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The Verses

“Then Elihu continued and said,
‘Do you think this is in accordance with justice?
Do you say, “My righteousness is more than God’s”?
For you say, “What advantage will it be to You?
What benefit will I have, more than if I had sinned?”

I will answer you,
And your friends with you.
Look at the heavens and see;
And look at the clouds—they are higher than you.
If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your wrongdoings are many, what do you do to Him?
If you are righteous, what do you give to Him,
Or what does He receive from your hand?
Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,
And your righteousness is for a son of man.

Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;
They cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.
But no one says, “Where is God my Maker,
Who gives songs in the night,
Who teaches us more than the animals of the earth,
And makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?”
There they cry out, but He does not answer
Because of the arrogance of evil people.
God certainly will not listen to an empty cry,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.

How much less when you say you do not look at Him,
The case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!
And now, because He has not avenged His anger,
Nor has He acknowledged wrongdoing well,
So Job opens his mouth with empty words;
He multiplies words without knowledge.’”

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Context and Meaning

In Job 35, Elihu continues to rebuke Job, focusing on Job’s claims that righteousness should be rewarded. He argues that Job has misunderstood God’s justice and offers the following points:

Key Themes:

1. Human Righteousness Does Not Add to God’s Greatness: Elihu argues that God is above human affairs—our sin does not diminish Him, and our righteousness does not benefit Him (v. 5-8).
2. People Cry Out, But Not for the Right Reasons: Elihu suggests that many who suffer cry out for relief, but not in humility—they do not seek God, who gives wisdom and joy even in trials (v. 9-11).
3. God is Not Obligated to Respond: If people pray without sincerity or humility, God is not obligated to answer self-centered cries (v. 12-13).
4. Job’s Complaints Are Empty Words: Elihu believes Job is speaking out of ignorance, failing to understand why God has not responded (v. 14-16).

Elihu’s main argument is that Job is wrongly assuming that his righteousness should bring automatic rewards, and that his prayers for justice are not being answered because of his attitude.

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Reflection and Impact

Elihu’s speech raises some valid theological points, but also contains assumptions about Job’s motives:

• God’s Greatness is Independent of Us: Elihu is correct that God is not dependent on human actions—we cannot add to or take away from His glory (Acts 17:25).
• Prayers Must Be More Than Self-Interest: True prayer seeks God’s presence and wisdom, not just relief from suffering (James 4:3).
• Suffering is Not Always Due to Wrong Motives: While some cry out to God without sincerity, Elihu assumes Job’s prayers are insincere, which is not necessarily true (Job 1:8).

Elihu’s view of suffering is still incomplete—he believes Job’s unanswered prayers mean he lacks sincerity, failing to consider that God may have a different purpose in Job’s trials.

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Application

• Seek God for Who He Is, Not Just for Blessings: Righteousness is not about getting rewards—it’s about knowing and honoring God (Matthew 6:33).
• Trust God’s Timing in Answered Prayers: Just because God does not answer immediately does not mean He is ignoring us—sometimes waiting builds faith (Psalm 27:14).
• Avoid Assuming Why Others Suffer: Like Elihu, we must be careful not to judge someone’s suffering based on our limited understanding (John 9:1-3).

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Closing Thought

Elihu presents some deep truths about God’s independence and justice, but he wrongly assumes Job’s prayers are empty. His speech reminds us that God is greater than our righteousness, and that true faith trusts God, even when prayers seem unanswered.