The Wrath of Elihu - Teaching Plan

Key Thought: Elihu lacks humility and his words are no different than the others. Evil remains unexplained, and only faith can give us hope..

Lesson 10, December 3, 2016

1. Have a volunteer read Job 32:1-5.

Elihu

a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. Why was Elihu so angry against Job and the other three men?
c. Personal Application : How can we be careful in interpreting other people’s words so that we look for the best rather than the worst of what people say? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your relatives states: “When people get angry over religion or other people’s behavior, it seems more like self-righteous anger rather than righteous indignation. How can we tell the difference?” How would you respond to your relatives?

2. Have a volunteer read Job 34:10-15.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. What is wrong with the words of Elihu here? Isn’t he speaking the truth?
c. Personal Application : Have you ever faced a situation that made you fear for your faith? How did you respond? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your friends states, “Is it ever advisable to use anger in presenting your arguments with another on Spiritual issues?.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Ezekiel 28:12-17.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. Why isn’t the devil mentioned at all in the discussion between Job and his friends?
c. Personal Application: What are the things that you have to trust God for, even if you don’t understand them? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your neighbors states, “Isn’t it a natural reaction to try and figue out why things happen? How could rationalizing sin and suffering eventually lead us into sin ourselves?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Job 2:10.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What role does humility play in our response to suffering?
c. Personal Application : In what way have you been tested in your walk with God? Did you ever wonder why God allowed this to come upon you? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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(9)

Elihu is angry because God's character is misrepresented by both Job and his so called friends.

Elihu was not wrong. In fact Elihu was not reproved when God spoke. Job was reproved by God and the three so called friends were reproved, but not Elihu.

Job was guilty of justifying himself and saying God was unfair in allowing trouble to descend upon him. He was looking to his own good works and deeming them as a reason why God should not have allowed all this evil to befall him.

This was what Elihu was correcting, and in this coming week's portion of scripture to study, we will see that God reproved Job of this as well.
After God speaks we see that Job no longer exalts his innocence, but tells God that he (Job) will stop his mouth, and say no more, for he is vile.

The three friends were also reproved -- they too believed in the wrong system. -- A system of merits.
The merit system believes if one does enough good they deserve God's blessings. If they do enough bad, they deserve God's punishment.

Job, while not turning against God or cursing God, was still not without sin. He also had to grow in grace.

In trouble we are to look to God as our help, He is the only One to save and uplift us and give us the strength to bare it.

Futile responses when we face trouble are:
1. Condemning (which Job's friends did)
Instead of condemning talk of our sin pardoning Savior for we need to make ourselves right with God. All have sinned and need His forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Claim the promise of 1 John 1:9, believe it, and focus on Christ to see us through.

2. Telling God He's unfair (which Job did)
How many think that since we've paid our tithe, kept the Sabbath, didn't steal or commit adultery, gave food to the poor, etc. that now we deserve a comfortable life, and God is unfair if He allows trouble to come into our lives? We live in a world where trouble reigns. While we should be thankful for God's blessings, He hasn't promised us a rose garden existence in this world, but He has promised to be with us always, we can find our comfort and strength in Him -- He will never leave those who trust in Him.

(3)

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Comments

The Wrath of Elihu – Teaching Plan — 2 Comments

maria riva contreras on November 30, 2016 at 9:04 pm said:

why is elihu angry?

(7)

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Ulrike Unruh on December 3, 2016 at 10:50 pm said:

Elihu is angry because God's character is misrepresented by both Job and his so called friends.

Elihu was not wrong. In fact Elihu was not reproved when God spoke. Job was reproved by God and the three so called friends were reproved, but not Elihu.

Job was guilty of justifying himself and saying God was unfair in allowing trouble to descend upon him. He was looking to his own good works and deeming them as a reason why God should not have allowed all this evil to befall him.

This was what Elihu was correcting, and in this coming week's portion of scripture to study, we will see that God reproved Job of this as well.
After God speaks we see that Job no longer exalts his innocence, but tells God that he (Job) will stop his mouth, and say no more, for he is vile.

The three friends were also reproved -- they too believed in the wrong system. -- A system of merits.
The merit system believes if one does enough good they deserve God's blessings. If they do enough bad, they deserve God's punishment.

Job, while not turning against God or cursing God, was still not without sin. He also had to grow in grace.

In trouble we are to look to God as our help, He is the only One to save and uplift us and give us the strength to bare it.

Futile responses when we face trouble are:
1. Condemning (which Job's friends did)
Instead of condemning talk of our sin pardoning Savior for we need to make ourselves right with God. All have sinned and need His forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Claim the promise of 1 John 1:9, believe it, and focus on Christ to see us through.

2. Telling God He's unfair (which Job did)
How many think that since we've paid our tithe, kept the Sabbath, didn't steal or commit adultery, gave food to the poor, etc. that now we deserve a comfortable life, and God is unfair if He allows trouble to come into our lives? We live in a world where trouble reigns. While we should be thankful for God's blessings, He hasn't promised us a rose garden existence in this world, but He has promised to be with us always, we can find our comfort and strength in Him -- He will never leave those who trust in Him.

(3)

Reply ↓

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The Wrath of Elihu – Teaching Plan