Job 33:5 Commentary and Bible Study

Elihu gives Job an opportunity to respond to what he says, though in fact Job never takes this opportunity. Job must know that he is not being tricked or forced to accept a point of view, but that he remains free. Nevertheless, he should recognise that what is said to him is true and incontrovertible. ’Set your words in order before me; Take your stand’ – this is not so much a confrontational challenge, as a call to Job to face up to his responsibility in examining himself and accepting the truth, no matter how unpalatable. Elihu wants him to pay the closest attention to what he says and to be convinced if what he says is true.Job had wanted God to be in human form and accessible. He had cried out for an audience with God in which he would not be overwhelmed and terrified by the power and majesty of God (Job 9:32=35; 13:20-23). He felt sure that if he had the opportunity to present his case then his complaint would be shown to be justified. Now Elihu presents himself as being the very daysman or mediator between him and God that Job had asked for. He takes up the role that Job has asked for, and so encourages him to put away fear and let the case be settled by argument alone. He is in the place of God to Job and yet not so as to terrify Job, since he also is a spirit in mortal clay and therefore fragile and subject to human weakness. Elihu will speak the words of God without Job having to experience the terror of the Lord. He will speak gently and kindly yet he will not stint from confronting Job with his faults. ‘I am going to be quite different. They threaten you and bombard you and though I put my finger on some of your sins, I will not do anything to make you afraid.’ He comes, representing the Lord as flesh and blood – a picture of Christ: approachable, understandable.God in his kindness sent this believer to reprove his servant before he came and spoke personally to Job. Contrary to what he had expected, he had no answer to give either to Elihu or to the Lord, and this was an admission that he had been wrong in what he said and did not wish to defend himself any further. By these words then he was taught and shown truths about himself that he did not properly understand before.