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evisit Job 35:2 where Elihu asked Job, "Do you think this is right, that you said, 'My righteousness is
more than God's?"' Maybe that
question sounded like overkill and overzealous judgment coming from the mouth
of Elihu, but Job 40:2 & 8 both give us good reason to believe that
although Elihu was young (and although he didn't have everything figured out
just right), his concern for Job was directionally well aimed. Here it is
recorded that God said, "Shall he
that contends with the Almighty instruct Him? " And, "
Will you condemn me, that you may be righteous?" Yikes!
Sounds like Elihu may have been a forerunner for God after all.
Even Job's first response to God seems to me to generally be
what Elihu hoped to elicit. In Job 34:31-32 we can find what Elihu seemed to be
trying to pull forth from the heart of Job, "Surely
it is meet to be said unto God, 'I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any
more: that which I see not teach Thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no
more." God is perfect, and we are not. Our responses to Him always
properly include humility and contrition. And, no matter how certain we may be
about our relative innocence, we never have a right to accuse God or to excuse
ourselves... or to defend ourselves against God. So, what did Job squeak out
while God paused for a moment? "I am
vile. I will say nothing else" (see also Ecclesiastes 5:2).
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