Read the Passage: Job 32-37

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: Job 32-37

Suffering and Discipline (32:1–33:33)

For readers unfamiliar with the content of this book, Job 32–37 may come as a surprise. In these five chapters, a fourth younger friend of Job named Elihu appears and begins to speak. These chapters may be surprising, for Elihu was not mentioned when Job’s other three friends were introduced at Job 2:11, nor does Elihu participate in the earlier cycles of debates. In fact, Elihu is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible apart from the seven times his name is cited in these six chapters. Significantly, this means that Elihu is not mentioned at the end of this book when God condemns Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (cf. Job 42:7). In this passage Elihu gives four separate speeches, as follows: Job 32–33, 34, 35, 36–37. The content of these speeches could be described as prideful in tone and verbose in content, with Elihu speaking more than each of Job’s other three companions.

Note that there is some debate among scholars as to whether Elihu should be viewed as a foolish accuser, like Job’s other companions, or if he should be viewed as one who generally speaks what is right while bridging the earlier cycles of accusatory speeches with God’s questioning of Job. The theme of Elihu’s first speech is that God may have a good reason for allowing Job to suffer, and that Job should acknowledge that God’s ways are correct. In this speech Elihu rebukes Job for claiming innocence, justifying himself, and accusing God of injustice. Elihu reminds Job that God speaks in many ways, such as in dreams and visions, and Elihu suggests that Job’s suffering may be a form of divine chastisement or discipline, not judgment. While Elihu’s speech comes across as prideful or even angry in places, he is to be commended for not adopting a retributive view of suffering and evil.

Justice and Sovereignty (34:1–35:16)

Observe that Elihu’s speeches can each be identified because they begin with a phrase similar to, “Elihu answered and said” (cf. Job 32:6; 34:1; 35:1; 36:1). Elihu’s second discourse is recorded in Job 34. In this speech Elihu reminds Job that God is righteous and sovereign, and Elihu rebukes Job for questioning God’s justice. Furthermore, Elihu accuses Job of wickedness and rebellion as he claims, “Job speaks without knowledge, [and] his words are without wisdom” (Job 34:35). Elihu’s third speech (cf. Job 35), which is the shortest of his four discourses, focuses upon Job’s claim of righteousness. In this brief speech Elihu charges accuses Job with implicitly arguing that righteousness is less beneficial than sinfulness (cf. Job 35:1–3). In making this claim, Elihu believes that Job is one who has spoken “in vain . . . [and] multiplies words without knowledge” (Job 34:16).

Justice and Creation (36:1–37:24)

Elihu’s fourth speech is his longest discourse. Elihu’s contributions to the discussion thus far have been somewhat helpful, as he pointed out Job’s error of self-justification, he emphasized God’s righteousness and sovereignty, and he noted the possibility that suffering can be a form of discipline. Yet, perhaps on account of his age (cf. Job 32:4–6), Elihu’s speeches have been prideful in places. Indeed, Elihu’s haughty tone is evident at the beginning of his fourth speech as he declares, in reference to himself, “One who is perfect in knowledge is with you” (Job 36:4). In the first part of this fourth discourse (cf. Job 36:1–23) Elihu returns to his theme of God’s sovereignty, as well as reaffirming that suffering can be a form of discipline. While Elihu does not accuse Job of a specific sin, he does affirm the general truth that God punishes evildoers and rewards the righteous.

Next, in the second part of his fourth speech (cf. Job 36:24–37:24), Elihu continues to emphasize God’s sovereignty, however he turns his discourse to a description of God’s governance over the material world. Ironically, much of Elihu’s speech about the natural world is merely an echo of what Job had said earlier in Job 26:5–14. Note, too, that when God interrogates Job in the following chapters (cf. Job 38–41), God repeatedly refers to His creation and superintendence of the natural world. Here in his final speech, Elihu cites God’s control over the rain, clouds, thunder, lightning, sea, sky, earth, snow, ice, wind, cold, heat, and the sun. In this passage Elihu declares, “God does great things which we cannot comprehend. . . . O Job, stand still and consider the works of God” (Job. 37:5, 14). Elihu’s argument, then, is that Job’s complaints come from one who has a limited viewpoint.

Application Questions:

1. What differences and similarities can you detect between the speeches of Job’s three friends and the speeches of Elihu?
2. Is age always to be honored, respected, and deferred to over youth (cf. Lev. 19:32; Prov. 16:31; 20:29)?
3. What is the difference between God’s discipline and God’s judgment (cf. Heb. 12:7–11)?
4. Is Elihu correct that, in general, God punishes evildoers and rewards the righteous (cf. Ps. 37:10–11; Prov. 11:21; 21:15)?
5. Has your view of God been shaped by consideration of His superintendence of the created order?