the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth

The Word for today:
Job 32:1 -- 33:33

mark this:
So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God.
Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. (Job 32:1-3)


Throughout the speeches of Job and his three friends, a young man had been intently listening, without speaking. But now, he's heard enough. Enter Elihu.

Elihu is the voice which will come closest to the whole truth of God. Elihu won't get everything right in his reply to Job and the friends, but he comes closer than all of them. He prepares Job for the voice of God to follow.

Job is a tricky book, as has been previously noted, because not all of the thoughts presented are thoughts which God agrees with--and God will soon say so.

But Elihu is the voice which comes closest to the whole truth.

We take an oath before courtroom testimony--to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Why do we have to add "the whole truth." Isn't just "the truth" good enough? The answer is a resounding, "No."

The reason we must read the whole Bible is because unless we do, we can get a picture of Jesus which is out of balance. For example, it is true that He is the forgiving Savior. That's "the truth." But the whole truth is that He is also the Judge of all those who bypass the blood of His cross, and seek to come to God on their own terms.

Whole churches, entire denominations, present "the truth," but do not present the whole truth about Jesus Christ. Job and his three friends say many things which are "the truth"--but not the whole truth.

Be careful to read the entire Bible and decide for yourself whether your pastor, teacher, church, and denomination are presenting "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

If they are not--and even though you, like Elihu, may be young--listen respectfully, then step up and tell them that their picture of Jesus is distorted.

But before you do, you must study scripture--all of scripture. You must pray and serve God and, perhaps, suffer in His service. These are the prerequisites to the comprehension of the whole truth about Jesus.

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