October 23
Reading: Job 32
1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. 3 He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.
6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:
“I am young in years, and you are aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you.
7 I said, ‘Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.’
8 But it is the spirit in man,
the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.
9 It is not the old who are wise,
nor the aged who understand what is right.
10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
let me also declare my opinion.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened for your wise sayings,
while you searched out what to say.
12 I gave you my attention,
and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
or who answered his words.
13 Beware lest you say,
‘We have found wisdom;
God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14 He has not directed his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your speeches.
15 “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
they have not a word to say.
16 And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
because they stand there, and answer no more?
17 I also will answer with my share;
I also will declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
the spirit within me constrains me.
19 Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
like new wineskins ready to burst.
20 I must speak, that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21 I will not show partiality to any man
or use flattery toward any person.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
else my Maker would soon take me away.
Now comes Elihu; young, aggressive, conceited, verbose, and having just enough theology and moralism to make him dangerous. The next six chapters contain four speeches of Elihu in quick succession. Job does not respond. Elihu stops only when God interrupts him.
In the first six verses of chapter 32 we are introduced to Elihu and given more information about him than any of Job’s friends. This is probably because Elihu is not a friend of Job but merely knows about him and obviously has been listening in on the conversation. Job’s friends have given up because Job “was righteous in his own eyes.” (vs. 1) Elihu begins speaking for the same reason. In fact, “his anger burned against Job because he justified himself before God.” True enough. Job had done this.
In verse 6 Elihu begins to speak and spends the entire chapter explaining why he must speak. Elihu is long-winded and confident. He becomes the perfect example of a young guy that everyone wishes would sit down and shut up. The Scriptures implore young men to respect the elderly.
You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. Levitcus 19:32
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5
Elihu is the opposite of this. He has heard the old guys go at it and has decided that they have all failed and now he will speak so that they all can hear real wisdom.
Elihu is upset that Job has been insufficiently refuted. (vss. 11-12) In verse 18 we read him saying “for I am full of words.” Indeed he is. He is about to vent. (vs. 19) He says in verses 21-22 that he will not be partial to nor flatter Job. We will see that this is true.
An important observation here is that anger is never a helpful motivation for speaking, especially speaking to someone who is under attack or in great pain. When a person is angry it is difficult not to sin. Hence the command of Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry but sin not.”