In chapters 27-31 that Job himself was pushing towards God's question – he affirmed what God said about him: that he was “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil.” But he does not see himself as “the servant of the Lord.” And until he sees himself as the suffering servant, he will not understand his own question!
Job's friends have been trying to engage God's question: They have considered Job – and they have ‘guiltified' him (condemned him).
We saw last time that Elihu offers to be Job's advocate -- or comforter – one who will "justify" Job, not as a judge, but as an advocate). But for someone who claims to desire to “justify” Job (to demonstrate Job's “rightness”), Elihu has a strange way of proceeding!
Elihu concluded chapter 33 with a statement in verses 29-30, that God sends man dreams & afflicts him with pain, “to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life.”
Job could only have grimaced at this! After all, his opening question was: “why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul?” Elihu is convinced that affliction and trouble come from God in order to bring people to repentance – to turn them back from the pit and restore them to light and life.
"Elihu, my question was not why does God bring suffering?! My question was why does God give light to the miserable..."
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