For thirty-one chapters we have read about a lot of questions about suffering and the way God runs the world. The friends of Job have insisted that the way God runs the world is that the wicked suffer and the righteous do not suffering. Therefore, Job must have sinned. However, we know this is wrong because Job is blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning from evil (cf. Job 1:8; 2:3). Job has insisted on his own righteousness and that he has done nothing deserving of the suffering he is experiencing. Job is right about this. His suffering is not the punishment of God. Job and his friends are in a stalemate. The friends’ answer does not change. Job’s response does not change. So what is the answer? What is God doing in the world? What is God doing through suffering?

In Job 32 we read about a new person who have not seen before in the book. His name is Elihu. We are told in Job 32:4 that Elihu had waited to speak to Job because Job’s friends were older than him. But the three friends have failed in their discussion with Job. You will notice in Job 32:2-3 that Elihu is not happy with anyone. He is angry at Job because Job is spending his time justifying himself rather than justifying God. He is also angry with the three friends because they could not refute Job but had condemned Job in the process…

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