Job’s Complaint and Elihu’s Response

In the last post we discussed Job’s friends and their judgmental opinions and lack of compassion. Job was a righteous man, but as with the rest of us, God needed to do some work in him. He had one calamity after another and it is no wonder he had some complaints and it is not surprising he would be angry. Considering all of this, he kept his cool to the most part when he was encountered with his friends. But he did defend himself and he did have issues with his friends, with this world and with God. Sometimes when we get a little off track, God may bring someone into our life to lead us back and set us straight, and hopefully we listen. Enter Elihu. We are not sure where Elihu came from, but he stood back and listened to the debate between Job and his three friends, and when they were finished, he spoke up. Again, I urge you to read through Job to get the context and the whole story.

Job 29:1-21

“Job further continued his discourse, and said: “Oh, that I were as in months past, as in the days when God watched over me; when His lamp shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness; just as I was in the days of my prime, when the friendly counsel of God was over my tent; when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were around me; when my steps were bathed with cream, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!”

“When I went out to the gate by the city, when I took my seat in the open square, the young men saw me and hid, and the aged arose and stood; the princes refrained from talking, And put their hand on their mouth; The voice of nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. When the ear heard, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw, then it approved me; because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth. “Then I said, ‘I shall die in my nest, and multiply my days as the sand. My root is spread out to the waters, and the dew lies all night on my branch. My glory is fresh within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’ “Men listened to me and waited, and kept silence for my counsel.”

After all the unwarranted criticism by his friends and their lack of understanding of Job’s character and of God, Job gave his defense. But in the midst of it, it seems that pride set in. He told them that at one time God watched over him, but his statement here was full of “I’s” and “me’s” instead of praising God. Sometimes when things go bad, we neglect to pray or to praise God for all the good things He has done. We dwell on the negative things. That is totally me. When things go bad, or even sometimes I worry about something going bad, I forget about all the good things God has done in my life and I forget to pray and give God the praise he deserves. We need to take the example of Paul. No matter what the situation, no matter how dire things get, He turns to God. He worships God. I think if I was in either of these situations, I don’t know if I would be strong enough to have the joy and the praise Paul did and I can understand Job having the bitterness he had. But, one advantage we have is that we know how it ends and that should give us the confidence and hope to always praise God and be full of joy.

Acts 16:20-34

And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”

Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

During this great debate between Job, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad, there was another young man standing by listening. Elihu waited out of respect, and then said his piece. Perhaps God sent him to prepare these men for what He was about to say. We will talk about that in the next post.

Job 32:1-9

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. Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job.

When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused. So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: “I am young in years, and you are very old; therefore I was afraid, and dared not declare my opinion to you. I said, ‘age should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’ But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice.

Elihu got right to it and didn’t hold back. We should respect our elders, but we must also discern to see if they have the truth in them and if their wisdom is true. Job’s friends would have been wise to takes James’ or Solomon’s advice:

James 1:19-20

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 15:1-2

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

As Elihu was listening, he was bothered by Job’s complaints against God and bitterness toward God and man, and in chapters 29 through 31, Jobproclaimed all the righteous acts he had done. Elihu reminds them (and us) that we should look to the goodness, strength, and sovereignty of God.

Job 36:1-7

Elihu also proceeded and said: “Bear with me a little, and I will show you that there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf. I will fetch my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. For truly my words are not false; One who is perfect in knowledge is with you. “Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding. He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the oppressed. He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; but they are on the throne with kings, for He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.”

Job 37:1-7

“At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, and He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work.”

Let us not forget the goodness of God and all that He has done. He created all things, he is the Almighty, yet He loves each one of us. We will discuss the encounter of God with Job and his friends in the next post. May you be blessed and always remember God’s grace and goodness.