Job – Elihu’s Anger

Then out of nowhere comes a guy named Elihu. He hasn’t been mentioned before nor do we know if he sat with the other three friends for a week before talking.

What we do know is that he “burned with anger,” mentioned four times in the first paragraph. Generally, he burned with anger. Then “He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God.“ Then he “burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong.”

Lastly, “When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.”

 It must have been frustrating for Elihu, listening and judging the arguments taking far longer than his patience. He may have had a chip on his shoulder since he was younger, not getting the respect he desires. Any way you look at it, he swooped in with the fineish of a 18 year old going for a layup at a 40+ year old basketball game!

Emboldened with his youth, he lets it rip, at times not respecting his elder, scolding him, “Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak…be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Elihu goes on for six chapters, summing up in the last verse what he thinks about Job’s problem, “he (God) does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”

It’s a reminder to me of an important principle: Even if you think you can “score,” don’t be arrogant. Don’t let frustrations build up and emotionally cloud your judgement. Listen yourself to the wisdom of others, what they are saying, and see if you have anything more to add. Are you just trying to be the one who “wins?”

Poor Job. He’s done and he just got stomped on again.