Job now has suffered for months, at least. The estimate I have most heard for the duration of Job’s ordeal is around a year! A year of prolonged intensive agony!

As he writhes in every type of pain imaginable he craves God! “Oh that I knew where I might find Him (the Lord)! That I might come even to His Seat! I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me. Will He plead against me with His great power? No; but He would put strength in me. There the righteous might dispute with Him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge. Behold, I go forward, but He is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive Him. On the left hand, where He doth work, but I cannot behold Him: He hideth Himself on the right hand, that I cannot see Him. But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:3-10

And we all know .. God heard every word Job said!

Then finally, for a number of ineffable reasons … God answers! “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said ….” Job 38:1, which begins the longest direct “Speech” God makes in all the Bible! And well worth any Christian’s careful attention!

In overview, God asks questions of Job!

Not much here in the line of answers, but lots of queries!

Never once is Job told WHY he suffered so much!

Not in Job chapters 39-42 anyway.

A total of 77 questions, one study Bible informs me, God asks Job!

Job (nearly, but not sinfully so) “calls God on the carpet” in his eight verse soliloquy I’ve just printed above, from Job 23:3-10. In fact, he does use the verb “dispute!” (Job believes God has allowed him all this agony capriciously, with no apparent reason. Job KNOWS he has not egregiously sinned in God’s eyes!)

So … God (like a loving Father “chiding” his beloved son) shows Job that He is GREAT … immeasurably BEYOND human comprehension!

Yet I believe God is giving to Job a Lesson in FAITH as well.

Remember my conviction that Job (the Book) is much more about faith than suffering!

Elihu for six whole chapters (165 verses) has been (he claimed) speaking for God! (Job 33:6, straight from Elihu’s mouth to poor Job: “Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead ….” Can you believe the gall?) But the man spoke wrongly of God! I personally think God is now speaking (partly) to straighten the record, to illustrate His Glory and Power and Wisdom … largely correcting the ideas Elihu presented. (Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar as well, for that matter.)

And here God addresses three main areas of thought in His (one-of-a-kind) sublime Oration. Here they are: He is Creator! He is Sustainer of his Creation! And He is the One Who subdues His Creation! (Anything needing subjugation!)

Wow!

More tomorrow, the Lord willing.

This is enough today, GOD IS GOD!

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

Or as Psalm 113:5 asks: “Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high?” Answer … no one! God is incomparable!

A Lesson Job is learning afresh, with delight.

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

Chapters 32 through 37, all Elihu!

And today he finally closes his “speech,” actually several orations combined, say the scholars.

And the emphasis I’ve chosen to highlight today in Job chapter 37 is meteorological!

In the background, as Elihu concludes his bulky philosophical worldview, a thunderstorm is apparently developing!

I personally feel that, in reality, the storm is indicative of God’s approaching Presence.

See if you can discern a storm in Elihu’s words. “Hear attentively the noise of his (the Lord’s) voice, and the sound (thunder) that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his LIGHTNING unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he THUNDERETH with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. God THUNDERETH marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.” Job 37:2-5

Thereafter Elihu comments on the snow, the rain, the clouds, and even the frost! A weather summary, the wind being included, with God in full charge!

Then … immediately … God SPEAKS!

As in Job chapter 38, verse 1 … “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said ….” The very thing for which Job has earnestly longed for months and months now! (Notice God did not answer Elihu, speaking rather His faithful servant Job!)

It is as if God “tired” of Elihu’s half right, half-wrong assessments of the Patriarch Job. And decided He MUST intervene!

And folks, when God appears, even Elihu must hush … and notice … and adore! “Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice.” Job 37:23

Sadly though, Elihu hurls two more quick “insults” at Job … even as God draws near. Verse 23: “He (the Lord) will not afflict.” But He will! He does! Elihu just insinuated that Job was NOT being tested (afflicted) by the Lord! Wrong, very wrong!

And lastly (Job 37:24) a caution of being “wise in heart,” as if Job were vainly pround!

Then, the words of Elihu are ended.

And the Words of God have begun!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, Psalm 29 is another Holy Spirit inspired Poem about God’s Voice and the thunder!

 

 

The younger Elihu in the Book of Job is an enigmatic character to many, especially Bible teachers it seems! The majority of them believe he is a paragon of wisdom! The “star” of the Book!

I disagree.

In Job 36 this man’s “pride” is still on display.

As in the opening paragraph here. “Elihu also proceeded, and said, Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf. I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.” Job 36:1-3

He is (self-appointed) God’s very Spokesman in the Book. He is going to “teach” Job about the Lord! (That’s like a 1st grader lecturing a 10th grader, folks!)

Speaking “on God’s behalf,” with the little word (adverb) “yet” suggesting that he could talk for years on the Subject, perpetually! (Elihu likely does not know 1% of the truth Job has acquired through his long years of walking with God! Yet he assumes superiority, again, over the Servant of the Lord Job.)

Note too that he is “ascribing” (in Hebrew “nathan” meaning “giving”) righteousness to God. (Loaning God some righteousness, Elihu?) Fact: God does not need any righteousness. He IS Righteousness. Man’s righteousness (which is all Elihu had to give) is as “filthy rags” anyway!

Then the “proof” text for me. This convinces me undoubtedly that Elihu does NOT speak from a plateau of spiritual maturity. Job 36:4, King James Version: “For truly my words shall not be false: he (Elihu) that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.” Wow!

Did you see that?

“He (obviously meaning himself, Elihu) that is PERFECT in KNOWLEDGE is with thee!” Job, you have no worries, now. Mr. “Perfect Wisdom” is by your side. I can explain it all!

I think he is not Wisdom personified.

I am beginning to wonder if he is PRIDE personified!

I mean it!

The best I can say for Elihu is that he is NOT an atheist.

The rest of the chapter (Job 36) contains information about the Almighty. Good material, but non-applicable in Job’s situation. “He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous.” Verses 6 and 7, clearly true in general, but Job’s case is unique. God has “withdrawn” from Job! Due to the “conflict” between the Lord and Satan.

One more jab! “But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke.” Be careful, Job. God might “kill” you. You are already suffering like the wicked do, verses 17-18. Job is getting exactly what he deserves, believes Elihu!, God’s justice!

Criticism of Job, ad nauseam, to the point of sickness!

Surely even God is tiring of these attacks!

Indeed!

And soon, the Lord Whom Job loves so intently is going to speak!

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Yes, Elihu was younger than Job. He admits such in Job 32:4. Yet this is no deterrent to his accusatory speech, nearly abusive words! For example, straight to Job’s face: “Elihu spake moreover, and said, Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, MY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS MORE THAN GOD’S?” Wow, Job 35:1-2, in the King James Version.

Just one little problem.

JOB NEVER CLAIMED THAT HE WAS MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN GOD!

He may have gone too far in defending his integrity, Job. But he never lifted himself above God! That would have been blasphemy!

So I am prepared to say (yet again) that Elihu is out of line here!

Paul, many years later than Job, codified this Bible principle. This element of common sense, really. “REBUKE NOT AN ELDER, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” 1 Timothy 5:1

(It is true that later in the Book God Himself corrects Job about being a little too staunch in defending his pristine integrity. Here in Job 40:8 … “Wilt thou also disannul My judgment? wilt thou condemn Me, that thou mayest be righteous?” But God correcting His Own child … is quite different than a young man smarting off to an older man!) Still I say, Job never called himself (his righteousness) better (or more) than God’s Perfect Righteousness!

Furthermore in Job 35 Elihu thinks Job just doesn’t matter to God anyway. In essence, God is so great than no one person can concern Him, the Almighty! Here are his words again: “Look unto the heavens(Job), and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. If thou sinnest, what doest thou against Him? Or if thy transgressions (Job) be multiplied, what doest thou unto Him? If thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? Or what receiveth He of thine hand?” Job 35:5-7, God being “too big” to care! A philosophy with which I disagree.

Yes, God is above all.

He is perfect in Himself!

But folks, God has a lot of credence invested in Job!

He (the Lord) has challenged the Satan himself over Job’s “faith.”

“He will NOT curse Me,” believed God!

Job was NOT incidental to the Lord God in Heaven!

By the way, neither are you, my friend.

Listen to Isaiah a second. When Israel hurt … God hurt right along with them! “In all their (the Jews) affliction He (the Lord) was afflicted, and the angel of His Presence saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” Isaiah 63:9, amazing, thrilling too!

Lastly today, as Job 35 ends, Elihu lobs one more pile of mud at Job. “Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.”

All Job has said, “vanity?”

So thinks Elihu.

God did not agree though! Job 42:7 … “The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for YE HAVE NOT SPOKEN OF ME THE THING THAT IS RIGHT, AS MY SERVANT JOB HATH.”

And as far as Job “multiplying words without knowledge,” Elihu is again out of order saying such. (It’s true that God later says something similar, with Job being a very humble student at the His Feet. But God is omniscient, folks! Plus, I recall the Devil quoting the Almighty, during the Temptation of Jesus!)

Three times … in this short chapter, Job 35, Elihu errs in his judgment.

While he pitilessly “piles on” Job, even after Eliphaz and Bildad and Zophar have just done so. How much can one man take?

It’s true in baseball, but maybe not in theology … three “strikes” and you’re “out.” But Elihu just keeps on talking … and talking … and talking.

More tomorrow, the Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

 

He (Elihu) had just as well … slapped Job in the face!

This loud mouthed late-comer to the debate had, this younger man named Elihu!

When reading Job chapter 34, all of its 37 verses (second longest chapter in all the Book), one can’t help but think that some of the things Elihu says are right. Especially when he characterizes God. To which I respond; even a broken clock is right twice a day! 

Elihu scalds Job with words of mockery. For example, in Job 34 verse 7: “What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?” In other words, “Has there ever been anybody like this fellow Job, with his thirst for disrespectful, irreverent talk?”

This false accusation because Job has voiced his frustration and puzzlement … to God! The very God Who later taught us to … “Cast all our burdens on Him, because He cares for us!” See 1st Peter 5:7 in the King James Version for a more beautiful second person wording of this great promise.

Talk about misunderstanding the pain of a good man!

Talk about not bearing one another’s burdens!

The insinuation clearly is that Job’s a “hypocrite!” Read with me Elihu’s thought from verse 30. “That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.” Job was ten times the godly man Elihu could have ever hoped to be! (The word “hypocrite” used here takes two Hebrew words to fully express its meaning. “Chaneph adam,” that is, a “man of profanity!” A man who does NOT reverence God! (Announcement: God does NOT feel that way about Job. Nor Job about God!)

And at the end of chapter 34, Elihu waxes even bolder. “Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. MY DESIRE IS THAT JOB MAY BE TRIED UNTO THE END because of his answers for wicked men. For HE ADDETH REBELLION TO HIS SIN, he clappeth his hands among us, AND MULTIPLIETH HIS WORDS AGAINST GOD.” Verses 34-37 inclusively.

Job did NOT speak against God.

He was desperately trying to find God!

To again fellowship (in sweetness) with the Almighty!

By he way, there is a report card on Job issued near the end of this huge Book of Scripture. The report being given by God Himself. “My servant Job has spoken of Me the thing that is right.” Job 42:8

“The thing that is right,” sounds like an A+ to me!

Likely Elihu came in with a D- (if he fared that well).

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

At least that’s the way I see Job 34 this Monday morning in September. Though I realize I have probably just given you the “minority” view on Mr. Elihu. Still “reeking” with vain pride, he clearly is. Listen carefully to his opening “line” in the chapter! “Furthermore Elihu answered and said, Hear my words, O YE WISE MEN; and give ear unto me, YE THAT HAVE KNOWLEDGE. For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. Let US choose to US judgment: let US know among OURSELVES what is good.” Job 34:1-4 (You “wise men” listen to one of your peers, now! I’m an expert at determining real Wisdom! Let US decide what’s good, what Job really deserves!) Flattery, one of this young man’s strong suits! The Book of Proverbs speaks negatively of flattery, every time it mentions it! But that’s no deterrent to Elihu.