Job 33 – 34
Elihu is “rebuking” Job in chapter 33 and then talks about God’s justice in chapter 34. Depending on your walk this will seem spot on or you will start to notice the flaws in Elihu’s comments. One part I like is verses 33:14 & 15:
14 For God speaks in one way,
and in two, though man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
I cannot say I have ever had a vision in my sleep or one while awake. But I have had God address me directly in the Bible and in simple prompts, either from other people or inner thoughts. I question my inner thoughts the most since I need to test them Biblically before I can trust them, because more often than not they are desires and not God’s voice. Same can be said with council, no matter the source I test and confirm before following.
Think about Job, his friends were very well versed Biblically yet they we so off the mark a huge portion of this book is devoted to their folly. I think of Harold Camping who was at one time a very respected Biblical teacher, but somewhere along the way he became promoted as a fool with his doomsday predictions. One could say he was misguided or did not understand scripture. Others say he just miscalculated and will have it right soon.
What if he was 100% right in his vision of God’s message to the world and he was like Jonah? Jonah predicted the end of Nineveh, the repented and God spared the city. Maybe his predictions caused enough repenting that God spared us once more? We cannot dismiss a man because of his apparent madness since the majority of the prophets were considered mad in their time. The key is verse 34:3 in how we should “test”:
for the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
We need to test everything we hear to ensure it is right and of God. Paul was very clear to have us “test all things” to ensure they are of God. The one thing I notice is when you do this to a preacher, many times they get upset for questioning their “theology” and status. God will introduce peace with His way and not conflict, but Satan will try to introduce conflict so one needs a solid Biblical foundation to clearly hear from God.
Verse 34:12 focuses on God’s intent:
Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
Concerning staying in the Word, Jesus said it best in John 8:32 – “and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Often unwise council will bind you even if it’s partially rooted in Biblical truth. So again I fall back on to have a full relationship with God one must be rooted in the spirit and in the word, otherwise one can misinterpret their “feelings”. Jesus was able to contract the Pharisees by knowing the Word inside and out. The only one, who knows the Word inside and out, aside from God and Jesus, is Satan. So one must be prepared with their foundation in God and the Word before doing battle with Satan.