Outline:
Elihu (a new friend) rebukes
everyone (32:1-37:24)
1.
Elihu rebukes the other friends (32:1-22)
· Had
deferred to their age, but not working (32:8)
2.
Elihu speaks directly to Job (33:1-33)
·
Says we need to listen to God since He is greater than
us (33:12-20)
·
Need one mediator to defend us (like Jesus. 33:22-30)
·
Asks Job to speak if we wants to, for he desires to
“justify” or vindicate Job. Otherwise Job is to be silent (which he is)
(33:32-33)
3.
The Justice of God (34:1-37)
·
God is just (34:1-15)
·
He doesn’t “do wickedness” (34:10)
·
Otherwise, how could He be a ruler? (34:16-30)
·
Based on the ancient idea of government (vs. Enlightenment)
·
Suggests as Job has that who can speak against God
(34:21-30)
·
Caricature of Job’s argument (34:32-37)
·
“I have endured punishment; I will not offend any
more” (34:31)
·
Idea is, again, who are we to say anything to God?
·
Claims that Job is rebelling (34:37)
4.
The affect of wickedness (35:1-16)
·
Wickedness can’t affect God, only other humans (35:6-7)
·
There’s a sense this is true and a sense it is not.
·
Who dares to cry out to God in their need? (35:10-12)
·
Overlooks the Psalms
·
Also note Israel’s reaction every time they are in
trouble
·
(see Judges specifically)
5.
God, the great teacher (36:1-37:24)
·
Gets arrogant about his “perfect knowledge” (36:4)
·
God will tell us what we’ve done wrong (36:5-12)
·
Statement and warning to Job (36:13-23)
·
The Goodness and Greatness of the Lord (36:24-37:13)
·
To Job: we can’t even understand the majesty of God
(37:14-24)
Things to Note:
· Similarities
to Job’s argument
· Focus on
our role vs. God’s in the universe
· Like other
friends, can repent and things get better, but less focus on what he
did wrong, more focus on what Job maybe doing wrong, and more focus on our
inability to talk back to God.
No response is given at all to Elihu. Even by God.
Further Reading:
Davidson,
Lisa ed. “The Book of Job”, The New
Interpreter’s Bible. Nashville: Abingdon, 2003.