Job 32:1-5 English Standard Version

1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. 3 He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

We all have opinions and some of us are heavily opinionated. Here in this sudden appearance of Elihu we might learn a lesson about opinions. 

Job 32:18 English Standard Version (ESV) For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me.

Elihu allowed his anger to break the constraints of the spirit. In doing so Elihu chose his opinion over God’s opinion. Given what God had to say to all of Job’s friends, it would seem that Elihu would have been better off keeping his temper and his opinions to himself.

Rendering opinions in anger sounds like a really bad idea. When we are angry, we are out of control. Opinion in anger, no matter how right it might be will be received with resistance because none of us enjoy coming under attack.

What defines opinions?

The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia has an interesting offering; ce‘ippim, from ca‘aph, “to divide or branch out,”  This is a biblical definition that admits opinions vary and can cause division. Perhaps we can offer that Job being righteous in his own eyes is nothing more than Elihu’s opinion. If this is true, then there might be other opinions about Job. Which ones are true? God’s opinion of course.

A worldly definition of opinion is a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. Given that this is consistent for all humans, how much weight do we give the opinion of others?

The way we collect information is important. Who we trust in collecting that information is vital. We have a plethora of sources for information and disinformation. Some have devious agendas which are not readily obvious to us. Anything that differs from how we feel is closely scrutinized. Feelings are the most unreliable source for rendering an opinion but it is a major factor. We see it almost daily as conversations use key words used to solicit deep emotional responses.

2 Kings 23:17 English Standard Version (ESV) Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted[a] these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.”

In 2 Kings 23:17, the King James Version has “title” for tsiyyun. The word is connected with tsawah, “to command,” and King James Version seems to have understood tsiyyun as “that giving directions,” “sign-posts” (compare Ezekiel 39:15). The word, however, means “grave-stone,” “monument.” Ref. International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

The word title came to me this morning and in doing my study this morning I discovered it is not used in the ESV at all and appears only five times in the KJV. Once in second Kings, twice in Job and twice in the gospel of John.

Job 32:21-22 King James Version

21 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.22 For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away.

Elihu’s comments gave me pause as I considered how the word title was used in the gospel of John.

John 19:19 King James Version (KJV) And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews.

For Jesus Christ, His monument, His sign-post, His directions were not at His grave site, it was His Cross. The message of the Cross is clear but until today I had not discovered how God’s Word had connected all the dots to give that deeper meaning to it as a monument.

I discovered this only because the Lord gave me a word and I went where the Lord led me. In my thinking it might have been about titles like apostle, pastor, teacher, priest, but I was wrong.

We must give way to what we think we know in order to discover what the Lord is showing us.

In the grand scheme of things this is not important, but the next Word of the Lord might have some significant impact on someone’s life. We never know until we listen and follow where the Lord is leading us.