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Message
“The Answer of Elihu – Job You Are A Hypocrite”
The conversation has been going for 31 chapters. It is only then that we discover that another person has been sitting in the dust and the ashes with Job and his three friends. His name is Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram.
Elihu is much younger than Job, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. Out of respect for these elders Elihu has sat quietly and said nothing. But he isn’t willing to be silent anymore.
But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
Job 32:2-3
Angry Elihu. What has brought that about?
A reporter was interviewing a 104-year-old woman:
"And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?", the reporter asked.
She simply replied, "No peer pressure."
That’s the thing about getting older isn’t it. You basically get to a point where you become comfortable with your life. You settle into a routine. You make judgements about how life should work. You don’t really care as much about what other people think. And it can stifle your thinking.
That is what has made Elihu so angry. All these old guys have been sitting around talking about Job’s problem. Under the guise of old age they have been sharing their wisdom on the subject.
Eliphaz thinks Job has done something really evil.
Bildad thinks Job has fallen into one of God’s traps.
Zophar thinks Job needs to pick up his performance.
Job thinks no-one is listening to him and that they don’t care.
No-one is listening to anyone else. With the result that the whole discussion has gone in circles.
They say that insanity is constantly doing the same action but expecting a different outcome.
The same points. The same arguments. The same outcomes. It’s insane. Not only is it insane there is something hypocritical going on here.
Job and his friends profess to know God.
Job and his friends have a spiritual foundation.
Job and his friends are examples in the community.
Job and his friends are respected and revered.
Yet, here they are, arguing about God, throwing accusations all over the place, treating each other with distain, and basically behaving in an ungodly manner.
And Elihu is angry – he is angry at the hypocrisy of the whole situation.
You can’t say that you are one sort of person - then act in a totally different way - without expecting consequences. That’s why Elihu takes Job to task.
Elihu’s First Concern
8 “But you have said in my hearing—I heard the very words
9 ‘I am pure and without sin; I am clean and free from guilt.
10 Yet God has found fault with me; He considers me his enemy.
11 He fastens my feet in shackles; He keeps close watch on all my paths.’
Job 33:8-10
Now we know that Job is not being punished for sin – the opening chapters of Job make that clear. But because of this insane discussion Job has now talked himself into a corner.
I am pure.
God finds fault.
Do you see the hypocrisy? Effective Job is saying, “God you are wrong”.
Many years ago I was involved in a discussion. A first year theological study was arguing about the meaning of a Greek word in John’s Gospel. Which isn’t that unusual, we used to have strong discussions all the time. Except that this time the student was telling a professor who got his PHD in Johannine Studies that he was wrong.
You can’t argue in those circumstances when you know so little, and your opponent knows so much. Job knew this. Earlier in Job 9 Job says
The Lord’s wisdom is profound, his power is vast. He moves mountains without their knowing it. He shakes the earth from its place. He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
Job 9
Job knows just how powerful and knowledgeable God is. Yet he still moves from arguing with his friends – to arguing with God.
All his life Job has experienced the blessings of God.
All his life Job has built his household on the fact that God is the mighty creator worthy of praise and adoration.
All his life Job has sought to be an example of justice because God is just.
But now – now that God is not working exactly as Job expected – now God is wrong. And Elihu calls it for what it is … hypocrisy.
Elihu’s Second Concern
5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God denies me justice.
6 Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’
7 What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water?
8 He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with wicked men.
9 For he says, ‘It profits a man nothing when he tries to please God.’
Job 34:5-9
We all know that Job is in a terrible situation and the suffering is immense. Initially Job accepts God’s decision. Remember what he said to his wife when she told him to curse God and die? You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble? You know what has changed. This insane discussion has turned into a pity party.
It happens. I once visited an old saint for their 90th birthday – he was struggling with a few illnesses. When I first got to his place I spoke to him about issues of faith and life. He was very positive and knew he was going to be ok. But then more people came.
Isn’t it terrible.
You must be finding it really hard.
It doesn’t seem fair.
By the end of the birthday this man had become bitter and angry.
Job 29:12-13 tells us that
Job was the sort of person who rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him. The man who was dying blessed him and Job made the widow’s heart sing.
Job 29:12-13
He was the one who was the example. He was the one who encouraged people to walk in the ways of God and trust in God. But that Job has talked himself into a corner and has come to the belief that God has let him down – now Job is saying that there is no profit in following God. And Elihu calls it for what it is … hypocrisy.
Elihu’s Third Concern
2 You say, ‘I will be cleared by God.
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me, and what do I gain by not sinning?’
4 “I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you.
6 If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men.
Job 35:2-8
Job is confused – we can understand that. Job is a bit angry – we can understand that as well. Job has questions, doubts, fears, frustrations and even bitterness. We can understand all that as well. And so does God. Until Job takes it all a step to far.
I saw it happen once in a shopping centre. There was a four year old who was obviously very upset and she threw herself on the ground crying and scream and chucking a tantrum. The mother looked around at us who were near and said, “Just ignore her”. So we did. After a minute or so the girl looked up to see whose attention she had. None of us looked at her – in that moment she realised she wasn’t the centre of the universe. She got up quietly and sat with her mum – it was a lesson on life.
It’s a lesson that Job has forgotten. Job knows the power of God. In Job 12 he says
The Lord He leads counsellors away stripped and makes fools of judges. He takes off the shackles put on by kings and ties a loincloth around their waist. He silences the lips of trusted advisers. He pours contempt on nobles. He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.
Job 12
God is in control. We follow Him – He doesn’t follow us. We listen to Him – we don’t tell Him what to do. Job has gotten himself so worked up that he thinks God is sitting there waiting to hear Job’s every word. Somehow Job thinks that by all his whinging he can twist God. If we are going to indulge our sinfulness without shame that is no skin off God’s nose. Our poor responses don’t ultimately change who God is. God is not working exactly as Job expected – because that is the case Job is saying that God just doesn’t care. And Elihu calls it for what it is … hypocrisy.
Three times Elihu comes to the same point.
Hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy.
What does Job say in response? Nothing. Job does not argue. Job does not defend. Job does not take offense. For the first time in the book someone has given an answer that make sense. Let me give you Elihu’s answer in a nutshell.
Everyone else is saying, “Job you are suffering because you have sinned”.
Elihu is saying, “Job you are now sinning because of your suffering”.
You see it unfolding don’t you. Right back in chapter 2 the Scriptures tell us that in all this Job did not sin in what he said. The initial heart-ache and pain and difficulties. Job bore them all in a very Godly manner. But as time goes on there is a change of focus. Eventually we get to chapter 35 where Job says what do I gain by not sinning?
How did we get there? What causes people who are so faithful to fall apart when they go through difficulties and trials? Elihu answers that question for us.
9 “Men cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches more to us than to the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’
12 He does not answer when men cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked.
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.
Job 35:9-13
Right through the book of Job there is a whole lot of talk.
And heaps of ideas.
And cliché answers.
And defending of long held opinions.
And accusations.
And assumptions.
And finger-pointing.
And blame-shifting.
And moaning.
And whinging.
And pleading.
But no-one is praying. No-one has stopped to ask God for an answer.
Elihu, young Elihu, has hit the nail on the head.
Job, God is speaking, you’re just not stopping to listen.
Job, God is right there willing to help, you’re just not holding out your hand.
Job, God wants to be in fellowship, but you have shut Him out.
Job, you’re not suffering because of your sin. Job you are sinning because of your suffering.
Stop now and ask God for help. Stop now and ask God for help. If only we did that more.
Gilbert did.
Gilbert was an eight year old in Cub Scouts. Each member of the club had to build a wooden car. It could only be 20cm long. Everyone was given a block of wood, some wheels and some instructions.
Gilbert didn’t have a dad to help him. So mum read the instructions and Gilbert built it all by himself. On the day of the race it was obvious that all the other kids had help from dad, or grand-dad or an uncle, or an older brother. A few of the boys giggled as they looked at Gilbert’s lopsided, wobbly, unattractive vehicle. To add to the humility, Gilbert was the only boy without a man at his side – he had mum.
Races were done in an elimination fashion. You kept racing as long as you were the winner. One by one the cars raced down the ramp. Finally it was between Gilbert and the sleekest, fastest looking car there.
Just before the race Gilbert asked if he could pray. He stopped for a whole minute. After that he looked up, “I’m ready”.
Tommy’s car was fast but everyone was amazed that Gilbert’s wobbly car rushed over the finish line a fraction of a second quicker. The Scout Master came up to Gilbert with microphone in hand and asked the obvious question, “So you prayed to win, huh, Gilbert?”
To which Gilbert replied, “Oh, no sir. That wouldn’t be fair to ask God to help you beat someone else. I just asked Him to make it so I wouldn’t cry when I lost.”
Gilbert had a tough life. And he didn’t want God to be against others. All he did was make sure he was in a right relationship. Everyone else had their father … Gilbert had his heavenly Father.
Which brings us to the question we all need to answer.
What do you do when life gets difficult?
Share ideas.
Use clichés.
Defend opinions.
Accuse.
Assume.
Point fingers.
Blame-shift.
Moan.
Whinge.
Plead.
Or do you pray? Calling out to God to help you through this trial … and the next … and the next … and the next.
9 “Men cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. 10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night.”
Job 35:9-10
We have a choice in every difficulty.
Either we end up allowing it to get us to the point where we say:-
God you are wrong; what is the point in following You; what is the point in not sinning?
Or we can be people who God allows to sing … even when it is dark.
Prayer
