Life Lessons from Elihu of the Book of Job    

Imagine Job sitting and suffering, slowly scraping away the drying fluid which seeped from the open sores that covered his body.  The stench from his body would be almost unbearable and the men speaking with him would be sitting away from him, able to have a conversation but not too close.  At least four men had spent much time with him, initially coming to comfort him, but three of them had quickly become accusers.

The younger of the four, Elihu, had not come with them and may have been a family friend who lived nearby.  Tonight we should learn some life lessons from Elihu, such as –

Reverence for God

Respect for Elders

Regard for the Truth, and to –

Respond when necessary –

         – Either with rejoicing or with reproof.

In this case, Elihu responded in reproof of these men as well as of Job.

We begin by looking at the –

  A.  His Anger   Job 32:1-5

Job 32:1-10  So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram:

His silent anger  –

,,,,against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

Job had declared that he had lived according to his promise to himself based on his knowledge of God.  He had determined that he would live a life that would honour God, and if he sinned – he would deserve the judgment of God – but as far as he knew, as we learned from Job’s declarations in chapter 31, he had not broken his promise to God!

Job 31:5,6  “…If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.”

Job was confounded by the affliction he was enduring and sought God desperately to discover the reason for his suffering.  The answer would come in God’s time!

Elihu’s silent anger was –

Also against Job’s three friends.  His wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

They presented no evidence other than the trials Job suffered.  They could only assume the cause of his suffering to be some secret sin committed by Job.  They had no documented evidence against him in the form of written accusations, nor did they have any direct evidence in the form of accusations declared by first-hand witnesses.  In other words, they had no proof of wrongdoing by Job!  They assumed his guilt because of his circumstances.  How dangerous this can be?

He, Elihu, waited for all of them to finish speaking –

Job 32:4-6  “Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.”

Elihu told them that he had waited on them, as it was the proper thing to do, according to the Word of God –

Leviticus 19:32  Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

Elihu was not just an angry young man rebelling against these older men. We find his conversation revealed –

  B.  His Attentiveness  32:6-15  He listened and considered …

Elihu prefaced his statements by saying that he believed God instructs the young also and gives them wisdom and insight that is valuable and should be considered by all.

Job 32:7-10   I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.

He continued –

Job 32:11-13  Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say. Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words: Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man.

Elihu claimed that he could be the voice of reason because he had been an observer only, not involved in the matter in any way –

Job 32:14   Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.

He was disappointed –

    1.  In Job because he justified himself instead of glorifying God.

         Job had been unjustly accused and was compelled by this to

          defend himself. We often seem guilty when trying to defend

          ourselves.  The problem began when Job’s thoughts were focused

          on himself instead of God.

He was also disappointed –

    2.  In the three elders because they were not able to prove their

         allegations.  It was just talk!

He listened to them argue and finally revealed –

  C.  His Anxiousness.  32:16-22   He was anxious to share his opinion!

Job 32:15-20  They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking. When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;) I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion. For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.

Have you ever watched “Wheel of Fortune”.  Three contestants try to solve a puzzle, a well-known phrase or title,  by choosing letters in each word of the answer.  They are provided with a theme to help them and if they choose a correct letter, they get to try again.  If you have watched the show, you know how emotionally involved you can become. You are excited for the contestants as they choose the correct letters and you are also trying to solve the puzzle. 

What happens to you though, when you know the answer and they keep choosing the wrong letters?  You are no longer excited for them, you become angry at them. 

The theme of our puzzle is “The Purpose of Suffering”.  I will take a ‘T’ please.  Yes, there is one ‘T’.  I will take an ‘L’ please.  Yes, there is one ‘L’.  I will take a ‘W’.  Sorry, no ‘W’. The next contestant begins – I will take a ‘G’.  Yes, there are two ‘Gs’.  I will take an ‘F’ please.  Yes, there are two ‘Fs’. 

Now, you know the answer, but the contestants do not have a clue.  Your excitement has turned to contempt, these people are annoying you and you are getting angry.  What is wrong with you people!

Let me speak, I know the answer!

Finally, your opportunity came, those that had been speaking had no more to say, you would wait for a few moments to see if they would continue, but when they did not, you jumped in – “…ready to burst like new bottles….” And you would shout  – “the answer is For the Glory of God”!

With his knowledge of the answer, he began –

  D.  His Admonition.      Job 33:1-36:25

    1.  Job was wrong in his conclusion. 

Job 33:8-12  Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying, I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy, He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths. Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

God had not found occasion against Job!  God declared this Himself.

And that –

    2.  Job’s words should be examined. 

Job 34:34-37  Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me. Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men. For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.  Job was giving wicked men excuses to accuse God of injustice.

And finally –

    3.  Job should listen to Elihu’s justification of God 

Job 35:2  Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?

Elihu understood the words of Job, as he argued against the accusations of his friends, to say that he believed God had abandoned him.  Job should have recognized that his suffering was not a punishment from God at all.  He had examined himself many times and could not discover sins that had not been confessed and forgiven by God.

Job did not know why he was suffering and should have simply trusted and waited on God.

Elihu began at this point to remind Job of the greatness of God.

Job 36:1-2  Elihu also proceeded, and said, Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.

 He magnified the Lord before Job in order that Job might be humiliated by his own words when he argued with his friends.

  E.  His Awareness of God’s presence.  36:26-37:24

An interesting circumstance is that Elihu seems to recognize the supernatural aspect of the approaching storm  –

Imagine a storm coming toward them as they spoke –

Job 36:26-29  Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

Job 37:1-5  At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

Job 37:14-16  Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?

God is here!  This is what you wanted.  Be careful what you wish for!

We must note that Elihu was neither condemned nor commended by God for his discourse with Job. 

Elihu’s words to Job and his friends came at the end of their arguments and the beginning of God’s revelation of His Person and purpose.  Let me encourage you to read the remaining chapters of the book this week.

Job had examined his life carefully, as is recorded in chapter 31.  He was convinced that he was not being punished for an unconfessed sin, but did not know why he was being punished.

The fact is that he was not being punished at all.  He was suffering, living in a sin cursed world which he should have remembered. 

How many suffering people did he claim that he had personally helped?  People suffer.  The basic cause is our sin nature, which is then built upon by our sins!

And someone needed to tell him, to remind him to get his mind off of himself and back on to the Lord.

Elihu took on this task.  Would we?  We learn from Elihu that we must have  –

Reverence for God

Respect for Elders

Regard for the Truth

And courage to Respond when necessary –

         – Either with rejoicing or with reproof.