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Elihu, the fourth and youngest of Job’s friends, began lecturing him in chapter 32, and his denunciation continued to chapter 37. Our devotional continues with today’s Scripture reading, Job 35 and 36. Elihu’s charged Job with three libelous accusations (Job 35), and then proposed to “Speak on God’s Behalf” (Job 36). In light of Elihu’s youthful, hypocritical zeal, I close with a quote attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care!” Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

We were introduced to Elihu in the previous devotional (Job 32). Provoked by the failure of Job’s friends, and incensed by his protests of innocence (32:2-3), Elihu confessed he was “ready to burst” with his own opinion. Elihu then accused Job of daring to reproach God, and suggested the LORD had treated him as an enemy (33:7-10). Though the youngest of the four men, Elihu charged Job with entertaining high opinions of himself, and having a false view of God (34:5-9). Though he mistook the cause of Job’s sorrows, Elihu nevertheless stated great insights into the attributes of God (34:10-30). Warning: Zeal without knowledge is dangerous!

In chapter 32, we learn there was a younger man who had listened to the dispute between Job and his friends. Elihu had deferred to his elders; however, the silence of Job’s “friends” stirred him to no longer hold his tongue…Elihu’s words were lofty, but his spirit was negative (32:12). Unable to contain himself any longer, Elihu asserted: “I will speak” (Job 32:20–22).

Our previous devotional found Job recalling the way life used to be (Job 29). Of course, those were the “good old days,” before Job experienced catastrophic losses and afflictions. Job’s circumstances were now changed, and instead of esteem, he was mocked by lesser men (30:1-14). Grief took hold of Job (30:16)…His muscles ached (“my sinews take no rest”) beneath his skin, while open oozing sores exposed the extent of the infection above. He moaned and groaned (30:27-30), and in the words of the late preacher J. Vernon McGee, sang “The Desert Blues” (30:31).

Having lost everything, the sting of feeling abandoned by God pierced Job’s soul day and night. He was grieved by friends who alleged he must be guilty of some wickedness. He felt God was turned against him. He had believed his prosperity would last forever. For Job, times had changed, and he was left with only memories of better days. Copyright @ 2023 - Travis D. Smith