A Young Man’s Perspective – Job 32-37

I don’t know what to do. What follows the three rounds of interaction between Job and his three friends is a heretofore unintroduced character named Elihu who spends six chapters throwing in his two cents (or three or six). Though he claims to be giving answers the older friends of Job did not, he really covers no new ground. So instead of showing his entire monologue, I will summarize it, and even that will be lengthy.

Elihu, a younger man, has apparently been sitting by this whole time, listening to the dialogue, getting angrier and angrier because Job is questioning God’s character or ability and the friends are unable to answer Job’s retorts.  So he explains how he has waited and seen his expectation fail that the older would have more wisdom. Now he declares his need to speak.

Elihu claims to have an upright heart and a relationship with God. (Will he give Job the same credit?)  He declares that as a man Job need not fear him. He summarizes Job’s complaint (“I am pure but God counts me an enemy”) and then declares that Job is not right to say that God does not answer, asserting that He uses many ways to communicate to us, including dreams and visions.  These are intended to warn people from the danger of perishing before God’s judgment.

God also uses pain, as He has in Job’s life, to get his attention in this way.  Perhaps an angel or some other mediator has spoken to God on Job’s behalf to ask for deliverance because of the ransom he has found for Job (Job’s children and prosperity?) so that if Job prays and confesses to God, God will accept him.

He gives Job a chance to speak if he will or else be silent and listen.

Elihu declares that Job is a wicked scoffer who believes that it profits a man nothing to delight in God.  He declares that God is righteous in that He repays according to a person’s works.  God is the one whose very presence allows us to continue to exist.  He is the one in charge.

Elihu is right that God demonstrates his unbiased and impartial judgment by dealing with kings the same way He deals with common people.  God sees everything clearly in the lives of humans and does not need anyone to come before Him to prove his case. But Elihu is denying Job’s claims by saying that If someone is suffering it is because God is putting them on display for their unfaithfulness.  If God chooses to otherwise hide His face, that is His business, according to Elihu.

Elihu wishes Job would be further punished for his rebellion and speaking against God.

It matters to Job that he is righteous, says Elihu.  Yet Job still argues that his being righteous has not bettered him in terms of quality of life at this moment.  He argues that something is wrong with the assessment that God always punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous.  (Does Job really believe that there is no advantage to being good?)

This is what Elihu claims he is saying.  His answer seems to be that whether Job is a great sinner or righteous, it ultimately does not matter to God.  God isn’t moved one way or the other. (How can that be?)

Elihu claims that when numbers of people cry out in pain because of oppressions they are not really crying to God.  He does not answer them because they are crying out in pride.  Job’s failure to see God or get an adjudication of his case is a misunderstanding that God cares.

Elihu’s pride is startling.  He considers himself one perfect in knowledge and one who can speak on God’s behalf and maintain His righteousness.

In Elihu’s view God does not despise anyone, but nonetheless does not spare the wicked and He vindicates the afflicted.  He upholds the righteous.  If they fall into transgression He makes it known to them by their afflictions so they can repent.  And if they do so He restores their prosperity.  If not, they perish.

God doesn’t give this favor to the godless (they die young), but blesses the righteous with affliction to open their eyes to the truth and give them a chance to repent.

He accuses Job of being full of judgment from God and warns him not to become a scoffer as a result.  He urges that Job’s cry for help will not stave off his distress, nor will his strength accomplish this for him.  He urges also that Job not long for the night so he can vanish nor turn to iniquity.  He asserts that God is trying to teach Job and should not be viewed as having done wrong.

He points to God’s majestic works in creation, like rain and lightning, which God uses alternately to punish people and provide their needs.  Lightning particularly shows God’s presence.

God’s voice is heard in the thunder that follows the lightning.  He does other things that humans cannot comprehend (snow) that cause men and beasts both to seek shelter.  He uses these alternately for correcting sinners or for taking care of His earth in love.

Job must consider God’s works and recognize that He is aware of all things.  Job must either respond in fear of God or be wise in his own eyes, which, of course, God rejects.

Discussion Questions

1. What has been your experience with older and younger people working together?
2. Elihu accuses his older friends of falling behind in wisdom.  Do you agree with him?
3. Elihu has asserted his uprightness of heart, but so has Job.  Both could be right, but how do we know Job is?
4. Has Job come close to being a scoffer of God, as Elihu claims?
5. Elihu asserts that God’s voice is heard in the thunderstorm and, in fact, God is about to come and speak to Job out of the storm. How have you heard God speak to you?
6. What do you want to hear God say to Job? What do you want to hear God say to you?