VII. INSTRUCTING JOB TO FEAR GOD
Finally, in his last word to Job, Elihu instructed Job to fear God, who does not look upon any who are wise of heart (v. 24).
Concerning the purpose of God in dealing with Job, even in the highlight of his final word to Job, Elihu did not have the capacity to afford Job a divine revelation that is up to the New Testament level, namely, that God’s purpose in allowing the believers to suffer the loss of all things is that they may gain God as their eternal portion for them to inherit and enjoy as the eternal life unto eternity, as the Lord revealed to His disciples in Matthew 19:27-29.
Job was suffering, and his three friends came to comfort him. Elihu was also there to help the situation. However, these godly people did not pray for Job nor did they fellowship with one another by exercising their spirit that all of them might receive a certain amount of spiritual supply. That would have helped them find out the real purpose of God’s dealing with Job. They talked about God, and they also referred to their spirit, but in all their debates there is no hint that they were exercising their spirit. Rather, they were exercising their mind, searching for words from the heavens, from the air, from the birds in the air, from the beasts on the earth, and from the fish in the sea, to compose their poetry.
If we would have vital groups today, we need to be warned by these talks. The group we see in the book of Job affords us a negative example, an example of the kind of group meeting we should not have in the church life today.
When we come together in the vital groups, the first thing we must do is to pray. The vital groups are groups of vital prayer. In the vital groups, learn not to pray old prayers with old terms, prayers according to your tradition. Learn always to pray new and fresh prayers. Try to exercise your spirit, because the very God, our present God, our God today, is right in our spirit with all His bountiful supply. Thus, when you come to the vital groups, you should remain in your spirit and exercise your spirit. In your spirit you will pick up some new terms and new expressions. You can do this because you have the Triune God as the consummated Spirit in your spirit.
The groups are vital in these two spirits: vital in our human spirit and vital in God’s divine Spirit. The last part of the Bible—from Acts through Revelation—covers the matter of the divine Spirit who is now in our spirit to become one spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). The content of this portion of the Word is a life of these two spirits. God moves in man and man moves in God in these two spirits. Therefore, when you come to the vital groups, you should turn to the spirit, remain in the spirit, and exercise the spirit.
Do not come to the vital groups to talk naturally yet quite intimately. That kills the groups. Instead, exercise your spirit to praise God or to sing a stanza or a few lines of a hymn. This kind of praising and singing stirs up the spirits of those in the vital group. Then everyone will follow to pray.
The second thing we should do in the vital groups is to fellowship. After the prayer, we should fellowship, perhaps about the home affairs or the troubles of the saints, yet we should fellowship in our spirit by exercising our spirit. Our speaking concerning a saint who is sick should not be in ordinary words but in words from the all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit. When you speak out, try to bring the group into the two spirits. This will make a great difference, and this will help to lay the foundation for the vital group to move in the two spirits. Furthermore, when you visit others, at your home, in their home, or in the meeting hall, exercise your spirit.
The move of the Triune God today is altogether in the two spirits, in Himself as the consummated Spirit dwelling in our regenerated spirit. These two spirits—the divine Spirit and the human spirit—have become one spirit. To be a Christian is simply to take care of these two spirits for God’s move. Learn to live a Christian life in this way. Do not try to learn so many teachings, but try to study and read the Bible for the nourishment and stirring up of your spirit that your spirit may be exercised to contact the divine Spirit in your spirit.
Learn to touch the divine Spirit in your spirit. This is the Christian life, and this should also be the Christian work. This is the move of God in man and the move of man in God to fulfill God’s economy, His plan concerning Christ with His Body. We are here on earth for this, and for this we should live by the two spirits, follow the two spirits, and do everything according to the two spirits.
(Life-Study of Job, Chapter 28, by Witness Lee)
