Job 32

“Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited to speak to Job. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused. So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: ‘I am young in years, and you are very old; therefore I was afraid, and dared not declare my opinion to you. I said, “Age should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.” But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Great men are not always wise, nor do the aged always understand justice. Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me, I also will declare my opinion.’” Job 32:4-10 (NKJV)

In today’s chapter, we are introduced to Elihu. Elihu has been silently present for all the conversations leading up to this point. Perhaps because he was young, he felt the voices of age-old wisdom should speak. Not only did the old guys fail to put Job in his place, but Job ended up silencing them by proclaiming the truth of God’s Word. Job’s older friends’ failure to coerce a confession teaches us two important lessons about departing from God’s Word: 1) You lose your moral ground, and 2) You eventually lose your followers!

“Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” Proverbs 29:18 (NIV)

Elihu casts off his restraint. Because there was no Godly leadership and clear direction from God’s Word, Elihu lost his faith in the establishment. A youth movement was born.  We see that same scenario developing in the Church at large today, and often for obvious reasons. Many young people are frustrated with the hypocrisy and inefficiency they have experienced in the Church. But some of the assumptions put forth from certain emerging strains are just as off base as Elihu’s rebuke of Job! The way to combat a lack of Godliness in the establishment is not just to be more creative and mysterious but to be adherent to God’s Word.

There is nothing wrong with youthful passion or even rebuking the establishment as long as one is meek. “Meekness” is power under submission, and Godly meekness for young people means submitting all that youthful energy to the authority of Scripture and the direction of the Holy Spirit. Contrast Elihu’s words with Paul’s exhortation to Timothy:

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” 1 Timothy 4:12-13 (NIV)

The source of Elihu’s boldness was nothing more than old-fashioned, youthful, rebellious gut feelings: “The spirit in a person.” But Paul reveals how a young person can be justified in boldly leading people much older than himself: By being an example in all that he is & does through reading, preaching, and teaching the Bible.