Chapter 32

Elihu, a young man, is incensed that Job maintains his position that he has not sinned, and that the three friends cannot come up with an answer for what has happened.  He decides to stop being respectful and letting the old men talk, and makes a statement himself.  However, he only does this when the three friends have nothing further to say.

His reason is given here:

2 ...He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. [Job 32:2 ESV]

He goes on to say that he is pretty much bursting with things he wants to say, and just cannot hold back anymore.  He also says this:

8 But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. 9 It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right. [Job 32:8-9 ESV]

By this he proves that he is not wise enough to speak.  It most definitely is the old who are wise.  ...3/9/20...or maybe not.  This statement goes right along with the Rummage sermon yesterday on 1 Cor 2 where it says that because we have the Spirit within us, we can understand what God is thinking, though we cannot understand another person's thinking.  Our spirit and His Spirit communicated.  So Elihu is right...up to a point.  I do not believe vs 9 is a universal principle, but might be right in this case.

Elihu now turns to disparaging the three friends lack of answers.

He says that he is fair to busting with the answer he has at the ready, and that he has bitten his lip for as long as he can.  He prepares to say what is on his mind, without flattery - because he doesn't even know how to flatter.

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