Enter Elihu

Enter Elihu.  Who is this guy?  Where did he come from?  He was apparently not one of Job's three friends.  However, Elihu was close enough to the situation to have heard Job and his three friends' arguments.  

We know Elihu was the youngest person in this story-group of five.  As the youngest, it would have been culturally acceptable for him to remain silent at least until such time that everyone else had exhausted their discourses (as we see is exactly what happened in today's reading starting at Job 32).

Elihu went straight for Job with his input.  He declared clearly that Job was being arrogant and, for that alone, was sinning.  This young man pulled no punches.

After accusing Job, Elihu turned his attention to Job's friends and accused them of senseless rambling.  He basically said what is obvious to any reader of the story - that these guys' arguments sounded more like arguments, for the sake of arguing alone, that were not necessarily based on real conviction or fact.

Elihu is my hero in the story of Job.  But God has not spoken yet...

Father, I am grateful for Job's story.  It does remind me that You are Supreme Ruler and, although we may not understand all that is taking place around us at any given time, that You are certainly free to do whatever You wish.  Please forgive me for ever thinking I could judge Your actions or motives.  You are God - I am simply Your creation.