Wisdom from an unlikely source.

Wisdom from an unlikely source.
Job 32-34
“Against Job, his anger burned because he justified himself before God. And His anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.”
The sudden appearance of Elihu is surprising. He is not mentioned at the start of the book, and there is no mention of him throughout the narrative. He suddenly appears and then, when he is completed, he disappears. His arrival is not mentioned, nor is he condemned by God at the end of the book. Yet he serves as the bridge between the arguments of Job and his three friends and the appearance and instruction of God. His appearance again serves to turn traditional wisdom on its head. Throughout the story of Job, the question has not only been about understanding suffering; the quest has been an exploration of conventional wisdom and its limitations. In traditional wisdom, the righteous prosper but the wicked suffer. However, in a broken and fallen world, life does not always adhere to the rules. There are times when the righteous suffer and the wicked seem to enjoy prosperity.    

The appearance of Elihu also serves to be a foil to traditional wisdom. In conventional wisdom, wisdom is found in the aged, and the youth pursue folly. Thus, the young need to be instructed by their elders. But in this case, it is Elihu who imparts wisdom, and the elders are silenced in their folly. In Elihu's extended speech, he navigates the two pitfalls that ensnared Job and his three other friends. The three friends fell into the pit of condemnation, condemning Job because of their assumption that suffering is always caused by sin. Job fell into the pit of self-piety, where he was more concerned about his own justification than he was in seeking to understand the way that God works. Elihu deftly steers between these two errors to guide us into the proper perspective of suffering and faith.

Furthermore, the basis of his understanding is different. While Job and his friends sought to either vindicate or condemn Job, Elihu focuses on God and vindicating God. Thus, he sets the stage for God to speak.  

While the three friends relied upon experience, tradition, and traditional wisdom for their insight, Elihu relies upon the Spirit of God (33:4) as the basis for his perspective. Instead of seeking to condemn or vindicate Job, Elihu points us to a different direction. He reminds us that God does as he pleases according to His wisdom, and He is not accountable to us. Elihu goes to the heart of the issue. The real problem is not how we understand suffering; the real issue is where we seek to find answers for life. To find answers, we must look to the person and the presence of God. (33:1-18). Wisdom does not come from having all the answers but resting in the unknowable sovereignty and wisdom of God. Job and his three friends wrestled over the question “Why?”  Elihu here reminds us that the real question is “Why?”  Understanding does not come from answering the questions of why we face suffering, but in recognizing who is in control of our lives and the universe. Faith is not knowing all the answers, but trusting in God’s power and wisdom when we do not. He is righteous and omniscient; therefore, we are to trust him even when we do not have all the answers (34:10).

When we are going through suffering, we often fall into the trap of Job and his friends. We want answers, and when answers do not come, we question God. Faith that sustains us and gives us perspective in the paradoxes of life is faith centered on the person of God and complete trust in Him. We do not need to know all the answers; we only need to know the one who does!  When you struggle to understand why you face the trials that come your way, remember that God is always in control and is righteous and pure; therefore, we can rest completely in Him.