"WHAT IS SUFFERING"

Suffering is very subjective. Our age, experiences, preferences and personality dictate our definition of suffering. A child who stubs their toe on the bed may scream in pain and feel like they are suffering real pain. A person, who had a stroke in the past, finds that they now have diabetes and they feel like they are physically suffering too many long-term debilitating illnesses. A person may lose their high paying, enjoyable job and feels like they are suffering from financial lose and job satisfaction. Another person may find that they were unjustly accused and feel like they are suffering from persecution.  These are all examples of different types of suffering. Some of us may feel that only true suffering is displayed in the lose of physical ability or extreme physical pain. We may feel that some of these events are really insignificant in the scheme of life but we should remember suffering is subjective. The people experiencing these situations feel like they are suffering.

The book of Job shows us every type of suffering. Job lost his children 1:18-19 (mental and emotional suffering), fortune 1:14-17 (financial suffering), revered public position 29:7-11, 21-25, 30:10-15 (mental suffering or humiliation), condemning friends [Eliphaz the Temanite 5:17, Bildad the Shuhite 8:6, Zophar the Naamathite 11:4-6 (mental suffering or persecution)] and his health 1:7-8 (physical suffering). Everyone can agree that Job should have felt a sense of suffering. However, this book does not dwell on the mental, emotional, physical or financial suffering. The book of Job deals with his attitude towards God when horrendous, catastrophic, and overwhelming events take place in Job’s life. The book of Job displays the attitude that we should portray to God during times of extreme suffering.

This book is truly about relationship. It shows a relationship in which external circumstance has created conflict. Job’s deepest pain is God’s response to his situation.  This is spiritual suffering. He feels God sanctioned these events to take place in his life and they seem overwhelming. He does not understand why God is permitting this persecution.  

Job was distraught (3:1-12). He cursed the day of his birth (3:8), he wondered why he did not die at birth (3:11) or was not stillborn (3:16). He wanted that day to vanish. This passage in chapter 3:20-26 shows his despair, its meaning is clear:
 

20 "Why is light given to those in misery,
       and life to the bitter of soul,

21 to those who long for death that does not come,
       who search for it more than for hidden treasure,

22 who are filled with gladness
       and rejoice when they reach the grave?

23 Why is life given to a man
       whose way is hidden,
       whom God has hedged in?

24 For sighing comes to me instead of food;
       my groans pour out like water.

25 What I feared has come upon me;
       what I dreaded has happened to me.

26 I have no peace, no quietness;
       I have no rest, but only turmoil."

He was given life or “light” and he was miserable and bitter of soul. He longed for death and rejoiced in the prospect of the grave. He had no peace, quietness, or rest. He only had turmoil. His greatest fears were realized. These verses show the raw feelings this man had concerning his circumstances.

This passage displays Job’s emotional suffering. Although Job depicts his emotional state with clarity of mind, he then precedes to define the root of his suffering which was that God allowed all of this and that God’s hand was against him. We see a progression in his thoughts. At first it was a severe emotional trauma and then it became an overwhelming spiritual suffering which had been allowed by the hand of God.

In the next few verses we see the spiritual suffering Job experienced.

Job 6: 4, 8-9

4 The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
       my spirit drinks in their poison;
       God's terrors are marshaled against me.

 8 "Oh, that I might have my request,
       that God would grant what I hope for,

 9 that God would be willing to crush me,
       to let loose his hand and cut me off!

Job 7:7, 11, 17-19

7 Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath;
       my eyes will never see happiness again.

11 "Therefore I will not keep silent;
       I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit,
       I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

17 "What is man that you make so much of him,
       that you give him so much attention,

18 that you examine him every morning
       and test him every moment?

19 Will you never look away from me,
       or let me alone even for an instant?

He felt the arrows of God shooting him with poison and it settled in his spirit. He wanted God to just let him go. He knew that his time on earth was limited so why did the Almighty have to care so much about man.  He wanted God to just leave him alone just for an instant. He felt he could no longer handle the terror he felt from God. This is true suffering. Although external circumstances were horrendous, Job was more devastated by God’s response or should we say lack of response to the situation at hand.

In chapter 9, Job describes the amazing power, intelligence and actions of God. Job continues with his rhetorical questions which he answers by describing what God can do.  

Job 9:4-10

 4 His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.
       Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?

 5 He moves mountains without their knowing it
       and overturns them in his anger.

 6 He shakes the earth from its place
       and makes its pillars tremble.

 7 He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;
       he seals off the light of the stars.

 8 He alone stretches out the heavens
       and treads on the waves of the sea.

 9 He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion,
       the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.

 10 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
       miracles that cannot be counted.

After giving God the credit He deserves for His majesty and power, Job continues to ask rhetorical questions.  He attempts to proclaim his innocence and his inability to receive an answer or reason from God. He knows and respects God. He realizes that He does not have the right to question God but he does not understand. Job continues on this rant until God speaks to Him in the last few chapters of the book.

Job 9:12-21

 12 If he snatches away, who can stop him?
       Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'

 13 God does not restrain his anger;
       even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.

 14 "How then can I dispute with him?
       How can I find words to argue with him?

 15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;
       I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.

 16 Even if I summoned him and he responded,
       I do not believe he would give me a hearing.

 17 He would crush me with a storm
       and multiply my wounds for no reason.

 18 He would not let me regain my breath
       but would overwhelm me with misery.

 19 If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!
       And if it is a matter of justice, who will summon him ?

 20 Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
       if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

 21 "Although I am blameless,
       I have no concern for myself;
       I despise my own life.

The book of Job is amazing. Job shows us true anxiety and despair. When we experience times in our life in which we feel inundated with many diverse adversities, we have to make a choice. Often times other Christians want to say to us, “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice” (Phil 4:4) and this is very true but…later on in that chapter he says in verse 14 “Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles”. In Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” when you are facing difficulty do not live in denial and pretend that your pain in not real. God was not angry with Job because he was dismayed. God wants us to come to Him and be honest.

God would rather you say to Him that the pain you are feeling is beyond your ability to comprehend or tolerate. Come to Him and express your true honest emotions but never falsely accuse God of injustice or curse Him. God can help and heal you but if you refuse to acknowledge the existence of pain what can He do for you? How will you learn to depend on God if you have nothing to depend on Him for?

How did Job not sin?

Job did not charge God foolishly (1:22). He did not say “God you have no right to do this to me.” He did not lay the fault of these situations to God. He knew that God had the right and ability to do this to him but he did not understand the question of why. He acknowledged God’s strength, power and position. However he protested vehemently that he was undeserving of this cruelty. Job’s friends assured him that God only gave these incredibly devastating events to punish people.

Eliphaz was the first to respond to Job’s emotional plea for death. He starts with saying that Job has comforted others with the truth about God so why are you discouraged. He then describes God justice to the wicked.

Job 4:3-9

3 Think how you have instructed many,
       how you have strengthened feeble hands.

 4 Your words have supported those who stumbled;
       you have strengthened faltering knees.

 5 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;
       it strikes you, and you are dismayed.

 6 Should not your piety be your confidence
       and your blameless ways your hope?

7 "Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
       Where were the upright ever destroyed?

 8 As I have observed, those who plow evil
       and those who sow trouble reap it.

 9 At the breath of God they are destroyed;
       at the blast of his anger they perish.

Eliphaz answered his own question. He asked have the innocent perished or the upright destroyed. Then he says what he has observed that this is not true. So Job must be guilty. Job 5:17 states "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty”. Eliphaz was straightforward, honest and completely wrong.

He told Job not to despise the discipline God had handed Job. What can we learn from Eliphaz? The most important thing that we can learn is that if we have not been told by God what He is doing don’t assume that you know why. 

Bildad was next. He started off the same way as Eliphaz. He described the correction God dispenses to those who sin. He then tells Job that if he pleads with God, God will eventually restore Job to his rightful place.  

Job 8:4-6

4 When your children sinned against him,
       he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.

 5 But if you will look to God
       and plead with the Almighty,

 6 if you are pure and upright,
       even now he will rouse himself on your behalf
       and restore you to your rightful place.

Job’s third friend was Zophar. Zophar wanted God to straighten Job out. He wanted God to tell Job that he was wrong. Zophar describes who God is according to his limited view. He tells Job that if he devotes his heart to God, stretches out his hand to Him, and puts away his sin, God will forgive him.

Job 11: 4-6, 13-16

 4 You say to God, 'My beliefs are flawless
       and I am pure in your sight.'

 5 Oh, how I wish that God would speak,
       that he would open his lips against you

 6 and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom,
       for true wisdom has two sides.
       Know this: God has even forgotten some of your sin.

 13 "Yet if you devote your heart to him
       and stretch out your hands to him,

 14 if you put away the sin that is in your hand
       and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,

 15 then you will lift up your face without shame;
       you will stand firm and without fear.

 16 You will surely forget your trouble,
       recalling it only as waters gone by.

These three friends were correct that God did punish the wicked but they were incorrect in assuming that Job was wicked. They could see no other reason for God allowing such heart ache. They felt God was handing Job punishment and he needed to repent so God would stop allowing these events. When events in our life are incredibly disastrous, this does not necessarily mean that God is correcting us. We must look to God for support and let him tell us what we need to do and not always listen to what others think we should do.

Another way in which Job did not sin was that he never cursed God. His wife suggested that he just curse God and die (2:9) but he instantly rebuked her and told her stop talking so foolishly. Job also says something very revealing. He knew that every good thing in his life came from God and he accepted those things now why should he not accept the bad things.

Job knew that everything that he had came from God. Do you think everything you have comes from God? You may say “Of course I know that everything comes from God” but have you ever said “I worked for this car, house, job etc. and I deserve everything I have.” Job did not say I lost everything that I worked for and deserved. Instead he said “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (2:10). He knew the source of his abundance and that was God. He knew everything came from God and that is a wonderful thing but it can also be a very hurtful place to be because you also know that all you troubles are permitted by God. He felt he was being punished by God. This is true spiritual suffering.

When you have a deep personal relationship with God, you realize that good and bad are dispensed or permitted by the hand of God. This is true anguish when you are feeling the pain of suffering. Job felt suffering but not in the way of most people. He felt God was permitting this situation which is the ultimate in suffering. If God has center stage in your life, the pain of tragedy and lose is even greater when you feel the source of these events come from or allowed by the hand of God.

If you feel that you have earned your wealth or position, when you experience a lose you feel that fate or chance has determined your destiny. If it is not fate or destiny then the blame is laid on the person or persons who cause the situation in the first place. Job did not blame the Sabeans who took his oxen and donkeys (1:15) or the Chaldeans who took the camels (1:17) Job knew God was always in control and that He had control over everything so when things went bad He knew God allowed it.

So you say “I know all things come from God” but do you have animosity towards the people who caused the trouble in your life. You may have forgiven them but you still hold them responsible and you want God to judge them for the sin that they committed towards you. We have all thought this before; Job’s friends believed this from the bottom of their heart and thought that Job had done something very wrong. Also, they saw all calamities as correction to maintain God’s justice.

However, God’s justice is not defined by us, it is defined by God. Job 37:5 says it best when God says that His thoughts and ways are not ours. Job’s friends believed that Job had sinned and he needed to repent. Job maintained his innocence. At the end of the book of Job, God said that Job’s friends had sinned because they had judged Job incorrectly (42:7-8). Be careful not to judge someone. If you are wrong, God will be angry with you.

Why did Job suffer?

There are four reasons God allows us to suffer. The first one is to teach us obedience. The second is to show us His love because He knows what is best for us. The third reason is for us to show our love, trust and faith in God knowing He only wants the best for us. The final reason is for correction. As we look at the four reasons for why we suffer, we will see the reason why God allowed Job to suffer.     

The first reason for God allowing us to suffer is to learn obedience (Heb 5:7-9). Obedience is mandatory for spiritual growth.  Jesus learned obedience through suffering. He asked God to take him out of the situation (Luke 22:42-44) but instead He obeyed God and died on the cross.

Even when Jesus wished that He did not have to do what God asked, God could not answer Jesus’ prayer. Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins because this was the will of God and God had to allow Christ to sacrifice His life for us so we could be saved.

He could have prevented Jesus’ death but because He loved us He allowed Christ to die. Jesus knew why God allowed these events to take place. This was the reason Christ came to earth. In the end God really did show His love for Jesus Christ because He allowed Christ to fulfill the words of the prophets. The words that God gave the prophets laid out the plan of salvation for all of us. So why would we appreciate God more if he allowed events to take place in our lives which were devastating. God has His reason and we must always remember it is because He loves us. This is a true act of trust when we believe that God is always doing this for our own good. We must always be obedient and do it instantly and completely.

The second reason is for God to show His love towards us. Joseph was put in prison, Moses was a prince of Egypt and then sent to the dessert for 40 years, and David was hunted down by the King of Israel for 15 years. These three people had great adversity in their lives. Also, God showed them awesome love. Joseph was given a great position of power in Egypt. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt. David was made King of Israel and had a covenant for his descendents to inherit the throne forever.  God allowed these men to experience calamity because He loved them and wanted the best for them. The path in which they followed was extremely difficult but God lovingly lead them through.

We do not always see the end. Even though sometimes God tries to share with us the final outcome, we don’t understand the reasons. When times are difficult we must learn to love, trust and have faith that His will and plan is perfect for us.

Do you think Job learned obedience or felt God was showing His love for Him? We are not told that he learned obedience and although God loved Him you do not see the justification for these difficulties so what could be the reason God sent these events in Job’s life. Let’s take a look at relationships. We all have someone in our life in which we are very close. The person to whom we attach a close relationship often times has experienced challenging times with us in the past.

My husband became my closest friend after my bother died. I already loved him but he became my best friend at that time. He soothed and comforted me during a really difficult time. I learned to trust and depend on him for support and care. At that time in my life, I was truly devastated. I needed a best friend.

Now look at Job, he knew that God allowed all these events in Job’s life. Job considered God to be the center of his universe. Everything came from God and everything could be taken away (1:20) and then he praised the name of the Lord. My husband did not allow these events all he could do was comfort me through them. If I felt my husband could have prevented them would I have loved and appreciated him more. I do not know. I know that God can always take us out of difficult situation. The real sign of maturity is not instant relief in the form of a miracle. Real maturity develops when we go through a difficult time leaning solely on the love, grace, and faithfulness of our God.

Joseph, Moses and David received amazing rewards for their tenacity or perseverance. Joseph was given prophetic insight, David knew the heart of God, and Moses spoke face to face with God. 

Do we come closer to God when He challenges us or do we fall away? How many Christians have you known who no longer go to church or want to follow God in anyway. They often tell you the tragedy in which they felt God was not there for them. The true tragedy of the story was that God was always there. He wanted, desired, expected them to come to Him and trust that what He was doing was for their own good but they did not wait around to see it.

They knew how they wanted God to act and He did not do it their way. God never left them alone but they left God alone. It must have broken His heart. God knew that if they accepted the situation and believed that He was doing what was best for them God would reveal His true character. God tests us to find out how much we love Him. God tested Job so Job would draw closer to Him.

Do you love God for what He does or for who He is? I am saddened to say that some very dear and wonderful Christian have lost their faith and trust in God because He did not do what He could have done. They prayed and petitioned God and they wanted God to do what they wanted. They did not trust or believe in who God was and that He always will do the best for us even if it feels like the worst. God wants to know that you love Him just for who He is not for what He can do.

The best example of God’s faithfulness can be best appreciated when we take a moment and look back on our life and enjoy the master plan of God. He has brought you through difficulties. We learned through these experiences and have continued to show our love for God. It also reminds us that we have drawn closer to our God. We look at where we have come from and enjoy where God has taken us.  Sometimes God allows events to happen in our lives to challenge us to learn more about Him and to draw us close to His side.  

Job did develop a close, personal and wonderful relationship with God. Job not only heard God he saw Him (42:5). Job despised himself and repented in dust and ashes. God revealed himself to Job. How wonderful and awesome. That is what we all want and desire.

However, when I first read this, I thought that is wonderful God talks and presents himself to Job but what do I learn from this? Then God really opened my mind to understand. He described himself and His thoughts and ideas behind every detail of creation and His power and majesty. So what does that mean? Nothing is done by chance, fate, or accident. God knows what He is doing all the time and the reason you can trust Him is because look at what He has done already.

In chapters 38-41 God asked Job many rhetorical questions. What would your answer be to God if He asked you these questions? By the way, did you know God created an animal with a lack of intelligence and very poor forethought (39:17)?  

Let’s see what God had done:

Marked the dimensions of the earth (38:5)

Established limits for the sea (38:10)

Given order for the morning and shown dawn its place (38:12)

Cuts channels for torrents of rain and path for thunderstorm (38:25)

Have you….?

• Journeyed to the springs of the sea (38:16)

• Walked in the recess of the deep (38:16)

• Seen gates of death or the shadow of death (38:17)

• Comprehend vast expanses of the earth (38:18)

•  Entered the storehouse of snow and hail (38:22)

Do you know…?

• The location of light & darkness (38:19)

• Dwelling of light and dark and can take them to their place (38:20)

• Where lightening is dispensed (38:24)

• Where east winds are scattered over the earth (38:24) 

• Who fathers rain and dew (38:28)

• Who gives birth to ice and frost from heaven (38:29)

• The laws of heaven (38:33) 

Can you…?

• Bind pleaidea (38:31)

• Loose cord of Orion (38:31)

• Bring forth constellation in their season (38:32)

• Lead out bear with its cubs (38:32)

• Set up God's dominion over the earth (38:33)

• Send lightening bolts (38:35)

• Endow the heart with wisdom (38:36)

• Give understanding to the mind (38:36)

• Tip over the water jars of the heaven (38:37)

God then talks about the details He put into the animals that He created. God talks about the ravens, the lions, lioness, doe, mountain goats, wild donkeys, wild ox, ostrich, stork, horses, hawks, eagles, behemoth and the leviathan. Now, I have a few questions for you:

Did you know…?

• Ravens cry out to God for food (38:41) I thought that only people cried to God for food.

• Ostrich is much faster than a horse but she does not have the sense to take good care of her young. She is just not wise. I thought all animals had instincts and were smart.

• The horse is not afraid of battle. He does not ride away from conflict. He is endowed with courage.

• The behemoth ranks first among the works of God.

• The leviathan breath out fire and smoke comes from his nostrils. I am not really sure what animal that is but smoke and fire is amazing.

Job was grateful and pleased that God had shared part of himself with him. He drew closer to God through this time of testing.

We have looked at the reasons for suffering which are to teach us obedience, show us His love, challenge us to draw closer, and the final one is for correction. Correction is the action God takes to maintain justice. Justice is the reason for correction. God describes His justice and asks Job if he can do the same.

Job 41:8-13

 8 "Would you discredit my justice?
       Would you condemn me to justify yourself?

 9 Do you have an arm like God's,
       and can your voice thunder like his?

 10 Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
       and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.

 11 Unleash the fury of your wrath,
       look at every proud man and bring him low,

 12 look at every proud man and humble him,
       crush the wicked where they stand.

 13 Bury them all in the dust together;
       shroud their faces in the grave.

 14 Then I myself will admit to you
       that your own right hand can save you.

God’s justice does not always require immediate correction. Job’s friends were too eager to give this the reason for Job’s trouble and God was very angry with them. So be careful not to accuse someone of God’s correction because if you are wrong God is very angry with YOU.

When was Job corrected or was he?

Job was corrected by Elihu and finally by God. Elihu waited for the other three friends to speak and then he spoke. He was angry because Job justified himself instead of God (32:2). He was also angry with the three friends because they could not refute Job but they had condemned him (32:3).

The three friends could not give Job a reason but they did give him a solution. In their mind, they did not know Job’s sin but they knew the solution which was to repent. They had pasted judgment on Job. They had condemned him. They knew this was a correction from God but they did not refute Job’s claim of innocence.

The difference between Elihu and Job’s three friends was that Elihu never accused Job of sin or the need for repentance except for his misrepresentation of God. Elihu agreed that God does correct the wicked. He then merely expressed the character of God with wicked men. Elihu was saying just because God has not told you the answer to why this is happening to you it does not give you the right to say God is unjust. He did tell Job that God is just not Job.

Elihu then tells Job something important. He quotes Job:

Job 33:8-11
8 "But you have said in my hearing—
       I heard the very words-
 9 'I am pure and without sin;
       I am clean and free from guilt.
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
       he considers me his enemy.
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;
       he keeps close watch on all my paths.'

Job was ascribing God to be unjust. Elihu goes on to say:

Job 33:12-14

12 "But I tell you, in this you are not right,
       for God is greater than man.

13 Why do you complain to him
       that he answers none of man's words ?

14 For God does speak—now one way, now another—
       though man may not perceive it.

He first says God does not have to answer man but God makes every effort to talk with man even if they cannot understand it. God comes in dreams, visions, speaks in his ear, or chastened on a bed of pain (33:15-19). God wants man to turn from the pit and find the graciousness of God and know the redeeming power of the Almighty.

In chapter 34 Elihu again quotes Job:

5 "Job says, 'I am innocent,
       but God denies me justice.

6 Although I am right,
       I am considered a liar;
       although I am guiltless,
       his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.'

7 What man is like Job,
       who drinks scorn like water?

8 He keeps company with evildoers;
       he associates with wicked men.

9 For he says, 'It profits a man nothing
       when he tries to please God.'

Job is declaring himself just. He says that God has denied him justice. God never denied Job justice. Job wanted God to do things the way he wanted them done. Mostly he wanted God to say that he was right. He wanted to see God and he wanted his case brought before God.

If you read verses 7 and 8 out of context you would think that Elihu is accusing Job of keeping company with evildoers and wicked men. Elihu is saying because Job sees no profit in trying to please God he is in the company of evildoers and wicked men.

Let’s look at it in a different way. Why do evildoers and wicked men sin? The reason is because they believe that following God does not profit them. Job is saying the same thing. Job believes the same lie as evildoers and wicked men. Job says that there is no profit in following God. Elihu corrects Job because Job has insulted the character of God. Job had given an answer like a wicked man (34:36).

Elihu has corrected Job on God’s attempts at communicating with man; he then corrects him on the profit of pleasing God.

Job 34:10-12

10 "So listen to me, you men of understanding.
       Far be it from God to do evil,
       from the Almighty to do wrong.

11 He repays a man for what he has done;
       he brings upon him what his conduct deserves.

12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
       that the Almighty would pervert justice.

God does not do anything wrong, and He never perverts justice. Elihu goes on to describe the power of God, knowledge of God, and the correction of God. Elihu ends this by saying:

Job 34:37

37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
       scornfully he claps his hands among us
       and multiplies his words against God."

Elihu is talking about Job. He is saying if Job does not see the profit in pleasing God then he is advocating disobedience which is rebellion against God. When you disobey God you are rebelling against God.

            Elihu ends with another saying of Job:

Job 35:2-3

2 "Do you think this is just?
       You say, 'I will be cleared by God.  '

 3 Yet you ask him, 'what profit is it to me, 
       and what do I gain by not sinning?'

The next few verses describe the power of God and then it says what does God obtain from you righteousness or wickedness. Elihu then says this about God:

Job 35:12-15

12 He does not answer when men cry out
       because of the arrogance of the wicked.

13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
       the Almighty pays no attention to it.

14 How much less, then, will he listen
       when you say that you do not see him,
       that your case is before him
       and you must wait for him,

15 and further, that his anger never punishes
       and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.

Elihu is saying that God is not required to respond to you Job. Job has accused God of not punishing and not noticing the wicked. God is not required to justify himself especially if you accuse Him of injustice.

In the next chapter, Elihu says:

Job 36:6-7

 6 He does not keep the wicked alive
       but gives the afflicted their rights.

 7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
       he enthrones them with kings
       and exalts them forever.

Job did not charge God foolishly but he did have a moment of self-pity and made a statement in which he unfairly depicted God. Job felt he could not see the difference of how God treated the wicked and how he treated him. Then he said because there is not difference there is no profit or reward for doing the right thing. He felt he deserved better.

Job had called into question God’s justice. Elihu was not going to let this go unnoticed.

Elihu then says:

Job 36:22-23

22 "God is exalted in his power.
       Who is a teacher like him?

23 Who has prescribed his ways for him,
       or said to him, 'You have done wrong'?

God is a wonderful teacher and no one can say that He does anything wrong.

     Elihu finishes his speech by talking about the might and power of God in his creation. He talks about the rain, thunder, lightning, and the arrangement of clouds.

     In chapters 40 and 41, God responds to Job's accusation of injustice. God asks Job three rhetorical questions and then states the power and position Job should have if he is able to dispense justice. He tells Job to adorn himself with glory, splendor, honor and majesty. He tells Job to unleash his wrath on the proud man and make him humble, crush the wicked where they stand, and bury all of them in the dust together shrouding their faces in the grave. After God describes the power and position of justice, He then says that if Job can do all that then God will admit that Job's right hand can save him.

The Lords says:

Job 40:6-14
6 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm:
7 "Brace yourself like a man;
       I will question you,
       and you shall answer me.
8 "Would you discredit my justice?
       Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
9 Do you have an arm like God's,
       and can your voice thunder like his?
10 Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
       and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.
11 Unleash the fury of your wrath,
       look at every proud man and bring him low,
12 look at every proud man and humble him,
       crush the wicked where they stand.
13 Bury them all in the dust together;
       shroud their faces in the grave.
14 Then I myself will admit to you
       that your own right hand can save you.

     In the final chapter of Job, he admits:

1. God can do everything

2. No one can destroy God' plan.

3. He did not understand all the wonderful thing he should know

4. He despised himself and repented in dust and ashes.  

Job 42:1-6

Where is the benefit to suffering?

Just because God doubled the amount of possession that Job had originally lost in the events that took place in his life that was not God’s best gift to Job (42:10).  It was not wealth, position, or power. Job obtained the greatest gift a person on earth could obtain. It was a more personal, intimate relationship with God. He was given the thoughts and plans that God had put into His creation. He made Job realize who He was. The thought and plans of creation show His thought to detail. Don’t you realize that He shows just that much thought and detail to our lives. What an awesome, amazing, wonderful God.

Job did mature. He had an encounter with God which is recorded in the Bible. We are reminded of a man who experienced mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual suffering and did not sin. He heard and saw God. Isn’t that the desire of all our hearts to hear and see God not just in heaven but here and now?

Who does God allow to suffer?

God allows everyone to suffer. It is a necessary part of our Christian growth and maturity to experience suffering. Joseph, Moses, David, Job and Jesus were all tested. These tests were in the form of suffering. We can learn a few valuable lessons about suffering.

1. Don’t blame God or curse God

2. Don't accuse God of injustice

3. Be honest with God

4. Rely on God for support

God is always there for you. He knows you and loves you. The hardest part of suffering is spiritual suffering. Keep your mind, soul, body, and spirit focused on His greatness and faithfulness. Have faith and believe in God. You must remember He always knows what He is doing. Look at the world around you and see the majesty of His creation. You can trust him because of his past, present and future reputation.