a literal depiction of what will occur, there are definitely some things we can know for sure:  Satan will be defeated, Jesus wins, and all of us will be judged.    More tomorrow...   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Receive Jesus into your heart and be kept from every pit! Jesus is Lord... bless you guys we're continuing through Job in this late night fellowshipping talk.FAITHBUCKS.COM

Daily Dose of Hope March 24, 2025 Day 2 of Week 52   Scripture:  Job 31-33; Psalm 102; Revelation 19   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.  Let's get started with our Scripture for today.   Our Old Testament Scripture is Job 31-33.  In chapter 31, we hear Job's final speech.  He again speaks of the specific ways that he is blameless before God.  If he has done anything sinful or caused slight to anyone, then call him on it, he says.  As we have seen, Job is struggling to comprehend why any of this has happened.  Job was righteous in his own eyes.  His whole understanding of God's justice has been turned upside-down.    And in chapter 32, a new friend appears, Elihu.  Again, we are using the word friend very loosely here.  Elihu is angry with Job and the other friends.  He is positive that he actually has the answers.  He obviously thinks highly of himself.  Maybe you have known someone like that.  Tomorrow, we hear Elihu's supposed words of wisdom.   Let's take a moment and just mention Psalm 102.  It is a prayer of an afflicted person.  The author is unknown.  And yet, as we read it, we realize it could have been Job, David, Daniel, Ezekiel, or you and me.  There are always times in our lives in which it feels like God hides his face.  The author so appropriately points out the frailty of human life.  Our lives are like the evening shadow, our days wither away like grass.  We are small and God is big.  We are weak and he is all-powerful.  Sometimes, I think we need to be a bit humbled.  God loves us and adores us and yet, we are just human beings.  He is God.    Our New Testament Scripture is Revelation 19.  In this chapter, John sees heaven standing open. Just for reference, the word apocalypse means “a revealing,” and its root has to do with this concept of being open. If you think about the whole book of Revelation, it's about open doors, open seals, open scrolls, open books, open temple, and even an open abyss. Now, heaven is open and God allows his people to see. There are no secrets.   With the destruction of Babylon, the heavenly one, Jesus himself, comes riding in on a white horse. He is called Faithful and True. While some may struggle to see Jesus come ready for battle, this war has an eternal purpose and is done for true justice to occur. These images of Jesus are clearly war-like. He has come to kill the beast and those who follow him and throw them into the lake of fire. Evil is being vanquished. Finally.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Hallelujah bless you guys and let's live by faith in the Holy Spirit! Basham Banned Broadcast for all lost souls going live now...GET NOTIFIED WHEN WE GO LIVE HERE AND DOWNLOAD THE APP!fringeradionetwork.com HOW TO SOW THE SEED FINANCIALLY:PAYPAL:spiritforce01@gmail.comBITCOIN:3H4Z2X22DuVUjWPsXKPEsWZmT9c4hDmYvyVENMO:@faithbucksCASHAPP:$spiritforcebucksPATREON:Michael BashamHOME BASE SITE:faithbucks.com

Wisdom Literature of the Old TestamentReadings this week:Job 32Job 33Job 34Job 35Job 36-37 For more information, please see the Reading Plan

The storm is here. Elihu has been building to this moment—his words have been thundering like distant rumblings in the sky, but now the storm arrives in full force. As Job 37 begins, Elihu stands in awe of God's power. His voice trembles as he describes the raw majesty of the Almighty with lightning splitting the sky, thunder shaking the earth, and the breath of God turning rain into ice. This is no distant, detached deity. This is the God who speaks through the whirlwind, the God Job has been demanding an audience with. And Elihu knows when God finally answers, no one will stand unmoved.   The Rev. Steven Theiss, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 37.  Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Imagine standing at the foot of a mountain as a storm gathers overhead. The sky darkens, thunder rumbles in the distance, and a mighty wind begins to howl. You feel small—insignificant—before the raw power of nature. This is the kind of scene Elihu is building toward in Job 36. He's not finished speaking, and now he shifts his focus to something even greater than God's justice: God's overwhelming majesty and wisdom. He wants Job to stop looking at his suffering through the lens of personal injustice and start seeing it as part of God's greater purpose. Elihu is setting the stage for what's coming next—the voice of God Himself. But before that moment arrives, he has one more argument to make: The Almighty is beyond our reach, but He is not beyond our trust.  The Rev. Mark Loder, pastor of St. James Luth. Ch. & School in Howard Lake, MN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 36.  Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

The debate has been raging. Job has insisted on his innocence. His friends stubbornly clung to their belief that suffering must be the result of sin. Then came Elihu—young, passionate, and unwilling to let either side go unchallenged. He has listened long enough, and now he speaks. In Job 34 and 25, Elihu sharpens his argument. He turns his focus entirely to God's justice, confronting Job's complaints head-on. Does the Almighty pervert justice? Can the One who governs the world with perfect wisdom ever be accused of wrongdoing? The question is no longer about Job's suffering alone. Now, it's about the very nature of divine justice itself.  The Rev. Brandon Metcalf, associate pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Bethalto, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 34 and 35.  Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

The debate has been raging. Job has insisted on his innocence. His friends stubbornly clung to their belief that suffering must be the result of sin. Then came Elihu—young, passionate, and unwilling to let either side go unchallenged. He has listened long enough, and now he speaks. In Job 34 and 25, Elihu sharpens his argument. He turns his focus entirely to God's justice, confronting Job's complaints head-on. Does the Almighty pervert justice? Can the One who governs the world with perfect wisdom ever be accused of wrongdoing? The question is no longer about Job's suffering alone. Now, it's about the very nature of divine justice itself.  The Rev. Brandon Metcalf, associate pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Bethalto, IL, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 34 and 35.  Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

"Job, you've been demanding a hearing before God. You've said He won't answer you. But what if He's been speaking this whole time—and you just haven't recognized His voice?" That's the challenge Elihu brings in Job 33. He steps forward, claiming he has something new to say—something Job's friends failed to understand. Elihu insists that God does answer people, but not always in the ways they expect. Sometimes He speaks through dreams, sometimes through suffering, sometimes through a mediator who intercedes on our behalf. Is Elihu on the right track? Speaking of a mediator, does he have Jesus in mind?  The Rev. Jacob Hercamp, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Noblesville, IN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 33.  Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Have you ever held your tongue, waiting for the right moment to speak—only to finally explode because you just couldn't take it anymore?" That's Elihu. For 31 chapters, he's been silent, sitting there, listening to Job and his friends argue back and forth. He's younger, so he waited. Let the older men talk first. Let wisdom speak. But now? He's furious. He's watched Job justify himself rather than God. He's heard Job's friends fail to give an answer. Frankly, he's pretty upset with all parties involved. And finally, he can't take it anymore. So, he speaks. But is Elihu wise, or is he just another misguided voice? Is he correcting Job—or condemning him?  The Rev. Sean Willman, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hillsdale, MI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Job 32.  Why do the righteous suffer? That's the burning question at the heart of the book of Job—one of the most profound and challenging books in all of Scripture. From a Lutheran perspective, Job's story isn't just about a man enduring unimaginable hardship; it's about wrestling with God's will, grappling with well-meaning but misguided advice, and ultimately finding comfort in God's grace rather than human understanding. As Job's friends offer simplistic answers, Job demands the truth, and God's response reminds us of His infinite wisdom and mercy. Through it all, we see glimpses of Christ—the truly innocent sufferer—who redeems our pain and points us to the cross, where suffering meets salvation. Join us as we journey through Job, confronting tough questions about faith, suffering, and God's mysterious ways with hope grounded in Christ alone.  Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

Today's Scripture passage is Job 31 - 32.(Please note Job 31:7 should read "If my footsteps have strayed...")Read by Ekemini Uwan.Get in The Word with Truth's Table is a production of InterVarsity Press. For 75 years, IVP has published and created thoughtful Christian books for the university, church, and the world. Our Bible reading plan is adapted from Bible Study Together, and the Bible version is the New English Translation, used by permission.SPECIAL OFFER | As a listener of this podcast, use the code IVPOD25 for 25% off any IVP resource mentioned in this episode at ivpress.com.Additional Credits:Song production: Seaux ChillSong lyrics written by: Seaux Chill, Ekemini Uwan, and Christina EdmondsonPodcast art: Kate LillardPhotography: Shelly EveBible consultant: JM SmithSound engineering: Podastery StudiosCreative producers: Ekemini Uwan and Christina EdmondsonAssistant producer: Christine Pelliccio MeloExecutive producer: Helen LeeDisclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

Iyov's 4th Speech. Until now, we have seen suffering as a result of past actions. The question has been whether Iyov is guilty or innocent. But now, Elihu adjusts our perspective. Can we see suffering as future oriented?

Elihu's final words. In Elihu's view, just as you don't know how to predict the weather, you will never fully comprehend God.

This is Elihu's 3rd Speech. His essential argument is that God is transcendent; consequently Iyov cannot expect that God is directly manipulating and punishing him. In the course of time, justice is done. In the meantime, most people suffer the consequences of their own actions.

Elihu's 2nd Speech addresses Iyov's claim that if: a.Iyov is just, an b. Iyov is suffering, then c. God must be unjust. Elihu is outraged that Iyov is accusing God, and he gives his own approach.