Job 32-37 | Young and Angry Elihu | Bible Study 

I have continued to read/listened to the book of Job.I have been doing this for 2 years this time and at an earlier time for maybe 3 years. I have read many commentaries and read/listened to the thoughts of others. I'm not satisfied with what I have read. For me it all goes back to the prologue. The whole experience of Job had already happened when it was written and read what God says about him. There is a riddle there .I'm not done seeking this out, but when I am, I will be satisfied

Lol! I said that too😃

Exactly. I also suggest considering that Elihu is absolutely wicked and evil. Furthermore, God does not need Elihu to defend Him. Finally, Elihu is the only one who affirms Elihu - and nobody else.

@@christophermonroe5505 however elihu isn’t mentioned along with the other 3 that repented of his words and was rebuked for their interpretation. His name bears a close meaning and similarity to Elijah and Elisha. They seemed like very bold young men as well. I surprises me that so many do not see the wisdom in elihu’s words. They were “his words”, but the holy spirits speaking through him (like we are supposed to allow through ourselves). God doesn’t have a body or mouth, so yes God does need us to be his mouth and hands and feet. Even Christ says this.

@@christophermonroe5505 also it makes it plainly and obviously clear, that elihu respected his elders and waited patiently to speak his piece. You seem to be reaching and projecting negative connotations to his motives, yet overlooking key details that we spoken about elihu. He didn’t speak himself up pridefully, and consistently gave God the perfect place of infallibility. He didn’t wrongfully accuse job of “deserving” his trials for being sinful, like the other 3 “friends” did who were rebuked and repented for doing so, he accurately stated that no man has a place to judge what God allows or his choices.

@@GraftBranch What is Elihu's wisdom exactly? Did you notice that Elihu being wise is his (Elihu's) testimony about himself. Nobody else in this book affirms or confirms that - only him. Compare that to Job who testifies about himself being innocent - and God Himself also affirms this of Job. I do not think Elihu is wise just because he says so.

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Have you continued to study the book of Job?

@@carlandrews5810 No but I want to retake it, could you recommend me a lecture so I can understand better this book?

Alivia Marie, like a parable, the book of Job hides its deeper truths. Consider, God allowing Satan to test Job simultaneously puts Satan on trial, that is, Satan’s own rebellion is judged. The dark work of fallen angels is woven into the text, see 4:12-21, Col 2:18. Satan believes men and angels merely act out of selfishness? Job becomes the measure of mankind’s ability to love God. All must be taken from Job, a righteous man, to in order to reveal his deepest feelings. The friends, and initially Job, believe in a retribution and prosperity gospel, of punishments and rewards, a transactional faith, see 4:6-9, 5:8-27, 8:20. Job however sees that the wicked often prosper and innocent suffer. Elihu takes the position that God reigns like a monarch; God keeps His appointed rulers in check, but has little regard or time for the suffering common folk, see, 36:8-15. Far from defending God’s justice, Elihu’s God inflicts a kind of torture to extract praise from his subjects, see 33:9-30. Through Job’s suffering (largely inflicted by his fellow man, friends, and family 5:6-11) Job rejects the pride, envy and resentment of his own heart, choosing instead to emulate the righteousness God, see 27:1-10. Job calls for a mediator to reconcile humanity with humanity, and humanity to God, see, 9:33-35, 10:12, 16:18-21. Job shows faith that God will redeem him, not because Job is sinless, but because of who God is, see, 13:15-16, 14:13-17, 19:25-29. The Lord grants Job’s meeting, but instead of quibbling over complaints, God pronounces Job righteous, to be the one who has spoken rightly, see 42:7. God also speaks of the sufficiency of creation and how both prey and predator prosper, see 38 & 39. God then speaks symbolically of two great beasts, the serpent Leviathan who the Church historically recognizes as the Devil and of Behemoth (i.e., Beast of Beasts) the powers and principalities talked of by St. Paul, structures that seduce men, see Col 1:13-20, Col 2:8-20. Most importantly, God asks “Can you save yourselves?” see 40:12-14. God rejects the blame for the evils of men and demons, of their refusal to do good, see 40:8, 41:11, but God’s appearance assures Job that God is ultimately in control. Job will get his mediator, see 7:17-21, 9:33-35, John 16:33. God bess.

@@michaelmartin3122 this is good commentary, Michael. Thank you!

I would encourage you to consider Job as a type and shadow of the ultimate innocent sufferer, Jesus Christ. While we suffer in life, Jesus suffering far surpasses our suffering - and He once and for all took the ultimate judgment and punishment we deserve for our sin. Suffering now then serves for us to know Jesus more intimately, which can also be a comfort, too. Hope this helps somehow. God loves you!!

Good questions, Brandon. What I read in John 8:58 is Jesus says, "Before Abraham was, I AM." I would encourage you to read this story beginning in verse 48 - 59 for full context. But when Jesus says this, they took up stones to stone Him. Why? Because by stating "I AM" He was directly stating He is God. In Exodus 3:13-14, Moses asks God what he should tell Pharaoh that His name is, and God says, "I AM WHO I AM." Back to Jesus now, the people were questioning Jesus' identity and that is when He finally says, "Before Abraham was, I AM." I believe the people knew exactly what He was saying - that Jesus was claiming Himself to be God - and that is why they picked up stones to stone Him. When Jesus was arrested and put on trial, one of the main accusations against Jesus by the religious leaders was that Jesus claimed to be God. His own enemies heard Jesus make the claim. So, this is a more practical answer to your question, but there are so many other ways that Jesus proved Himself to be God. Rising from the dead was a pretty big sign, imo.

@Alivia Marie, God's ways are not our ways and his wisdom is beyond the understanding of men. God the father also sent his only son to die on the cross of calvary for the salvation of mankind despite our sins. We read the bible with the help of holyspirit and only then can we get revelations and deep insight into the Word

God did not say anything either way in the text about Elihu, so this argument does not work, unfortunately. The only one who says that Elihu is correct and perfect in knowledge in the entire story is Elihu. God never affirms him either, so I would encourage you to dig into the Elihu speeches deeper.