10 June

Bible In 365 Days                                                         

Job 32-34

Job 32

The last voice in the earthly controversy is now heard. It is a new voice, and opportunity never comes to Job to answer. Moreover, God in the final movements takes no notice other than that of interruption, and in the epilogue Elihu has no place.

Nevertheless, the long speech of this man is full of interest, and moves as to insight on a higher plane than that of the men who had spoken. In the first five verses Elihu is introduced by the author of the Book. His three friends were silent, because unable to bring conviction of guilt to Job. In the presence of their inability, Elihu, who evidently had heard the whole argument, was moved to anger. This anger was against Job because he had justified himself rather than God. It was against Job's friends because they had been unequal to the task to which they set themselves. In the opening of his speech Elihu made his apology. He had been silent because of his youth. While he had been listening he had come to the conclusion that age is not always wisdom. Addressing himself to the friends, he declared that he had waited, and they had failed, and indicated his intention to adopt a new method. The apology ended with a soliloquy in which he considered the failure of the other men, and spoke of his own consciousness of conviction and readiness to speak.

Job 33

Elihu began his direct appeal to Job by asking his attention, assuring him of sincerity in motive, and finally declaring that he spoke to him as a comrade, not as a judge, or one who would fill him with terror.

Commencing his argument, he first quoted from what Job had said. In his speeches he had declared that God had dicted him unjustly, that God was hostile to him and gave no explanation of His method. Proceeding to his answer, Elihu declared that God is greater than man, and therefore that man has no right to ask explanation. This, however, was not all. God does answer. He speaks "once, yea, twice"; and Elihu proceeded to name two ways in which God speaks, first "in a dream," or "vision of the night." Moreover, His purpose in so doing is that He would rescue man rather than destroy him. There is another method. It is suffering. While Job had been complaining that God was not to be found, and had no dealing with him, Elihu suggested that all his affliction was the method of the divine dealing. What he had needed had been an angel or a messenger, an interpreter. If one could be found, then it would be understood that God is gracious, and again man would be restored and would rejoice in his restoration.

It is most likely that Elihu looked upon himself as the necessary interpreter, and here the main contention of his argument took shape. It is that through suffering God is dealing with men to some higher issue. According to this argument, suffering is educational. Elihu ended his first movement by challenging Job to hear him while he spoke, and to answer him if he had anything to say. If he had nothing to say, then he was to be silent while Elihu continued.

Job 34

Job gave no answer to the challenge, and Elihu proceeded. He first appealed to the wise men, asked that they would listen in order to try his words. He then made two quotations from the things Job had been saying. The first may be summarized as a contention, that he had been afflicted by God notwithstanding his integrity. This quotation is followed by an exclamation in which Elihu declared that in this attitude Job had been in the company of wicked men. The second quotation was one in which Job had suggested that nothing is gained by loyalty to God. Of course, neither of these quotations was direct. They rather summarize the conclusions which Job's arguments seemed to warrant. Elihu immediately set himself to answer both. In this section the first only is dealt with. Elihu affirmed first that God cannot do wickedness. God's authority is beyond all appeal. He cannot be influenced by any low motive. Therefore whatever He does is right.

Elihu proceeded to argue that God's government is based on perfect knowledge. He sees all man's goings. There is no need for Him to institute special trial. His judgments are the outcome of His understanding.

Therefore it is the wisdom of man to submit and learn. This Job had not done, but in what he had said he had at least suggested that God's action had been unjust, and thus rebellion was added to sin.