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Job 35

16 verses

TL;DR

Elihu rebukes Job for claiming his righteousness surpasses God, reminding him of God's supremacy and urging him to trust divine judgment.

Summary

In this chapter Elihu addresses Job, questioning his assertion that his righteousness exceeds God's. He challenges Job to examine the heavens and the clouds, illustrating how even great sinners can be humbled and how righteousness benefits only the righteous. Elihu contrasts human pride with God's omnipotence, noting that God gives wisdom beyond even animals. He argues that vanity will not be heard by God and that judgment is inevitable, urging Job to trust in God's justice. Finally, Elihu laments that Job speaks in vain, multiplying words without true knowledge, and calls for humility before God.

Outline
  1. Elihu confronts Job’s claim of superior righteousness
  2. Comparison of human pride to God’s supreme authority via heavenly imagery
  3. Call to trust divine judgment and warning against vain speech
Themes
Divine sovereignty versus human prideThe futility of vanity and the importance of humilityJudgment and trust in God’s justice
Keywords
ElihuJobrighteousnessGodvanityjudgmentpridehumility
People
ElihuJob
Places
Heavens
Things
cloudsGodrighteousnesswickednessvanityjudgment
Key Verses
  • Job 35:5: Elihu uses the heavens and clouds as a visual metaphor to emphasize God's greatness.
  • Job 35:13: Highlights that God disregards vanity, reinforcing divine sovereignty.
  • Job 35:15: Illustrates that divine judgment is inevitable, urging trust in God's authority.
Questions
  • Why does Elihu believe Job’s claim of superior righteousness is problematic?
  • What does the imagery of the heavens and clouds reveal about Elihu’s view of divine authority?
  • How does Elihu’s warning about vanity challenge Job’s confidence in his own wisdom?
  • In what ways does Elihu call for trust in divine judgment?
  • What might Elihu mean when he says Job’s words are in vain?
Sentiment

neutral
The tone is critical but does not convey overt emotional positivity or negativity.