Elihu started today asserting God’s justice and told them all to listen to his words. He was either perceived as a man who was confident in his own wisdom, or a messenger of God, especially with his humble attitude. Elihu continued to defend God’s justice against what he considered to be Job’s false theology.
Elihu was zealous of God’s glory as the sovereign Sustainer who demonstrates his grace every moment by granting life and breath to man. He condemned Job and called for his repentance, first indirectly then more directly. However, Job spoke without knowledge, a motif in the first discourse of the Lord and the final response of Job.
Elihu spoke his third speech addressed to Job and spoke of how he thought it was unjust and inconsistent for Job to expect vindication from God, and at the same time imply that God doesn’t care whether we are righteous.
Elihu asserted that God is so far above man that there is really nothing man can do, good or bad, that will effect God’s essential nature. Elihu said,
“Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of heavens?’
-Job 9-13
There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. Surely God does not hear an empty cry, nor does the Almighty regard it.”
Elihu continued on with his fourth and final speech. He desired to strengthen the case for God’s goodness and justice, and discussed many examples of the Lord’s power and greatness. He stated that God uses trouble to gain man’s attention.
He warned Job to respond to God’s discipline by turning away from evil. He still viewed Job as a man for whom there was hope, and with tender compassion God brings his people back to himself.
He continued with explaining how God’s ways and thoughts were infinitely higher than ours. This was an important theme in this piece. He said,
“Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength and understanding.”
-Job 36:5, 22-23, 32-33
“Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘You have done wrong?'”
“He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark. It’s crashing declares his presence.”
Elihu kept talking and continued the hymnic description of God’s majesty and marvels exhibited in earth’s atmosphere. The passage reveals a sophisticated observation of atmospheric conditions and their effects.
Such forces originate from God’s command and always perform his will for mankind, whether for good or for ill. This lead Job into pondering God’s power over the elements. Elihu prepared Job for God’s appearance in the storm.
