Job 36 - Introduction

TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION

Elihu went on talking.

Elihu

2 Be patient and listen a little longer

to what I am saying on God's behalf.

3 My knowledge is wide; I will use what I know

to show that God, my Creator, is just.

4 Nothing I say to you is false;

you see before you a truly wise man.

5 How strong God is! He despises no one;

there is nothing he doesn-'t understand.

6 He does not let sinners live on,

and he always treats the poor with justice.

7 He protects those who are righteous;

he lets them rule like kings,
and lets them be honored forever.

8 But if people are bound in chains,

suffering for what they have done,

9 God shows them their sins and their pride.
10 He makes them listen to his warning

to run away from evil.

11 If they obey God and serve him,

they live out their lives in peace and prosperity.

12 But if not, they will die in ignorance

and go to the world of the dead.

13 Those who are godless keep on being angry,

and even when punished, they don-'t pray for help.

14 They die while they still are young,

worn out by a life of disgrace.

15 But God teaches men through suffering

and uses distress to open their eyes.

16 God brought you out of trouble,

and let you enjoy security;
your table was piled high with food.

17 But now you are getting the punishment you deserve.
18 Be careful not to let bribes deceive you

and not to let riches lead you astray.

19 It will do you no good to cry out for help;

all your strength can-'t help you now.

20 Don-'t wish for night to come,

the time when nations will perish.

21 Be careful not to turn to evil;

your suffering was sent to keep you from it.

22 Remember how great is his power;

God is the greatest teacher of all.

23 No one can tell God what to do

or accuse him of having done evil.

24 God has always been praised for what he does;

you also must praise him.

25 Everyone has seen what he has done;

but no one understands it all.

26 We cannot fully know God's greatness

or count the number of his years.

27 It is God who takes water from the earth

and turns it into drops of rain.

28 He lets the rain pour from the clouds

in showers for all mankind.

29 No one knows how the clouds move,

or how the thunder roars through the sky.

30 He sends lightning through all the sky,

but the depths of the sea remain dark.

31 This is how he feeds the people

and provides an abundance of food.

32 He seizes the lightning with his hands,

and commands it to hit the mark.

33 Thunder announces the approaching storm,

and the cattle know it is coming.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 36:1-33

749.

What is the theme of this the final speech of Elihu?

750.

What are the two fundamental issues of this speech?

751.

This man really has confidence in his message. Why?

752.

Is this message for God or from God? Cf. Job 36:3.

753.

Elihu is a total stranger to modesty. How is this fact shown?

754.

There is another way of translating verse five, i.e., other than appears here. How so?

755.

Elihu flatly contradicts Job in verse six. Who is right? Discuss.

756.

Two grand benefits are promised to the righteous in verse seven. What are they?

757.

Elihu makes his sole creative contradiction to the issue under scrutiny in verse eight. What is it?

758.

What is the purpose of affliction? Cf. Job 36:9.

759.

God has a way of opening our inner ear. How does He do it? Cf. Job 36:10.

760.

The meaning of the Hebrew word for hearing has a lesson in it for all hearers. What is it? Cf. Job 36:11.

761.

If the ungodly will not learn from discipline, they must cross over. What does this mean? Cf. Job 36:12.

762.

The impious of heart nourish anger. Why? With what result? Discuss.

763.

Male prostitutes are discussed in Job 36:14. What is said?

764.

The essence of Elihu's speech is in Job 36:15. What is it?

765.

A charge is made against Job in Job 36:16. What is it? Was it true? Discuss.

766.

Elihu charges that Job's attitude toward justice is continually condemning him. In what way? Cf. Job 36:17.

767.

What is meant by the greatness of the ransom in Job 36:18?

768.

What is the meaning of Job 36:19?

769.

Explain in your own words the meaning of Job 36:20.

770.

Elihu knows why Job is sufferingeven if Job does not. What reason is given in Job 36:21?

771.

God is Job's teacher, but what is the lesson? Elihu knows. Cf. Job 36:22.

772.

Has Job been telling God what to do? Is the charge in Job 36:23 a fair one?

773.

Praise is at the heart of true righteousness. Cf. Psalms 102:28. Is this true?

774.

A beautiful picture appears in Job 36:27. What is it?

775.

Is Matthew 5:45 involved in Job 36:28?

776.

Does God live in the bottom of the sea, or in the highest heaven? Cf. the meaning of Job 36:29-30.

777.

How do thunderstorms and seas judge peoples? Cf. Job 36:31.

778.

Express in your own words the meaning of the figure of speech in Job 36:32.

779.

There are many possible meanings to Job 36:33. Which do you prefer? Why?