Enter Elihu - God's Prophetic Voice, Job 32:1-5

Job 32-37

                The words of Job and his friends are ended. They have not been able to convince Job that their theology is flawless – that Job is suffering because of sin and he must repent in order to come back to right standing with God. Job has ended his words with a challenge to God to prove that he is wrong. In his mind, because he has not sinned he does not deserve to suffer. It seems God has been unfair and unjust in his dealings.

                At this point we would expect the Lord to answer Job, perhaps in thunder and lightning. But that would indicate that Job has forced God to do his bidding. Instead we see another character introduced through a short prose paragraph, 32:1-5. Enter Elihu, one of the most maligned characters in all the Bible, at least by the commentators. But if we study the text and the context, I believe we will find that Elihu is actually a foil that may just be the voice of a prophet. He approaches the whole situation differently than anyone to this point. He does not agree with Job’s friends, but he does not agree with Job either. He interjects a different view of the debate and tries to do so impartially. Before we look at this young man’s speeches, which are four, let’s take a look at why we should pay attention to what he says, even as he speaks to Job in 33:1 – “Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.”

I. Introduction to Elihu, 32:1-5.

Most of the material we cover today is from Layton Talbert’s book, Beyond Suffering: Discovering the Message of Job. I want to give him due credit for the excellent exposition of the character and function of Elihu.

A. Elihu Appears on the Scene, 32:1-5.

     1. The conclusion of the debate, 1.

•  Job’s words are ended. He has maintained his integrity throughout the debate challenging the current theology that suffering is always a result of sin. If this is the case, then God is unjust for allowing him to suffer, because he has not committed any wrong worthy of it.
• His friends cannot produce any more arguments to dissuade Job from his opinion. Because they have nothing more to say, it appears Job has won the debate.

2. Now we are introduced to another character, Elihu, 2-5.

• He appears, seemingly out of nowhere. However, Job is sitting in a public place from which his friends observed him as they approached the town. It is likely that Elihu was a spectator who heard all that took place.
•  He is the only character whose genealogy is cited. This gives weight to his character, but it does not help us to identify him. It is interesting that Nahor, the brother of Abraham, had a son named Buz which may indicate that Elihu was a relative. But we cannot support that with any other evidence.
•   What is the main characteristic that Elihu displays? (His wrath was kindled – that means he was very angry) Can human anger be right?

3. It seems Elihu was justified in his anger when we consider the context. There are two reasons given:

•  He was angry because Job justified himself rather than God. What does that mean? On numerous occasions Job indicated that if he was not guilty of sin then he was being treated in an unjust way. This means that Job believed God was wrong and he was right. God had not intervened to change Job’s mind about the situation. 
•  Anger aimed at friends, why? They could not answer Job’s arguments against their theology. They condemned Job as deserving punishment (suffering) because he must have sinned. In their mind, the only reason for such suffering has to be the result of wrongdoing.

4. There is also a focus on “an answer.”

•  How many times do we find this phrase? (v. 1, 3, 5)
• What does Elihu do in v. 6? He gives an answer – he continues to do so throughout his speeches. He begins to turn the issue in the right direction. Much of what he says uncovers Job’s current problem and parallels what God will say later.

B. The Prevalent Negative Assessment of Elihu.

      1. Talbert – “To many, Elihu is egotism personified, arrogance on two legs, Elihu the Bombastic, a cocky upstart with nothing to offer to the debate but a wordy rehash of worn-out arguments.”

      2. He attributes this low opinion to two reasons.

1) Negative press from older commentaries. Spurgeon – commentators “are much like sheep; they follow one another and they all go astray.”

2) A failure to study the text and take our interpretation from what the narrator writes. Elihu is not God, he is a man. As Talbert comments, “His assessment may not be flawless, but he transitions our attention from the errors of Job’s friends to the answers of Job’s God.” He brings out an important observation that everyone has missed. Job’s friends believe he is suffering because of his sin. Elihu notes that Job is sinning because of his suffering. More on that later.

C. Keys for Interpreting Elihu (Talbert, p. 166ff.).

                1. The Narrator’s Spirit-guided Portrayal of Elihu in the Text.

•  Introduction – no hint for negative attitude. Elihu is said to be very angry and all the reasons for it are listed. If this anger is rightly focused, which we find it is, there is no reason to censure Elihu for displaying it.
• The narrator implies that Elihu’s assessment of Job’s real problem is correct. He does not say this is Elihu’s opinion. He simply and objectively states that Elihu was angry because Job justified himself rather than God. We know this is correct because it is what God affirms in 40:8. Job justified himself rather than uphold God’s righteousness. 
•  The narrative conveys Elihu’s just anger with the failure of Job’s friends. They continued to condemn Job but could offer no evidence of wrongdoing. They could not answer his arguments which supported Job’s integrity. God too will display his anger toward them. 
•  There is a similar emotional response on the part of God. The author states four times that Elihu’s wrath was kindled. The same expression is used of God in 42:7. Since it is only used in the book of these two characters we may conclude that Elihu’s wrath foreshadows God’s. 
•  Elihu shows respect for his elders not contempt for them. He waited to speak until they were done. Because he points out that wisdom is not always found in elders does not mean he disrespects them.
• Elihu, unlike the three friends, does not receive rebuke from God, 42:7. Some interpret God’s silence as a rebuke because Elihu’s speeches are not even worthy of a response. But if Elihu is out of line, disrespectful, or guilty of other flaws, it seems God would have rebuked him as he did the others. The Lord’s silence may well indicate his agreement with what Elihu has evidenced. “If he is not praised, it is because his contribution is eclipsed by what God himself says; if he is not criticized, it is because he says nothing amiss.” (Carson, 168, quoted by Talbert)

2. The Exposition of Elihu’s Words.

          Four speeches are recorded covering six chapters. Only Job speaks longer than Elihu. Only Elihu has a genealogy recorded of him. All of this lends weight to what he has to say. It seems ludicrous to believe that God inspired these sayings if there was no purpose to them. Let’s first note:

a. Differences between what Elihu says and what Job’s friends say:

     1) Elihu’s attitude is different. He has actually listened to Job’s words and cites what he says. “He is less censorious, less harsh, and more sensitive to Job’s difficulties.” (Talbert, 170) Elihu does not reflect the unsympathetic attitude of Job’s friends.

     2) Elihu’s focus is different – he does not agree with the assessment of Job’s friends.

• They wanted to Job to confess his sins, but were unsuccessful in proving he had sins to confess. Elihu does not focus on alleged sins to convince Job he is wrong. He focuses on what Job says in response to his suffering. Elihu is convinced that Job is sinning as a result of his circumstances, he has a wrong response to what God is allowing.
• Much of the argument has centered around the justice of God. Job’s friends believe what Job is suffering is consistent with God’s justice because he is suffering for his sins. Job believes his predicament is contrary to God’s justice because he has not sinned. Elihu proposes another view – “suffering is not necessarily linked to God’s justice at all.” (170) We know God cannot be unjust. If suffering does not seem to be deserved, that does not mean it is unjust of God to allow it. He will use it for his purposes.
• Elihu directly answers some of the words or complaints of Job. See chart p. 171. Job’s friends did not answer any of Job’s complaints.

3) Elihu’s speech is different - more confident and passionate than the others. His reasoning is not based on tradition or the way things have always been. He is claiming to have direction from God’s Spirit, 32:8. If this is what Elihu is indicating it should not come as a surprise. Other authors claimed to be speaking by means of divine inspiration as well. This may be more than what Elihu intends, but the following passages should be considered:

   32:8 – he indicates that wisdom does not just belong to the elderly. Its source is always God who is not a respecter of persons or age.

   32:18 – the spirit within me may refer to either the Holy Spirit or human spirit. It probably refers to his own spirit compelling to speak rather than to keep silent.

   33:4 – here he asserts a direct relationship with the Spirit of God, who created and sustained him.

   34:2-4 – these are closest to divine inspiration. Elihu believes his is speaking on God’s behalf and that his knowledge does not come from himself, but from afar (heaven). 4b – Elihu is not speaking of himself as being perfect in knowledge, but of God who is with Job, even though it doesn’t seem so.

     b. Similarities between what Elihu says and what God says.

1) Elihu stresses Job’s words rather than actions. His friends judge actions that they cannot prove. Elihu cites Job’s actual words. God does this as well (38:2-5, 18; 40:2, 7-8).

2) Elihu criticizes Job’s defense of his own righteousness at the expense of God’s righteousness (p. 173). If Job is in the right, then God must be in the wrong. God makes a similar observation, 40:2, 8.

3) Elihu stresses the glory and incomprehensibility of God in creation (36:22-37:24). So does God (40:9-14). Everyone acknowledges this truth, but Job confesses his lack of real comprehension of it in 42:3-6.

4) Elihu questions Job’s knowledge of God’s ways in creation (37:14-18). This is what God focuses on when he asks some eighty questions of Job. Elihu introduces this tack of inquiry and God unfolds it.

5) Elihu hints at the condescending kindness of this sovereign and inscrutable God. He references God’s benevolence with the other characteristics of God. (36:28, 31; 33:17-18, 24-26). God’s speech 38:25-27, 39-41; 39:1-4.)

So Elihu parallels the themes that God will argue when he confronts Job.

    c. Literary value - Job comes to us in the form of a story. As such it has protagonists (God and Job) and antagonists (Satan, Job’s friends). But where does Elihu fit?

                He is what we call a foil which is “a character(s) who heighten the central character by providing a contrast or occasionally a parallel.” (175) The main character of Job is really God who begins the story and ends it. He is the center of discussion. Elihu functions as a foil who heightens the character of God by way of parallel preparing us “for what God will say with infallible accuracy and unimpeachable authority.” (Talbert, 175)

                Hopefully this study will help you as you read through the speeches of Elihu.