Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 33-34 NLT

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Thoughts

Though Elihu is the youngest of Job’s visitors, I find him to be the wisest. I don’t think he has quite understood Job perfectly, and he does accuse Job wrongly in some aspects, but at least he doesn’t accuse Job of lying when he asserts his righteousness. 

Elihu is correct when he says that God is not unjust in his dealings with man, and that if afflictions have come upon Job, then it is for his own good. It’s not that Job has necessarily done something wrong, but only that God has a reason. 

Elihu says that we are not able to understand all that God does, but that God is almighty, righteous, He has complete control over the affairs of men, and He is wise.

Some people do not accept the fact that God is wise. They do not accept that we are not able to understand all that God does. So they do not accept that He is trustworthy. Have you ever known someone who looks at conditions in the world and says, “How could a loving God allow these things to happen? I could never worship a God like that.”? I have. They have judged God, based on their own flawed and limited human understanding.

It boils down to the sin of pride, doesn’t it? Romans 1:22 says, “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…”. 

It is a sad thing to see, and in many, if not most cases, only prayer and the Holy Spirit can change their hearts and minds, because you cannot reason with a fool unless the Holy Spirit opens their eyes.

Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 NLT

We have been commanded to “preach the gospel to every creature” in Mark 16:15. Notice it doesn’t say, “except for fools.” So as 1 Peter 3:15 says, “We must always be ready to gently answer anyone who asks the reason for the hope we have in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Pray for your “foolish” friends and family members. Ask God to soften their hearts, and ask Him to give you, or someone else, the opportunity to share Christ with them in a way that will cause the scales to fall from their eyes so that their foolishness will be replaced with God’s light.