Elihu now begins his words of advice.

33:5 in saying that he is 'in God's stead' according to Job's wish Elihu is looking back to Job's words Job 9:33.

 JOB 33. Elihu is the “DAYSMAN” or mediator that Job had asked for (9:33)
      Job is a type of Christ: Suffering righteous servant of God.
      Elihu is a type of Christ: Intercessor- uphold the righteousness God.
      It is clearly seen from these two examples that no one person is a perfect and complete type of Christ.

Job 33:30. Here we see the object of God’s dealings with man explained. ”To bring back his soul (nephesh) (breathing creature) from the pit. (grave)

Elihu begins his second of four speeches.  He is reflective of Job's statements about himself and critical of his view that Yahweh does not inform man (vs.13-16).  The way that Yahweh communicates to man varies according to His will.   We should bear that in mind when we are looking for an answer from Him.  Elihu does not harp on the punishment is a direct result of sin theory as the three other companions did.  But he does subscribe to adversity as a means of discipline from Yahweh (vs.19-22).  Happily, Yahweh, being gracious, restores all things (vs.23-26).  Yahweh works in our lives in like fashion (Heb 12:5-7,11).

33:5  Rather than trying to help Job Elihu seems to be throwing down the gauntlet to Job as a challenge. Hardly helpful.

33 Elihu claims to be responding to specific things Job has said – for example :8 ‘thou hast spoken …’ The fact that Elihu is responding to things that Job has said is no guarantee that he correctly either understands what Job was saying or that his response is accurate and helpful. We do well to take heed to this when we are wont to say ‘You said …’ before making our comments to a brother or sister.

33:7  In saying that his hand would not be heavy upon Job Elihu is responding to Job’s earlier comments – Job 9:34, 13:21 – where he said that God’s hand was heavy upon him.

Verses 21-28 explain exactly what happened to Job, in a nutshell. It proves that Elihu understood what was happening, unlike Iliphaz, Bildad and Zophar.

Job did repent v27 compare 42:6

God delighted in Job v26 compare 42:9

His flesh was restored and he returned to youth 33:25 compare Job's long life 42:16

33:14-30 Elihu, against the background of his quotes of the things that Job said, not points out that God has no need to answer Job at all.

Here's a paraphrase of what Elihu is saying to Job.

Job, my friend. Please listen to me now for a second. I know you want to jump in and shoot me down, but please hear me out. Relax because I'm not going to say false things about you, or accuse you like the others did. I want to make you right before God. I seek to plead your cause just like you said you wanted. I'll stick up for you even if the others won't. I'll represent God's point of view to you, and you won't have to be scared of me like you would be of God. You can even have a go at me or cross examine me like you want to do with God, but without fearing His wrath. But I will stick purely to the issue in hand and not digress.

You know when you said God's not being fair to you? That wasn't really right was it? There's no need to make yourself look good at God's expense. Have you though that God might be right to have done what He did to you, but he is so great and wise that He simply did it for a reason you cant understand yet? And because He's so much wiser than you, He doesn't have to tell you why He does things. God's way of teaching us is always hidden, as you know; sometimes in dreams that we don't even remember in the morning; sometimes through suffering like you're experiencing now. He speaks through these experiences and seals the lesson by the sharpness of what we go through. We never forget it.

Job. We have to accept that there is a time for all of us to be afflicted, whether we have been "good" or "bad". God wants to keep us from falling whether now or in the future, so this doesn't have to relate to anything you've done. How do you know whether what you suffer now isn't to save you from some greater tragedy later? But God knows. So I really want you to think about this and consider that if you wait a little while all this will be over and God will restore you to health and strength again. Even your skin will be renewed like a baby's! Who knows, when you look back at the experience you may even say: "Yes, I see now that I did have a lot to learn from it. It was right for God to afflict me like He did".

God sometimes requires a mediator to explain these things to righteous people who are afflicted. Without this God would appear completely unjust in the trials he causes to come upon you. I'm here to do that for you in as pure and simple a way as I can, without malice or self service. I've heard you put your case to God, and now I'll represent God's case to you.

33:9-11 Elihu cites a number of things that Job has said in his previous speeches. Follow your marginal references and you will see where Job said these things.

9:9 King cometh unto thee John 12:15
9:9 lowly Matthew 11:29
9:9 riding upon an ass Matthew 21:5
9:10 I will cut off ... the horse Micah 5:10
9:10 I will cut off the chariots Haggai 2:22
9:10 And he shall speak ... earth Psalm 72:8

9:7 - 8 speaks of the way in which Yahweh will defend Israel and Jerusalem against the confederacy of nations that come against it. Doubtless there was an application of this prophecy during the time the Greeks came -see v13 - against Israel but it will have its complete fulfilment when Christ is back in the earth and is, therefore, as shortened prophecy which is developed in chapter 14

Vs.1-8 outline the exploits of Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) in the Near East.  He swept through Syria and Philistia but did not touch Jerusalem as predicted in v.8.  He destroyed Tyre in a spectacular five-month siege (vs.3,4).

9:3-4 Amidst the words of encouragement to Israel the prophet returns to speak of Tyre’s destruction. Tyre had been destroyed by the Romans but recovered and again became a powerful sea port. However, just as Ezekiel had prophesied, it would cease again, which happened when Alexander destroyed the city again. Eze 26:12– notice the shift to ‘they’ in verse :12 indicating a second destruction by others than the Babylonians.

9:10 The prophecy that the horse would be cut off from Ephraim and Jerusalem shows that the provision of the king was not through their own might but was to be of God. As such it echoes the words of the earlier prophet, speaking of the birth of Jesus – Mic 5:10

9:11  The ‘pit wherein is no water’ seems to echo the pit into which Joseph was cast – Gen 39:29. Whereas Joseph was in the pit and then sold into Egypt Israel have been delivered from the pit.

7:1 That the angels held the four winds demonstrates that the winds were symbolic of God's judgments. That the judgments were held until the servants of God were sealed shows the compassion of our God.

8:1 The 'silence' is a demonstration that those who were judged recognised God was judging them. The following examples show how silence is the response of one who recognises the correctness of the judgment. Psalm 31:18 Isaiah 15:1

9:4 Again, as in chapter 7, there is a lull whilst the servants of God are 'sealed' Thus we see again the care that our God has for His children in times of trouble. We should take comfort from this when we reflect on the terrible events that are to come on the earth. It matches the way that Yahweh was concerned for His people calling them to hide from coming wrath Isaiah 26:20.

Ezekiel 37 is the vision of the valley of dry bones - the whole house of Israel. Just as Ezekiel was asked whether Israel could live again after her scattering John asks whether the

Amos reproved Israel for their unwillingness to serve Yahweh. They were more concerned with serving false Gods.. So the third trumpet must relate to the downfall of a system of religion which prefers false Gods to the true but actually has known what is true religion.

The end of this power was to be as effective as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

7:15 God dwelling amongst the redeemed is the end point of His plan. It is hinted at in Exodus 25:8 but it is not to be simply God dwelling in a temple. We are the temple - He wishes to dwell in us - that is what the promises to David are all about. However He will only dwell in us if we are a fit place for Him to dwell.

ch 8 - The book of Revelation has angels acting many times. They bring the judgements of the trumpets in this chapter. We should realise that the angels are always at work - ministering to those who are heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14)

9:4 The seal of God in the forehead contrasts with the mark of the beast (Revelation 14:9) - we have to decide who we wish to serve. God or the beast.

7:14 "sir thou knowest" quotes Eze 37:3 where Ezekiel is responding to the question the angel asked about whether the dry bones can live. So we see a that these in Revelation  who came through tribulation are likened to the house of Israel who had been scattered and left for dead.

8:11 "wormwood" is used elsewhere in Scripture (Deut 29:18, Prov 5:4, Lam 3:15) where clearly the meaning is that of bitterness which provides the basis for the language here.

9:19:1 The Hebrew "Abaddon" has it's Old Testament counterpart in <011> which is typically translated "destruction"(Job 28:22)

7:14 Achieving white robes after washing in blood is, humanly speaking, a paradox. It would not happen. But God’s ways are not our ways. He counts Jesus’ sacrifice to us for righteousness. So even though we are not righteous in ourselves we are made righteous - justified – by our faith in him.

8:13  Even though there had been great woes upon the earth things were to get worse! There is coming ‘a time of trouble such as never was’ – Dan 12:1

9:11 Whilst the ‘king’ is described as ‘the angel pf the bottomless pit’ he is not one of God’s messengers. He is a messenger of death and destruction.

8:8 The burning mountain cast into the sea is typical of the overthrow of Babylon which Jeremiah speaks of – Jer 51:25

9:3   The smoke which produced ‘locusts upon the earth’ is like the all pervading nature of the Midianites in the days of Gideon – Judg 7:12 – which were overcome by God’s power.

7:7 Here is a role reversal. Normally the lamb is fed by the shepherd. But here the lamb is doing the feeding. The feeding s achieved through the sacrifice of the ‘lamb’ so the food is Jesus’ sacrifice.

9:11 ‘Abaddon’ is a Hebrew word and is found as ‘destroyed’ in Est 7:4 where it is used in the context of an attempted annihilation of the Jews. Thus we see the force of the Hebrew word.