Job 36:1

JOB 36

ELIHU'S FOURTH AND FINAL SPEECH (JOB 36-37):

NOT WHAT ELIHU SAID; BUT THE PURPOSE OF HIS WORDS IS DETERMINATIVE

We cannot agree with many scholars who find commendable sayings in the words of Elihu. Of course, out of context, there are commendable sayings; but the invariable purpose of everything he said was that of bringing about Job's renunciation of his integrity, the same being the primary purpose of Satan himself. This is much like the speeches of certain rights activists who preached non-violence in such a manner as to provoke the most violent and bloody riots and demonstrations.

No speech with an evil purpose is a good speech, regardless of the content of it.

Barnes mistook the purpose of Elihu's speech, supposing it to be that of, "Vindicating the justice of God."[1]

The divisions of this chapter, according to Barnes are: (1) "The introduction (Job 36:1-4); God's purpose in sufferings is that of discipline and improvement (Job 36:5-14); if Job had manifested the right spirit, God would have been merciful to him also (Job 36:15-17); Job is threatened with ruin and destruction (Job 36:18-21); Job lectured on the wisdom of God (Job 36:22-25); Elihu here begins a lecture on the wonders of God in the natural world, a theme that is carried into the next chapter, where it is completed."[2]

Job 36:1-4

ELIHU'S CLAIM TO HAVE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE

"Elihu also proceeded, and said,

Suffer me a little, and I will show thee;

For I have yet somewhat to say on God's behalf.

I will fetch my knowledge from afar,

And ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

For truly my words are not false:

One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee."

No one should miss the unqualified arrogance and egotism of such a declaration as this. He pretended to be speaking on God's behalf; but his speech was totally dedicated to the destruction of Job's confidence in his integrity, that being, of course, not God's purpose at all, but Satan's.

"I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker" (Job 36:2). This sounds innocent enough, but what he was saying here is that, "There has been no miscarriage of justice in Job's case."[3] He is getting just what he deserves.

"I will fetch my knowledge from afar" (Job 36:3). This was a claim of far-reaching wisdom on Elihu's part.

"One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee" (Job 36:4). We love the way James Moffatt's Translation of the Bible (1929) rendered this: "Here stands a man whose insight is unerring"! What could he have meant by that? Kelly thought, "It was a reference to God,"[4] and Meredith Kline also agreed with this.[5] Thus we have another hint that Elihu pretended to be inspired. One of Satan's devices in all ages has been the enlistment of false prophets and teachers. The meaning of the passage is that, "The truth he is about to reveal comes from a distance, even `from' God Himself."[6]