What Friend Surprises Job and Says Something Different • Wisdom (Episode 7)

In this episode, Tim and Jon try to tackle some of the glaring questions about the story of Job. They talk about the surprise friend, Elihu, who seems to show up out of nowhere towards the end of the story. They also spend some time discussing Job’s speech in chapter 28. There’s a lot to unpack in that chapter, and understanding it may give us clues as to what this book is all about. Finally the guys look at Job’s final showdown with God and how God responds to Job’s accusations of being unjust and unfair.
Show Music:
Defender Instrumental by Rosasharn Music
Blue Skies by Unwritten Stories
Flooded Meadows by Unwritten Stories

[@bibleproject]

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[@daroad7407]

Why do you guys sound sleepy as you speak?

[@tiarajones6121]

😮

[@charlieland8860]

Shown in Job is the danger of justifying ones self when we are accused. It seems that if we try to answer an accusation against ourselves we will inevitably accuse someone else, even God. This is why the Lord demonstrated silence in the face of his accusers at the cross.

[@christophermonroe5505]

It seems Job demonstrates exactly what you are saying when Elihu tries to overpower him. Job is silent and never responds to Elihu, an accuser. Yes, Job argues with his friends, but that is a different relationship. The text never refers to Elihu as a "friend" of Job. Ever. Even though they are ultimately wrong, Job's friends seem to want to help. Elihu, however, does not appear to show any grace whatsoever. He seems to operate as nothing more than a vicious accuser.

[@ViewMyChannelPls]

Hello everyone. Please continue to pray for me and my family. 🙏 Pray that we can finally move out from the house were currently occupying to a cheaper and safer one. Please also pray that there can finally be true peace between me and my family. Im so tired of all this. Its taking a toll on me. Its just making these burdens I carry so much heavier. Im very tired of adjusting and being the one to change, I cant change them but I know GOD can. 🙏 Lastly, please also pray for my financial breakthru, so that I wont have to beg, borrow and put myself to shame over and over again anymore. 🙏🙏🙏

[@amandae.8342]

God is peace. HE gives peace that surpasses all understanding. I pray the holy Spirit will lead and direct your paths. Give your burdens to the Lord for he cares for you. Let him have the worry. I pray the yoke is broken off your family & the Lord will save their souls. 🫶

[@peekaxu4352]

Be the change you want to see on others....The more you change to please our father in heaven the happier and more overjoyed you will be....I also would like to advise you to give your burdens to the Lord.....I pray that you would work with Father i Heaven for the tjings that you need through your faith in Jesus Christ.

[@eligiogonzalez6363]

God bless you, its 1 in morning here in México 🇲🇽, By CABO. and God is using yuo brothers i. Cristo. I thank our havenly Father for blessing my live with his wird. 🙏🏽 I can wait to hear about the holy Spirit... 🙏🏽

[@ruthie_chie]

59:14 ‘Dogs can’t learn algebra, and we can’t mine for wisdom. Human beings are not in a position to have a divine vantage point to declare wether God is just or unjust.’ This part of the podcast speaks to me. As to understand that I can’t understand 😅. The book of Job has a lot of analogy’s and I guess different analogy’s would speak to different people. That one really spoke to me. 😊

[@waynefolta7774]

A modern equivalent of Leviathan would be a Black Hole: not evil, but an encounter would be one-sided and end badly for you.

[@klarag7059]

I can’t believe I’m hearing old earth, evolution theory fit into the understanding of Job!

[@yollexart]

24:24 this was so funny. I will have to check that out. I love how chill you both are and the humor you both add. Thank you.

[@Kevan808]

I really enjoy the banter between the both of you. Keep up the great work 👍🏼

[@anal.mendoza]

May the Lord bless you all from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic! I really loved this video!

[@douglasgoodwin-xn2jw]

Thanks guys ❤. I’m in chapters 28. Went to the movies today and saw, “The Shift”. A Job like movie by Angel studios. I use Bible project before I read my next book in the Bible. Very helpful and informative

[@JonGreen91]

Your Evolutionary mindset blinds you to the possibility that the behemoth is the brachiosaurus Or that dinosaur is the new word for dragon and dragons are what we call dinosaurs

[@user-im3tn8io4j]

funniest part is Job doesnt even dignify this guy with a response. 😂

[@biglord02]

Good video. Thanks for covering this. Job definitely is a hard book

[@crimsomwolf]

Next time around keep in in mind the longings of Jobs and how God answers them all in Christ. Is a beautiful thing.

[@michaellam9819]

Thank you!! I just finished part 2 half an hour ago and was looking for part 3!! ☺️

[@peekaxu4352]

I was not a fan of the podcasts until I gave it a chance and became hooked....I listened to the 2nd episode when it first came out...I love these podcasts now

[@jjosborne1982]

I love the content you guys put out! Thank you so much.

[@mattc.8887]

U guys don’t reveal anything about Elihu. Why was Elihu not punished like the three? So God just gives Elihu 5 uninterrupted chapters as comedic relief, or to show he’s long winded and just like the other friends? Elihu was slow to speak, the spirit of God was within him. He is the only one to show he out of the friends a seemingly intimate relationship with God. Elihu, wasn’t prideful like the other friends or an intellectual superior who had an answer. It was the spirit within him forced him to speak out. I think Elihu purpose in the book is so mysterious. And perhaps God uses Elihu as a positive picture.but everyone just writes him off, oh he’s comic relief. He has 5 freaking chapters uninterrupted!

[@christophermonroe5505]

I agree with you in the sense that Elihu is significant. Understanding his character specifically helped unlock the entire story for me. After digging down into what Elihu is actually saying, considering the context of which he is saying it within the story, and the reason he would be saying it, I came to the strong conclusion that Elihu is absolutely wicked and evil. There are many things to point to in the text, for instance Elihu is the only one who affirms Elihu. He testifies of himself with no one else affirming him. Job testifies to himself - but God affirms Job in 42:7,8. Furthermore, Elihu contradicts God's affirmation of Job stating that Job has answered like a wicked man 34:36. One argument I hear regularly is that Elihu's speech coincides with parts of God's speech. However, the way Elihu talks about those things and the way God talks about those things are completely different, as just noted previously in remarks about Job's character.

[@argybargy2225]

Elihu is all pride, he claims "perfect knowledge." His words at times mirror the Night Spirit's words. Traditionally, the line, "“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?"(38:2) were considered to said to Elihu, by God, as Elihu is sent flying by the the Whirlwind. 🌪 He says a few things that ancient Hebrews would have thought about, when thinking of how God had reproved Israel on multiple occasions. However, Elihu's arguments, if correct, would simply settle the disagreement between God and the Accuser in favor of the Accuser.

[@christophermonroe5505]

@@argybargy2225 Thank you for your comment. I totally agree with you. So many seemed to be baffled by Elihu, and it is concerning that some think him an angel or prophet of God. Yikes. By the way, how did you come to your conclusions about Elihu? I know my process, but I am curious as to how you came to your conclusions. I'd love to know!

[@argybargy2225]

@@christophermonroe5505 Good question. I take the text seriously and feel it has important things to telling us about God and his relationship with creation. Once you figure out that the author/poet is purposely trying to hide meaning, to confuse those whose who don’t take the text seriously, it makes you want to figure out the meaning all the more. I try not to force my own theology onto the text, and feel any interpretation should integrate the whole text, and also not contradict what is said in the other biblical texts. A proper interpretation, I feel, should work on two levels, first it should make sense to a Hebrew audience of say the sixth century BCE and second be able to make sense in light of the New Testament. Most commentary on the BOJ selectively takes from the text what it likes in order to make a theological point (often skipping altogether the middle chapters). I’d suggest that the BOJ is not about a “bet”, but rather the fundamental question of whether an all-powerful God can have a genuine relationship with his creatures, and if so, how? The Accuser asserts it is not possible, and thus implies that God’s creation is ultimately corrupt. All the other questions raised in the BOJ are secondary to this primary question.

[@christophermonroe5505]

@@argybargy2225 I agree with you - and I love all of your thoughts here! Yes, I believe it is ultimately about the Lord's relationship with His creation. The "bet" is simply a device or vehicle to prove that. And yes, I believe it is necessary to use Scripture to interpret Scripture. In fact, having wrestled with the character of Elihu, and having come to what I believe is a clear conclusion, many other confirmations outside of the BOJ lined up with it. I won't got into it all here, but it really helped unlock (for me) a more full display of the Gospel in this story of Job. Thank you again for your input here!

[@keithwest6859]

I have really enjoyed this conversation. Thank you for doing this!

[@directren7762]

My school watches your videos every day. I thank god that I am able to attend a christian school. Who animates your videos?

[@robertburke9920]

For a breakthrough understanding of the Book of Job, read the novel "Where Do We Go Now, LORD? - Burke." Advanced.

[@jenniferwatson7118]

Great discussion. Did feel disappointed when you seemed to be indicating that Creation was over a long period ('early' man etc) because that means death was introduced before the fall of Adam and Eve. Also, I believe the best explanation for losing 90% of the animals several thousand years ago would be the flood.

[@aizpruart]

The part about wisdom been so hard to find reminds me Proverbs where wisdom is out in public spaces calling people to acquire it. This reminds me of NT where we see that without the Holy Spirit we can't understand God's salvation.

[@yollexart]

27:22 we are not the center of the universe. Amen.

[@lindamarko351]

Good Morning! From Catalina, AZ🙏🙏🙏God Bless!

[@VicDamoneJr82]

This was awesome I gotta go back and listen to the other episodes again

[@lindamarko351]

Yes and God made it look so easy in our eyes!

[@KylaGrace]

Even if humans during Job's time didn't coexist with dinosaurs perhaps as we know them, doesn't mean they didn't know of or have legends of them. Humans at one time did encounter or know of dinosaurs evidenced as late as 5,000 years ago in indigenous heiroglyphs (I'm not a young earth person, somewhere in the middle). And remember there would be overlap in generations as people lived up to 900+ years at the time according to Genesis, so ruling out dinosaurs is a bit hasty, as no other class of animal fits that description. I never read that passage and thought "wow, a hippo" lol

[@susanna6978]

Always something new to learn.

[@christophermonroe5505]

I really enjoy your podcasts, Tim and Jon. Thank you for all you do. After doing a deep dive into the Book of Job, I would like to present a consideration for the character of Elihu. Have you ever thought that he is an evil, wicked character in this story? There are examples I can point out, but I am wondering your thoughts. First of all, Elihu accuses Job (a lot) like someone else in this story (chapter 1 & 2). Elihu also accuses Job of adding rebellion to his "sin" (Job 34:37) - but what "sin" is Elihu referring to exactly? In the context of this story, God Himself states that Job is blameless from the outset. So for this ordeal in Job's life, what "sin" is Job adding rebellion to? I agree with other comments about Elihu ultimately being "wrong" in his conclusions - but then how can you not consider he is completely evil? He does, after all, claim he is "perfect in knowledge" TWO different times. I love both of your thoughtful minds, so if you can, please share your thoughts. Thank you!

[@joshkaye5303]

The middle almost reflects Job's suffering to the reader in that it seems painfully pointless ...

[@TheCreepypro]

may we seek Your ways Lord and know that we will be fine even if we don't understand everything at all times!

[@maureensurdez7841]

Is it wrong to laugh with your Bible teachers over such witty lessons ? So entertained!

[@aprilwhite1794]

It can't be wrong to laugh and find humor because the LORD has a great since of humor. I've bursted into laughter several times reading the Bible.

[@lindamarko351]

God is an amazing artist and he is king so why shouldn't he have pleasures that only he can see?🙏🎊🙏🎉🙏

[@keeshabrown7353]

31:00 Makes me think of that Jim Carrey movie BRUCE ALMIGHTY. Bruce lacked the infinite wisdom of God Almighty to orchestrate and keep in order all these things we don't even know about, let alone understand the deeper workings of. Like the scene where he made the moon bigger because he thought it looked bigger and more impressive, but the next day he's seeing severe global ramifications from it. Lol 😂🤣 🤣 Great point!

[@prodigygaming2370]

Actually Elihu was there when the three friends were condemning Job thats why he was angry, and he didnt talk because he was either a teen or a boy so he obeyed Gods commands by not speaking over his elders. Job 32, People in the comments if your trying to understand a story you have to read. From the words and comments you guys are saying it seems as if you guys are either over reading sentences or just not reading at all. Job was not some test subject to God, if you are a true follower you will be aware of the story of Joseph and how it says " For you, you intended it for my evil but God intended it for my good" Genesis 50:20 God is the same, he never changes Malachi 3:6 an most of all God IS love 1 John 4:8

[@ILOVEYESHUA1ST]

Job’s greatest misunderstanding that led to his subsequent sin of doubt, was his ignorance of spiritual warfare. Most believers I know when they are in sin falsely believe they are under attack whereas Job was not in sin, in fact the LORD points out Job to Satan as being righteous. God allowed the test to make 18 karat gold into 24 karat gold. Despise not the chastening of the Lord my son! His 3 friends also clearly were unfamiliar with spiritual warfare and the suffering of the just. Maybe you covered some of this in part 1&2 but it seems like probably not. You don’t know what you don’t know. For example in the last days men will deny God and take the mark to buy and sell (live), they will choose life without God which is a choice of death in reality. Elihu says this very thing in ch 36:21 Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.

[@christophermonroe5505]

@bibleproject By the way, nowhere in the text is Elihu referred to as a "friend" of Job as the title of your video implies. In fact, in Job 35:4, Elihu says that he will answer him (Job) "and your friends with you" (NASB). He makes a clear distinction that he is not part of their group of friends. Question: how did you come to conclude Elihu is Job's friend? What are you basing that assumption on exactly?

[@resurrectionway]

there was a better way, better then the way God created creation but he did not want it to be that way, the creation without contrast... and that is why we live in all this chaos because God need things to be the way they are for his purpose and not so much ours.

[@Bloom_LaurieSoileau]

SOOO good.

[@recebarhyan]

He lives ✝️

[@chaplainclarke1]

"Misunderstood Sea Dragon"😂

[@rc1952]

Elihu wasn’t there but he just showed up!!!!! So who is this Elihu? Someone told me he speaks like Jesus into Job’s situation! Wow! How can Jesus pop up as a friend surprise in Job many years before Jesus was even born!!!!! He is chapter 32- chapter 37!!! A very long speech! He is long-winded! Elihu tells Job don’t accuse God of being wrong and cruel! He says Jobs friends are wrong judging Job. And says God might send things as a form of discipline, warning, prepare for trouble. A broader set of reasons, shaping your character, through adversity or some larger reason for the suffering. Our suffering does not question God’s justice. No. God is just. Ch 28: Tone change. Different. Sounds like it may not be Job here but the narrator!!! A remarkable poem.

[@nancyw283]

God is everything❤️

[@davidbusuttil9086]

Could it be that the monsters are a call to consider the spiritual world? These monsters played significant spiritual roles in the cultures surrounding Israel, and Leviathan in revelation is HaSatan AKA the instigator of the tragedies in Job

[@andyvargas5249]

🙌🏾🙏🏾💯shalom

[@ayshab2105]

You are amazing

[@vanessa1707]

While I was attentively watching this video, a divine revelation came to me. My key insight is that faithfully serving and trusting God does not always guarantee a life free of suffering in this world, as we inhabit a broken world (Romans 8:20-22) and cannot fully comprehend God's ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Nonetheless, my spirit clings strongly to the Word of God, which assures us that His plan for us is always good (Jeremiah 29:11). This conviction leads me to understand that although I may not be exempt from earthly suffering and pain while serving God, I can undoubtedly expect to experience the goodness of God in heaven (Psalm 31:19) as long as I remain steadfast in my trust and service to Him (1 Corinthians 15:58). Heaven is our ultimate goal to experience all of God's goodness

[@elihuclark-el4143]

I live in america now yall

[@mbe421]

The misunderstood sea dragon/serpent🐉a new children's book explaining how bad things happen that we don't understand but need to trust in God.

[@_andrewj]

I am trying to find that biblical zoology book that they keep referencing and I cannot for the life of me find anything about it online. Does anybody know what they're talking about and possibly have a link?

[@_andrewj]

I think my problem is that I'm not getting the spelling correct and I'm coming up with varied results.

[@mbe421]

Search for "Hierozoicon sive Bipertitum opus de animalibus Sacræ Scripturæ" author Samuel Bochart.

[@_andrewj]

@@mbe421 thanks!!

[@teresamaligaya-apolencia]

Here you've just proved that we are not in control of the created living creatures, so who was really created on the 6th day because they were bestowed the power to rule over the created living creatures on the land, in the sea and air?

[@Skidkid]

There’s instrumental breaks? What is this a charismatic church?

[@madisonbevell206]

Are you saying you think dinosaurs were here before human?

[@germainannkibad2796]

thank you BibleProject

[@fezoaigbogun7948]

So job never apologize for all the accusations? I’m shocked, maybe I need to read the book again

[@argybargy2225]

The language is disputed, but it seems that Job retracts his statements and is comforted. I think the confusion is that where Job goes wrong is in accusing God of being indifferent toward the suffering. After all, it is pretty clear that the suffering Job points out is factual.

[@madisonbevell206]

Why would god talk about a mythical creature? I believe they’re real

[@AndyZach]

My theory on behemoth is that it is an elephant. The 'tail' is the trunk. We'll see.

[@ILOVEYESHUA1ST]

Yeshua is Wisdom Proverbs, Yeshua is likely disguised as Elihu

[@talentheturtle]

Can't wait! :)

[@lancenjulielahring4617]

Agape! ❤

[@lindamarko351]

Thanks😊❤

[@marcusmundu1226]

Amen🙏🏽

[@lukewills6692]

Why weren't humans around with dinos? That doesn't make sense

[@metaspacecrownedbytime4579]

Why is it that Job is regarded as a winner in the end? His kids are dead. How can he be regarded as restored?

[@None-if3mo]

Are you an atheist? If so, no wonder why you think this way. According to your worldview Death is the end of all, According to christianity death is just changing place either to hell or heaven.

[@None-if3mo]

Why can he be regarded as restored? Because you don't look deeper than the surface. Job was healed, became more richer, had more children, but you know why is he called restored? Not because all of those, but because from the trial he gained something more special, a renewed faith.

[@Aksm91ManNavar]

7:39 whyyyyyy

[@Jimmy-gg7og]

Would God allow you to suffer because He knows others will benefit by your suffering? I mean maybe God knows your suffering will be documented in a book so that it benefits all who study it…. I wonder if Job looking back on his suffering thousands of years later having perfect knowledge of all that have benefited from his suffering would agree to go through it all again knowing it’s benefit? Selfless love is sacrificial love. I see that in Job.

[@madisonbevell206]

What do you believe about dinosaurs

[@Sagittarius-81]

Do I hear Mogwai?

[@Adragos17]

C'mon guys. God's obviously talking about a huge dinosaur and NOT a hippo. It's because people have accepted the ideas of evolution that people have a hard time believing God himself about a creature HE made that clearly fits the definition of those big long neck dinosaurs

[@michaelmartin3122]

Leviathan, the zoomorphic chaos monster, is the key to understanding Behemoth. God has spoken already about animals, it is likely Behemoth is rather something similar or comparable to Leviathan. I’d suggest Behemoth is a zoomorphic representation of the powers, authorities, and principalities. Consider his creation is linked to humanity and the beginning, his name is the plural for cattle, and he eats grass a common metaphor for people.

[@esmondadjei]

🕊🕊

[@IchbinNix]

I imagine you were tired by the time you guys recorded this episode...that's why you laugh so badly and honestly I laughed with you, but... Have you suffered as Job did? For the reasons he suffered and argue all this things? Is not a rhetorical question. I listen you a lot but I was wondering today, a book so deep and filled with intense emotions, can be approached only from the theological view? Greetings

[@lindamarko351]

YAHWEH❤

[@Sagittarius-81]

Yəwah

[@rickcook6867]

YHWH made the moon and the stars and the sun. Man made the so-called planets,. The firmament is impenetrable. YHWH is a lot closer to us than you may think.😉

[@Th3BigBoy]

Yeaaaaah baby! Gimme that closed system cosmology!!!

[@ILOVEYESHUA1ST]

People rarely recognize Jesus.pre Bethlehem

[@david88464]

Then Pablo Escobar brought several Behemoths to Colombia and wreak havoc in the local ecosystem 😔

[@archanglemercuri]

Haha mining 😂

[@SeanRhoadesChristopher]

Behemoth and leviathan might be some of those creatures seen in the visions of Daniel.

[@LetYourMindPlay]

The ministry Answers in Genesis has much to say on this topic. I highly recommend checking them out if you are interested in the creatures mentioned in the Bible. They even have a KZbin channel.

[@SeanRhoadesChristopher]

@@LetYourMindPlay I have heard the dinosaur argument, and I disagree. I believe the Bible is true, but I believe the Book of Nature is also true.

[@LetYourMindPlay]

@@SeanRhoadesChristopher The conclusions arrived at by Answers in Genesis are supported by what we observe in nature.

[@SeanRhoadesChristopher]

@@LetYourMindPlay the Book of Nature says that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, while the Universe is 13.8 billion years old. It also says that time is relative, not absolute, in fact your feet have aged less than your head based on General Relativity. We also know that matter as we know of is only 1/6th that in our Universe, and we have no idea what the other 5/6th is, thus the name Dark Matter. Can the Bible explain what else might exist in our Universe, which is invisible to nearly all our techniques of detection?

[@LetYourMindPlay]

Who wrote the book of nature? I choose to believe the creator's word over anyone else's.

[@awethinic8379]

All of creation is corrupted with sin, meaning everything is distorted in view, the propagation of knowledge is probably from sin it’s self because God is a mystery and not definable, leaving doubt and confusion of his existence. The smarter mankind gets, the less faith mankind has. The great temptation from satan is to be equal to God. My analysis is this, no one in heaven talks about their death on earth.

[@gurdygroan]

Alas you guys are moving further and further from believing the simple truth of scripture and trying more each episode to fit in with the world's anti-god understanding of everything. I've been following you from the start but now I unsubscribe.

[@Th3BigBoy]

What do you mean? HELP!!

[@markwilburn546]

Come on Tim. You’re a biblical scholar you know how to read Hebrew. The English word “tail” has many different definitions. It could mean the tail end of a line of cars, it could mean the tail of a helicopter or an airplane, and it has synonyms such as your butt, behind or rear end. In Exodus 4:4 God says, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.” The snake doesn’t have a tail. It has a front end and a tail end. The Hebrew word, ‎זָנָב (zānāḇ) has multiple definitions just like the English word. It’s simply the behind of the hippopotamus.

[@jmonie02]

What are you on about?