So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him. Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he. But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:
“I am young in years,
and you are old;
that is why I was fearful,
not daring to tell you what I know.
I thought, ‘Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.’
But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
It is not only the old who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.
“Therefore I say: Listen to me;
I too will tell you what I know.
I waited while you spoke,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
let God, not a man, refute him.’
But Job has not marshaled his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your arguments.
“They are dismayed and have no more to say;
words have failed them.
Must I wait, now that they are silent,
now that they stand there with no reply?
I too will have my say;
I too will tell what I know.
For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me compels me;
inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst.
I must speak and find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.
I will show no partiality,
nor will I flatter anyone;
for if I were skilled in flattery,
my Maker would soon take me away.
- Job 32:1-22
Job 31:1-40 ”As Job became more forceful in his pursuit of being cleared of false accusations, he intensified the claim that he was innocent, comparatively speaking, and demanded justice. In situations where an individual was innocent, he would attest to it by taking an oath before the king or a deity. This procedure found among Job’s neighboring nations was often protocol for court procedures. The repeated ‘If … then’ statements amount to the terms of the oath: ‘If’ tells what Job might have done wrong; ‘then’ describes a curse which could result. He accepted the curses (the ‘then’ statements through the chapter) if he deserved them. This represented Job’s last attempt to defend himself before both God and man.”
- John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)
The Message
Job’s final defense is finished. His three friends cannot refute Job. Job is righteous in his own eyes.
Being righteous in their own eyes is a derogatory statement. None of us can claim being sinless, and God granting us righteousness due to washing away our sins is nothing that we should be proud of. We did nothing to obtain that. It was all God’s doing, redeemed by the blood of Christ. So being righteous in our own eyes means full of pride with the thought that we do not need God.
I do not feel that Job is full of pride. He knows that he tried to do everything right. While not perfect, Job was not wicked. The friends were claiming wickedness, but the friends had given up on Job. Someone who is righteous in their own eyes will never listen to correction or rebuke. They do not think anything that they have done is “that bad.”
This righteousness in our own eyes applies, in part, to those who think there is a tilting scale, and they must do more good than bad, and then God will grant them entry. This is not the case, but then who decides how much more good than bad? One what type of scale are these deeds placed? This is a common theme among many people that I have talked to, but God sees the slightest flaw, and we are unqualified to enter His presence. We cannot earn our way to Heaven. It is a gift based on our trust in God, specifically in Jesus. The good deeds are then an outpouring of the love that God places within us.
But that being said, the three “friends” go silent, and in steps a new friend. It is Elihu, son of Barakel the Buzite.
Elihu spends all this chapter introducing himself. His anger cannot be contained. He is young, but not brash. Was he there from the beginning? If so, why was Elihu not mentioned in Job 2? The three friends communicated with each other. They met and discussed the matter. Then they decided to go to Job to offer comfort. Oddly, they said nothing at first. That is comforting in that the presence of a friend can be comforting in such times. But then they ruined it by opening their mouths.
But Elihu is not just angered by Job’s self-righteousness, but in the other three friends. The “friends” made good arguments, but they never proved anything. They could never penetrate Job’s defenses. They had no proof.
But Elihu, in anger, says that he knows why Job is suffering. He had stayed silent because he was younger. He would let the gray-haired wisdom rule the day, but they were now silent.
When I was growing up, I was told countless times that I was to be seen and not heard. That may be because I tried to add my opinion on occasion. But at what age does your opinion count? Or is it like this discussion, when four people are against one and the other three cannot think of a reply, then it becomes your turn?
But Elihu promises a different tactic.
But there is a warning sign in this introduction to Elihu’s oratory. Elihu is angry. When we get angry, we are prone to making more mistakes. We may claim righteous indignation, but only God can truly pull that one off. God is Holy. We are not. And when angry, there seems to be a disconnect between wisdom and our voice.
And now let us sing.
The following song is Be Humble. This is sung by Risen Tunes. Some of the words from the “friends” might be correct, at least in part. They had no proof of Job’s guilt and maybe the reason why the “friends” could not take Job at his word was they were too proud to give up their mistaken ideas.
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom. Lord, I have sinned. I am not perfect, and sometimes when I was young, I spoke out, thinking that my idea of what life was all about was at least as good as what others were saying. Sometimes, it is better to be seen and not heard. But then there is the time to speak. Remind us to be humble, but also remind us when to speak. And always remind us that when we are angry, we need to keep our mouth shut. In thy Name we pray.
Amen
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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