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Elihu
Job 32:4 “Now Elihu H453 had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.”
Elihu in Hebrew is H453 – ‘ĕlîhû, meaning “He is my Elohim“. Elihu is younger than Job’s friends, and he makes a long speech, right before YHWH will finally answer Job. YHWH will then rebuke Job’s friends, but not Elihu, which proves that Elihus’ answers are worth listening to.
Elihu’s insights diverge from those of Zophar, Eliphaz, and Bildad, the three friends of Job. Rather than stressing the idea that suffering is a punishment for sinful actions, Elihu concentrates on Job’s sinful reaction to his undeserved suffering. Job, he says, reacts by questioning the justice of God’s ways and, indeed, takes a perverse pride in so doing. Instead, Job should recognize his suffering as a charitable discipline leading to reconciliation with YHWH.
Elihu’s life and speech offer many insights for today:
1) he dealt with the real issues of the situation rather than looking at the situation from a human perspective.
2) he emphasized YHWH and His greatness rather than focus on a human response to problems.
3) he responded with respect, allowing others to speak first before offering his own response.
Some ways YHWH Speaks to people
Job 33:29-30 See, El does all these – twice, three times with a people, to bring back his souls from the Pit, to be enlightened with the light of life.
- Dreams and Visions : verse 15-16 “in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on a bed, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction, to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man.”
- Suffering and Pain : verse 19-20 “And he is reproved with pain on his bed, and with unceasing distress in his bones, so that his whole being hates food and lose their appetite“
- Messengers or people : verse 23 “If there is a messenger for him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show man what is right for them“
