32:1 So these three men refused to answer Job further, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Like most liberals, these three men could not prove any of their accusations. Nor could they dispel any of Job’s arguments. All they could do was insult, ridicule, and bring false charges against Job. They had no answer for Job.
32:2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
There was probably a large crowd listening to this debate. The ancients enjoyed verbal debates more than physical sporting contests.
Elihu stepped out of the crowd, because he was angry that Job was justifying himself rather than God. This debate caused anger among the crowd.
Elihu’s father Barakel was a Buzite. He may have been a descendant of Abraham’s nephew Buz (Gen. 22:20–21). It is interesting to note that Uz, the older brother of Buz, was possibly the person after whom “the land of Uz” was named.
32:3 With Job’s three friends he was also angry, because they could not find an answer, and so declared Job guilty.
Elihu was also angry at Job’s three friends, because they answered Job with the secular psychology of the satanic world system rather than from the Word of God. Believers have no business giving their money to support the practices of secular psychologists. There are also many Christian counselors who use the same secular counseling philosophies in the name of God. Instead, the believer needs to counsel himself by mastering and applying Bible doctrine from the entire counsel of the Word of God.
32:4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the others were older than he was.
It was customary in ancient cultures to allow the elders to speak first.
32:5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had no further reply, he became very angry.
Elihu may not have liked the way that these three men pounced upon Job without compassion, without evidence, and without Bible doctrine.
32:6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up: “I am young, but you are elderly; that is why I was fearful, and afraid to explain to you what I know.
No one wanted to listen to a young whippersnapper. Therefore, Elihu had to earn his right to be heard. He entered the conversation gently and humbly, so as not to be dismissed.
32:7 I said to myself, ‘Age should speak, and length of years should make wisdom known.’
Elihu admitted that one’s advanced years should give one more experience and insight into the issues of life and death.
32:8 But it is a spirit in people, the breath of the Almighty, that makes them understand.
Elihu made a very keen spiritual insight which gave him the right to speak. A young man armed with the Scriptures has a lot more spiritual insight than an elder who has foolishly wasted his life away without the lifetime study of Scripture. An elder who has not studied Scripture has filled his soul with the philosophies of the satanic world system. He can only give the advice which he has stored within his soul. He can only give out human viewpoint advice (which is like dirty menstrual rags to God). He has little or no divine viewpoint to give, because he has not taken the time and opportunity to learn the mind of God.
32:9 It is not the aged who are wise, nor old men who understand what is right.
Today, the youth have a lot to say, but they do not possess enough Bible doctrine to amount to much sense. However, those youth who have studied the entire counsel of the Word of God at the deepest level should be heard over elders who have not accomplished this task. Spiritual maturity is not a matter of age, but of depth of study. This is why everyone (young and old) needs to study the entire counsel of the Word of God at the deepest level.
The church congregation should not choose elders, because they do not have enough spiritual insight to choose the correct elder. Spiritually mature elders should choose other spiritually mature elders. These elders should not be chosen by age, experience, leadership skills, social status, wealth, or business wisdom. Instead, these elders should be chosen by their mastery and application of Bible doctrine. Paul gave some of these elder-choosing specifics in his second letter to Timothy.
32:10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me. I, even I, will explain what I know.’
Elihu is asking that since he does possess some spiritual maturity, then they should listen to what he has to say.
32:11 Look, I waited for you to speak; I listened closely to your wise thoughts, while you were searching for words.
Elihu politely and patiently listened to them, so they should be courteous and listen to him.
32:12 Now I was paying you close attention, yet there was no one proving Job wrong, not one of you was answering his statements!
No one was able to bring any evidence against Job. Nor were they able to disprove any of his arguments.
32:13 So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom! God will refute him, not man!’
None of these men had enough spiritual wisdom to defeat Job. Therefore, Elihu asked the men to allow God to refute Job.
32:14 Job has not directed his words to me, and so I will not reply to him with your arguments.
Since Job was not directly speaking to Elihu, then Elihu would not refute any of Job’s arguments.
32:15 “They are dismayed and cannot answer any more; they have nothing left to say.
Job won the argument against his three friends. There were no more words which could come against him. His attackers finally answered with silence.
32:16 And I have waited. But because they do not speak, because they stand there and answer no more,
Elihu patiently waited until there were no more arguments. When silence began, then Elihu spoke.
32:17 I too will answer my part, I too will explain what I know.
Elihu would give his own response from his own personal point of view.
32:18 For I am full of words, and the spirit within me constrains me.
Elihu had a lot to say. The spirit within him would not allow him to remain silent. The spirit within a person may be either godly, satanic, or the inspirations of the human mind. The human mind is made up of information from the satanic world, and sometimes the written Word of God.
32:19 Inside I am like wine which has no outlet, like new wineskins ready to burst!
The words within Elihu were like wine which was ready to burst an old wineskin.
32:20 I will speak, so that I may find relief; I will open my lips, so that I may answer.
The only way that Elihu could find relief of his soul was to speak the words which were bursting inside of him.
32:21 I will not show partiality to anyone, nor will I confer a title on any man.
Elihu would give a neutral presentation without flattery (titles) to anyone.
32:22 for I do not know how to give honorary titles, if I did, my Creator would quickly do away with me.
Elihu does not want to be guilty of flattery, because he may commit the sin unto death. Beware of those who flatter. Honor those who tell the truth, even if it hurts.
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33:1 “But now, O Job, listen to my words, and hear everything I have to say!
Elihu addressed his first speech to Job. He addressed him by name. The other three speakers never addressed Job by his name. Elihu had listened patiently to everything that Job and his three friends had said. Now, Elihu asked Job to do the same for him.
33:2 See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue in my mouth has spoken.
Elihu began his speech to Job.
33:3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart, and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.
Elihu was speaking from his heart. His message was sincere.
33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Elihu was younger but equal to Job, because they were both made by the same Creator.
33:5 Reply to me, if you can; set your arguments in order before me and take your stand!
The Hebrew for “set in order” is עָרַך (arak), meaning to prepare for battle. The Hebrew for “take your stand” is יָצַב (yatsav), meaning to take your stand in preparation for a battle field attack. Elihu challenged Job to verbal combat.
33:6 Look, I am just like you in relation to God; I too have been molded from clay.
Elihu is equal to Job, because he is just a frail creature molded from the clay of the Potter.
33:7 Therefore no fear of me should terrify you, nor should my pressure be heavy on you.
Elihu was kinder and more gentle than the other three speakers. He promised that he would not attempt to scare Job or place heavy pressure upon him as the other three speakers had done.
33:8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words!): 33:9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean and have no iniquity.
Elihu had listened very carefully to this verbal exchange between Job and his three friends. Elihu quoted Job’s exact words. Job had claimed to be pure, without transgression, and without sin.
33:10 Yet God finds occasions with me; he regards me as his enemy! 33:11 He puts my feet in shackles; he watches closely all my paths.’
Elihu continued to quote Job. Even though Job claimed innocence, he felt that God looked upon him as an enemy and attacked him without reason.
33:12 Now in this, you are not right—I answer you, for God is greater than a human being.
It was wrong for Job to accuse God of any wrong doing. God is greater than human beings. He knows what He is doing. He always does what is right.
33:13 Why do you contend against him, that he does not answer all a person’s words?
Job should not press charges against God for any wrong doing just because He does not answer Job’s complaints.
33:14 “For God speaks, the first time in one way, the second time in another, though a person does not perceive it.
God does speak to man in many ways, but sometimes man does not recognize it.
33:15 In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds.
During the days of Job, the only written word was some of the toledoths of the patriarchs. This included the history of the world from creation to the time of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). The Bible was incomplete and still in the process of being written. Before the Bible was completed, God often spoke in dreams as well as through other media (Heb. 1:1). However, now He communicates to people through Christ, the Living Word (Heb. 1:2), and the Bible, the written Word (2 Tim. 3:16). Therefore, beware of charismatic prophets and tongue-speakers who claim that they have visions, dreams, or new revelations from God. The written Word of God is all the believer needs.
33:16 Then he gives a revelation to people, and terrifies them with warnings,
Sometimes these revelations were used as divine warnings.
33:17 to turn a person from his sin, and to cover a person’s pride.
These revelations often turned people from their sin or eliminated pride from an individual.
33:18 He spares a person’s life from corruption, his very life from crossing over the river.
Sometimes these dreams kept a person from committing the sin unto death.
33:19 Or a person is chastened by pain on his bed, and with the continual strife of his bones,
Sometimes God gets people’s attention by sending physical pain or illness.
33:20 so that his life loathes food, and his soul rejects appetizing fare.
As a man nears death, then he begins to lose his appetite.
33:21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones, which were not seen, are easily visible.
As a man nears death, his body begins to waste away.
33:22 He draws near to the place of corruption, and his life to the messengers of death.
As a man nears death, he may receive announcements from angels. All of these symptoms warn a man that he needs to get ready to meet his Maker.
33:23 If there is an angel beside him, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness;
When a man is sick, God may send down an angel as a mediator to remind the person of his present condition. However, the “one mediator of a thousand” means that this is a very rare situation.
33:24 and if God is gracious to him and says, ‘Spare him from going down to the place of corruption, I have found a ransom for him,’
God may be gracious and allow the person to live for a while longer.
33:25 then his flesh is restored like a youth’s; he returns to the days of his youthful vigor.
If God does send an angel intercessor to give the person a second chance, then he will be restored to vigor.
33:26 He entreats God, and God delights in him, he sees God’s face with rejoicing, and God restores to him his righteousness.
The new man will see God in a new and better way.
33:27 That person sings to others, saying: ‘I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
The new person will tell others what God has done for him.
33:28 He redeemed my life from going down to the place of corruption, and my life sees the light!’
God kept the new man out of death. The new man now walks more deeply with God. He is ready to witness to others about God’s grace.
33:29 “Indeed, God does all these things, twice, three times, in his dealings with a person,
Elihu’s philosophy was that God sent illness upon a person to turn him back to God.
33:30 to turn back his life from the place of corruption, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
Elihu was making the same mistake as the other three friends of Job. He believed that Job’s sickness was a result of his sin.
33:31 Pay attention, Job—listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
Elihu asked Job to remain silent and allow him to finish his argument.
33:32 If you have any words, reply to me; speak, for I want to justify you.
Elihu gave Job a chance to respond to his argument.
33:33 If not, you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Job chose not to speak. He chose to listen to the remainder of Elihu’s argument.