Elihu's Words (XII)

Elihu next says:

"Will your riches, Or all the mighty forces, Keep you from distress? Do not desire the night, When people are cut off in their place. Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, For you have chosen this rather than affliction." (Job 36: 19-21)

Many times people are in trouble and money is of little use. They are not able to keep from distress. Money cannot save one from the judgment of God. This was what Elihu said and it is true. Said Ezekiel:

"They will throw their silver into the streets, And their gold will be like refuse; Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them In the day of the wrath of the LORD; They will not satisfy their souls, Nor fill their stomachs, Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity." (Eze. 7: 19)

It is true that all the money in the world could not deliver Job from his sufferings. But, how is this fact pertinent to the matter in debate? How does that relate to Job's case? Does Job believe that he can buy God's favor? That he can buy off his troubles? No, and for Elihu to insinuate such about Job was not righteous. Further, it is doubtful at this time that Job had any money, for he seems to have lost all. When God sets his mind against you, no one can help you. That is the message of Elihu.

When Elihu advises Job to "not desire the night" he means to have Job quit being suicidal, to quit longing for death (see Job chapter three). Recall these words of Job from that chapter:

“Why is light given to him who is in misery, And life to the bitter of soul, Who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures; Who rejoice exceedingly, And are glad when they can find the grave?" (3: 20-22)

Some believe that this was one of Job's sins, his wishing to die. But, it was not. It was a weakness, but it was not sin. A Christian who is dying of an incurable disease, and in the worst pain, might well pray that God would mercifully take his life (rather than letting it be prolonged). However, Job did not call for a doctor to perform euthanasia. He did not try to kill himself. Rather, he petitioned God to take his life, or to take him to a place of rest and freedom from suffering after his death. And, in this, he is not alone, for other prophets have also done so (Jonah, Jeremiah, Elijah).

Commented bible teacher Ray Stedman (here - emphasis mine):

"His wife turned against him, and she suggested that he curse God and commit suicide. And yet, despite all these pressures, Job is still trusting in the mercy and love and grace of God and he still refuses to do what Satan is trying to get him to do: curse God and die."

When his wife advises Job to curse God and die, she no doubt intended suicide. She advises Job to kill himself and curse God in doing so. But, Job rebuked her counsel, chose not to either curse God or to kill himself. So, though he wished for God to cut short his life, he left it up to God to decide the matter.

Stedman said:

"The book has already proven a rebuke to many of us who have been confronted with far less provocation, but have done what Job refused to do. We have cursed God, taken him to task, resented what he is doing, and refused to acknowledge him as a just and good and loving God."

It is good for us to consider how each of us would react when confronted with the same degree of sufferings as did Job. Would we curse? Would we think God is being unfair with us? Job held up better than others would have. His example on how to deal with sufferings is recommended by James who said "you have heard of the patience of Job." 

Stedman said:

"I do not think anything is harder for us to bear than unexplained trouble. If we could see some reason for what we have to go through, we could endure it much more easily. But when trouble seems to be pointless, and nothing is accomplished by it, it is a terrible strain upon the soul. This is what Job is experiencing, so he cries out, "Why was I ever born?""

Job earnestly desired for God to explain the why of his afflictions. Elihu, like the others, thinks that such a desire is impudence in the face of God's sovereignty. They attributed to Job an evil motive for his wanting an explanation. But, his motive was good. He knew that God owed him no explanation, and in the end he was reconciled in his mind to this fact. Still, it did indeed help him to vent his thoughts and feelings before the Lord. He supposes that he could bear his sufferings with a better state of mind if he knew the reason. He is troubled about not knowing the reason. 

Yes, it is not a sin to question why we are suffering, why God is suffering our calamities. Nor is it always wrong to make known our complaints to God. Yes, there is sinful complaining, murmuring against God, but there is also valid offering of complaints to God. Said the Psalmist David:

"I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble." (142: 1-2)

Those commentators, like Elihu and the others, who complain about Job's complaining, making him into a wicked man for it, are imagining sins in Job which are not there. 

Stedman said:

"I do not think Job is thinking of suicide -- he is asking God to take him home. There is no purpose to life, he says, when it is not enjoyable. That is a very common argument, and one of the reasons we have been given this book is to help us understand that life can still have a great deal of meaning even when it looks absolutely useless."

The book of Job is a good story to tell everyone who is contemplating suicide. Recall the words of James.

"Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful." (5: 11)

Those who are destitute, afflicted, and in sore difficulties, and who are considering suicide, should follow the example of Job and persevere without condemning God, and expect to see "the end intended by the Lord," to see how he is "very compassionate and merciful." That is the message to comfort the suicidal and depressed spirit.

Albert Barnes in his commentary wrote:

"For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction - That is, you have chosen rather to give vent to the language of complaint, than to bear your trials with resignation. "You have chosen rather to accuse divine Providence than to submit patiently to his chastisements." "Patrick." 

I do not doubt that Elihu accuses Job of not properly reacting to his sufferings, not dealing with them wisely. In this harsh judgment Elihu shows little mercy, compassion, or sympathetic understanding of Job's case. Further, it is not true that Job did not "bear his trials with resignation." James says that Job bore his trials with great grace so that he is our example. It is sad that many Christians think Elihu is right and James wrong about the reaction of Job to his sufferings. Job refused to "submit patiently" to his "chastisements"? How contrary to the view of the inspired apostle! 

Barnes continued:

"There was too much truth in this remark about Job; and it is still not an uncommon thing in times of trial, and indeed in human life in general. People often prefer iniquity to affliction. They will commit crime rather than suffer the evils of poverty; they will be guilty of fraud and forgery to avoid apprehended want. They will be dishonest to their creditors rather than submit to the disgrace of bankruptcy. They will take advantage of the widow and the fatherless rather than suffer themselves. "Sin is often preferred to affliction;" and many are the people who, to avoid calamity, would not shrink from the commission of wrong. Especially in times of trial, when the hand of God is laid upon people, they "prefer" a spirit of complaining and murmuring to patient and calm resignation to the will of God. They seek relief even in complaining; and think it "some" alleviation of their sufferings that they can "find fault with God." "They who choose iniquity rather than affliction, make a very foolish choice; they that ease their cares by sinful pleasures, escape their troubles by sinful projects, and evade sufferings for righteousness' sake by sinful compliances against their consciences; these make a choice they will repent of, for there is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest affliction." Henry."

Barnes is wrong when he says that the condemnation of Job by Elihu had much truth in it. It had rather absolutely no truth in it. It was rather a false accusation. Job was not a wicked complainer. 

Elihu next says:

“Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him? 23 Who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’? “Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung. 25 Everyone has seen it; Man looks on it from afar. 26 “Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered. 27 For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist, 28 Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man. 29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy? 30 Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea. 31 For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. 32 He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike. 33 His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm." (22-33)

What is the point of these words of Elihu? Was it material to the matter at hand? Did Job deny God's creation and governance of all his creation? Did Job deny God's sovereignty? So, what relevance do the words of Elihu have on the matter of Job's sufferings? 

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers says:

"Behold, God exalteth by his power.—The rest of Elihu’s speech is splendidly eloquent. He dilates on the power and majesty of God, and appears to be speaking in contemplation of some magnificent natural phenomenon—as the tempest, or hurricane, or whirlwind—out of which the Lord ultimately spake (Job 38:1). It is probable that this storm was beginning to gather, and that it suggested the glorious imagery of Elihu’s speech. The points are that (1) God is the source of greatness; (2) that there is no teacher like Him (Job 36:22); (3) that He is absolute as well as almighty (Job 36:23); (4) that He is unsearchable and eternal (Job 36:26)."

Yes, the words of Elihu are right. But, they are not new to Job. He recognized all these truths. For Elihu to insinuate otherwise was another instance of falsely accusing righteous Job. As far as understanding God's power in thunder, lightning, and storm, Job was not ignorant (as the words at the heading of this chapter affirm).