33:13Being informed brings a sense of security. It’s natural to want to know what's happening in our lives. Job wanted to know what was going on, why he was suffering. In previous chapters, we sense his frustration. Elihu claimed to have the answer for Job’s biggest question, “Why doesn’t God tell me what is happening?” Elihu told Job that God was trying to answer him, but he was not listening. Elinu misjudged God on this point. If God were to answer all our questions, we would not be adequately tested. What if God had said, “Job, Satan's going to test you and afflict you, but in the end you'll be healed and get everything back”? Job's greatest test was not the pain but that he did not know why he was suffering. Our greatest test may be that we must trust God’s goodness even though we don’t understand why our lives are going a certain way. We must learn to trust in Gad, who is good, and not in the goodness of life.
Life Application Study BibleJobChapter 33
Job 33
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 826, 827
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
1pay attention to what I have to say.
2Now that I have begun to speak,let me continue.
3I speak with all sincerity;I speak the truth.
4For the Spirit of God has made me,and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5Answer me, if you can;make your case and take your stand.
6Look, you and I both belong to God.I, too, was formed from clay.
7So you don't need to be afraid of me.I won't come down hard on you.
8“You have spoken in my hearing,and { have heard your very words.
9You said, ‘I am pure; I am without sin;I am innocent; I have no guilt.
10God is picking a quarrel with me,and he considers me his enemy.
11He puts my feet in the stocksand watches my every move.’
12“But you are wrong, and I will show you why.For God is greater than any human being.
13So why are you bringing a charge against him?Why say he does not respond to people’s complaints?
14For God speaks again and again,though people do not recognize it.
15He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,when deep sleep falls on peopleas they lie in their beds.
16He whispers in their earsand terrifies them with warnings.
17He makes them turn from doing wrong,he keeps them from pride.
18He protects them from the grave,from crossing over the river of death.
19“Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds,with ceaseless aching in their bones.
20They lose their appetitefor even the most delicious food.
21Their flesh wastes away,and their bones stick out.
22They are at death’s door;the angels of death wait for them.
23“But if an angel from heaven appears—a special messenger to intercede for a personand declare that he is upright—24 he will be gracious and say,‘Rescue him from the grave,for I have found a ransom for his life.’
25Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s,firm and youthful again.
26When he prays to God,he will be accepted.And God will receive him with joyand restore him to good standing.
27He will declare to his friends,‘I sinned and twisted the truth,but it was not worth it.*
28God rescued me from the grave,and now my life is filled with light.’
29“Yes, God does these thingsagain and again for people.
30He rescues them from the graveso they may enjoy the light of life.
31Mark this well, Job. Listen to me,for I have more to say.
32But if you have anything to say, go ahead.Speak, for 1 am anxious to see you justified.
33But if not, then listen to me.Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!”
Elihu Accuses Job of Arrogance
3434 Then Elihu said:
Textual footnotes
- 33:27 Greek version reads but he [God] did not punish me as my sin deserved,
Life Application Notes 2 notes
33:14-24Elihu's point was that God had spoken again and again. He spoke in dreams and visions (33:15-18), through suffering (33:19-22), and by mediating angels (33:23, 24). Job already knew that. Elinu accused Job of not listening to God, which was not true. Suffering is harmful when: We become hardened and reject God We refuse to ask any questions and miss any lessons that might be good for us We allow it to make us self-centered and selfish We withdraw from the help others can give We reject the fact that God can bring good out of calamity We accuse God of being unjust and perhaps lead others to reject him We refuse to be open to any changes in our lives
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 827
HOW SUFFERING AFFECTS US
Suffering is helpful when: We turn to God for understanding, endurance, and deliverance We ask important questions we might not take time to think about in our normal routine We are prepared by it to identify with and comfort others who suffer We are open to being helped by others who are obeying God We are ready to learn from a trustworthy God We realize we can identify with what Christ suffered on the cross for us We are sensitized to the amount of suffering in the world