Job 33--Elihu Rebukes Job

Elihu Rebukes Job
33 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
    and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I open my mouth;
    the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
    and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
    and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me, if you can;
    set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
    I too was pinched off from a piece of clay.
7 Behold, no fear of me need terrify you;
    my pressure will not be heavy upon you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
    and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression;
    I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
    he counts me as his enemy,
11 he puts my feet in the stocks
    and watches all my paths.’

12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
    for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you contend against him,
    saying, ‘He will answer none of man's words’?
14 For God speaks in one way,
    and in two, though man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on men,
    while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he opens the ears of men
    and terrifies them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his deed
    and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
    his life from perishing by the sword.

19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
    and with continual strife in his bones,
20 so that his life loathes bread,
    and his appetite the choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
    and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 His soul draws near the pit,
    and his life to those who bring death.
23 If there be for him an angel,
    a mediator, one of the thousand,
    to declare to man what is right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
    ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
    I have found a ransom;
25 let his flesh become fresh with youth;
    let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man prays to God, and he accepts him;
    he sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he restores to man his righteousness.
27     He sings before men and says:
‘I sinned and perverted what was right,
    and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,
    and my life shall look upon the light.’

​29 “Behold, God does all these things,
    twice, three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
    that he may be lighted with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
    be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, answer me;
    speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, listen to me;
    be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

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Elihu next turns his attention towards Job, not to accuse Job of causing his own demise, but to point out what he thinks he has heard Job say that he believes is wrong--places specifically where Job let his feelings of what was going on interfere with what we know to be true about God.  For instance, the fact that Job cried out to God and God did not answer Job in the way that Job wanted does not mean that God does not answer the cries of men, it just may mean that God speaks in a way that men are not accustomed to listening to or that we may not like the answer that He gives.  The fault there lies with man and not with God.  Elihu does say that God's goal in speaking though is for man to repent so that God may turn away from His wrath--this is a message that both Elihu and Job seem to understand that the others didn't.

Elihu then argues that God uses pain and suffering to bring about repentance as well for those who refuse to listen to His voice and need His actions to drive them to repentance.  The pain and suffering that God allows is meant to be want people to save themselves from the eternal pain and suffering of hell and to turn to God and repent before that is their destiny, and when they do repent, God is faithful to bring about restoration and healing.  Remember that at this time God worked in a very outward way to show people what was good and what was not good because He had not yet given them the Mosaic covenant (the Law).  While God certain works in these ways at times, we should not assume that God always must give health and wealth to the righteous and that God always causes pain and suffering to the wicked.  That's one of the things that everyone is about to learn--Job and Elihu were both correct about God's motives, but not always correct about His methods.

Elihu also speaks of a Redeemer (though he imagines it to be an angel).  He also says that the man who has been saved from damnation should sing before God and men of his redemption and what God has done for him and that God should get all the glory for this great and marvelous work that He does among men.

Elihu finishes by giving Job a chance to respond if he would like (even though Job has given his concluding statements) because Elihu seeks to justify (and restore) Job, not condemn him, and Elihu seeks to be corrected with Job's wisdom if he is in error.  Notice the difference between the tone of Elihu and the tone of Job's friends--we are commanded in the New Testament to have the same tone here as Elihu and to seek to restore a brother or sister, and we should do so with humility, not assuming we have all the facts.