The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 525

HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-13.-Elihu'sfii-st address to Job: 1. .An e:i:posure of Job's sin, I. ELm'IJ nESPEAKS JoB'S ATTENTION. This be doe.son four distinct grounds. 1. That what he was about to say had been deliberately, thoroughly, and impartially weighed. (Ver. 2.) He was not about to open bis mouth at random or under any feeling of excitement; but after having tasted every word, as it were, in his palate-a metaphor suggestive of the wiee discrimination with which both his thoughts had been prepared and his language selected. "A fool's mouth pouret.h forth foolishness: but the tongue of the wise usetb knowledge aright" (Prov. xv. 2). The conduct of Elihu is worthy of imitation by all, but especially by preachers of the gospel, who should never speak on sacred thinge without long, wise, painful, prayerful premeditation and preparation. 2. That what lie was about to say would be uttered with the utmost sincerity. (Ver. 3.) The harangues of the friends had been conspicuously lacking in words of uprightness (eh. vi. 25). Elihu's orations should be the uprightness of his heart. (1) They should be pure and unmixed truth, not fancies or speculations, ancient maxims or wise apos thegms, such as Elipha.z, Bildad, and Zophar had dealt in, but ascertained facts, estab:. lisbed doctrines, verified experiences. (2) They should be clearly and simply stared, "ithout any adventitious mixture of rhetoric or eloquence, without any meretricioU:• graces of la.ngua.ge or ornaments of diction that would only serve to hide the truth, which they pretended to convey. (3) They should be honestly and honourably mcant1 not advanced simply for the sake of argument, or in order to exhibit the speaker's skill, and still less with any sinister purpose as regards the hearer, but as believed to have a direct and important bearing on the subject in hand. The determination of Elihu again deserves the earnest study of Christian ministers, who, in the prosecution of their sacred callings, should remember to set forth the pure and unadulterated truth of God, like St. Paul (1 Cor. ii. 2), like St. Peter (1 Pet. iv. 11), and to do so with "great plain~ ness of speech" (2 Cor. iii. 12), never seeking to exalt self (1 Cor. ii. 1-5; ix. 16)·or to please men (Gal. v. 11; 1 Thess. ii. 4), but always to glorify God (1 Cor. x. 31) and edify the hearer (1 Cor. xiv. 3; 2 Cor. xiii. 10). 3. That what he was about to say was, in a certam l!e'11,Se, an inspiration of tM ..Almighty. (Ver. 4.) 'l'o redeem the language from a charge of strperftuity, if not of presumption, it must he held that Elihu l1ere claims to be the subject of a Divine afflatus, which so excited within his breast the convictions he then possessed that they were completely irrepressible. Once more Elihu stands forth as a pattern to the messengers of Christ, who, though not perhaps inspired exactly as Elihu was, are yet dependent on that same Spirit's teaching for a perfect understanding of what through the prophets and apostles has been revealed (1 Cor. ii. 9, 10; John xvi. 13---15), and who should aim, in addressing their fellow- creatures on Divine thing~, to have their hearts illumined, excited, and warmed by the light, fire, and beat of the Holy Ghost. That preacher most nearly approaches the ideal of a genuine gospel minister who can in a measure adopt Elihu's words, and describe himself as moved by the Spirit of God, enlightened and set on fire by the breath of the Almighty. II. Eunu CHALLENGES Jol! I; REFUTATION. Job had frequently asserted that he could triulllpbautly repel any charges that might be brought against him (eh. xiii. 22_; xxiii. 4-7; xxxi. 35-37). Accordingly E!ihu requests him to prepare such a vindi- cation of himself as he bad spoken of. On the supposition that Job was right, su~h 11 task sLould not be difficult. 1. lflihu was the sort of antagonist whom Job had desi!ed ~ 'lli.eet. (Ver. 6.) Job had urged tLat his invisible opponent was not ~ man h~e hllI1self (eh. ix.. 32), and had craved the intervention of a daysman who might lay h!S Ou, :n.xm. 1-83,] THE BOOK OF JOB. 639