In The Word
Read: Job 32-33
Elihu Rebukes Job in Anger
32 Then these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned against Job; his anger burned because he justified himself before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, yet they had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. 5 But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, his anger burned.
6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said,
“I am young in years and you are old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.
7 I thought age should speak,
And increased years should teach wisdom.
8 But it is a spirit that is in mankind,
And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
9 The abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may elders understand justice.
10 So I say, ‘Listen to me,
I too will tell what I think.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened to your skillful speech,
While you pondered what to say.
12 I also paid close attention to you;
But indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,
Not one of you who answered his words.
13 So do not say,
‘We have found wisdom:
God will defeat him, not man.’
14 But he has not presented his words against me,
Nor will I reply to him with your arguments.
15 “They are dismayed, they no longer answer;
Words have failed them.
16 Should I wait, because they are not speaking,
Because they have stopped and no longer answer?
17 I too will give my share of answers;
I also will tell my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.
19 Behold, my belly is like unvented wine;
Like new wineskins, it is about to burst.
20 Let me speak so that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer.
21 Let me be partial to no one,
Nor flatter any man.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
Otherwise my Maker would quickly take me away.
Elihu Claims to Speak for God
33 “However, please hear my speech, Job,
And listen to all my words.
2 Behold now, I open my mouth,
My tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words are from the integrity of my heart,
And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Refute me if you can;
Line up against me, take your stand.
6 Behold, I belong to God, like you;
I too have been formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, no fear of me should terrify you,
Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.
8 “You have in fact spoken while I listened,
And I heard the sound of your words:
9 ‘I am pure, without wrongdoing;
I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.
10 Behold, He invents criticisms against me;
He counts me as His enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks;
He watches all my paths.’
12 Behold, let me respond to you, you are not right in this,
For God is greater than mankind.
13 “Why do you complain to Him
That He does not give an account of all His doings?
14 Indeed God speaks once,
Or twice, yet no one notices it.
15 In a dream, a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls on people,
While they slumber in their beds,
16 Then He opens the ears of people,
And horrifies them with warnings,
17 So that He may turn a person away from bad conduct,
And keep a man from pride;
18 He keeps his soul back from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the spear.
19 “A person is also rebuked by pain in his bed,
And with constant complaint in his bones,
20 So that his life loathes bread,
And his soul, food that he should crave.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
And his bones, which were not seen, stick out.
22 Then his soul comes near to the pit,
And his life to those who bring death.
23 “If there is an interceding angel for him,
One out of a thousand,
To remind a person of what is right for him,
24 And he is gracious to him, and says,
‘Free him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom’;
25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;
26 Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,
So that he may see His face with joy,
And He will restore His righteousness to that person.
27 He will sing to people and say,
‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,
And it is not proper for me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,
And my life will see the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things for a man two or three times,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit,
So that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and let me speak.
32 Then if you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I would take pleasure in justifying you.
33 If not, listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Have you ever been in a conversation where you knew that what people were saying was not completely right or true, and you felt that you should say something? This is what happened to Elihu, a younger friend of Job who was a spectator to the conversation between Job and his other three friends. Elihu had listened to the four men share their thoughts and opinions on the difficult situation Job was in. But when they had all finished talking, Elihu could no longer keep silent.
We read that Elihu had not spoken until now as he was younger than the others, and in their culture it was a sign of respect to wait until the elder men had finished talking. He says he wanted to hear all sides before he spoke to make sure he fully understood their views.
We can learn from Elihu that though we may have many opportunities to speak, we need to use wisdom and discernment by the Holy Spirit to know when to speak and what is best to say given the situation and the people involved. The wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, teaches that there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:7). When we do have the opportunity to speak, we should make sure our words line up with God’s Word so that our words are not tainted with opinion or the world’s culture.