Three of Jobs friends have ranted on him for quite some time, and not know to the read until this point was a fourth man in the shadows–Elihu. He is not an elder but rather a younger man. But when Job’s friends stop trying to convince Job of his sinfulness because they saw Job “was righteous in his own eyes” (Job 32:1), Elihu gets angry.
He is angry at Job because he had justified himself with his righteousness rather than God. He was also angry at Job’s friends because the could not refute him but still condemned him” (Job 32:1-3). Job’s friends said this of Job:
“We have found wisdom; let God deal with him, not man” (Job 32:13).
In a culture where gray hair and old age was wisdom, Elihu decided to speak, admitting he is younger (Job 32:6-9).
I am young in years,
while you are old;
therefore I was timid and afraid
to tell you what I know.
I thought that age should speak
and maturity should teach wisdom.
But it is a spirit in man
and the breath of the Almighty
that give him understanding.
It is not only the old who are wise
or the elderly who understand how to judge.
But Elihu can’t hold it in anymore. He must say something (Job 32:19-20).
My heart is like unvented wine;
it is about to burst like new wineskins.
I must speak so that I can find relief;
I must open my lips and respond.
It is here that Elihu will launch into his discourse. Interestingly he will not be blessed by God, but nor will he be condemned by God when He is finished. This will not be the case for the other three–Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. God will bring judgment on them because of their gross misrepresentation of God, but God will forgive them with Job’s prayer.
Elihu’s boldness to speak in the midst of elders will not be put down, but later on will be encouraged in Scripture. Paul set up Timothy as a leader in the church and he would tell him this:
“Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” 1 Tim 4:12.
There is something to be said about the wisdom of elders and giving due respect. Young and old may both think they know it all, but the truth is the generations need one another. This is what it says in the last days that the Lord will turn the hearts of the father to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers (Mal 4:6), as well as when he says he will pour out His spirit on all flesh, men and women, young and old, slave and free (Acts 2:17-21).
We need the young to respect and learn from the older. And we need the older to also learn from the young and even let them lead in their unique ways. No one demographic can claim all understanding.
We need one another.
