Bible Commentaries
Job 32

Verses 1-17

(See the Job Book Comments for Introductory content and general conclusions and observations).

IX

ELIHU’S SPEECH, GOD’S INTERVENTION AND THE EPILOGUE

Job 32-42

The author’s introduction to Elihu’s speech consists of the prose section (Job 32:1-5), the several items of which are as follows:

1. Why the three friends ceased argument, viz: "Because he was righteous in his own eyes" (Job 32:1).

2. Elihu’s wrath against Job, viz: "Because he justified himself rather than God" (Job 32:2).

3. Elihu’s wrath against Job’s friends, viz: "Because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job" (Job 32:3; Job 32:5).

4. Why Elihu had waited to speak unto Job, viz: "Because they were older than he" (Job 32:4).

Elihu’s introduction (Job 32:6-22) consists of two sections as follows:

1. Elihu’s address to the three friends.

2. His soliloquy.

Now, an analysis of part one of this introduction consists of Elihu’s address to his three friends, with the following items:

1. He waited because he was young, and considered that days should speak and that years should teach wisdom (Job 32:6-7).

2. Yet there is individual intelligence, a spirit in man and the breath of the Almighty which gives understanding (Job 32:8).

3. And greatness, and age are not always wise, therefore, I speak (Job 32:9-10).

4. He had waited patiently and had listened for their reasonings while they fumbled for words (Job 32:11).

5. They had failed to answer Job’s argument, and therefore had failed to convince him (Job 32:12).

6. Now beware; do not say that you have found wisdom, for God can attend to his case, but not man (Job 32:13).

7. I will not answer him with your speeches (Job 32:14). Now let us analyze his soliloquy which is found in Job 32:15-22 and consists of the following items:

1. They are amazed and silent; they have not a word to say (Job 32:15).

2. Shall I wait? No; I will speak and show my opinion (Job 32:16-17).

3. I am full of words, and must speak or burst, therefore I will speak and be relieved (Job 32:18-20).

4. His method was not to respect persons nor give flattering titles, because he did not know how to do so and was afraid of his Maker (Job 32:21-22).

Elihu’s address to Job in 33:1-7 is as follows:

1. Hear me for the integrity and sincerity of my speech, since I have already begun and am speaking to you right out of my heart (Job 33:1-3).

2. I also am a man, being made as a man and since we are on a common level, answer me or stand aside (Job 33:4-5).

3. I will be for God, and being a man, I will not terrify you, for I will not bring great pressure upon you (Job 33:6-7).

The point of issue now is a general charge that Job’s heart attitude toward God is not right in view of these afflictions (Job 33:8-12). It will be seen that Elihu’s charge is different from that of the three friends, viz: That Job was guilty of past sins.

Elihu charged first that Job had said that God giveth no account of any of his matters (Job 33:13).. In his reply Elihu shows that this is untrue.

1. In that God reveals himself many times in dreams and visions in order to turn man from his purpose and to save him from eternal destruction (Job 33:14-18).

2. In that in afflictions God also talks to man as he often brings him down into the very jaws of death (Job 33:19-22). [Cf. Paul’s thorn in the flesh as a preventive.] None of the speakers before him brought out this thought. This is very much like the New Testament teachings; in fact, this thought is nowhere stated more clearly than here. It shows that afflictions are to the children of God what the storm is to the tree of the forest, its roots run deeper by use of the storm.

3. In that he sends an angel sometimes to interpret the things of God, to show man what is right for him (Job 33:23-28).

4. Therefore these things ought to be received graciously, since God’s purpose in it all is benevolent (Job 33:29-33). Elihu charged, in the second place, that Job had said that God had taken away his right and that it did not profit to be a righteous man (Job 34:5-9; Job 35:1-3).

His reply is as follows:

1. The nature of God disproves it; -he is not wicked and therefore will not pervert justice (Job 34:10-15).

2. Therefore Job’s accusation is unbecoming, for he is by right possessor of all things and governs the world on the principles of justice and benevolence (Job 34:21-30).

3. What Job should have said is altogether different from what he did say because he spoke without knowledge and his words were not wise (Job 34:31-37).

4. Whether Job was righteous or sinful did not affect God (Job 35:4-8).

Elihu charged, in the third place, that Job had said that he could not get a hearing because he could not see him (Job 35:14). His reply was that this was unbecoming and vanity in Job (Job 35:15-16).

Elihu’s fourth charge was that Job was angry at his chastisements (Job 36:18). He replied that such an attitude was sin; and therefore he defended God (36:1-16).

Elihu’s fifth charge was that Job sought death (Job 36:20). He replied that it was iniquity to suggest to God when life should end (Job 36:21-23).

Elihu discusses in Job 37 the approaching storm. He introduces it in Job 36:24 and in Job 36:33 he gives Job a gentle rebuke, showing him how God even tells the cows of the coming storm. Then he describes the approaching storm in Job 37, giving the lesson in Job 36:13, viz: It may be for correction, or it may be for the benefit of the earth, but "stand still and see."

Elihu makes a distinct advance over the three friends toward the true meaning of the mystery. They claim to know the cause; he, the purpose. They said that the affliction was punitive; he, beneficent. His error is that he, too, makes sin in Job the occasion at least of his sorrow. His implied counsel to Job approaches the final climax of a practical solution. God’s first arraignment of Job is found in Job 38:1-40:2. Tanner’s summary is as follows:

It is foolish presumption for the blind, dependent creature to challenge the infinite in the realm of providence. The government of the universe, physical and moral, is one; to question any point is to assume understanding of all. Job, behold some of the lower realms of the divine government and realize the absurdity of your complaint.

Job’s reply follows in Job 40:3-5. Tanner’s summary: "I see it; I hush."

God’s second arraignment of Job is recorded in Job 40:6-41:34. Tanner:

To criticize God’s government of the universe is to claim the ability to do better. Assuming the role of God, suppose Job, you try your hand on two of your fellow creatures – the hippopotamus and the crocodile.

Job’s reply is found in Job 42:1-6, Tanner’s summary of which is: This new view of the nature of God reveals my wicked and disgusting folly in complaining; I repent. Gladly do I embrace his dispensations in loving faith.

There are some strange silences in this arraignment and some people have been disappointed that God did not bring out all the questions of the book at the close, as:

1. He says nothing of the heaven scenes in the Prologue and of Satan.

2. He gives no theoretic solution of the problems of the book.

3. He says nothing directly about future revelation and the Messiah.

The explanation of this is easy, when we consider the following facts:

1. That it was necessary that Job should come to the right heart attitude toward God without any explanation.

2. That to have answered concerning future revelation and the Messiah would have violated God’s plan of making revelation.

3. That bringing Job to an acceptance of God’s providence of whatever form without explanation, furnishes a better demonstration of disinterested righteousness.

This is true of life and the master stroke of the production is that the theoretical solution is withheld from the sufferer, while he is led to the practical solution which is a religious attitude of heart rather than an understanding of the head. A vital, personal, loving faith in God that welcomes from him all things is the noblest exercise of the human soul. The moral triumph came by a more just realization of the nature of God.

Job was right in some things and he was mistaken in other things. He was right in the following points:

1. In the main point of difference between him and the three friends, viz: That his suffering was not the result of justice meted out to him for his sins.

2. That even and exact justice is not meted out here on the earth.

3. In contending for the necessity of a revelation by which he could know what to do.

4. In believing God would ultimately vindicate him in the future.

5. In detecting supernatural intelligence and malice in his affliction.

He was mistaken in the following particulars:

1. In considering his case hopeless and wishing for death.

2. In attributing the malice of these things to God instead of Satan.

3. In questioning the mercy and justice of God’s providence and demanding that the Almighty should give him an explanation.

The literary value of these chapters (Job 38:1-42:6) is immense and matchless. The reference in Job 38:3 to "The cluster of the Pleiades" is to the "seven stars" which influence spring and represents youth. "Orion" in the same passage, stood for winter and represents death. The picture of the war horse in Job 39:19-25 has stood the challenge of the ages.

The lesson of this meeting of Job with God is tremendous. Job had said, "Oh, that I could appear before him!" but his appearing here to Job reveals to him his utter unworthiness. The man that claims sinlessness advertises his guilty distance from God. Compare the cases of Isaiah, Peter, and John. The Epilogue (Job 42:7-17) consists of three parts, as follows:

1. The vindication of Job and the condemnation of his three friends.

2. Job as a priest makes atonement and intercession for his friends.

3. The blessed latter end of Job: "So Jehovah blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning."

The extent and value of the Almighty’s vindication of Job and his condemnation of the three friends are important. In extent it applies to the issues between Job and the three friends and not to Job’s heart attitude toward God. This he had correct-ed in Job by his arraignment of him. In vindicating Job, God justifies his contention that even and exact justice is not meted out on earth and in lime, and condemned the converse which was held by his friends. Out of this contention of Job grows his much felt need of a future judgment, a redeemer, mediator, interpreter, and incarnation, and so forth. Or if this contention is true, then man needs these things just mentioned. If the necessity of these is established, then man needs a revelation explaining all these things.

Its value is seen in God’s confirming these needs as felt by Job, which gives to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come, implicit confidence in the revelation he has given us, pointing out the fact that Job’s need of a redeemer, umpire, interpreter, and so forth has been supplied to the human race with all the needed information upon the other philosophic discussions of the book.

The signification of the Almighty’s "turning the captivity of Job" just at the point "when he prayed for his friends" is seen in the fact that Job reached the point of right heart attitude toward God before the victory came. This was the supreme test of Job’s piety. One of the hardest things for a man to do is to invoke the blessings of heaven on his enemies. This demand that God made of Job is in line with New Testament teaching and light. Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for them," and while dying he himself prayed for his executioners. Paul who was conquered by the prayer of dying Stephen often prayed for his persecutors. This shows that Job was indeed in possession of God’s grace, for without it a man is not able to thus pray. The lesson to us is that we may not expect God to turn our captivity and blessings if we are unable to do as Job did.

The more thoughtful student will see that God does not ex-plain the problem to Job in his later addresses to him, nor in the Epilogue, because to give this would anticipate, out of due time, the order of the development of revelation. Job must be content with the revelation of his day and trust God, who through good and ill will conduct both Job and the world to proper conclusions.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the author’s introduction to Elihu’s speech and what the several items of it?

2. What is Elihu’s introduction (Job 32:6-22) and what the two sections?

3. Give an analysis of part one of this introduction.

4. Give an analysis of his soliloquy?

5. Analyze Elihu’s address to Job in Job 33:1-7.

6. What is the point al issue?

7. What did Elihu charge that Job had said and what Elihu’s reply?

8. What did Elihu charge, in the second place, that Job had said and what Elihu’s reply?

9. What did Elihu charge in the third place, that Job had said, and what Elihu’s answer to it?

10. What was Elihu’s fourth charge and what was Elihu’s answer?

11. What Elihu’s fifth charge and what his reply?

12. What does Elihu discuss in Job 37?

13. What the distinct advances made by Elihu and what his error?

14. What God’s first arraignment of Job?

15. What Job’s reply?

16. What God’s second arraignment of Job?

17. What Job’s reply?

18. What the strange silences in this arraignment and what your explanation of them?

19. What the character of the moral solution of the problem as attained by Job?

20. In what things was Job right and in what things was he mistaken?

21. What can you say of the literary value of these chapters (Job 33:1-42:6)?

22. Explain the beauties of Job 38:31.

23. What of the picture of the war horse in Job 39:19-25?

24. What the lesson of this meeting of Job with God?

25. Give an analysis of the epilogue.

26. What the extent and value of the Almighty’s vindication of Job and his condemnation of the three friends?

27. What the signification of the Almighty’s "turning the captivity of Job" just at the point "when he prayed for his friends"?

28. Does God give Job the explanation of life’s problem, and why?