Job 33:31

After this glowing utterance in which Elihu brings in God in His grace, he turns to Job. "Do you have anything to say? Then answer me." But Elihu waits in vain. Job's lips are sealed.

Elihu addresses himself directly to Job, for it was Job who needed an answer for his predicament. Elihu wanted time to say all that was on his mind, yet he did not demand that he should do all the speaking. Rather, he invites Job to speak out plainly if he has anything to say. Elihu was not putting Job down, as his friends did. He wanted Job to be justified. He did not mean that Job should justify himself, for this was already Job's tragic mistake. No doubt he wanted Job to be justified from God's viewpoint, just as the tax collector was justified rather than the Pharisee, when he prayed, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"

Elihu was for Job; but he was not for his self-righteousness. Against this he was angry. When the blessed Jesus walked this earth, nothing made Him so angry as the self-righteousness of the Pharisees. At this He was filled with indignation. You may have been deeply grieved that you could not be self-righteous, so as to justify yourself. The very attempt has grieved Him more.

He brings the light of "truth" to bear upon Job's conscience. At the same time he applies the precious balm of "grace" to his heart… Truth puts everyone in his right place. And just because it does so, it cannot hand out flattering titles to a poor guilty mortal, however much that mortal might enjoy them. Man must be brought to know himself, to see his true condition, to confess what he really is. This was precisely what Job needed. He did not know himself, and his friends could not give him that knowledge. He needed to be led down into the depths; but his friends could not take him there. He needed self-judgment; but his friends were completely unable to produce it.

And now, Job, what have you to say to all this? Elihu wants to bring out Job's true condition — he would not excuse his wrong, but treat him with complete fairness. He pauses for a reply: Job is not to be forced, but does he not agree with what has been said? May we not read his silence as an acknowledgment of the truth of what we have been dwelling on?

Those who carry far more weight in godliness and discernment see him differently. In him they find a fairer and fuller assessment of Job and his friends. They also find the first real insight, shown throughout the book, into the place and aim of discipline through suffering.

Job then had nothing to say. No doubt he recognised that Elihu's message was higher than he had considered, and he wisely chose to listen.