Burunche’s Blog

Job Repents

 Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things;
 no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’  Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Epilogue

After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Even though Job has worshiped God for so many years, he has never had a first – hand experience of God. But through Job’s sufferings, he has finally met God and now knows God’s nature much more fully than he did before his disasters. Never again will Job doubt God’s power, His wisdom, His authority, or His comprehensive care of the world. But wait! There is more!

After weeks of meaningless orations, Job’s three friends are finally getting the divine rebuke they so richly deserve. ““I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has….You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” By this point, we are ready to stand up and cheer! Go God! Nail those imposters! But what is this? Where is Elihu in all of this? Why doesn’t God rebuke Elihu as He does Job’s three friends? There are three possibilities: A) Elihu takes one look at the whirlwind with God speaking from it and repents. B) God feels Elihu is so insignificant there’s no need to rebuke him. C) God knows that Elihu is young and brash but that he is not nearly as bad as Job’s three friends who are older and who should therefore know better. God knows that if He punishes Job’s three friends, Elihu will watch and learn humility.

Now the same men who have been busy reviling Job have been ordered to bring seven rams and seven bulls to Job so that Job may make a sacrifice to cleanse them from the sin of not speaking the truth about God. These men have put their mouths in gear before engaging their minds and hearts with disastrous results. The fate of Job’s friends should serve as a warning to everyone who sets out to give a sufferer advice by citing what they think they know about God. Get it right or shut up!

We continue to cheer as God restores Job’s fortunes. “After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” Notice the condition: Job’s fortunes were restored AFTER he prayed for his friends and offered the sacrifices. We do not know the words Job may have spoken, but we can be confident that Job prayed earnestly and not proudly. Humility is the mark of someone who is close to God because the more we learn about God and His greatness, the less we think of ourselves. It is not that we despise ourselves; after all, we are people for whom Jesus Christ died. But the closer we get to God, the more we worship Him rather than ourselves. Job’s three friends are full of themselves; that is why they have spoken wrongly about God and why they need someone to intercede for them.   

“All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.” Hmph! Where were these people when Job really needed help? They were all standing at a distance. There is nothing to suggest that any of these people believed in the One True Living God; therefore, as soon as Job’s fortunes deteriorated, they left, assuming that if they remained, Job’s bad luck would attach to them as well. Now that Job is doing well, it seems safe to be with him.

“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years” In Job’s old age, he fathers seven sons and three beautiful daughters and lives long enough to see his great great grandchildren. Job is so wealthy that he gives his daughters the same inheritance that he gives his sons.

APPLICATION: We read this last chapter of the Book of Job and sigh with relief. Virtue has finally triumphed! Job has been vindicated and is rewarded for his faithfulness. The restoration of Job’s life gives all of us who have suffered in any fashion the hope that one day we too will see restoration and peace.

We have spent our missionary careers in challenging situations. Somehow, God appears to have chosen us to pioneer projects, to start a work and to contend with the problems that would make that work impossible. For nearly 18 years, I have served as the only doctor in various mission hospitals. Those who have succeeded me have generally had one or more doctors to assist them. At one point, I simultaneously served as the Acting Administrator as well as the Medical Superintendent. Currently, I continue to support a younger colleague. Due to equipment problems in a neighboring facility, we are handling all their surgical emergencies as well as our own. Both of us long for the day when that facility will solve its problems, giving us some peace.

There are many people throughout the world who face far more daunting challenges than we do – sickness, poverty, persecution, war, famine, and natural disasters. Many of these people probably feel that God has turned His face away from them; however, that is not so. God is always there in the midst of our suffering. But remember what Job said in chapter 23:10 “Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” One day, we will look back on all our suffering and see that God has been there with us and that He is the One who has given us the strength to go through it. Let us honor and praise Him!

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we thank and praise and glorify You for the many times when You have delivered us without our knowledge. Thank You, that You are the God of Restoration and Hope. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

God’s Power in the Leviathan

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Can you put a reed through his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook? Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you? Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever? Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you leash him for your maidens? Will your companions make a banquet of him? Will they apportion him among the merchants? Can you fill his skin with harpoons, or his head with fishing spears? Lay your hand on him; remember the battle—never do it again! Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false; shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him? No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.

Who then is able to stand against Me? Who has preceded Me, that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine. “I will not conceal his limbs, his mighty power, or his graceful proportions. Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle? Who can open the doors of his face, with his terrible teeth all round? His rows of scales are his pride, shut up tightly as with a seal; one is so near another that no air can come between them; they are joined one to another, they stick together and cannot be parted. His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. Out of his mouth go burning lights; sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth. Strength dwells in his neck, and sorrow dances before him. The folds of his flesh are joined together; they are firm on him and cannot be moved. His heart is as hard as stone, even as hard as the lower millstone. When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; because of his crashings they are beside themselves. Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail; nor does spear, dart, or javelin. He regards iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.

The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones become like stubble to him. Darts are regarded as straw; he laughs at the threat of javelins. His undersides are like sharp potsherds; he spreads pointed marks in the mire. He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment. He leaves a shining wake behind him; one would think the deep had white hair. On earth there is nothing like him, which is made without fear. He beholds every high thing; he is king over all the children of pride.”

Now God is describing another of his unusual and untamable creatures, the Leviathan. Generally, Leviathan is considered to be a multi-headed sea creature or even a huge whale. But whales rarely “spread pointed marks in the mire.” Again, God is giving an example of one of his creations that is totally uncontrollable by men. Having already described animals with which Job is familiar, God now describes the second creature that will figure prominently in Scripture.

Why does God go into such detail about the Leviathan? God wants Job to realize that there are parts of creation that are completely beyond Job’s comprehension, let alone his ability to control. Job must understand that God’s power is unlimited. Why does God go into all this detail? Again, as with Behemoth, we don’t know what may happen at the end of time. Behemoth and Leviathan are the stuff of nightmares, the ultimate bogeymen. It is quite possible that these creatures once existed and it is equally possible that these creatures may still be lurking somewhere in creation, waiting for the time when evil becomes rampant, at which time they may reappear. “On earth there is nothing like him, which is made without fear. He beholds every high thing; he is king over all the children of pride.” This statement would support the idea of a dragon, rather than a whale. Whales sing to each other and whales that have been caught in fishing nets have returned to thank those who have set them free. Unless Leviathan is a rogue whale, the whale theory won’t work.

APPLICATION: Why does God even mention either of these creatures, let alone go into such detailed descriptions of them? God wants Job-and us- to know that He is in charge of every single part of creation, including the things that terrify us. Heretofore, Job has considered the disasters that have already befallen him as the ultimate in suffering, but God is reminding him that there are even worse things from which God has shielded him.  

There are all kinds of stories about people walking along paths in the dark and fog with their faithful dog nudging them at intervals, only to realize that the dog has protected them from stepping off high cliffs and falling into chasms or into the sea. We have no idea how many times God has protected us from destruction.

December 13, 2013, my husband and I were on our way home in a blinding snowstorm. I was driving because my husband had had dental surgery. As we entered a long curve, the Holy Spirit began silently screaming in my mind, “Stay to the right! Stay to the right!” I moved the car as far to the right as I could without dropping the right wheel off the road. Just then there was a loud BANG! An inexperienced driver had attempted to pass a line of cars on that curve and had just hit our left front fender. Had I been in the middle of our lane, we would have been hit head – on. As it was, the impact tore off the left front wheel and sent us careening into a shallow roadside ditch. We narrowly missed striking a rural LP gas pipeline. But the accident could have been far worse. Half a mile down the road, the roadside bank dropped off sharply into a small ravine. Had we gone off the road at that point, we could have been killed.

Romans 8:37-39 tells us, “Yet in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Job never got to meet Jesus that we are aware of. But when God is telling Job about Behemoth and Leviathan, He is also reassuring Job that He is greater than any monster and that He can protect His people from any threat. All the time Job was suffering, God’s love was still there. God does not necessarily deliver us from our suffering, but He goes through it with us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we praise You, that You are above all creation and that You are in control, even of monsters worse than Behemoth and Leviathan. Thank You for protecting us and preserving our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

God’s Power and Wisdom

Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said: “Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.”

Job’s Response to God

Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth.
Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

God’s Challenge to Job

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me: “Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath; look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you.

“Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; he eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God; only He who made him can bring near His sword. Surely the mountains yield food for him, and all the beasts of the field play there. He lies under the lotus trees, in a covert of reeds and marsh. The lotus trees cover him with their shade; the willows by the brook surround him. Indeed, the river may rage, yet he is not disturbed; he is confident, though the Jordan gushes into his mouth, though he takes it in his eyes, or one pierces his nose with a snare.”

By this point, Job fully realizes that he is in the wrong and makes an abject confession of his ignorance. But God is not through with questioning Job regarding his lack of wisdom and judgement. “Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?”

God proceeds to further describe His creation by describing a creature He calls the behemoth. We aren’t certain which animal this passage describes. Some people have postulated that God is referring to a hippopotamus while others think it might be a huge crocodile. Some people have even postulated that the behemoth might be a dinosaur that has somehow survived. The fact that this animal eats grass like an ox suggests a hippo; on the other hand, “he moves his tail like a cedar.” This description is generally taken to mean the feathery movement of cedar branches. “In 2003, French scientists working in Baluchistan, Pakistan discovered the complete remains of an extinct variety of rhinoceros called a Baluchitherium, which was much larger and matched the physical description given in Job.” (Wikipedia)

Why does God take all this time describing the behemoth? Perhaps  this creature was considered the stuff of nightmares, an indefatigable beast that was nearly impossible to kill. God is using the behemoth to demonstrate that He can create an animal that men cannot control in any fashion.

APPLICATION: By this point, most of us would have simply begged God’s forgiveness. But then most of us would not have challenged God as Job did in the first place. But if Job makes a confession at the beginning of the chapter, why does God continue anyway?

Only God knows the human heart. Perhaps Job is not as humble as he sounds and he still requires more convincing. On the other hand, God also knows that the story of Job will be recorded and taught for thousands of years. Perhaps God is not giving these descriptions so much for Job but for all those who will come afterwards.

The monster Behemoth continues to figure in Jewish literature and to be referred to in the Bible. Tomorrow we will consider another traditional monster, Leviathan. At the end of time, we may learn that both of these monsters are real and not mythological. The important thing is that God is a Creator of infinite resourcefulness and therefore deserving of our praise and worship.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust that You are sovereign and in control of Your creation. Thank You for Your goodness and mercy. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

God Continues to Challenge Job

“Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young? Or can you mark when the deer gives birth? Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they bear young? They bow down, they bring forth their young, they deliver their offspring. Their young ones are healthy, they grow strong with grain; they depart and do not return to them.

 “Who set the wild donkey free? Who loosed the bonds of the onager, (A species of wild donkey) whose home I have made the wilderness, and the barren (salt) land his dwelling? He scorns the tumult of the city; he does not heed the shouts of the driver. The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.

“Will the wild ox be willing to serve you? Will he bed by your manger? Can you bind the wild ox in the furrow with ropes? Or will he plow the valleys behind you? Will you trust him because his strength is great? Or will you leave your labor to him? Will you trust him to bring home your (seed) grain, and gather it to your threshing floor?

“The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are her wings and pinions like the kindly stork’s? For she leaves her eggs on the ground, and warms them in the dust; she forgets that a foot may crush them, or that a wild beast may break them. She treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers; her labor is in vain, without concern, because God deprived her of wisdom, and did not endow her with understanding. When she lifts herself on high, she scorns the horse and its rider.

“Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? Can you frighten him like a locust? His majestic snorting strikes terror. He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; he gallops into the clash of arms. He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; nor does he turn back from the sword. The quiver rattles against him, the glittering spear and javelin. He devours the distance with fierceness and rage; nor does he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded. At the blast of the trumpet he says, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle from afar, the thunder of captains and shouting.

“Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and spread its wings toward the south? Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make its nest on high? On the rock it dwells and resides, on the crag of the rock and the stronghold. From there it spies out the prey; its eyes observe from afar. Its young ones suck up blood; and where the slain are, there it is.”

 Wild mountain goats, deer, wild asses, wild donkeys, wild oxen, ostriches, horses, and hawks – all these are but a few of God’s creatures. Now God is challenging Job. Does Job know the secrets of these animals and birds? Can Job control them in any meaningful fashion? Again, the answer is “No.” Once more, God wants Job to realize the depth of his ignorance. Why, when Job knows so little, should he be demanding answers from God?

APPLICATION: So many times when tragedies strike, we hear people complain, “Why has God allowed this?” Recently a series of powerful tornadoes tore through the Mid-South, destroying homes and even the small Tranquil Methodist Church in Amory, Mississippi. The small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi was virtually wiped off the map. The citizens of these areas might well ask, “Why has God allowed this?”

The short answer is that we live in a fallen sinful world in which even the weather misbehaves. But there are far longer answers. Nobody except God knows the details of the lives these storms have disrupted. Nobody except God knows the effect rescue efforts will have on both the rescued and the rescuers. Only God knows the end from the beginning.

In 1965 the farm on which my family was living was devastated by an early morning tornado that reduced a large barn to splinters and tossed big pull – together hog houses around as if they were wood chips. The tall maple trees that lined the yard and the barnyard were torn up by their roots. The only reason the house survived was because it was so poorly built that once the windows had been sucked out, the pressure inside the house was the same as the pressure outside and so the house remained. The barn exploded from the inside out when the pressure outside was less than the pressure inside. My family survived because my mother awoke with a terrible sinus headache and realized that the wind was switching directions and the chimney bricks were hitting the roof. Mom woke up the rest of the family and they made it to the basement just as the lights went out. It was partially as a result of that storm that my family concluded the purchase of a nearby farm and moved there a few months later.

That storm marked my family in many ways. We learned to hold things more lightly and to value one another more. Only eternity will reveal the full effects of that storm.

Millenia ago, God challenged Job to assess his knowledge of the creation. Even though we have enormous amounts of information, many of the things about which God challenged Job remain mysteries. As we read through God’s descriptions, let us remember His greatness and power!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we know so very little about Your wonderful creation. Help us to worship You and praise You for all that You have made. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Lord Reveals His Omnipotence to Job

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? “Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band; when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; when I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!’

“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It takes on form like clay under a seal, and stands out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and the upraised arm is broken. “Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, that you may take it to its territory, that you may know the paths to its home? Do you know it, because you were born then, or because the number of your days is great? Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?  By what way is light diffused, or the east wind scattered over the earth? “Who has divided a channel for the overflowing water, or a path for the thunderbolt to cause it to rain on a land where there is no one, a wilderness in which there is no man; to satisfy the desolate waste, and cause to spring forth the growth of tender grass?

Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth? The waters harden like stone, and the surface of the deep is frozen. Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion? Can you bring out Mazzaroth (the constellations)in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs?

Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that an abundance of water may cover you? Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, ‘Here we are!’? Who has put wisdom in the mind? Or who has given understanding to the heart? Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can pour out the bottles of heaven, when the dust hardens in clumps, and the clods cling together?

“Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, when they crouch in their dens, or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait? Who provides food for the raven, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?”

Well, all this time, Job has been demanding the chance to speak to God, and now God has shown up. Elihu is winding down after his last speech when suddenly a whirlwind appears out of the desert. As Job, Elihu, and his friends flatten themselves on the ground, they hear God thundering as He speaks out of the whirlwind. God describes His omnipotence and His wisdom in ordering the cosmos and maintaining all creation. God ask Job where Job was when God created all these things? Can Job understand God’s ways? Does Job have the power to affect anything in the cosmos?

The short answer to all of these questions is “No.” But Job’s answer is far less important than God’s description of His power, His might, and His wisdom. These passages give us an incredible glimpse into the events of creation, and we would be foolish were we to fail to pay close attention.

“Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” Here we glimpse that moment when God spoke the Word “Be!” and creation sprang forth. ““Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band; when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; when I said, ‘This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop!’” Here we realize that God is the One who has set the bounds for the oceans that make up 70% of the world’s surface.

““Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It takes on form like clay under a seal, and stands out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and the upraised arm is broken.”  We think of sunlight as a passive thing; yet, God employs light as a weapon. The speed of darkness is the speed of light and darkness cannot remain when the light comes. Here light is not merely a physical phenomenon but also a spiritual one.

“Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place, that you may take it to its territory,
That you may know the paths to its home? Do you know it, because you were born then, or because the number of your days is great?” One by one, God enumerates the wonders of His creation and graphically demonstrates to Job that Job has no wisdom or understanding or control over so much as a single event.

APPLICATION: These days there is a great deal said about climate change and various means of slowing it. While there is nothing wrong with attempting to control the proliferation of plastics and to reduce air pollution, etc., climate change has always existed. Just ask the dinosaurs. The cosmos is incredibly complicated; to assume that humans can somehow control all aspects of nature is to assume that humans are omnipotent and omniscient. Sadly, we are neither. God is the only One who truly controls things.

All this time, we have watched as those who have come to mourn with Job have then turned to criticize him or lecture him. But now the God to Whom Job has appealed has deigned to honor Job with His presence. Job has put God on trial, and now God is on the witness stand. The results are electrifying. Go through the Bible and you will find that Job is the only one to whom God has ever spoken from a whirlwind. God thundered at the ancient Israelites in the time of Samuel, and God covered Mount Sinai with earthquakes, thunder, and lightning. But when God spoke to Elijah, it was not earthquake, wind, or fire, but in a still small voice.

For most of us, when God speaks, He does so by making impressions on our spirits or by putting words in the mouths of other people. Sometimes we read something in the Bible or in some other book and realize that this is God’s word for us for that day. The key to hearing from God is a desire to hear from Him. If you want to hear from God, you will. If you don’t, then no amount of thunder, lightning, whirlwinds, or anything else will move you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, give us a desire to hear from You and then direct our hearts so that we will listen when You speak. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

“At this my heart also pounds and leaps from its place. Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole sky and sends it to the ends of the earth. Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.

God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the gentle rain, ‘Pour out a mighty downpour.’ He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work. The wild animals enter their lairs; they settle down in their dens. The tempest comes from its chamber, and the cold from the driving north winds. By the breath of God the ice is formed and the watery expanses are frozen. He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters His lightning through them. They swirl about, whirling at His direction, accomplishing all that He commands over the face of all the earth. Whether for punishment or for His land, He accomplishes this in His loving devotion.

Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wonders of God. Do you know how God dispatches the clouds or makes the lightning flash? Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge? You whose clothes get hot when the land lies hushed under the south wind, can you, like Him, spread out the skies to reflect the heat like a mirror of bronze?

Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness. Should He be told that I want to speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up? Now no one can gaze at the sun when it is bright in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north He comes in golden splendor; awesome majesty surrounds Him. The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness, He does not oppress. Therefore, men fear Him, for He is not partial to the wise in heart.”

Once more, Elihu has gotten carried away by his own brilliance and is having a wonderful time brow beating Job. Few things are more frustrating than having to listen as someone lectures on things you have known longer than they have been alive. Job’s final trial is a spiritual one; he must listen to Elihu. While some cultures would allow Job to interrupt, Job’s culture evidently allows people to speak for as long as they wish without interruption.

Once more, Elihu’s descriptions of God sound wonderful until you realize that he is telling Job that Job has no right to speak to God at all. “Teach us what we should say to Him; we cannot draw up our case when our faces are in darkness. Should He be told that I want to speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up? Now no one can gaze at the sun when it is bright in the skies after the wind has swept them clean. Out of the north He comes in golden splendor; awesome majesty surrounds Him. The Almighty is beyond our reach; He is exalted in power! In His justice and great righteousness, He does not oppress. Therefore, men fear Him, for He is not partial to the wise in heart.” Hmph! If God is not partial to the wise in heart, then why is Elihu spouting off?

APPLICATION: Elihu’s are everywhere. Just have a few problems, and they will instantly appear with “sound” advice that is mostly sound with little actual advice. If Job were truly as sinful as Elihu has contended, he would never have sat still to listen while Elihu nattered on and on. These days, people can quote TV personalities such as Dr. Phil, or advice columnists, or self-help books, or famous evangelists. Good thing Elihu did not have access to all that material, for otherwise, he might have gone on for weeks instead of days!

While some cultures limit the amount of time a person can speak, others allow the person to orate as long as he/she chooses. Here in Ghana, a common phrase is “Let me land.” This phrase is generally employed by someone who has already spoken at length but has far more to say and who is determined to get everything out, no matter what. When Mary Slessor was a missionary in the Calabar region of Nigeria, she used to knit during tribal disputes in which speakers could go on for several hours at a time. Slessor would continue to knit until all the speakers were exhausted, at which time she would swiftly render a verdict. Many times I have endured long meetings during which I have wished for some knitting so that I would at least accomplish something.

Is there ever a time when it is necessary to listen to bores? Yes. Sometimes there are those who simply are unable to condense their thoughts but who need someone to hear them out. In such cases, we must exercise patience, realizing that we too may have bored someone without being aware of doing so. Perhaps it is just such a consideration that is allowing Job to remain silent throughout all of Elihu’s speeches.

There are many things we can learn from Elihu.

1. Get your facts straight before you speak. Elihu obviously does not know Job well and is relying on popular opinion for his assessment of Job.
2. Do not smother someone with verbiage. Overwhelming someone with words accomplishes nothing.
3. Be compassionate and humble when attempting to counsel.
4. Before offering advice of any kind, ask yourself whether or not you are qualified to do so. And if the answer is “no,” keep quiet!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to listen before we speak, to be compassionate, and to be humble. Do not allow us to afflict those who are suffering as Elihu has afflicted Job. Help us to remain silent when necessary. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Elihu Describes God’s Power

And Elihu continued: “Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf. I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker. For truly my arguments are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.

Indeed God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding. He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted. He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction, then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed. He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity. If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness. But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge. The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help. They die in their youth, among the male cult prostitutes.

God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression. Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness. But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you. Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray. Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?

Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes. Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction. Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him? Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’? Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song. All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.

Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable. For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist, which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind. Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion? See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea. For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance. He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.”

Once more, Elihu mixes eloquent descriptions of God’s power with criticisms of Job, claiming that Job has been secretly wicked. And once more, we realize that Elihu has an extremely good opinion of himself. “I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker. For truly my arguments are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.” If cell phones capable of taking selfies had existed in Elihu’s day, Elihu would have run around with a giant selfie stick, shooting photos of himself all over the place. Just picture it – Elihu lecturing Job, Elihu in his finest clothes next to Job and his running sores, Elihu astonishing Job’s friends with his brilliance. Elihu would have had social media accounts on every platform possible.  

“Indeed God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding. He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted. He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.” Wait a minute! Elihu has just spent the previous chapter describing how God is so indifferent to men and now he’s reversing that stance?

“The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help. They die in their youth, among the male cult prostitutes.”  If Elihu is attempting to castigate Job, he’s ignoring that fact that Job is not a young man and that he has been crying for help.

“God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.” This sounds good; however, Elihu follows this by saying, “But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you. Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray. Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?”  Having already accused Job of secret sins, Elihu assumes Job’s current problems must be from that wickedness. But why would anybody choose to lure Job with riches or bribe him? Bribe him to accomplish what?

“Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes. Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.” Elihu is back to accusing Job again without any evidence that Job has actually done such horrible things. Only God knows the human heart; however, Elihu is certain that he is fit to judge Job.

“Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.” Having made all kinds of vicious assumptions about Job, Elihu is now attempting to redeem himself by glowing descriptions of God’s power and majesty. Hmm.

APPLICATION: Here in West Africa, we have videos that purport to be Christian. Generally, these creations are packed with sex, witchcraft, and special effects, glorifying the devil. At the end of the video, the movie makers tack on a Bible verse as if that should sanitize everything that has preceded it. Here Elihu is practicing the same kind of hypocrisy.

In this speech, Elihu contradicts many of the things he has said previously and then attempts to cover up his inconsistencies by painting vivid pictures of God’s power. Individually, many of Elihu’s statements are praise-worthy; however, taken as a whole, they are confusing. Elihu is still assuming that Job has hidden sins. Does Elihu hope that Job will suddenly collapse on the ground in a sobbing heap, babbling out confessions? There is no record of Job’s response to all Elihu’s lectures. Perhaps Job falls asleep half-way through; if so, Elihu probably wouldn’t even notice. Elihu is intoxicated by his own brilliance. Perhaps the flies swarming around Job are making so much noise that to Job, Elihu’s voice just sounds like another bothersome insect. Once more we realize that Elihu cares little for Job.

Several years ago while we were out of the country, someone decided to re-paint the hospital house we live in. Unfortunately, the painters failed to clean off the walls and ceiling first, instead smearing paint over the dirt. Within a year or so, the paint began peeling off in big chunks. Even now, we might hear a “pop!” and suddenly find a large piece of paing floating down from our ceiling. Elihu is a lot like those painters. Elihu has failed to learn himself up before starting to criticize Job. The longer we go on slogging through Elihu’s speeches, the more we hope that God will simply zap Elihu discretely with a small lightning bolt! May God protect us from the Elihu’s!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, make us sensitive to those around us and help us to represent You and not ourselves. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Elihu still thinks Job is wrong!

Then Elihu said: “Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am in the right, not God.’ Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me, and what do I gain by not sinning?’

“I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you. Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you. If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.

“People cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’

He does not answer when people cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked. Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it. How much less, then, will he listen when you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him and you must wait for him, and further, that his anger never punishes and he does not take the least notice of wickedness. So Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.”

OUCH! Obviously, Elihu believes that God is sitting up there in the sky ignoring people and their cries for help. Elihu is correct in saying that men’s sins cannot hurt God, for God is beyond that. But Elihu goes on to say that men’s righteousness does nothing to God. “If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.”

Which God is Elihu serving? If God is not concerned about the people He has created, if God is truly so indifferent, why worship Him? What is the point? At least Job firmly believes that God is involved; Job is simply angry because he cannot understand why he has worshiped God all these years, only for his life to fall apart anyway. Perhaps Elihu is propitiating small local deities and simply mouthing platitudes about a God with whom he has no first-hand experience. If God is truly indifferent to our sins, why has God repeatedly warned against pagan practices such as fertility cults and child sacrifice?  

“People cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’” Once more, Elihu is jumping to conclusions. How is Elihu so certain that everyone who cries out under a load of oppression is wicked? Why does Elihu assume these people are refusing to ask “Where is God my Maker?” And if God is so unconcerned about the affairs of men, then why would He “teach us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?”

APPLICATION: Does God really care about what happens to people? When we suffer, is God simply sitting off in heaven someplace ignoring our griefs? Here, Elihu argues that because some people are wicked, God will not listen to anybody who begs Him for help. But all of us find ourselves under a load of sin. Romans 3:1-0-12 tells us, “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”

If God were only to heed the cries of perfect people, He would never answer a single prayer. But the Bible records thousands upon thousands of prayers that have been answered. Moses, Elijah, Kings David and Hezekiah all prayed in faith and God answered them. Even Job eventually had his prayers answered. I have previously told the story of a man who was trying to leave his motorcycle gang and whose life was being threatened by gang members; when that man prayed, God delivered him. Elihu is wrong! God does hear the prayers of the wicked as long as they are sincerely asking for help.

Elihu is equally wrong in assuming that there are no remedies for sin. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ was born as a man, suffered and died a shameful death on the cross at Calvary so that our sins would be paid for.

Why has God allowed these speeches of Elihu to be preserved? Elihu’s are everywhere, and their tactics have not changed in thousands of years. Sufferers are also everywhere and the Elihu’s are still smothering them with words.

What lesson can we take away? Once more, Elihu is partially correct, but he’s also fundamentally wrong. GOD DOES CARE! GOD DOES HEAR! GOD DOES SEE YOUR SUFFERING! GOD IS NOT INDIFFERENT! God knows those situations that are driving you to despair and He can you strengthen you so that you can endure them. God has servants who can come along side and encourage you. If you are a friend to someone who is suffering, pray and ask God what you might do to help. But remember that many times, long-winded speeches are the very last thing such people need. May God help us so that we do not copy Elihu!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many people in despair who fear that You really don’t care about them. Speak to their hearts and bring others to come to their aid. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

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.

Elihu Rebukes Job

“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words. Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue. My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know. The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay. Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you. Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words: ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me. Yet He finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy. He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’

Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks? For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices. In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds, He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones, so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food. His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude. He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death. Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’ then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth. He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man. Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved. He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’ Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times, to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.

Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”

“Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.” Listening to Elihu, you realize there’s no pride or arrogance in his family; he got it all! First, Elihu modestly mentions that he is a man just like Job. Next, Elihu criticizes Job for claiming to be pure without transgression. But meanwhile Elihu is doing precisely the same thing for which he is criticizing Job! Mike Warnke, a Christian comedian, used to say that he hated it when anyone said they were going to tell him something “in love.” Warnke continued, “If the next thing you say is loving, I will recognize that and if not, I will know it’s not loving.”

“Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks? For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.” Great! Now Elihu is accusing Job of ignoring God when He speaks. There is no evidence to prove that Elihu has ever worshiped God even once, so why does he think he’s an expert?

“Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” Remember that this conversation is taking place in a culture in which the elderly are revered and respected. Here Elihu is amply demonstrating that he is a young man with no manners. Elihu is a liar; he has no interest in vindicating Job. Elihu’s only interest is in dumping his load of verbiage. Of all the torments Job has endured, sitting by while Elihu lectures him must be the crowning indignity.

“Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’ then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth. He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man. Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved. He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’” Even a blind hog can find an acorn once in awhile, and this statement is the best thing Elihu has said so far.

Elihu doesn’t know it, but one day, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, will come to the earth. Jesus will live as a man and then die a shameful death for the sins of the whole world. Jesus will be that Messenger, that Mediator who will be able to tell God the Father, “Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom.” Jesus will become the Ransom for the entire world, for all who will believe in Him.

When we hear people speak of “the patience of Job,” we often think of Job’s physical sufferings. But few things are more irritating than a know-it-all like Elihu. Perhaps Elihu’s windy orations constitute God’s final test for Job; if Job can tolerate Elihu without strangling him, he has done very well.

APPLICATION: What can we learn from Elihu? Earlier, Elihu has indicated that he has been sitting waiting for his opportunity while he has become full of words and speeches. Elihu firmly believes that he has the right to dump all those things he has been thinking on Job. But is Elihu correct? Do we have the right to say whatever we choose merely because we feel impelled to do so?

Perhaps Job does not answer Elihu because Job has become emotionally depleted and numb. Nights of itching and pain have left Job exhausted. Now that Elihu has begun what promises to be a long oration, Job is so tired that he simply views Elihu much as he does the flies that are buzzing around his sores. All the time Elihu is nattering on, blinded by his own eloquence, Job is simply sitting, waiting for Elihu to run out of words.

Elihu’s fundamental problem is simple: Elihu does not care for Job in the slightest. All Elihu can think of is making a big impression on Job and his friends. Elihu has come along to listen as a form of entertainment and now he is hoping his speeches will wow the elders. Elihu thinks the elders are amazed at his briliance; meanwhile, the elders are being very tolerant, allowing Elihu to speak his mind out of respect for customs, not Elihu.

This meme says it all: Just because you feel you have to say something, does not mean you should. Thought must precede speech, and we need to be particularly sensitive when dealing with those who are grieving. Elihu would have gotten much farther with Job had he simply taken Job’s hand and held it sympathetically.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be sensitive to the needs of others and to put them first. Help us to remember that it is far more important to demonstrate  love than to make long speeches. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.