Job 32

Job's three friends refused to reply further to him because he kept insisting on his innocence. Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the clan of Ram, became angry. He was angry because Job refused to admit that he had sinned and that God was right in punishing him. He was also angry with Job's three friends, for they made God appear to be wrong by their inability to answer Job's arguments. Elihu had waited for the others to speak to Job because they were older than he. But when he saw that they had no further reply, he spoke out angrily.

(Job 32:1-5)

Anger. In this passage we see a new charter named Elihu. He is a younger man, and seemingly he has been around for this entire debate. The first thing we see about Elihu is that he was ANGRY. He was angry for two different reasons, and eventually his anger compels him to speak. Notice the two things that drove Elihu to the point of speaking out in anger.

1. Elihu was angry with JOB because Job refused to admit his sin, and say that God was right in punishing him.
2. Elihu was angry with JOB’S FRIENDS because in his mind, their faulty arguments made it seem as though Job was right, and God was UNRIGHTEOUS.

Now, before we get into talking about Elihu and his arguments, I think it is important for us to understand that in the last chapter of Job God rebukes Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar; but He says nothing to Elihu. Though this doesn’t mean that everything Elihu says is right, and all of his attitudes are right, it does help us to see that God viewed Elihu’s speech as something totally different than those of the other three men. In fact, God corrects Job for speaking out of ignorance, something He does NOT do to Elihu.

Having said that, I see 2 problems arise with Elihu here in this 1^st chapter.

1. He talks an awful lot about himself.
2. He lets his anger cause him to “spout off”. In a sense, it is controlling him rather than he controlling it.

The Bible tells us to “be angry and sin not”. Anger is a problem when it is directed at people, when it isn’t controlled. Elihu should have taken this anger and frustration and brought it to the Lord. Then he could have spoken in a more controlled and even manner.

If we allow anger to control us, we can come off as harsh, brash, or even self-consumed. Elihu comes off as all of these things. Friends, if God gives you a word to share with someone, whether it is for encouragement or correction, do it in a HUMBLE way… it’s the Lord’s word and not yours! Don’t speak out of anger or frustration, but let EVERYTHING you do be done in LOVE. We want to be people that are LED by the SPIRIT, not DRIVEN by our ANGER.