January 29: Job 35:1 – Job 37:24

Elihu Condemns Job – Job 35

• By assessing the many complaints Job has made, Elihu exaggerates Job's question about what benefit has he received for being good. He goes on to imply that Job's prayers have not been answered because of his pride. 

Elihu Extols God's Greatness – Job 36

• Elihu states his belief: that God is mighty and just in his dealing with humans, and that Job is wrong in believing that the wicked are not punished by God. He also counters Job's other complaints about God. He encourages Job not to reject God's message by failing to cry out to Him for help, and asserts that God means to teach Job something through his affliction.

Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty – Job 37

• Elihu appeals to Job and his friends, as well as anyone else who may be listening, and speaks of the power and might of God, who controls the weather and everything else in the world. He finishes by giving praise to God who is elusive, meaning we cannot find Him, yet merciful.

January 28: Job 32:1 – Job 34:37

Elihu Rebukes Job's Three Friends – Job 32

• Elihu, who has been listening to Job and his three friends, finally speaks.  He is angry at all of them—Job because he has only justified himself, and the three friends because of the way they have accused Job. Elihu has remained quiet thus far because he is younger than the other men, but now he speaks, promising not to show partiality to any of them.

Elihu Rebukes Job – Job 33

• Elihu responds to Job's fear of God, stating that Job has nothing to fear because God's hand will not be heavy on him. He goes on to point out that Job is not righteous in attacking God and in seeing God as his equal, and implies that Job has become proud even though he sits in ashes.
• In response to Job's statement about having nightmares, Elihu points out that perhaps God is trying to teach Job something through his dreams—and that God's primary purpose in getting people's attention through dreams and suffering is to keep them from hell and give them a meaningful life.

Elihu Asserts God's Justice – Job 34

• Elihu defends God's impartiality according to the belief that God will justly punish the wicked (much like Bildad had claimed). He then asks two rhetorical questions: "Shall one who hates justice govern?" and "Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?" (v. 17). He goes on to assert that God does hear the cry of the poor and the afflicted. Although Elihu's conclusion includes sound analysis, it also is an unfair representation of Job's position.