Job's Prosecutor

Lesson five in the Job series.

Now we know who Job's persecutors were and we are going to discover who his prosecutor will be. Elihu is a man who is a center of controversy. Some people think he is very godly and paves the way for God's dramatic entrance at the end of the book, and some people think Elihu is evil. So we will have to see what he actually says and make our own judgment. For starters, when Elihu comes on the scene, he is described as "burning with anger" four times. That raises about...four red flags. In Matthew 5:21-22 Jesus says, You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool! will be liable to the hell of fire.

Like I said, we are not even out of the gate and we have four red flags. Elihu is angry with Job's friends for not winning their argument and he is angry with Job because Job keeps insisting that he is blameless. Job has expressed several times that God has spoken to him and they have an intimate relationship. This infuriates Elihu who twice accuses Job of speaking words "without knowledge." In the Bible, the word knowledge means the kind of knowledge that one could only have access to if he has an intimate relationship with someone--in this case God. It is Job's insistence that he has this kind of relationship with God (Job 27:1-4) that infuriates Elihu.

Elihu also claims to be "perfect in knowledge" (36:4) like God--red flag number five. By making this statement, Elihu is claiming to have the status of the Son of God! Jesus says in Matthew 11:27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. What Elihu has just uttered is blasphemy--no two ways about it. He further implies that he was present at creation in 36:3-4. Elihu has already silenced Job (33:31). Now he is telling Job that if Job will just listen to him, he can have access to this intimate knowledge like God. Can you hear the hiss of the snake in these words? Where have you heard words like that before?

Elihu has a lot to say about Job, but his words are not true--red flag number six. He insists over and over that Job is a wicked man. It seems to me that if someone really claims to have perfect knowledge like God, then that person should recognize that Job is God's servant. Elihu then wishes eternal damnation for Job. In chapter 34:36 he says, "Would that Job were tried to the end because he answers like wicked men." That may not sound so bad in English, but the Hebrew word for to the end is netsach which means forever or eternally. A more literal English translation would be "I hope you rot in hell!" --Red flag number seven.

Elihu presents a solution for Job's problem, but it is a false gospel. He tells Job that God will accept him based on his behavior (34:11) and that when God does accept him, he will become very prosperous and live out his days in comfort and prosperity (36:11). We know this today as the prosperity gospel--red flag number eight.

Finally, Elihu begins an intense interrogation of Job. It is as if he has set up a kangaroo court in which to try Job. A kangaroo court is an unofficial court where the defendant is denied his rights. He gets no lawyer, no witnesses, no unbiased judge. So poor Job has all the cards stacked against him. The questions Elihu asks in 37:15-20 seem to imply that Elihu himself knows the answers to exactly how God has planned out every aspect of creation. Elihu just keeps pummeling away at Job who remains silent throughout this discourse--red flag number nine. 

Many centuries after Job lived, another kangaroo court would be held in the middle of the night. This was in the house of the high priest and Caiaphas was in control, or at least he thought so. Jesus was the one on trial and Caiaphas accused Jesus of blasphemy because Jesus claimed he had an intimate relationship with God. Hmmmm...sound familiar? Caiaphas and the chief priests also demanded the worst possible penalty--crucifixion, the curse of God. And Jesus was crucified and descended into hell.

The most egregious effect of Elihu's blathering is the fact that he outright slanders God. He tells Job over and over that God does not hear his cries and will not answer Job (35:13-14). He carries on about God's righteousness and justice and begins ranting about how God will not violate these attributes. Let's listen in for moment: Elihu says, "The Almighty--we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in the own conceit." On the surface this might sound true. But what Elihu is really claiming here is that God administers justice to all individuals without mercy--because mercy would violate God's justice. God cannot have mercy on anyone because he is bound by his own righteousness and justice to punish people. That is why men fear God. 

Satan...I mean Elihu, refuses to recognize that Jesus will bear the punishment for those whom God has declared blameless. He refuses to acknowledge that God is merciful and gracious and slow to anger, showing lovingkindness to thousands. Elihu has just condemned God by slandering him and smearing his reputation--red flag number 10. It is just at this point in Elihu's rant that God storms onto the scene interrupting this scandalous tirade. With all these red flags surrounding Elihu, it should be easy to see where God's wrath will be directed.