The book of Job, my favorite book.

Not his relatives but his children. So Job was already aware that there must be offerings for sin. God was definitely not "correcting" Job is any way, and it is God who said what is said in Job 1:1. Now notice this (Job 2:9,10): Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. In chapter 3 he cursed the day in which he was born, and so would anyone else in his situation.

But God was actually establishing Job's righteousness before Satan and the heavenly host. And in the end God declared him to be righteous as we see in Ezekiel 14:14: Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.

The book of Job and Job himself are so greatly misunderstood by Christians today. Not sure about commentators, and not too interested in their comments either.

Again, these are *questions* God asks Job. They are not *accusations*. Big difference. Questions provide grace. Accusations conclude condemnation.

This, too, is a huge discrepancy between God's communication with Job and Elihu's communication with Job. The very nature of how each of them are speaking to Job is completely different.

This is so good. Thank you for laying this all out. I heartily agree with so many of these parallels you have provided here. I think we are looking at the same thing in much the same way, however, I look at it with a much different mindset.

Elihu is clearly making that connection between Job's request for a mediator and Elihu. No doubt. Elihu has been there listening to everything Job and his friends were saying, so Elihu no doubt heard Job's request. You then conclude that "Elihu is the mediator God sent", but is he? Yes, Elihu makes that *claim*, but is it true? Is there any confirmation for this anywhere else in this story? No. This idea only exists in the mouth of Elihu. Red Flag.

Later you stated, "There is no need for God to reaffirm who Elihu is. This is the answer to Job's request and Job understands it." How do you know Job understands it? How are you concluding that? Where is the evidence? If it's because Job is silent, I have other reasons for why that's the case.

I think people are deceived by Elihu. He "sounds" nice, I guess, but remember at the beginning of his speech when it says *four* times that he is full of anger. Would you want your mediator to be full of anger when they go on a long-winded speech at you? How does that make sense?

It seems Elihu is more of a svengali than any kind of true mediator. At least, he's not the real mediator Job needs.

Also, what do you think about this verse?

Job 34:36 "My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men."

Elihu is wishing torture upon Job. Is this the kind of person you would want to represent you in a court of law? Someone pleading for your perpetual punishment? No thanks. Yet another Red Flag.

Elihu says it is for Job's "answers like wicked men", but as we already know, God says that Job spoke rightly about God.

Elihu and God
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compare these verses carefully.

Elihu said, “Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.” Job 34:35

Elihu said, “Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain: he multiplieth words without knowledge.” Job 35:16

Notice how the Lord repeated what Elihu had said.

The Lord said, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?” Job 38:2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compare these two verses carefully.

Elihu said, “If thou canst answer me, set they words in order before me, stand up.” Job 33:5

Notice how the Lord repeated what Elihu had said.

The Lord said, “Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.” Job 38:3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Compare these verses of Elihu’s speech, which were spoken before the Lord spoke.

Elihu said, “Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? Job 37:14-16

The Lord said, “Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? Canst thou set the dominion therof in the earth? Canst thou lift up they voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?” Job 38:33-34
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compare this verse of Elihu’s with a verse from the Lord.

Elihu said, “Shall even he that hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is most just?” Job 34-17

The Lord said, “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? He that reproveth God, let him answer it.” Job 40:2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compare the two verses from Elihu, which were spoken before the Lord spoke.

Elihu said, “Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.” Job 32:2

Elihu said, “Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, my righteousness is more than God’s?” Job 35:2

The Lord said, “Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” Job 40:8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In every case Elihu said it first and the Lord repeated.

Yes, I have noticed these parallels between Elihu's speech and God's speech. It is very clear, and I think quite relevant to what is happening in the story. However, it may be for a different reason than you believe.

Aside from highlighting these parallels, the conclusion you wrote is that Elihu said it first, and then the Lord repeated it. Can you expound on that summary? Are you inferring then that we need to believe only good things about Elihu and support everything about him? How would you put into words what you are implying?

You agreed that "yes" you believe Job sinned to incur his suffering. Then you write that "sin really isn't on the table." Which is it? Do you believe Job sinned to incur his suffering or not?

That Job is a "sinner" ISN'T A QUESTION - he's human, and he's fallen short of God's glory just like you and me, so God's praise of him has to be understood in that context. Job would go to HELL for his SIN except for his FAITH that God would do something about his SIN issue (in the far distant future). However, what God was after, when He involved satan in His plan for correction, wasn't a SPECIFIC SIN, but a couple of internal Paradigmatic issues that Job had, that worked against his relationship with God, which had been EXPOSED, and Corrected after CHapter 42.

Christopher Greetings,


In order to vindicate Job you must sacrifice the integrity of the bible.

You have to say God gave a man six chapters of God’s book to tell lies. Would you make God the author of lies just to justify Job? In what other book of the bible do we see such lies as you are claiming?

In 1 Kings 22:22 God sent a lying spirit, and the Bible clarifies the fact that it was lying. We never hear the spirit lying, only that he was sent.

God would not let Balaam lie. It was only to his Prophets and Apostles that God gave six chapters of his word to a single man. You must explain why God would let lies, as you claim came from Elihu, enter his book. Or at the least show an example.

Thank you for your message and for discussing Elihu. I think it is vitally important, and it seems he is one of the most difficult characters in all of Scripture to understand, in my opinion. Most people are divided in their opinion of him, so thank you for having this discussion.

As for vindicating Job, I don't have to vindicate him. God vindicated him in many times in this story.

Since you asked, here is one example of a lie in another story (although I don't think this is necessary). In 1 Samuel 17:44, it says, " And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." That is a lie. It did not happen, and David slew Goliath.

Anyway, as was written before, Elihu *claims* that Job has said he is more righteous than God. It's simply not true. Nowhere does Job say that, and when God asks Job this same kind of question, Job's answer is no. (I don't want to keep repeating it, but I refer again to chapter 9 where Job states his view of himself in the sight of God.)

Another point is that in chapter 33 Elihu dictates to Job how God speaks to man (dreams and pain). It seems Elihu does not believe God will actually speak to Job directly - and yet at the end of the story that is exactly what God does. God speaks to Job directly. It also seems Elihu is ridiculing Job for crying out to God, but God effectively answers Job's prayer by coming to him.

In 34:36 Elihu also says, "My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men." Elihu claims Job's answers are wicked, yet God says Job has spoken rightly about Him (God) twice in chapter 42.

In the next verse 34:37 Elihu says, "For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God." What "sin" exactly is Job adding his rebellion to? Elihu is claiming here, like Job's friends, that Job has sinned to incur his suffering - but we know Job is not suffering because of a sin he has committed. Whether or not Elihu intends to "lie" he is again clearly wrong.

There is so much more to go into with Elihu, but regarding God allowing lying, consider this passage in 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Sounds like Elihu.

I appreciate your comments and glad to hear other voices out there like yours. Out of curiosity, what is your take on Elihu?

we are kind of like Jobs friends thinking we know Gods intensions?

Christopher Greetings,


In order to vindicate Job you must sacrifice the integrity of the bible.

You have to say God gave a man six chapters of God’s book to tell lies. Would you make God the author of lies just to justify Job? In what other book of the bible do we see such lies as you are claiming?

In 1 Kings 22:22 God sent a lying spirit, and the Bible clarifies the fact that it was lying. We never hear the spirit lying, only that he was sent.

God would not let Balaam lie. It was only to his Prophets and Apostles that God gave six chapters of his word to a single man. You must explain why God would let lies, as you claim came from Elihu, enter his book. Or at the least show an example.

Christopher everything you are saying in this post is directly related to the trustworthiness of the Bible. Are you saying the lies of Satan are within the pages of the Bible. If that were to be true, we could not trust the Bible.

You are comparing one sentence of Goliath to six chapters. We don't have to question whether Goliath was lying for we are given the answer. God does not allow a bunch of lies to be put in his word, and then just lets us guess what is true, and what is not. Otherwise, how would we trust the Word?

Elihu (continued).

1. It states *four* times in the text that Elihu is angry. He presents himself as the mediator Job has been asking for, but how does that work if he is burning with anger? Is there anyone who would welcome counsel from a mediator *burning with anger*? Would you be receptive to that mediator? How helpful do you think that kind of communication would be?

Elihu (continued).

2. Has anyone noticed that Elihu is angry at the three friends for a *different* reason than why God is angry at the three friends. Can anyone explain this discrepancy?

Elihu (continued).

3. Have you noticed the difference between *how* God speaks to Job and how Elihu speaks to Job? God asks question after question after question. While Elihu also asks some questions, a lot of his rhetoric is full of harsh statements and accusations. Asking questions paves the way for grace, but harsh statements and accusations pave the way for condemnation. Can anyone explain this glaring discrepancy between God and Elihu?

Elihu (continued).

4. Elihu claims that Job has said that he (Job) is more righteous than God, but where exactly does Job make this statement? Job makes it clear what his view of himself is in the sight of God in chapter 9, but where does Job take the posture of being more righteous than God? Outside of Elihu's accusation, where do you find this statement in the mouth of Job?

Elihu (continued).

5. Elihu claims that he will teach Job wisdom, but what wisdom does Elihu teach Job exactly? The book of Job is considered wisdom literature, and the zenith of this entire story is chapter 28, often referred to as the poem on wisdom. This is the high point of the story according to the chiastic structure of Hebrew poetry, and it is attributed to Job. So if this is the pinnacle of wisdom in this story, what does Elihu teach Job that Job does not already have?

Elihu (continued).

6. Elihu presents as a staunch defender of God and His reputation. Interesting. So does God need Elihu to defend His reputation? Did God ask Elihu to do that for Him? As we read at the end, God is more than able to handle His reputation on His own. So why does Elihu need to do it?

Elihu (continued).

7. Elihu tells Job that he is adding rebellion to his sin (34:37). What sin is Job adding rebellion to? What is the sin Elihu is referring to?