Elihu the Interpreter Once More

“* If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as My mouth.” Jer. xvie LQ,

“Elihu... said, Suffer me a little... I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf.”” — Chap. xxxvi. 1, 2.

ee is a marked change in Elihu’s language at this point. He resumes his courteous deference of speech, and gently says ‘‘ Suffer me a little, I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf’?.

Has he discovered that he had been speaking on his own behalf ever since he ceased to interpret the working of God to Job, and began to attack him personally? It was not seemly for him to address his elders thus, and deal directly with all that he saw wrong, nor was it his place to apply the message of God.

The Lord could use him to give light upon Job’s path, as long as he retained his modest demeanour, and did not transgress the bounds of courtesy and love, but when ‘the subtle self-sensitiveness had crept in, as a ‘“‘fly in the ointment”’, he had been hurt with the silent reception of the message, and had lost touch with the blessed Spirit of God.

Moreover whilst Elihu spoke from the standpoint of an instrument, a mouthpiece for God — ‘‘ in God’s stead ’’ — all his words were directed by the Spirit, but when his attitude was changed, and he spoke as one retained to plead for God, he lost the marked power of God upon him.

This difference in standpoint is an important one for all who seek to be faithful servants of Jehovah. In speaking for God the listener is assumed to be in the position of an antagonist, to be won over to the Lord’s side by the special pleader, but by the servant who is only a mouthpiece, with the lips yielded to Him for His use, the hearer is brought into direct dealing

io ts with God Himself, having contact with Him through the instrument.

Elihu resumes his right attitude toward the suffering Job, and returning to the position of an interpreter, “* speaking in God’s stead’, the change in tone and language is very striking. The hand of God is upon him again as he proceeds to “‘ ascribe righteousness to [his] Maker”? (v. 3).

Much that Elihu now says is an opening out of his first message about the two classes of instruction in the Lord’s school for training His children. He will fetch his knowledge “* from afar’, and One that is “‘ perfect in knowledge’? is with Job to enable him to recognize that the words of Elihu are true and right (v. 4).

The heart of God

‘Behold God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in

strength of heart.’”’ — Chap. xxxvi. 5, m.

Elihu is truly speaking from the right standpoint now as he tells Job that although the Lord is mighty, yet He despises not any of the weakest of His children. He knoweth their frame and remembereth that they are dust. In all their affliction He is afflicted, yet His strength of heart-love toward them enables Him to bear seeing them suffer for their eternal gain, giving ‘“‘ to the afflicted their right’? (v. 6) after His purpose of love is accomplished.

“* He withdraweth not His eyes’? from His loved ones, but with kings upon the throne He setteth them for ever’? (v. 7).

Elihu’s message is wondrously in accord with the New Testament Scriptures, which unveil the marvellous purpose of God for His redeemed, who are chosen to be kings and priests unto Him, in Christ Jesus their Lord. This is the “right” of the afflicted, for it is written, ‘‘ If so be [they] suffer with Him” they shall be also ‘‘ glorified together’. Even thus does the Lord lift the beggar from the dung-hill to set him among princes. In His purpose of love He has already set the ‘‘ righteous”’ — who are in union with the righteous One — upon the throne of victory with their Lord, and He is ‘‘ mighty in strength of heart’? in patiently fitting them for their future position, therefore He places them in the furnace that they may be prepared for their high and heavenly calling, and learn to overcome, even as their Lord has overcome, and sat down with His Father in His throne.

The kingly soul in bonds

“And if they be bound in fetters, and be taken in the cords of affliction; then He showeth them their work... He openeth also their ear to instruction....”, — Chap. xxxvi. 8-10.

Elihu describes here another aspect of the instruction by suffering. In the first case the servant of God was placed upon his bed, to learn lessons only known through “strong pain’. Here he is pictured as bound and tied with fetters and cords of affliction.

A kingly soul in bonds, learning to endure and to obey, so that he may be fitted to reign. Elihu speaks of the soul as “taken ’’ in the cords of affliction, as if this had come suddenly and unawares.

“Then He sheweth them their work.” The Lord “mighty in strength of heart ’’ flashes His light upon the service of the past, and tenderly shews where His servant has “transgressed ’, in moving without His commands, or “‘ behaved [himself] proudly’? (v. 9), in criticism, or harsh judgment of others; in reliance upon his own capabilities; in assurance of his own knowledge, or in thinking himself indispensible to God. ‘Thus the faithful Lord “opens” the “‘ ear” of His children to instruction, and they are taught of Him.

The way of deliverance “He... commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they hearken... prosperity, and... pleasantness... If they hearken not ... the sword....” — Chap. xxxvi. 10-12, m.

God withdraws His servants from their work to sift and to test it. ‘‘ He sheweth ... that they have behaved themselves proudly. .. He commandeth that they return”. He convicts only that He may deliver. He rebukes to bless. He wounds that He may heal.

The faithful Lord reveals sin in its true light. Any shade of pride is called iniquity, and every transgression needs a “‘ return” to God for His pardon and cleansing, as at the very first seeking of Him in early days.

The free choice of the soul is shown in the “‘if’’. Jf His children hearken to His instruction, and elect to serve Him alone, seeking nought but His will and pleasure, then they shall again make their way prosperous and have good success. They shall once more find that His commandments are not grievous; that His ways are ways of pleasantness, and all His paths are peace.

11g “* But if they hearken not ’ — the soul may turn away from the light, even when the ear has been opened by the Lord, and His instruction given — ‘ If they hearken not”’, the faithful God must use the sword in still sharper dealing, and if — oh, terrible if — His child still fails to listen to His faithful teaching, the end must be a lost life — ‘‘ saved so as by fire”’.

Elihu seeks to comfort Job, by reminding him that the godless in heart do not cry to God for help when they are bound with cords of affliction; they are more often angry (v. 13), therefore his very cries to God prove that he knows where to turn in the time of trouble. Did Job not know that God “‘ delivereth the afflicted by his affliction”’, and ‘“‘ openeth their ear by adversity”? (v.15, m.)?

Job had been crying to God for deliverance, and God was answering by leaving him in the furnace, for the fire would burn all bonds, and set him free.

The purpose of God

‘* He would have allured thee out of distress into a broad place.”

—Chap. xxxvi. 16, m.

The soul in the furnace is apt to think the Lord pays no heed to its cry, when it is simply unable to discern His silent working. He leads it out of its distress so softly and gently that it is almost unaware of all that He is doing. He is delivering the afflicted by affliction, and in adversity the ear is being opened to understand the faintest whisper of the Lord. It knows not that it is being ‘ allured ’ — or silently drawn out of its fettered position — into a ‘“‘ broad place’? where there is no “‘ straitness”’? of capacity; no narrowness of vision; no smallness of heart; no lack of spiritual food (v. 16), for it shall be ‘“‘ abundantly satisfied with the fatness’ of His house, and He will spread a table before His freed one in the very presence of its enemies.

The warning

“Beware lest thou be allured by thy sufficiency; neither let the

greatness of the Ransom turn thee aside.” — Chap. xxxvi. 18, m.

Elihu points out to Job that he has been speaking too much of the judgment of the wicked; let him take heed to himself, and beware lest he is allured from his right place before God by his “* sufficiency’, and drawn aside from keen dealing with sin, because of the “‘ greatness of the Ransom’’. All his riches — be they material or spiritual — all the forces of strength, would not avail to bring him out of distress (v. 19) — not even the night of the grave (v. 20). The Lord alone could bring him into the broad place.

Allured by thy sufficiency ’ — Ah, this is the danger of every honoured servant of God. Self-sufficiency at first, and then when this is taken away, and the soul has learnt to draw upon the sufficiency of God,wit is possible for it to be allured from dependence upon Him by the very sufficiency He has given.

Oh, solemn warning that the ‘“‘ greatness of the Ransom”? may even be our snare! It seems that we are able only to grasp one aspect at a time of the stupendous sacrifice of Christ, and the awful holiness of God, so that we either walk in a measure of bondage, judging our fellowship with God by our obedience; or else the grace of God, and the value of the shed and sprinkled blood of His Son, are realized to such an extent that we fail to deal severely with sin, or disobedience, in our daily walk.

The soul’s choice “Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather

than affliction.”’ — Chap. xxxvi. 21.

Job had ‘‘ behaved himself proudly” in his self-vindication, and it is described as iniquity.

Take heed, regard not iniquity,’ Elihu says. ‘“‘ Job, thou hast chosen it rather than affliction; chosen to defend thyself rather than be silent and endure; chosen to take thy cause into thine own hands.”

At every step of the life of faith in God, the soul has a choice before it, and it is always possible to choose the easier path rather than the path of affliction. Elihu speaks of the need of guarding the eyes. It is better to choose unhesitatingly the right course without one glance at any other path, however lawful it may seem. Many may think this choice an. easy matter, but placed in such a crucible as Job was in — what then?

‘Who is a Teacher like unto Him?’ exclaims Elihu, as he thus unfolds the patient dealing of God with His children, and His mighty strength of heart-love toward them. How tenderly He shows them their work; opens their inward ear to understand His instruction; delivers them from their bonds by the fiery trial; and gently allures them out into the broad place where there is no straitness.

Behold God doeth loftily in His power,’ none can teach Him His way, nor charge Him with unrighteousness. Let Job magnify His work, and remember that man can only look upon it “‘ afar off”? (v. 25), for He is so great that we cannot know Him, and understand Him, as He is, and was, in the far back ages of eternity (v. 26).

The Storm “* Hearken ye unto the noise of His voice, and the muttering that goeth out of His mouth... God thundereth marvellously with His voice.”’ — Chap.

XXXVil. 2-5, m.

Whilst Elihu is speaking a great storm gathers up, and the group upon the ash-mound are wrapped in darkness, broken only by the vivid flashes of lightning.

Elihu knows God, and so his whole being responds with. delight to the manifestation of the majesty of Jehovah in ‘* the storm that cometh up’? (v. 33). His words read as if he stood watching the play of the lightning with exultant joy, spontaneously breaking out with the description to the group of men around him.

To Elihu it seems as if Jehovah had come forth in His pavilion; the thunderings betokening His presence, the light spread around His throne (chap. xxxvi. 29, 30). His hands are covered with the lightning, each flash proceeding from Him ‘‘ against the assailant’ (v. 32, m.).

Elihu confesses that he trembles in the presence of this mighty Jehovah, but ‘‘ Hearken”’, he cries, to ‘‘ His voice’’. The lightning flashes from His hands to the ends of the earth, and then His glorious voice thunders with majesty (chap. XXXVii. 2-5). Who can comprehend the workings of a God so marvellous in His power; He speaks to the snow and it falls (v. 6). He breathes and the “‘ ice is given’, the breadth of the waters is congealed (v. 10, m.): He turns about and guides the lightning (v. 11, 12), all fulfil His will upon the face of the world, whether for “‘ correction”? or ‘‘ mercy” upon His land (v. 13).

“* Hearken unto this, O Job,’’ continues Elihu, ‘‘ Consider the wondrous works of God’’ (v.14). Dost thou know how God causeth lightning to obey Him (v. 15); how He balances the clouds (v. 16); how He quieteth the earth with the south wind (v. 17, m.); and spreads out the sky like a molten mirror (v. 18)?

Job — What shall we say unto Him” — Jehovah the Omnipotent One? Shall He be told that we would speak to Him? or shall we wish we were swallowed up out of His sight (v. 20)? We are not able to look on the light when it is bright in the skies (v. 21).

See, Job, the ‘‘ golden splendour’? in the north, what terrible majesty (v. 22)! He is “‘ excellent in power”’, yet in plenteous justice He shall not afflict, nor do violence to poor finite man (v. 23). Men are afraid of Him because they know human wisdom is naught before Him (v. 24).

Job, Chapter xxxviii, xxxix, xl. 1-5.