Elihu: The Messenger of God
"Then I said, 'Ah Sovereign Lord,
I don't know how to speak;
I am only a child.'
But the Lord said, 'You must go
on whatever errand I send you.'"
—Jer.1:6,7
Now comes my favorite part of this whole story, at least my favorite character. You see, sitting back and listening to everything that was being said was a young man named Elihu. He was never mentioned before, probably because he was too young to be noticed. Once he starts talking, there is no doubt he possessed a spiritual discernment unknown by the others.
Elihu's Modesty
It is pleasant to notice Elihu's modesty and tact in entering the discussion with his elders. It says that his "wrath was kindled" against Job and the three friends. This is explained later when he talks about the constraining of the Spirit within him, so that he was "ready to burst."
Ezekiel refers to this "heat of the Spirit" when the Lord had moved him to speak. Jeremiah spoke of God's word being "in his heart like a burning fire" and being "weary of holding it in. Indeed (he) could not" (Jer.20:9). When "the Sovereign Lord has spoken, who can but prophesy" (Amos 3:8)? "Woe to me, if I do not . . ." (I Cor.
Who could blame Elihu? Here he was sitting there as he saw Job becoming more and more concerned about clearing his own character than justifying the love and character of God. He also watched as his elders condemned Job without mercy and never were able to find an answer to Job's complaints or to explain to him God's purpose.
Elihu realizes that he is in a very delicate position for a young man. How is he going to speak to these dignified seniors? He holds himself back, waits and watches for the right moment. If indeed the Spirit of God has chosen him to be the "interpreter," he will wait until He opens the way for him.
That is where many of us miss it. We think that just because we have a message from the Lord, whether it is to a specific brother or sister or in a congregational time of worship, we have to give it now! I am sure we have all said, "Lord, what would you have me to say?" However, we also need to ask, "Lord, when would you have me say it?"
Proverbs 15:23 says: "A man has joy in making an apt answer and a word spoken in the right moment—how good it is!"
Finally, there is a pause. The friends "stopped answering Job" and "the words of Job are ended." The Lord's message comes to Elihu and he obediently speaks. He takes from the beginning a place of humility and acknowledges his youthfulness and confesses how he had shrunk from saying what was on his heart because of their age and his respect for them. He knows there is "a spirit in man," and that it's "the breath of the Almighty" alone that gives understanding and not age or position. So he is going to be obedient to the Lord and boldly say "Listen to me" although he is young.
He had waited and listened very attentively to every word that the older men had "searched out to say" while they were reasoning with Job, but he saw that they had utterly failed to convince him. "Not one of you has proved him wrong and none of you has answered his arguments. Look, Job hasn't said anything to me, so I'm not going to answer anything he said. All I want to do is speak for the truth, not revenge."
After all that, Elihu pauses almost as if he was waiting for some kind of encouragement from them or something. But they just sit there.
"You sit there baffled and embarrassed with no more replies. Should I just sit here and wait because you haven't said anything?" No, he must be faithful to God regardless of their silence. He has to fulfill his "part" in God's purpose and give the light that has been given to him.
Many times, we fail to imitate his example. It seems that we need the support and encouragement of our listeners. Their silence intimidates us and consequently we miss the anointing of the Lord on our words. A portion of the Epistle of Barnabas says "When you are in the company of unbelievers, be careful how you use the Word of God. Do not cheapen it by introducing it at an inappropriate moment, when it may lead to ridicule or blasphemy." This is wise counsel, but if the Lord has truly given permission to proceed, you cannot let anything hold you back. The Lord told Jeremiah very distinctly to "tell them whatever I tell you to say. Don't be afraid of them, or else I will make a fool out of you in front of them because I have made you impervious to their attacks. They cannot harm you." He told Ezekiel to "go to the people and whether or not they will listen, tell them: This is what the Lord God says!" Elihu had no choice. He must be obedient.
The older men had searched out what to say to Job and when they finally figured it out, it was powerless and unconvincing. Elihu was "full of words." He was in every sense the messenger of God. The Spirit within him was pouring the message into his mind, so that he would have to speak to find relief. No matter how uncomfortable he felt because of his youth and position, he had no alternative but to deliver his message. He would beg their forgiveness if he did not speak as respectfully as he should but he did not want to show any partiality or do anything that would prevent him from giving the message of God. He did not want to use any flattering titles, he just wanted to be very frank, or the Lord would put him aside and he would not be entrusted with this honor again.
God's Messenger
With courtesy, he now addresses himself to Job and begs him to listen to what he has to say. He will simply obey the Holy Spirit and he will speak very frankly, honestly, and sincerely only what he knows to be from the Lord and nothing more. The only reason that he had enough courage to address Job at all was because he knew that the Spirit of God has stirred him up and the breath of the Almighty had inspired him.
As far as Elihu was concerned, he wasn't any different from Job, "formed out of the clay." He wasn't going to be hard on him like the others and there wasn't any need to be afraid of him. Although, Job did express a wish for an umpire, someone who would stand between God and himself, so that's what Elihu is going to try to do . . . to stand "in God's stead" and reason the case with him. He is going to try to be a mouthpiece for God.
Elihu's Summary
Elihu tries to sum up what he understands to be Job's contention that he was innocent and God was evidently dealing with him as an enemy. Job had said that in the good-ole-days, the Lord's "justice" was kind of like a crown on his head, but right now, it seemed that he was wrong. Elihu asks if Job, being in reality a finite man, should really judge somebody infinite as God. Did he really expect God to give an account of His actions to him, regardless of how badly he misjudged him? It should be enough for us to know that He is the One who is doing it. It is so silly to fight against Him, because it doesn't matter how much kicking and fighting we do, it will not compel Him to speak.
The Holy Spirit's power and guidance is so evident in the way Elihu deals with Job. The Holy Spirit quickly and clearly reveals to Elihu everything he needs to know about Job's true condition and needs. While the other three were struggling with their vain reasoning, trying to figure out what to say, pouring out torrents of words that weren't even close to the real issue, utterly, hopelessly blind to the real diagnosis, Elihu has a quick grasp of the heart of the whole matter and offers the remedy. They also got very touchy when their wisdom is doubted. They became self-assertive with their knowledge and hard-nosed in the application of their theories, overriding every principle of humility simply because of their determination to prove their case.
Elihu just passes by all the side issues, ignores all the theoretical discussions and simply says, "when it comes right down to it Job, you feel you are innocent, and all the wrong is on God's side! If anyone is to blame, it's obviously Him! Where is your sense of rightness? Just think about it: you're placing the Lord of Hosts in an impossible position. As your Creator He can not yield to your demands. Why enter into a battle with Him? He doesn't have to give you an account of what He does. Why put Him in the place of an enemy by taking the attitude of one yourself?"
How God speaks
Elihu had told Job that no amount of agonizing or striving would compel the Lord to give an account of His actions, but that doesn't mean that he never speaks at all. In fact, He does indeed "reveal His will; He speaks not only once, but He speaks again and again." The problem is that either we are not listening or we simply do not understand how He is speaking.
Elihu explains two of the ways the Lord teaches us to know Him and His will. One way is by the direct inner teaching of the Holy Spirit "in a dream, in a vision of the night," which is probably the only time many of us become totally separated from our "earthly" responsibilities and the simple "cares of this world." The Lord "opens our ear" and gives us "wisdom and instruction" so that we will withdraw from our own purposes, agendas, and self-will and "so that we become disgusted with our own disappointing self-sufficiency."
I realize Jesus completed the work of redemption on the cross. However, it still takes a long haul—even a lifetime—before the fruit of that work is seen in our lives and we start to become conformed to His image.
Elihu now begins to explain a second way that the Lord instructs his children, through physical suffering. This is an area I believe is the most misunderstood.
First, I believe it is used as a last resort, when we have not heeded His other methods. Now Elihu only mentions two of them, but I can think of several ways the Lord will try to lead and teach us. He uses a direct inward witness of the Holy Spirit with our own spirit. He will also use His Word, both the written word and the "rhema" (the words he speaks to us). It might be through a prophetic word or situations of life, circumstances. He will use whatever it takes us to hear (remember he once used a mule to correct one of his prophets?).
Here though, Elihu describes a physical suffering where we become "convicted by strong pain." The Lord strips a man of all his natural vigor and strength so that he loses desires for bread, or "dainty deserts." A friend of mine says if you're too sick for deserts, you must be really sick.
Job's devotion and surrender to God in his days of strength is being put to the test. Does he really desire the will of God more than the work of God? Is he willing to be broken so that the excellency of the power may be seen to be God? Will he glory in his weakness that the power of Christ will rest on him?
The Reason God Speaks
The picture that Elihu draws is a very broad one. I do not believe it needs to be experienced in detail. However, it does express the simple lesson that the Father teaches his children by affliction only when they do not heed the direct heart-instruction of His Spirit. He will deal with each one of us according to our character and need, so that out of the furnace of adversity we will come "as a refined vessel of honor."
In every one of our lives, there are depths that can only be reached in the school of suffering. If you are going to shrink back from learning obedience by the things that you suffer you will remain unmellowed, untaught, in the richest and deepest knowledge of God.
The most important thing to understand, what I've been trying to stress over and over during this whole study, is that this "school of suffering" will often be fulfilled in a spiritual sense, even in the midst of the "work" the Lord has given you. There may be an inward spiritual stripping of strength and power; a loss of desire or "hunger" for spiritual bread; a pouring out of the soul even unto death; all of this known only to you and God.
However it is worked out in our lives, the lesson of the crucible has to be learned!
God is not looking for people who only want to receive great things from His hands, He is not even looking for those that want to do great things in His name or for His glory. He is searching throughout the whole earth for those whose hearts are perfect toward Him. He is searching for those who rejoice in the will of God rather than the service of God. Who glory in their weakness because it is the one condition for knowing the power of God in all its fullness (II Cor. 12:9).
