Above: The Wrath of Elihu, by William Blake
Image in the Public Domain
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Job 36:14-37:24
Psalm 11
Matthew 8:5-13 or John 4:43-54
Jude 1-25 or Hebrews 13:9-14, 17-25
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Elihu’s speeches contain much that sounds pious. Job 36:24-37:24 supports this generalization. We read, among other things, that we should praise God and that divine grandeur exceeds our knowledge of it. Elihu even sounds like God in Job 38-41, the “I am God and you are not” speeches:
Mediate on God’s wonders.
Can you tell how God controls them
or how his clouds make the lightning flash?
Can you tell how he holds the clouds in balance:
a miracle of consummate skill?
When your clothes are hot to your body
and the earth lies still under the south wind,
can you help him to spread the vault of heaven,
Or temper the mirror of cast metal?
–Job 37:14b-18, The Jerusalem Bible (1966)
I prefer the God of Job 42:7-8 to the God of Job 38-41, for the former acknowledges that Job was correct. For some reason I have really noticed Job 43:7-8 during the preparation for this series of posts, despite the many times I have read that passage over the years. Part of the wonder of scripture is that one can always find something one has missed.
Among my favorite aspects of Judaism is the practice of arguing faithfully with God. The character of Job exemplifies that well. He is, contrary to an inaccurate cliché, impatient and argumentative–justifiably, I contend. Yes, we can take refuge in God, but this does preclude a good argument now and then.
We should repent of and express remorse for our sins, as grace helps us to recognize them. As we do so, we ought to follow the advice of Hebrews 13:13-15 and follow Jesus, who healed people around whom he was not present, into the world as pilgrims each day. We might suffer reproach, but the servant is not greater than the master. Sometimes we will suffer for reasons neither we nor others understand, or because of the sins of others. That is simply reality.
One lesson to learn from the Book of Job is the difference between speaking the truth in love and blaming the victim. Unfortunately, recognizing that distinction can prove difficult in the moment. May we, by grace, prove innocent of being like Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar the Naamathite, and Elihu, who were sincerely wrong and not helpful.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 COMMON ERA
PROPER 19: THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR C
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAPHNUTIUS THE GREAT, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF UPPER THEBAID
THE FEAST OF NARAYAN SESHADRI OF JALNA, INDIAN PRESBYTERIAN EVANGELIST AND “APOSTLE TO THE MANGS”
THE FEAST OF SAINT PATIENS OF LYONS, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP
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Adapted from this post:
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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