Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends
“So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. This kindled the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He burned with anger against Job for justifying himself rather than God, and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he. But when he saw that the three men had no further reply, his anger was kindled.
So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: “I am young in years, while you are old; that is why I was timid and afraid to tell you what I know. I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding. It is not only the old who are wise, or the elderly who understand justice. Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; I too will declare what I know.’ Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words, I paid you full attention. But no one proved Job wrong; not one of you rebutted his arguments. So do not claim, ‘We have found wisdom; let God, not man, refute him.’
But Job has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your arguments. Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them. Must I wait, now that they are silent, now that they stand and no longer reply? I too will answer; yes, I will declare what I know. For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me. Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin. I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond. I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man. For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.”
Poor Job! Job’s three friends have already practically talked him to death; however, there is always someone who wants to add one more comment. Now an onlooker named Elihu, son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram weighs in. Where Elihu has come from, we do not know. But evidently Elihu has been hanging around listening while Job’s other friends have lectured him. Elihu states that he has waited because he is younger and therefore must yield to his elders.
Elihu isn’t happy with anybody; he feels Job’s friends have condemned Job while failing to refute him but he also feels Job has tried to justify himself rather than God. All this while, Elihu has been constructing speeches in his head and now he feels it’s his turn. Elihu is about to make up for all the time he has been sitting listening to Job’s friends, and now Elihu is going to unload on Job at length. Elihu’s speech goes on for the next 5 chapters!
APPLICATION: What can we gain from this chapter? As we study Elihu’s speech in the next few chapters, he says several excellent things. But obviously Elihu has no compassion for Job or concern for his suffering. All Elihu can think of is the speeches he’s been writing in his head and how he will explode if he doesn’t share them. Elihu is already picturing the older men as they gasp, impressed with his brilliance and insight.
Look at what Elihu says about himself. “For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me. Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin. I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond. I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man. For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.”
Consider Job’s situation. Job has spent weeks suffering physically and emotionally as his friends have condemned and vilified him. Given the fact that Elihu may be correct in all his sentiments, are his speeches really helpful or necessary? Does Job really need one more person talking at him?
Just go through a bad situation, and the Elihu’s crawl out of the woodwork. People of this nature sniff out those who are suffering and then show up to pound them with platitudes. It was after one such encounter many years ago, that I complained to a friend that I did not want to hear from one more person who hadn’t earned their PhD in suffering! Obviously, Elihu has barely passed Suffering 101, let alone earn any degree in it. It’s amazing how eloquently people can speak when they are speaking out of ignorance.
Yet another thing that Elihu is ignoring is the many faces of suffering. Several years ago, I was complaining to a fellow missionary. Another missionary in the group with which we were serving had criticized us severely; meanwhile, this woman was living in a nice house in the capital city with excellent house help. We were living up country in a house built in 1925. This woman’s family ate out in restaurants frequently and attended many social events with other expatriates. Our social situation was far different from that of our critic’s family. After I had dumped my load of grievances on my friend, she looked at me kindly and said, “Well, you know, I have decided that suffering is 100% for everybody.”
That statement stopped me in my tracks. I realized that both my husband and I had grown up in families with relatively little money. Those experiences in our childhoods had prepared us for the situation in which we then found ourselves. Because we had grown up with few resources, our simple living situation did not bother either of us very much. But for someone who had grown up in suburban America, even being deprived of a hot shower in the morning might cause them to suffer.
The lesson for this chapter is clear: Elihu is clueless. Don’t be like Elihu! One of the worst statements anybody can make to someone who is suffering is, “I know what you’re going through.” Far better to say, “I don’t know what you are going through, but I am here for you.”
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be sensitive to those who are suffering and restrain ourselves from giving needless advice. Help us to have compassion and not to view the suffering of others as our opportunity to lecture. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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