Elihu wrote the book of job study

It is common to view the narrative frame as the original core of the book, enlarged later by the poetic dialogues and discourses, and sections of the book such as the elihu speeches and the wisdom poem of chapter 28 as late insertions, but recent trends have tended. Job is the perfect target for this because his speeches pose questions. This is the first mention of elihu in the book of job. Because he appears, dominates all discussion and then abruptly leaves, some modern commentators think that he wasnt really part of the story and was inserted into the account later by the author or another editor. The difficulty in the book of job is over the nature and the cause of his afflictions, it touches on the philosophical discussion about the problem of evil, and human suffering which is a classic problem that has yet to be given a classic answer. Elihu, mentioned in this book, is one of the miserable comforters of job. But this claim is rejected by many modern scholars and instead they suggest that elihu, solomon, and ezra could be the authors of the book. Other suggestions have included ezra, solomon, job himself, and elihu. The book of job has 42 chapters, and the tribulation period has 42 months as outlined in the book of revelation. The book of job this book of job stands by itself, is not connected with any other, and is therefore to be considered alone. Not only do they incur the indignation of job and his other friend elihu, but god himself rebukes them, saying to eliphaz, i am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant job has. The book of job is a true story set in poetry, which delves into the feelings and emotions of the human mind when faced with trauma and suffering, since poetry is the language of the heart, job reveals the innermost thoughts of men more so than outward deeds.

A key to understanding the first theme of the book is to notice the debate between god and satan in heaven and how it. Irving jensen, jensens survey of the old testament, p. Some bible scholars debate whether he was an actual person or legend, but job is mentioned as a historical figure by the prophet ezekial ezekial 14. His speech uses material and language from the other speeches that we heard first. The book defends the absolute glory and perfection of god it sets. Elihu is identified only as the son of barakel the buzite, of the family of ram job 32. Job pronounced jobe, was a rich farmer living in the land of uz, somewhere northeast of palestine. Typology study on elihu blessed hope baptist church. Stedman believes that there are four reasons that elihu is an integral part in the book of job. The third and best understanding of elihus role in the book of job is that he helps to prepare job for gods appearance in the whirlwind. Elihu gives several speeches that carry with them many elements of biblical wisdom, but the final wisdom to be found in this great book comes not from jobs friends or from elihu, but from god himself. Its the point of job the book of job that theres a whole lot we dont understand. Youve got job and his three friends and elihu all trying to explain god, but in. The bulk of elihu s speech then focuses on the justice of god, which elihu feels job has maligned.

When the debate between job and his friends is brought to a close, elihu for the first time makes his appearance, and delivers his opinion on the points at issue job 3237 37. The book of job tells how one man suddenly awakened to the anarchy rampant in the world, yet his attachment to god outlived the ruin of his tidy system. The most likely candidates are job, elihu, moses, and solomon. Most of us would point out that it deals with the question of human suffering. Unfortunately, two erroneous interpretations of jobs theses are by far the most popular.

First, the name elihu is a variant spelling of the name elijah, and elihus actions in the book of job suggest a strong connection to the great prophet. In job 3237 elihu offers a response to job that lifts up the lord, condemns jobs three friends, and rightly confronts job. In the book of job of the bible why is elihu not guilty. Copeland this study guide is from the executable outlines series, a collection of sermon outlines and bible study lessons by mark a. Singapore moses messenger of god, ceo in it industry, astronaut, scientist elihu was a descendant of buz, the second son of nahor, the brother of abraham gen. The book of job is widely regarded as one of the great written masterpieces of history, equally impressive for the depth of the issues it wrestles with and the great literary quality it displays. Elihu had just finished addressing jobs friends in chapter 32 when he begins to talk directly to job in chapter 33. Elihu was one of jobs friendsnot one of the three who had come to comfort job at the beginning of the book, but one who arrives later and offers the last and longest single speech to job. Tennyson the book of job taken as a mere work of literary genius, is one of the most. In his study on the book the book of job, quality pub. In this frequently discussed and often disputed book, one of the most frequently discussed and most often disputed figures is the character of elihu, a young.

With large parts of job being the arguments of his friends which are afterwards being repudiated by god himself, and job repen. The book of job 3 the book of job introduction to the book the book of job has long been praised as a masterpiece of literature. The book of job 4 is dull and uninteresting have a real surprise awaiting them as we enter into as interesting a story as anyone as ever read anywhere the book of job. The book of job was written like a historical poem, but was treated as an actual event in the bible. Study guide for job 32 by david guzik blue letter bible. In job 32 elihu focuses his response on rebuking jobs three friends, eliphaz, bildad, and zophar. In the book of job, it becomes clear that the first three of jobs friends eliphaz, blidad, and zophar speak wrongly.

Then the wrath of elihu, the son of barachel the buzite, of the family of ram, was aroused against job. According to the sacred writer, the truly wise man should realize that the fear of the lord, that is wisdom. He loses all he has and suffers a multitude of trials ranging from personal, to financial, to emotional, and then needlessly suffers recriminations at the. If moses was the author, the date would be around 1440 b. Jobs counsel reaches a higher level with some deep insights by elihu. With much space given to elihu, surely there is some importance to it. Because elihus speech, which appears in the book of job chapters 3237, differs in style from the rest of the work and because he is not mentioned elsewhere in itas the other three comforters arescholars consider his. When we concluded our readings on the book of job in the bible meditator, we wondered about the messages of elihu, the young man who listened to the debate between job and his friends. The book takes its name from the main character in the poem, the patriarch job.

Above all, the book of job will force you to think deeply about god the father and about jesus christ, the son of god. The book treats two major themes and many other minor ones, both in the narrative framework of the prologue chaps. You will find that god does not mention elihu when he rebukes the others near the end of the book, which would seem to mean there was nothing wrong with what elihu had said. Elihu, the son of barachel the buzite, of the family of ram. The date of the authorship of the book of job would be determined by the author of the book of job. The role and character of elihu in the book of job the. Job is a pious believer who is struck by misfortune so great that it cannot be explained in the usual way as a prompting to repentance, a warning, let alone a punishment the arguments later. Ones understanding of date below contributes to ones understanding of the. Elihu charges job with adding to his sin by multiplying words against god without knowledge 34. The book of job is considered being part of the poetic books job, psalms, proverbs, ecclesiastes, and song of songs in todays bible editions.

He concludes his speech with an effort to speak on gods behalf and by ascribing righteousness to the almighty. Elihu, the forgotten prophet of job the book of job is one of the most important of the entire bible, and is a prerequisite to all discussions of christian theology, particularly theodicy. Evidence that elihu prepared job for god the bible meditator. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain. The book of job does not specifically name its author. If someone asked you what the book of job was about, how would you answer. Job means one persecuted as israel has been and will be persecuted.

The babylonian talmud claims, moses wrote his own book, and the passages about balaam and job baba bathra, 14b, 15a. Taken from nelsons new illustrated bibkle dictionary. What were the names of jobs four friends that spoke to him throughout the book of job. Where did the biblical story of creation come from. This seems to undermine if not contradict the message from god in the whirlwind which is basically, i am so mighty that you cannot and need not. In verse 12 he notes, i gave you my full attention. Reception of job in visual art various communities throughout history have found the book of job to be a rich resource for producing visual art that seeks to soothe sufferers, spread hope, and even encourage rebels. Victor hugo the greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature.

Elihu, also spelled eliu, in the hebrew bible, a comforter of job, the biblical prototype of undeserved suffering. The book of job explores the nature of true piety and the problem of innocent suffering. In essence, job is an essay on the problem of evil. The book of job is quite possibly the strangest book in the hebrew bible, and is notoriously difficult to date. Elihu concluded that the friends had condemned job without finding an answer for him and elihu was angered against job for justifying himself rather than god job 32. The book of job is included among the wisdom writings precisely because it teaches man that pain and suffering are a mystery of divine wisdom. Elihu must have been a very young man to be calling job and his friends very old. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, i should save job. Possibly before any other book in the bible depending upon who wrote it. So these three men ceased answering job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. The book of job consists of a prose prologue and epilogue narrative framing poetic dialogues and monologues.

God speaks to job, rebukes his friends, and blessesrestores job. The book tells the story of a man who loses everything. The book of job is written in the form of a dramatic poem, that deals with several age old questions, among them the question of why the righteous suffer. Interpretations of elihu in job biblical hermeneutics. Job will press you to think carefully, with doctrinal thoughtfulness and depth, about how the universe is governed. Rabbinic tradition does not attempt to identify an author other than suggesting that the writer must have preceded moses. The son of tohu, and grandfather of elkanah 1 samuel 1.

Thus the book shows us how the righteous should bear up under suffering you have heard of the perseverance of job jm 5. The idea that elihu may be the author is based on job 32. And so, its irrational for us to think that we can explain the i said all i said to make this point. The work is grouped with proverbs and ecclesiastes as a product of the wisdom movement, even though it contains what might be called an antiwisdom strain in that the hero.