Elihu joins Job's friends in debating with him and attempts to make Job reflect on his supposed sin through a long speech. Elihu defends God's character in allowing Job's suffering, arguing that God is punishing Job for some hidden sin. However, the lesson notes there is a third party involved in Job's suffering - the devil was attacking Job to make him stop trusting God. Ultimately, there are many unanswered questions in Job's story, as there are things humans cannot understand about God's dealings. The main lesson is that believers must trust in God even when they don't understand His purposes.

1. Lesson 10

2. ‘For as the heavens
are higher than the
earth, so are My
ways higher than
your ways, and My
thoughts than your
thoughts’
Isaiah 55:9

3. A fourth friend
joined the group
as Job’s friends
heatedly argued
with him.
Elihu remained
silent for a while.
Then, he started
a long speech.
That was the last
attempt to make
Job reflect on his
sin.

4. “So these three men ceased
answering Job, because he was
righteous in his own eyes.” (Job 32:1)
Job’s friends gave long speeches about
important things, but they basically
defended God’s character in how He was
treating Job.
His “comforting” speech for Job was: God
is punishing you in His mercy because of a
hidden sin, so you repent.
Job maintained his innocence. He didn’t understand why
he was suffering, but he remained faithful and he still
trusted God (see Job 13:28; 19:25-27; 28:28).
We may know the truth, but we need humbleness and
wisdom to understand how much truth can be applied in
each moment.

5. “But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very
angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. He was also
angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute
Job, and yet had condemned him.” (Job 32:2-3 NIV)
Elihu began talking once Eliphaz, Bildad
and Zophar were quiet. He was part of
Nacor’s family (Abraham’s brother).
Both his name (Elihu = “My God is Him”)
and his father’s (Barakel = “God
blesses”) prove he was a son of many
generations of believers.
Elihu “became very angry”:
 On Job, because he was justifying
himself instead of justifying God.
 On his friends, because they
condemned Job but couldn’t refute his
defense.
Did Elihu understand Job’s arguments? Was
his wrath fair?

6. “Surely God will never do
wickedly, nor will the
Almighty pervert justice.”
(Job 34:12)
Is God fair or is job an innocent victim? Elihu
chose to defend God’s character and to accuse
Job of impiety.
He actually defended God very well. He
introduced Him as Creator, Sustainer, Wise, Just,
Almighty… (Job 34:21-22; 36:5-7; 37:23-24).
1st OPTION: If God is fair, then…
Job deserves what’s happening to him.
2nd OPTION: If Job doesn’t deserve what’s happening to him,
then…
God isn’t fair.

7. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for
me to attain.” (Psalm 139:6 NIV)
Elihu was not wise and humble enough to accept a
third option: God is fair and job didn’t deserve what
was happening to him.
There’s a third party in this conflict: the devil was
attacking Job so he wouldn’t trust God anymore.
The devil was a beautiful perfect cherub until evil was found in him
(Ezekiel 28:12-17).
No one can explain how evil
began in Lucifer. We cannot
explain the consequences of sin
that happen in our lives either. “It
is mysterious, unaccountable; to
excuse it is to defend it.” (E.G.W.
“The Great Controversy”, pp. 492, 493).

8. “You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me
to know.” (Job 42:3 NIV)
Were Job’s kindness and faithfulness the
source of evil in his life? Why did his
family and servants have to die? Was his
suffering beneficial? It didn’t even make
Satan accept his defeat. Was it worthy to
accept Satan’s challenge?
There are many unanswered questions in
the book of Job. We now know all the
history of God’s revelation, so can we
thoroughly answer those questions?
There’s a clear lesson in Job’s story; there
are many things we don’t understand, but
“the just shall live by his faith.”
(Habakkuk 2:4).
In which things do you need to
trust God even if you don’t
understand them?

9. “No mortal mind can penetrate the
secrecy in which the Mighty One dwells
and works. We can comprehend no
more of His dealings with us and the
motives that actuate Him than He sees
fit to reveal. He orders everything in
righteousness, and we are not to be
dissatisfied and distrustful, but to bow
in reverent submission. He will reveal
to us as much of His purposes as it is for
our good to know; and beyond that we
must trust the hand that is omnipotent,
the heart that is full of love.”
E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, cp. 31, p. 301)

10. Slideshare.net/chucho1943
We invite you to download and
study each one of the 13 lessons
about this serie
THE BOOK OF JOB
THIS SERVICE IS FREE
AND YOU CAN USE IT