Day 37 (Job 38:1-40:2 | Matthew 24:32-25:13 | Psalm 18:37-42)

Day 37
Job 38:1-40:2
(38 | 39 | 40:1-2)

As soon as Elihu finishes speaking, God enters the conversation. The first thing he says is, "who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me" (38:2-3), and the last thing he says is, "will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" This must've been absolutely terrifying for Job!

Day 36 (Job 35:1-37:24 | Matthew 24:1-31 | Proverbs 4:1-9)

Day 36
Job 35:1-37:24
(35 | 36 | 37)


Elihu claims God ignores the wicked when they cry out because of their arrogance. Elihu further claims that God is more likely to ignore Job because he reckons he can't see God move, nor does he think God takes any action against the wicked. Elihu goes on to say that God doesn't hate men, and that actually the reason Job doesn't see what God is doing is because he has the wrong perspective; God isn't keeping the wicked alive, rather he preserves the rights of those afflicted by the wicked.

Day 35 (Job 33-34 | Matthew 23 | Psalm 18:25-36)

Day 35
Job 33:1-34:37
(33 | 34)

Elihu starts by saying they're the same; both he and Job have been brought up from the clay. So they should not fear each other. Elihu then asks, legitimately, how Job can say that God doesn't answer prayers. He says that God does answer, it's just that people might not realise it. He goes on to say that God does redeem men when they don't deserve it because he doesn't want them cast into the pit any more than they want to be.

Day 34 (Job 30-32 | Matthew 22:15-46 | Psalm 18:16-24)

Day 34
Job 30:1-32:22
(30 | 31 | 32)

In chapter 29, Job went on about how people used to respect him. In chapter 30, he speaks about how people treat him now, after his apparent fall from grace. He laments the fact that God doesn't seem to be answering his cries for help. But in all this, and throughout chapter 31, he continues to insist he is innocent.

Day 33 (Job 25-29 | Matthew 21:33-22:14 | Psalm 18:7-15)

Day 33
Job 25:1-29:25
(25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29)


Bildad continues the trend of being deeply unhelpful by essentially saying God is so powerful and awesome that man surely has no chance of being righteous in God's eyes. Job calls him out on this with his beautifully sarcastic reply in 26:2-4. Job goes on to list some of the works of God, saying they're only on the fringes of his works. Who can truly understand God and his power?

Day 32 (Job 22-24 | Matthew 21:18-32 | Proverbs 3:21-35)

Day 32
Job 22:1-24:25
(22 | 23 | 24)

Eliphaz pipes up with another deeply unhelpful contribution. First, he questions whether or not it actually genuinely makes a difference to God whether or not our walks are righteous - does it actually benefit him, does he gain anything? Eliphaz then does what none of Job's friends have done up to now - he outright accuses Job of sinning. He also tells Job how to get back into God's good books:

"Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you" (22:21)
"If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored" (22:23)

Day 31 (Job 19-21 | Matthew 21:1-17 | Psalm 18:1-6)

Day 31
Job 19:1-21:34
(19 | 20 | 21)

Job remains unconvinced that he's actually done anything wrong. But if he has, he believes that that's his problem, that his friends shouldn't be concerned about that. They should be concerned about God's judgement on their own lives first and foremost. Additionally, his friends should be pitying him not trying to bring him down further, he argues. Job laments everything he's lost. Yet even in this, he continues to exalt God, and looks forward to the day when they can meet.