Elihu Confirms God’s Justice
Then Elihu said: “Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. “Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God denies me justice. Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’ Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water? He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked. For he says, ‘There is no profit in trying to please God.’ “
So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong. He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves. It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the whole world? If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
“If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’ who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
“His eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step. There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness, where evildoers can hide. God has no need to examine people further, that they should come before him for judgment. Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place. Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them, because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy.
But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over individual and nation alike, to keep the godless from ruling, from laying snares for the people. “Suppose someone says to God, ‘I am guilty but will offend no more. Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’ Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know. “Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me, ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’ Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man! To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
Elihu provides a perfect example of someone who has failed to get all his facts straight before opening his mouth and spouting off. Elihu’s thesis is that God is just but that Job is denying that God is just; moreover, Elihu repeats some of the accusations Job’s other friends have already made, namely that Job is a rebellious secret evil-doer.
“Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water? He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked. For he says, ‘There is no profit in trying to please God.’ “ There is no evidence for any of these statements. Is Elihu saying that Job’s friends are evil-doers? Does Elihu consider himself an evil-doer? If Job is “drinking scorn like water,” the only evidence for this is that Job has tolerated days and perhaps even weeks of insults from his friends. If Job was really as evil as Elihu is asserting, nobody would have bothered to come sympathize with Job, let alone sit seven days and nights with him as his friends did. If Job was really that evil, Jo would have cursed his pseudo – comforters, driving them away immediately.
“Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?” There is no evidence that Job hates justice. Job’s big problem is that he has tried to live righteously and yet his life has fallen apart.
“God has no need to examine people further, that they should come before him for judgment. Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place. Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them, because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy.”
As far as these statements go, they are correct. But the implication is that Job must be wicked and has turned from following him therefore God has overthrown him. Only God knows the human heart and only God knows people’s motives. In addition, Elihu is criticizing Job for neglecting the poor; meanwhile, Job himself has testified to the many times he has helped the poor and destitute. How well does Elihu actually know Job?
APPLICATION:
“Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me, ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’ Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man! To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
One of the most common statements in medical circles is “The literature says….” As a medical student and resident, I swiftly learned that my colleagues would use that phrase anytime they wished to appear well-informed. But unless the person employing that phrase qualified it by citing a source, such statements were meaningless. Here Elihu is referring to “wise men who hear me,” but which wise men are we talking about? Prior to Job’s disasters, Job was one of the local wise men. Elihu is simply blowing smoke and trying to appear wiser than he actually is. There is no evidence that Job has behaved as Elihu is saying. Of all Job’s suffering, Elihu’s speeches might be the final indignity. At least Job’s friends were probably his age mates, but Elihu is just a young man full of himself who can’t stop lecturing. One might wonder if Job was tempted to throw a pottery shard at Elihu!
Most of us can tolerate quite a bit of physical suffering, but being misunderstood can be one of the most frustrating and annoying trials there is. Unfortunately, there are lots of people like Elihu who rush into a situation and jump to conclusions as if they were Olympic pole vaulters. Many times, such people refuse to go away, insisting that you must repeatedly acknowledge their wisdom and insight. For such people, you can never sufficiently abase yourself because their egos need unlimited amounts of stroking. Such people are emotional black holes, absorbing attention.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Elihu is a perfect example of a guy who is right and yet completely wrong. Elihu’s fundamental problem is a proud critical heart. Elihu doesn’t care at all for Job; Job is merely a captive audience before whom Elihu can display his presumed brilliance.
When Jesus was giving the Sermon on the Mount, he spoke about how blessed were the peacemakers and the poor in spirit, the humble. Such people are the true comforters of the world. While many of us may never do great things, we can do small things with great love, to paraphrase Mother Teresa. Let us strive to become comforters, for the world will never have enough of them.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, transform us so that we will bring comfort and not criticism to those around us. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.
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