THE BOTTOM LINE

"Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding. It is impossible for God [to do] wrong, and [for] the Almighty [to act] unjustly." (Job 34:10 HCSB)

Elihu has been like a volcano. The young man has sat dormant, listening, while the cycles of verbal fencing between Job and his three accusers have gone thrust and parry, and the force of emotion increasing each time. Elihu has been silent. He knows that it is not polite for a young man to speak in the presence of his elders, but he feels a rumble deep in the crevices of his heart---a fire grows within. Pressure builds and builds, until an eruption of words pours out from his indignant soul.

He can no longer contain himself. He is angry at Job's friends for their unsubstantiated attacks on Job's character, but is also upset at Job's defensiveness. In particular, he thinks that Job should have been defending God's character, rather than focusing on defending his own.

Elihu doesn't have all the answers either, but he thinks he does. Such is the rashness of passion in youth. I recall when I first entered the ministry--I smugly thought I had everything figured out. I went to Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute and my head was brim-full of Biblical insight, accordingly. What arrogance--and what ignorance!

But, just because Elihu did not know as much as he thought he knew, does not mean that what he did know was wrong. In fact, he understood the bottom line. Job's friends may be wrong in their conclusions and Job may be wrong in his reactions, but God is never wrong in any fashion!

Sometimes, what God may do, or refuse to do, might appear unjust, but it is only the appearance--an illusion--for acting unjustly is an impossibility with God! That's the bottom line. We may struggle with this. Our understanding can be so lacking. If God decided to explain His ways at times, it would be like trying to explain trigonometry to a turtle, or Einstein's theory of relativity to an amoeba!

Trust Him when you don't understand. Don't doubt in the dark what He has told you in the light. Spurgeon said it this way, "God is too good to be unkind, too wise to be mistaken, when we cannot trace His hand, we can always trust His heart."

That is the bottom line!