Elihu calls for repentance from Job because of this error. The words of a man who is defending himself may consist of a mixture of good and bad. In his defence there may be some valid points, but if he sees some very clear respect in which he has done wrong, he will be brought to repentance in spite of the presence also of some good. ‘Many that are just yet, in some particular instances, do not speak and act like themselves’ (Matthew Henry). It is not good, just because a man is good at heart, to ignore such things and fail to correct them. A good man is good just because he pays attention to such errors and confesses them to God, but sometimes even a good man needs an honest reminder from another child of God that he has gone wrong to help him recover.
Elihu’s attitude to Job was one of respect but not of undue respect; he did not flatter him but spoke honestly to him. Respect has gone too far when it brings us to the point where we are afraid to speak of glaring failings in our friend which he is refusing to recognise. The first loyalty of every Christian is to the Lord and his truth, and this always overrides our loyalty to each other when there is a clash between them. Matthew Henry also reminds us that we should not draw a man’s character based from one instance, or some few misplaced words for that would not be just.
The undeniable truth that God is greater than man is a bulwark against error. It must be a clear conviction in the heart of every believer that God is so much greater than they are that there can never be an occasion when he is wrong and we are right. He is above us in knowledge, in foresight, in judgment. For us to argue with him as if we have a better grasp on the truth than he does is an outrage. Do we really think that we know more than God? Don’t we realise that he takes into consideration countless details that are consistent with his eternal purpose? Do we want to take over the task of governing the world and deciding what providence to allocate to each one?
But as Matthew Henry points out, Job had already said as much himself. He had said, ‘He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?’ (Job 9:4), and he had described the works of God in sublime terms and concluded, ‘Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?’ (Job 26:14). He knew all this, and yet he had not applied these truths to his situation as he ought to have done. This only shows how much we may know and yet still fail to see the implications of that knowledge. Under these circumstances we need to hear the same truths, which we already think we know, applied to our hearts by another who understands more clearly than we do, what we lack.
When therefore we find ourselves hard pressed and tempted to find an explanation for our troubles in a failing on God’s part, we must shut off that consideration as a blind alley which it is sinful to explore. We must return to a consideration of our own ways and what reason God might have for dealing with us in this way. We must be ready also to wait for an answer until God has taught us more, but we will still have some explanations available to us in general terms which are consistent with his goodness and wisdom.