The
Sunday called Sexagesima, or the
second
Sunday before Lent.
The
Collect.
O
|
LORD God, who seest that we put not
our trust in any thing that we do; Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be
defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 So
these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the
Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he
justified himself rather than God. 3 Also against his three friends
was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned
Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were
elder than he. 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth
of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. 6 And Elihu the son
of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old;
wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. 7 I
said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. 8 But
there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them
understanding. 9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged
understand judgment. 10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also
will shew mine opinion. 11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave
ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say. 12 Yea, I
attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or
that answered his words: 13 Lest ye should say, We have found out
wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man. 14 Now he hath not
directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches. 15 They
were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking. 16 When
I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;) 17 I
said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion. 18 For
I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. 19 Behold,
my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. 20 I
will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. 21 Let
me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering
titles unto man. 22 For I know not to give flattering titles; in so
doing my maker would soon take me away. (Job 32:1-22)
An interesting new personality comes into the picture though he seemingly was
present to hear the arguments of Job and his three friends. Though he has
listened patiently to all discussion, he can no longer remain silent. The
meaning of the name, ELIHU, is "God is Jehovah" and he is the son of
Barachel (meaning God has blessed). He seems to suggest a prefigure of Christ
as an intermediary for Job. This is hinted at in the next chapter: If
there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew
unto man his uprightness: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him
from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be fresher
than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: He shall pray unto
God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy:
for he will render unto man his righteousness. (Job 33:23-26 KJV) He is
young in years (as was Christ), he speaks true theology (Christ was its
Author), and he comes into the scene after the debate has reached a failure to
resolve the matter of Job. So Christ came in the fullness of time to redeem
those who had proven their failure to be righteous.
The three friends stopped their arguments against Job, not because they felt
defeated by Job's words, but because they failed to convince Job of his
unrighteousness. Jesus could not convince the Pharisees of truth for the same
reason. They were righteous in their own eyes. And he spake this
parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous,
and despised others: Two men went up
into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not
as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I
fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the
publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell
you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every
one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall
be exalted. (Luke 18:9-14)
Wisdom knows no parents. Whether uttered by a five year old, or an elderly lady
or gentleman, it still wears the same uniform of truth and reason. Out of
customary respect, Elihu has held his tongue during the exchange but having
heard not even a single answer to Job's argument from his three friends, he can
remain silent no more. When you know a sure truth but do not hear it applied
when it should be, don't we all break the silence with our declarations of it?
In verses 1-5, Elihu is introduced and the reasons for his silence given. This
entire chapter is truly introductory only to a longer discourse by Elihu. After
stating his reasons for remaining silent thus far, Elihu launches into the
three friends for not answering Job's arguments point by point. It should be
pointed out that Job admits that none are righteous before God, but his
insistence upon his own righteousness in the cardinal points of the law does
not give evidence of humility. We are all the same. We will all agree that all
men fall short in righteousness, but we then embark to show how we are somehow
righteous anyway. What nonsense! Please read again the parable above of the
Pharisee and the publican. In his personal works, the Pharisee may have had
more outward signs of righteousness than the publican. The publican was
admittedly a gross sinner, but he KNEW it! He appealed to God out
of humility while the Pharisee made no appeal at all, but boasted out of his prideful
presumed righteousness.
7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach
wisdom. 8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the
Almighty giveth them understanding. 9 Great men are not always wise:
neither do the aged understand judgment. It would normally be
expected that gray hairs speak greater wisdom than youth, so Elihu has
maintained his silence, but he now articulates a great truth: Age does not hold
a monopoly on wisdom and is often devoid of it. Even great men are often
woefully lacking of it. In such a case, age becomes irrelevant to the point
that the God-given wisdom of youth must speak. Wisdom needs no parchment of
certification to prove itself. It bears its own authority and credibility. A
Doctorate of Divinity, or of Law, simply means that the printing press has been
a benefit in the making. Its only worth is the wisdom that perchance was gained
in the earning of it. I have known Christians with very little formal education
whose knowledge of Holy Scripture, and the wisdom to apply it, exceed greatly
the biblical knowledge and wisdom of those who stand as professors of Divinity
in seminaries. How can this be? It is because God gives the wisdom, and He
always has. Have you ever been taught wisdom from the lips of a child? I have –
over and over again.
12 Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there
was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words:
13 Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him
down, not man. The wisdom of man is no match for that of God; or, a
more accurate way to declare it is: there is NO WISDOM apart from that which
comes from God. No man can thrust another down – that role belongs to the Lord
his God. Elihu claims his wisdom on the authority of God and not his own. The
Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life…..
Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the
clay (Job 33:4, 6) Jesus, too, was formed of clay in his Body, but He
stood in the stead of the Father, and was God. Elihu begins this dialogue with
a spirit of humility armed with the courage of Godly wisdom. Such wisdom is
recognized even by fools and will often still their words in their mouths: 14 Now
he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your
speeches. 15 They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off
speaking. Elihu will not answer the arguments Job mad to his friends
since their words lacked wisdom and would not be used by Elihu in response to
Job.
Though youthful, Elihu is full of the confidence of that which wisdom instills.
He has waited and been just `busting' to speak truth where none other have spoken
it though they have used many words empty of meaning. . 16 When I
had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)
17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine
opinion. 18 For I am full of matter, the spirit within me
constraineth me. 19 Behold, my belly is as wine which
hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles
Oppression of free speech is a debilitating force. We grow desperate to speak a
word of wisdom where only words of foolishness have been spoken. It is even
refreshing to share deep and life-changing truths of the Gospel to those who
have heard only error preached from America's pulpits. 20 I
will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
Elihu will not have his speech suppressed.
21 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person,
neither let me give flattering titles unto man. Wisdom needs not
flowery window dressing. It does not respect one person over another – just
like the effects of gravity pull on the Emperor in the same way as the vassal. 22 For
I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon
take me away. If we are respecters of persons, we lose the
credibility of wisdom and honor. It may tickle our ears to be called `Guvenuh"
by the doorman, but are we any more the Governor than before we were addressed.
Actually we become less so if we have not corrected the error on the
spot. Rather than correct the title, the doorman, no doubt, got a handsome tip.
This concludes Elihu's introduction to his following clams in wisdom. But we
have learned that self-righteousness, even in a good man, creates
unrighteousness. Any well articulated arguments that do not lift up the truth
of God, no matter how well meaning, are not wise.
In the Name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. AMEN.
