Coffee With Job. Episode 98
Channel: Jason Blaiklock
Date: 2022-08-04

An Angry Young Man.  Job 32:1-5 

Elihu is a Buzite – which means he is a descendant of Abraham.  
.1-5 – Elihu is the angry young man.  The word is repeated four times. He is angry because he is accusing God of being in the wrong.  Angry at the friends who had been unable to refute Job.   There is passion there but it is somewhat misplaced. Counselling from an angry heart can be dangerous. MLJ – “Never open the door to the devil.  When you lose your temper you open it wide; it could not be wider.  Nothing opens the door moiré more widely than anger, and for this good reason.  The moment you are controlled by your temper you are no longer able to reason, you are no longer able to think, and you can no longer give a balanced judgement, for you are altogether biased on one side and against the other side….Is there anything that leads to more trouble than anger?  Things were said in a bitter and angry moment!  You would almost cut your tongue off, if you could, to get them back; and sometimes, though forgiven, they leave permanent wounds and scars.  What havoc is wrought in the world by sinful anger”

v.6-22 – He is also a bit arrogant.  He says he is young but it is also possible to be wise.  He talks about the feebleness of the friend's speeches.   He does not know how to flatter so Job had better be prepared for some straight talking.  He also goes on a bit –  Longwinded - Endless Elihu – takes 24 verses to say ‘I’m going to speak.  

There are many things wrong with this.  This angry young man lacks pastoral warmth.  He is theoretical.   We must not take great slabs of truth and use them to hammer people. “In such distress, tears of fellowship with suffering are far more profitable than lectures in harsh theology”.  There is a sense in which he knows the doctrines of grace in his mind but does not apply them in his heart.  

He is egocentric – 32v.10 and v.17.  19 times he uses the words I or Me. Self-important.  He is patronizing and uses the language of modesty to disguise arrogance.   He does not offer to pray with Job.  And he is wrong because God does appear to Job.   He does not know everything – he does not know about the heavenly court and Satan.  He does not know the real reasons behind Jobs' suffering. 

And yet he is also right.  
Furthermore, he has been a good listener.  He is courteous.  There is a difference between age and experience.  Of course, there is presumption and of course, that is dangerous but he still tells the truth.     In the midst of all this blustering, there are some gems. V.1-7 More introduction of himself.    V.7-8 – The need for revelation.  V.8.  Age alone does not bring wisdom.  Revelation is necessary.  We are blind to God and we need that revelation and sometimes God reveals not to the wise and unlearned but to babes – as Jesus prayed.  V.9.  Elihu does seek to give glory to God. 

What about being young?  Elihu says that he is human just like Job.  We need to know our weaknesses – especially if we are to teach others. Even his anger is not necessarily wrong – zeal for God and his truth is important.  I would rather have an angry young man than an inspired could not care less one.  He is passionate. Sometimes we need people like him to challenge us. 

He is direct.  Unlike the other friends, he refers to Job by his first name in his first speech. Preachers must be as bold as brass.  Jeremiah ch.15 v.20 “I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue you and to save you,” declares the Lord”.  The illustration of the Anglican Priest who had to deal with the logging town in the US.  Not covet.  Not steal.  Not cut off the end of your neighbour's logs !!

He summons Job to court. Which is what Job wants.   Mind you in Elihu's mind he is everything in this court, prosecution, judge and jury.