Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Job (6)
Pray Psalm 119.73, 74.
Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word
Sing Psalm 119.73, 74.
(Brother James’ Air: The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want)
Your hands have made and fashioned me, teach me Your Law, O LORD!
All those who fear You, when they see me will obey Your Word.
Full gladly they will hope like me, as I hope in Your Word.
Read Job 32.1-22; meditate on verses 18-22.
Preparation
1. Why had Elihu not spoken before?
2. Why did he decide to speak now?
Meditation
This is the first mention of Elihu. All we know about him is what we read in verse 2. He was a youth, perhaps an attendant of one of Job’s interlocutors? He had listened silently while Job’s three friends tried to force him into admitting some secret sin—thus to prove their wisdom—and as Job himself drifted into a self-justifying mindset.
But now that all the arguments seemed to have been exhausted, Elihu—whose name means, “He is my God”—was constrained to speak. He suggested that the Spirit of God was moving him to declare his opinion on the matter at hand (vv. 8-10). He found the reasonings of Job’s friends to be inadequate (vv. 11-14). They’d given it their best shot, and now they had nothing more to say (vv. 15-17). Elihu was fairly seething with words (vv. 18-20), and he insisted that he would show partiality to no one (vv. 21, 22). His speech would go on for five more chapters, uninterrupted. He would condemn both Job and his friends for failing to rest in the transcendent, ineffable, and almighty God, Who is excellent in power and judgment, and calls all men to fear Him (37.23, 24), Who alone justifies men, restores them to righteousness (33.26, 27), and exalts them to holy rule (36.7, 8).
Elihu’s words prepare the disputants for God’s scathing rebuke of Job (chs. 38-41) and his interlocutors (ch. 42). He prepares the way for God to reveal Himself and act according to His mercy and grace (37.14). Elihu is thus a precursor to and type of both the Old Testament prophets and John the Baptist, convicting, confronting, and pointing ahead to the “grand miracle” (Lewis) of the incarnation of our Lord.
Elihu’s speech is a key to interpreting the Old Testament, and in that respect, he is himself a type of Jesus, Who explained that all Scripture is about Him (Jn. 5.39).
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Amid all the judging, arguing, and self-justification, there was great hope for understanding, because God nudged Elihu to speak into it. The Spirit felt it worthwhile that another voice be heard. Elihu would not have been called to do so, if the situation was deemed irreparable.
“Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words” (Prov. 23.9)
“A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart” (Prov. 18.2).
God saw that His words would be, not despised, but eventually understood.
And Elihu. Bless him. He was just about to bust a button waiting to speak:
“For I am full of words; the spirit within me compels me.
Indeed my belly is like wine that has no vent; it is ready to burst like new wineskins.
I will speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer” (Job 32.18-20).
Have you ever felt that way? I sure have.
So had the psalmist David:
“My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue…” (Ps. 39.3).
And so had the prophet Jeremiah:
“But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones;
I was weary of holding it back, and I could not” (Jer. 20.9).
But all the myriad words of Bildad, Eliphaz, Zophar, and even Elihu, were as Job had earlier declared of nature: “Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14).
As God Himself said:
“‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might,
nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this,
that he understands and knows Me, that I AM the LORD,
exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,’ says the LORD” (Jer. 9.23, 24).
Know God, fear God, understand Him, depart from evil, and fear Him.
And knowing God’s great love for us makes our hearts and mouths burst with longing to speak about Him, to right wrong thinking like Elihu did, and speak about our glorious Savior, Jesus Christ. But we must do it with the love and grace that Jesus did. He was the supreme Master of Proverbs 26.3, 4:
“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.”
All four Gospels are full of Jesus and His wise responses to people. Here are a few examples: Matt. 15.1-9; 17.24-27; 21.23-27; Mk. 12.15-17, 18-27, 28-34; Lk. 4.16-30; 13.10-17; 14.1-6; 20.1-8; Jn. 21.15-22.
And Jesus instructs us: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10.16). Just like He was. Just like Elihu tried to be (Job 32.8).
“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4.12).
Regardless of our age, this is our goal. To carefully use, like Jesus, just and justifying words and works. Bless us. Busting buttons of joy waiting to speak of, and work for, Him.
Reflection
1. Have you ever felt like Elihu? Like you were bursting to say something in a situation? How should you act when you feel this way? What should you do?
2. What opportunities will you have today to use your words for Jesus? Are you ready?
3. Elihu spoke some hard words to older men. Why did he do that? How should you respond when someone speaks hard words to you?
Elihu professes to speak by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and corrects both parties. He allowed that those who had the longest experience should speak first. But God gives wisdom as he pleases; this encouraged him to state his opinion. By attention to the word of God, and dependence upon the Holy Spirit, young men may become wiser than the aged; but this wisdom will render them swift to hear, slow to speak, and disposed to give others a patient hearing. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Job 32.6-14
Pray Psalm 119.75-80.
Call on the Lord to search your heart according to His Word, to deliver you from all your afflictions, and to show you lovingkindness and mercy as you serve Him this day.
Sing Psalm 119.75-80.
(Brother James’ Air: The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want)
Your judgments all are right, I know; You judge me faithfully.
Let kindness be my comfort so Your mercy I may see.
Your grace Your faithful servant show, as You have promised me.
Your tender mercies come to me that I may live in You.
Your Law I ponder joyfully, Your will to know and do.
Shame all who treat me wrongfully; Your precepts I pursue.
Let those who fear You turn to me, all those who love Your Word.
Let my heart pure and blameless be before Your statutes, LORD!
That shame may not attach to me, I hold fast to Your Word!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
