Commentary and reflection:
With youthful vigor, Elihu harshly punishes Job with his words. He indirectly calls him a brute, a fool, says he speaks nonsense, that he speaks like the wicked, that he is being rebellious, arrogant, and that he is speaking against God. He gives Job no room to grieve, there are no words of compassion. In fact, since Job’s sins are not obvious, he calls for an investigation.
And all because Job does not agree with his theology.
Elihu puts words in Job’s mouth, in fact, he slanders him. Job said he didn’t think he deserved the misfortunes that had come to him, but he did not call himself righteous.
In fact, he said,
2 “Truly I know it is so,
But how can a man be righteous before God?
15 For though I were righteous, I could not answer Him;
I would beg mercy of my Judge. Job 9:2,15
“Elihu’s horror at Job reaches its height in this verse. It is utterly inconceivable to Elihu that a man should feel that divine favor would not automatically follow faithful service. Actually, this quotation does not accurately state Job’s position. Job never did go so far as to state that there was no reward for right doing. He did maintain that righteous men are not always blessed, and wicked men do not always receive immediate retribution. But Elihu’s generalization, like many such statements, does violence to the real attitude of Job (see chs. 17:9; 21:9; 28:28).” SDABC
The discussion is more doctrinal than personal. It is about the cause of suffering. Job’s defense seems to contradict Elihu, and his friends believe, that is the reason why they overlook his suffering and argue theology, that is why they condemn him and speak strong words to him. This is insensitive and foolish, to say the least.
It is as if someone is drowning, and we stand there to scold them, or as if someone was dying of cancer from having smoked all their life and we visit to point out who is to blame. Showing the spirit of Christ is more important than being right or winning an argument.
Elihu’s humanity is evident in his pride and spiritual blindness; but a relevant question is, what about us? Is it that I already understand everything about His Word, or about His will, or about the Gospel? Or is it that we still need to listen, and we still need to learn? How can we not make the same mistake? How should I relate to the suffering of others? What should I say in the presence of pain?
I leave you this morning with the beautiful and true words of a poem by the Mexican poet, Amado Nervo,
Understanding
Why insist on knowing when it is so easy to love?
God does not command you to understand:
He does not pretend that his shoreless sea
can fit into your minimal thinking.
God only asks you for love,
give him all yours and more, always more,
with more ardor with more impetus,
and you will see that by loving Him better,
better you will understand Him.”
May God grant you a supremely blessed day.
Pastor Abel Paulin
