Page 126 - Job

Reading JOB to Know God

Chapter 11 Elihu Speaks

Job chapter 32 brings us the mysterious fourth man known as Elihu. Who
was Elihu? His name in Hebrew means “The God of him”, and he is quite
impressive. He is a man of deep spiritual character. He is the fourth friend
of Job. He appears suddenly with no previous mention and has a Christ
like feel to him. In order to illustrate what kind of a man he was, let me do
it in principles and illustrate it with specific verses. I find three
characteristics in Elihu as we look in Job 32. First of all, he was a man
who was filled with righteous indignation and holy anger. 32:1 – 3
“Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was
righteous in his own eyes. But the anger of Elihu
the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against
Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God. And
his anger burned against his three friends because they had found
no answer, and yet had condemned Job.”
All anger is not sin. According to Ephesians 4:26, “Be angry and sin not,
let not the sun go down upon your wrath” God tells you to be angry
without sinning. Of course, the simplest way to do that is to be angry at
sin. Elihu was burning in his heart against error. He had to speak. Look
at 17-20,
“I too will answer my share, I also will tell my opinion.
For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me. Behold,
my belly is like unvented wine, like new wineskins it is about to
burst. Let me speak that I may get relief; Let me open my lips and
answer.”
He had an inward necessity. He said I have got to speak or I am going to
bust. I have seen all of these errors. These friends are condemning Job.
Job is condemning God. I can’t take any more. I have to speak. That is
Elihu. Burning with righteous indignation. And then he was a humble
man. Look at chapter 32 beginning at verse 4,

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