11. Elihu Silences Job’s Critics: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar

Job 32:15-16 "They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking. When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;)"

This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth highlights the most foundational and important lessons in life from the oldest book in the Bible, the Book of Job. This sermon, the eleventh in the series on the Book of Job, Elihu Silences Job’s Critics: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar examines the characteristics between true and false prophets and whether they have been sent by the Lord to speak on His behalf: "Immediately we see the effectiveness of Elihu’s spiritual ministry. As Job’s friends were: 1) amazed, 2) ceased to formulate reasons in their minds to refute any of his words, and 3) left off, no longer speaking. Teaching us that there is hardly anything more effective in stopping men’s mouths from presuming they know, than when one sent from God, begins to deliver revelation from God. Then, even the most imperceptive men seem to be able to detect that God has entered the room.

"Where human wisdom is anything but pure, heavenly wisdom is. And because the wisdom from above has as its source in God, it will be felt to possess the very same holy attributes as the Lord. Hence, where carnal and human wisdom will agitate further the confused, the Lord’s wisdom will promote peace. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar’s words had done nothing but to provoke Job and cause him internal unrest. Yet now Elihu’s message would do just the opposite. Having its origin from above, it would prove itself as easy to be entreated. Elihu therefore would become a breath of fresh air to Job, whereas previously debate and strife had ruled the day. Job’s friends had spoken of their own will, but Elihu would speak under the direction of God’s will.

"Job’s friends, unintentionally, had carried themselves no differently than false prophets. God did not send them to speak for Himself, yet they ran, egotistically thinking they could perform service for the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:21) "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied." It is easy to see why Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar’s words manifestly failed, simply because they spoke to Job, things not of the truth, and focused on arguments devoid of God’s Spirit leading them. It is not enough then to claim that we come in God’s name, if God has not commissioned us to speak for Him. Job’s friends, unintentionally, had carried themselves no differently than false prophets. God did not send them to speak for Himself, yet they ran, egotistically thinking they could perform service for the Lord. It is easy to see why Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar’s words manifestly failed, simply because they spoke to Job, things not of the truth, and focused on arguments devoid of God’s Spirit leading them."

This sermon was preached in the In the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses series. Other sections of Scriptures highlighted in this sermon: Job 32:15-Job 33:2-3.

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