Elihu's Words (V)

"All day long they distort my words; All their thoughts are against me for evil" 

(Psalm 56: 5)

Elihu next says, speaking directly to Job:

“But please, Job, hear my speech, And listen to all my words. Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth. My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge. The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand. Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay. Surely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you. Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy; He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’ “Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man. Why do you contend with Him?" (33: 1-13)

Once again Elihu continues being repetitive. He also continues calling attention to himself. In the words above he begins by again asserting how good a listener he is. Yet, ironically, he shows himself not to be such a good listener, for he misquotes Job and misconstrues his remarks. What did Job actually say? Compare that with what Elihu says that he said. One will see how he twists and distorts Job's words and make him to say what he did not say. Most commentators recognize this. For instance, Ellicott's Commentary says (emphasis mine): 

"I am clean without transgression.—Job has nowhere used this language; but many of his statements were capable of being so perverted and misrepresented (Job 9:20-21; Job 16:17; Job 23:10-12; Job 27:5-6)."

Pulpit Commentary comments similarly: 

"I am clean without transgression, I am innocent. Job had not said that he was "clean," or "without transgression," or "innocent." With respect to "cleanness," he had observed, "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one," implying that all men were unclean (see Job 14:4). Concerning, 'transgressions," he had declared, "I have sinned... Why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity?" (Job 7:20, 21); and again, "Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth" (Job 13:26). Further, he had asked to be told the number of his iniquities and sins (Job 13:23), and declared that God kept his transgressions and iniquities sewn up and sealed in a bag (Job 14:17). With regard to "innocence," the only observation that he had made was, "I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent" (Job 9:28). What he had really asserted was his uprightness, his integrity, his "righteousness" (Job 12:4: 16:17; 23. 7; 27:5, 6; 31:5-40). And these are exactly what God bore witness to (Job 1:8; Job 2:3). It is plain, then, that Elihu overstated his case, and, whatever his intentions were, was practically almost as unfair to Job as the "comforters." Neither is there iniquity in me. Nor had Job said this. He had frequently acknowledged the contrary (see Job 7:21; Job 13:26; Job 14:17)."

Albert Barnes in his notes wrote:

"Job had not used these very expressions, nor had he intended to maintain that he was absolutely free from sin; see Job 9:20. He had maintained that he was not chargeable with the transgressions of which his three friends maintained that he was guilty, and in doing that he had used strong language, and language which even seemed to imply that he was without transgression; see Job 9:30; Job 10:7; Job 13:23; Job 16:17."

Since Elihu misquotes Job and then attacks those misquotes, he shows that he was not a good, unbiased, listener, nor a good interpreter, but shows his ignorance and lack of wisdom. 

Job did see God's dealings with him as a case where God had taken away and was continuing to withhold his good things from him. From all appearances it seemed that God had indeed treated him as an enemy and metaphorically put him in the stocks. The words of Job in his sufferings and deep questioning are similar to both the Psalmist and of the prophet Jeremiah. So, if such questionings make one unrighteous, as Elihu contends, then so too is the Psalmist and Jeremiah. Said the Psalmist:

"In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; My hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing; My soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed...I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search. Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more? Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?" (Psalm 77: 2-3, 6-9)

In reading these words one might think Job was the man talking, for the language of the Psalmist is so similar to the words of Job. They are the words of a suffering saint. Notice what the Psalmist says about God. He says God's hand was stretched out against him. He says he was troubled and remembered God. That certainly was true of Job in his sufferings. "I complained" said the Psalmist. So too did Job and he was condemned as unrighteous for so complaining. The Psalmist questioned God's love and care for him, querying "will the Lord cast off forever?" And, "will he be favorable no more?" And, "has his mercy ceased forever?" Etc. If Job be judged as unrighteous for asking such questions, and being in doubt, then so must the Psalmist. So must every believer! 

The prophet Jeremiah said:

"I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. He has led me and made me walk In darkness and not in light. Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day. He has aged my flesh and my skin, And broken my bones. He has besieged me And surrounded me with bitterness and woe. He has set me in dark places Like the dead of long ago. He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry and shout, He shuts out my prayer. He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked. He has been to me a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in ambush. He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces; He has made me desolate. He has bent His bow And set me up as a target for the arrow. He has caused the arrows of His quiver To pierce my loins." (Lam. 3: 1-13)

Had Elihu, like his three seniors who spoke to Job, heard the above words of the prophet, they would have condemned him as they did Job for saying similar things about God's providential dealings with him. In fact, the above words are very similar to the words of suffering Job.

Job had said to them about God's dealings with him in his sufferings:

"I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for His target, His archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; He pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks me with wound upon wound; He runs at me like a warrior." (Job 16: 12-14)

So, if Job is condemned for his complaining, for his questioning, for his doubting and perplexity, then so too may we condemn the Psalmist and the Prophet Jeremiah. Remember that Elihu says to Job - "in this you are not righteous." That is, in his complaining, Job was not righteous. But if that is so, then so too are the Psalmist and the prophet.

He says Job says that "God watches all my paths." So, what is wrong with that? God does watch our paths. Even more than that, he actually does think upon each of us. (See Psalm 14: 17) The same sentiment was expressed by the Psalmist and the prophet.

Elihu said "God is greater than man. Why do you contend with Him?"

So, Job did not already know that God was greater than man? That was insulting. Further, when did Job contend, or fight with, God? That was putting words into Job's mouth. Job would never have been a rebel to his God. Job contended with his counselors, and in their minds this was tantamount to his contending with God, for in their minds they have equated themselves with God. 

In the above words he does not add anything new but makes the same points, the same accusations, as did his three seniors. Ironically, this is what he promised he would not do! He does in fact answer Job with similar words to that of the three, though he said he would not answer Job with their words. 

Elihu says "My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge" and "Truly I am as your spokesman before God."

What presumption! What arrogance! Of course, God does not have this same opinion of Elihu. What hypocrisy too! He condemns Job for what he himself does! He can say he is perfectly righteous, and it not be unrighteous, but if Job says he is upright and speaks truth, then he is judged as unrighteous.