Book of Job pt.6

Read Job 32:1-5

1. Who is Elihu? A young man, much younger than Job and the three friends. (vs. 4) He perhaps came with one of Job’s three friends. Elihu may not have been mentioned earlier because he was not a friend of Job’s. He probably was a friend of one of the three who travelled to see Job. Also because of his age. In Middle Eastern Culture, the young respected their elders by keeping quiet while the elders spake. To do otherwise was the height of insolence. Also, it is possible that Elihu was someone who lived in the area and heard of Job’s reputation for righteousness. After learning of Job’s tragedy, Elihu came to offer his sympathy.

2. What is his reaction/response to Job’s three friends and to Job? Elihu was angry at Job and Job. He had sat for who knows how long listening to both sides argue about who is right and who is wrong and neither was able to convince the other. Both sides had put their stakes in the ground and were not budging. Elihu had heard enough and speaks up. He was angry at the three friends because these so-called wise men had failed to find the answer as to why Job was suffering and yet they condemned him anyway. They talked, talked, and talked; made one argument after another; in the end, their words amounted to nothing more than hot air. Elihu was angry at Job because he was being self-righteous/arrogant – I’m right, God is wrong. Job still convinced his suffering was unjust. Elihu’s impression of Job changed from great respect to great amazement. Is the righteous, God-fearing Job I heard about? More like self-righteous.

Read Job 33:8-33

3. What does Elihu say to Job in theses verses? How does he characterize Job? Vs. 8-11 - I’ve heard what you’ve said Job. “I have done nothing to deserve this suffering. I have lived an innocent life. God has made up stuff to justify what He is doing to me. Despite all the good I have done, God considers me His enemy. I cannot escape Him. He watches me 24/7.” Vs. 12-13 – What does Elihu tell Job? You’re wrong Job! God is greater than man; therefore, God is not accountable to man; therefore, God is not accountable to you Job. So why do you complain that God is not explaining to you, a man, everything He is or isn’t doing? Vs. 14-19 – From time to time God speaks to man through dreams … visions. For what purpose? To teach them so that they will change their conduct from evil to good and to keep man from pride. Problem is man rarely pays attention to God’s still small voice approach of instruction; therefore, God uses a different tactic to get man to turn from evil and keep him from pride: suffering. Through suffering God humbles man. What Elihu is saying to Job is that the reason why you are suffering is because of pride. Different accusation than that of Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad. They believed Job was suffering because he had committed some heinous crime such as not helping widows and orphans or refusing to show charity to those in need. Job ably refuted their accusation. However, Elihu believed Job’s problem lay within his heart – pride. Evidence – Elihu has been sitting for who knows how long hearing the back and forth between Job and the three friends. Every time Job rebukes his friends’ accusations, what does he keep pointing to? What does Elihu constantly hear Job say? I am guiltless of any wrongdoing; I am without iniquity. Job constantly points to his good works to support his arguments. Sounded to Elihu like Job was tooting his own horn a little too much. That Job was saying - “I am perfect/sinless/greatest humanitarian the world has ever seen.” Read Job 35:2. That leads to Elihu’s second piece of evidence that Job had a pride problem – By accusing God of treating him unfairly … of attacking him with no just cause … by making demands on God to respond to his “why” questions, Job was making himself, a man, to be God’s judge. Sounded to Elihu that Job believed God was accountable to him and not the other way around. Elihu found that ludicrous/preposterous. Job 34:13-15. In Job 35, Elihu tells Job it is because of his pride that God has not answered Job. You’re impatient for God to hear your case against Him. Who are you to demand God to hurry it up and respond to your accusations against Him? The case is before God so you must wait for Him. Read Job 36: 22-26. Job 37 – Elihu speaks of God’s power over Creation and his purposes in exerting His power..

4. Do you agree with Elihu’s characterization of Job? Explain. I do. Job constantly pointed to his righteousness. He did regularly make demands of God. He regularly accused God of injustice. Now was it because of pride, as Elihu asserted, that Job was experiencing suffering? No. Again, we don’t know why God allowed Job to experience such tremendous adversity. However, I’m willing to cut Elihu a little slack on this point because he was clueless about the events that surrounded everything that happened to Job. As we’ll see, I think God cuts Elihu some slack as well.

5. Do you think Job agreed with Elihu’s characterization of himself? Explain. I think so. Unlike with his three friends, Job makes no retort to Elihu’s words.

6. Do you think God agreed with Elihu’s characterization of Job? Explain. Find out next lesson.