Job 35: Elihu’s Challenge – Does God Really Care?

Job’s friends have been taking turns trying to explain his suffering. Now, it’s Elihu’s turn. He’s younger and a bit more fiery. In Chapter 35, Elihu jumps into the debate with some strong opinions about God, justice, and how we see ourselves.

Key Points and Questions for Reflection

• God’s Big Picture: Elihu reminds Job (and us) that God is HUGE. His ways are beyond our understanding.
  • Question: Have you ever felt like your problems are too small for God to notice? Or maybe too big for Him to handle? How does Elihu’s perspective challenge that?
• Justice Isn’t a Transaction: Elihu argues that being good doesn’t automatically earn us blessings, and messing up doesn’t mean instant punishment. God’s justice is bigger and more complex than that.
  • Question: When bad things happen to good people, or good things happen to people who don’t seem to deserve it, how does that make you feel? Does Elihu’s idea change your thinking at all?
• Pride Check: Elihu thinks Job is getting a little too full of himself. He suggests Job is acting like his “righteousness” (being good) is even greater than God’s. Ouch!
  • Question: Do you ever compare yourself to others and feel like you’re “better” because you do the right thing? Is there a danger in thinking that way?
• Empty Words vs. Real Faith: Elihu calls out Job for complaining without really seeking God. He implies that Job’s words are just hot air, not real faith.
  • Question: When you pray or talk about God, is it just going through the motions, or are you truly seeking a connection with Him? What does real faith look like to you?
• Waiting on God: Elihu ends by saying that even if we don’t see God working right away, He is still just and in control. Sometimes, we just need to be patient.
  • Question: Have you ever prayed for something and felt like God wasn’t listening? How can you hold onto hope and trust in God even when it feels like He’s silent?

The Takeaway for Young People

Elihu’s words can be tough to hear, but they challenge us to think deeper about our relationship with God. He reminds us that God is bigger than our problems, our pride, and our limited understanding of justice.

Even when life is hard and we don’t have all the answers, we can still trust that God is good, He is in control, and He is worth seeking.

Let me know if you’d like more discussion questions or want me to dive deeper into a specific point!