Job 33:25 says, His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth:  I believe that in this verse and the ones following in this chapter that Elihu was speaking of our restoration after this life, since he had just been referring to the Deliverer in verse twenty-four.  Even though Job was restored to his health and position, not all are in this life.  Still, we will be delivered, not to the old sinful body, but to a new and glorious one in the life to come.  Verse twenty-six says, He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.  Elihu stated that when we prayed to God, which is but communicating with Him, that we will see His face, because He has rendered us righteous.  We know that the concerns and sin of this world keeps us from seeing God face to face, but in the coming resurrection, this will not be true.  Again, we could apply this to our relationship with God today, but I believe that sin will always keep us from that face to face relationship with God.  Verse twenty-seven says, He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;  I believe that Elihu was speaking of acknowledging our sins as being worthless, even if they brought us riches in this world.  We must confess our sins to God, and acknowledge that we cannot save ourselves.  Verse twenty-eight says, He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.  Elihu said that even though we are hopeless and helpless on our own that we have hope through the mercy of God.  God will deliver us from the pit, or hell, and restore us to the light if we put our trust in Him.  Verse twenty-nine states, Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,  Elihu states that God had been and is working in the world to restore people to Himself.  Verse thirty says, To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.  I believe that Elihu was saying what we as followers of Christ know, and that is that God has provided a way of deliverance, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.  No matter what goes on in the world, God is always ready to restore anyone who puts their faith in Him.  Verse thirty-one says, Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.  Elihu asked Job to listen to what he had to say and to hold his peace, or not interrupt him in other words.  When we hear someone speaking the truth of God today, we need to listen attentively, even if they are younger than we are.  Verse thirty-two says, If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.  Elihu did ask Job to speak, but only if he had something to say the would dispute what he was saying as being wrong about God and His nature.  Elihu said that he wanted to justify Job.  I believe that Elihu meant that he wanted to show that Job was justified before God, no matter how much he might have lost materially.  We can never justify anyone else before God, but we can stand with them if they are suffering and remind them that God is still with them if they have put their faith in Him.  In verse thirty-three Elihu asks, If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.  If we have nothing of value to add to what someone is saying about God, we need to do as Elihu asked Job to do.  We need to be quiet and listen and learn.

Job 33:14 says, For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.  Elihu said that God did not answer us just once and hope that we got the answer, but that God was always answering us, which I believe is meant by answers us twice.  The problem is that we often fail to hear God's answer because it isn't what we want to hear.  No is an answer, but often if we want to hear yes, we fail to acknowledge the no.  Verse fifteen says, In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;  Then verse sixteen continues this statement saying, Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,  I believe that Elihu was saying that God speaks to us in many ways, even in our sleep.  In sleep, we should have tuned out the cares of the world and our minds should be at peace.  This does not mean that all dreams are God speaking to us, but we do know that God often spoke to His people in their dreams.  Verse seventeen says, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.  When we are asleep, we shouldn't concerned with what we are going to do next, nor are we filled we self pride.  Sleep should bring peace, and Elihu told Job that God sometimes spoke to His followers at this time.  Verse eighteen says, He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.  Elihu said that God would keep Job, and us also, from the pit. I believe that Elihu was speaking of the pit of hell.  No matter what happens in this life, God keeps the souls of believers safe from the pit of hell.  In verse nineteen Elihu says, He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:  Elihu said that often God chastises those who believe in Him but have strayed from His will.  Elihu did not say that this was what had happened to Job, but even had it been that Job should not question God's fairness.  Verse twenty says, So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.  Then verse twenty-one states, His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.  I believe that Elihu was saying that even if we reach the point of not wanting to eat and have wasted away to skin and bones, we still have no right to question God.  God will ultimately restore us.  Verse twenty-two says, Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.   Even as we approach the grave, or death, we must not question God.  Then, more than ever, we need to remain firm in our faith in God.  Verse twenty-three states,  If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:  Then verse twenty-four states, Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.  I believe that Elihu was speaking of the Messiah that God's people were looking for, and that we know was Jesus Christ.  He showed us how to live upright and likewise delivers us from the pit, which we could see as the grave, but I believe means hell itself.

Job 33:1 says, Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.  Elihu first addresses Job.  Job was the one that they were there to comfort and offer hope to.  Elihu did not demand that Job listen to what he had to say, but asked simply that Job would.  We cannot demand that people listen to us, even if we have told them that we feel lead by the Holy Spirit to speak.  Verse two says, Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.  Elihu said that now that he had started to speak, as he felt compelled to do, that Job should listen.  Job's friends would also hear what Elihu had to say.  Though we may be addressing on person in particular when we speak, God's truth applies to all those that hear.  There is not one truth of God for one person and another truth of God for another.  In verse three Elihu declares,  My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.  Elihu declares that what he was about to say that he spoke knowing that he could do so with a clear conscience.  If we have any doubt that what we are going to say is indeed inspired by God's Spirit, especially if we are attempting to correct someone about their relationship with God, then we would be better off remaining silent.  Verse four says, The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.  I believe that Elihu was acknowledging the power of God in his life.  Unless we know that God is the Creator and sustainer of life, we cannot be attuned to God's will.  In verse five Elihu says, If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.  Elihu said that if Job felt that he could honestly dispute what Elihu was saying or going to say that Job should be ready to answer him with a well thought out answer from God.  In verse six Elihu continues, Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead: I also am formed out of the clay.  I believe that Elihu was saying that he was there as a representative of God to answer Job's prayer to God.  If we have prayed to God for any reason, we must be open to the answer coming however God chooses to answer it.  Verse seven says, Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.   God does not want His people to live in terror of Him.  I believe that too often we as followers of Christ live as though we believe that God is just waiting for us to allow the smallest of sin to come into our lives so that He can crush us.  God instead experts us to follow Him out of love for Him, and not fear of Him.  Verse eight says, Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,  Elihu said he had heard what Job had said.  Elihu had actually listened to what Job had been saying, unlike his three friends who already had their minds made up about Job.  Verse nine states, I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.  Elihu repeated what Job had said, if not literally, at least by implication.  Job had pronounced himself innocent, and therefore felt that God was treating him unjustly.  We can never stand totally innocent before God of our own merit.  We can only pronounce ourselves as saved sinners through Christ.  In verse ten, Elihu declares, Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,  Then he continues in verse eleven, He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.  In these two verses, Elihu continues to repeat Job's claims that God was being unfair to him.  The only way God is ever unfair with those who believe in Him is by forgiving us when we have earned His punishment.  The unfair act was for Christ to die for our sins.  Then, in verse twelve Elihu states, Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.  I believe that Elihu was saying that Job might have been innocent, until he started to claim that God was unfair to Him.  We can never blame God with treating us unfairly.  Elihu gave Job the reason.  God is greater than man.  Then, verse thirteen states, Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.  Elihu told Job that he did not need to question God, and neither do we.  We can rest assured that whatever happens in life, that as followers of Christ, we are God's forevermore.

Job 32:11 says, Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.  Elihu continues to speak of his patience in listening to the debate between Job and his friends.  He not only heard what they were saying, but he listened attentively to what they said.  Too often, when people are in a dispute about an issue they never really consider what the other person has to say.  If our purpose is to prove another person wrong, then we will tend to dismiss what they are saying without really considering it.  Elihu said that he had considered what was said.  Verse twelve says, Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words:  Elihu said that even though Job's friends had a lot to say that nothing they had said had answered Job's questions.  Just because we may be able to argue with someone about matters of faith does not mean that we can offer a better understanding unless we are relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us in understanding.  As followers of Christ, the Holy Spirit will always direct our understanding of God if we only listen.  Verse thirteen says, Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man.  I believe that Elihu was saying that by their words and now their silence that they still believed that God was punishing, or had cast down, Job.  Job's condition had not changed in spite of His claim of innocence, so his friends seemed to assume that they were right.  Since they felt that Job was not going to listen to them, there was no need to continue arguing with Him.  We cannot assume that if a person is suffering and that if they pray, or call out to God, and nothing seems to happen that they must not be in a right relationship with God.  Once more, our material status does not indicate our spiritual status. Verse fourteen says, Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.  Elihu said that Job had not been speaking to him specifically, and that even though he was going to answer Job, it wasn't going to be with their words, or by their reasoning.  Verse fifteen states, They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.  Elihu left everyone speechless.  It may have been because he was bold enough to rebuff them, but I believe that they recognized the truth of what he was saying.  When we hear someone who is really speaking the truth of God, we need to just be quiet and listen.   In verse sixteen Elihu says, When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no more;) Elihu did not enter the argument, but waited until Job and his friends were silent.  Verse seventeen states, I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion.  Elihu said that once they were silent, he felt free to offer his opinion .  We may need to wait for the right moment to speak, even when speaking the truth.  People are more likely to listen when they have said what they wanted to say, especially if they feel they are right.  Verse eighteen says, For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.  I believe in this verse and the next four, Elihu was saying that he felt compelled by the Spirit of God to speak.  He felt full of insight into the question at hand. Verse nineteen says, Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.  Then, verse twenty, I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.  Like Elihu, if we feel that the Holy Spirit is leading us to speak, we should be refreshed by speaking.  Verse twenty-one declares, Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man.  Then in verse twenty-two Elihu concludes, For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me away. I believe that Elihu was saying that he was not going to be silenced by anyone's status, but was going to follow the leadership of God.  If we begin to believe that someone's status should be more important than what God tells us is the truth, then God may indeed take us away as for as our witness goes.

Job 32:1 says, So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.  One by one, Job's friends had stopped talking, and now none of the three had anything left to say.  I don't believe that the statement that Job was righteous in his own eyes means that he had a false self-righteous, but that he was convinced that his relationship with God was pure.  We cannot hope to silence others because we are righteous by our own abilities, but we can silence them by our righteousness because of God's redemption.  Job had also quit speaking, so silence had ensued.  Then, there is a new speaker.  Verse two says, Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.  Elihu enters the conversation, and it says that his wrath was kindled against Job.  He had listened to all that the four of them had said, and was upset with Job because he felt that Job was justifying himself instead of justifying God.  If everything in the world is falling apart around us, we do not need to attempt to justify ourselves.  We need instead to acknowledge that no matter what happens in this life, that if we are followers of Christ, that God is always with us.  This is not because of our worthiness, but because of the sacrifice of Christ for our sins.  Verse three states, Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.  Elihu was not siding with Job's friends, but was upset with them as well.  Elihu said that they had condemned Job without proof.  They had no answer from God for their claims, but continued to hold their belief that God was punishing Job.  We need to be careful that we never allow preconceived ideas to influence our judgment of a situation, but must always allow God to guide us to the truth.  Verse four states, Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.  Elihu did not interrupt Job or his friends because he respected them as his elders.  Whether a person is older than us or not, we should always be willing to listen to what they have to say without interrupting or arguing with them.  Verse five says, When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.  I believe that Elihu expected Job's three friends, whom he saw as wiser than himself due to their age, to be able to give an accurate response to Job.  When they all remained silent, Elihu was angry with them.  We may feel that older Christians should always have the answers to the tough questions of faith, but that is not always true.  Verse six states, And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.  Elihu is identified by the fact of who his father was, but other than that we know nothing about Him.  He is not identified as a friend of Job's who came to comfort him, but he had evidently been there the whole time the discussion was going on between Job and his friends.  Elihu said that because of his youth he had been afraid to speak.  We need to realize that even if we are younger than another person, that even as we respect their age, we should never be afraid to speak what we understand to be the truth of God.  In verse seven, Elihu says, I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.  Elihu was saying that the longer a person lived, especially those who claimed to follow God, the more they should gain wisdom about God.  We know this is not always true.  Elihu states this in verse eight, when he declares, But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.  I believe that Elihu was speaking of the Holy Spirit giving us inspiration and understanding, and not just the number of years we have lived doing so.  No matter our age, if we are to grow in our understanding of God, it must be through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Verse nine states, Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment. Elihu said that a person's status nor age always brought wisdom.  In verse ten Elihu then states, Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.  He said that since those who were older than him offered no insight that he would now speak.  Elihu was not approaching the situation as one who just couldn't wait to show up those who should have been wiser than he was, but instead as one who had to share God's truth when they failed to.  We should always share God's truth out of an attitude of respect and not of arrogance.

Job 31:33 says, If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:  Job again denies the sins that his friends had accused him of.  Job said that unlike Adam he had not attempted to hide his sins from God.  We know that Adam first tried to hide from God, and when that did not work, he tried to blame Eve, and then God Himself, for his sins.  I believe that Job was not saying that he had never sinned, or transgressed against God, but that when he did, he accepted responsibility for his sin.  We cannot hope to have our sins forgiven if we don't confess them to God, and sometimes even to those around us.  I do not believe that it is enough to say that our sins are already forgiven through our faith in Christ so we do not have to be concerned with them.  We need to always be ready to confess our sins, even after salvation.  Unconfessed sin will always stand between a right relationship with God and us.  We, like Job, need to never attempt to hide our sins from God nor blame them on others.  In verse thirty- four Job asks, Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door? Job really asked this as a rhetorical question.   His friends had accused him of acting in fear, but Job asked when this had happened.  Job said that he was not afraid of the multitudes and did not allow them to silence his witness for God.  Even if the whole world seems to turn against God, and therefore us as His followers, we cannot allow fear to silence us.  In verse thirty-five Job pleads, Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.  Job's greatest concern had always been that he had been abandoned by God.  He sincerely desired an answer from God, and he felt he wasn't getting it.  Just because God had yet to answer Job in the way Job felt He should did not mean that God did not hear His prayers.  We today may also feel that God is not listening when our prayers are not immediately answered in the way we want them to be. We can be assured that as followers of Christ, God not only hears but the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us, often before we even know what to pray.  We must never let our condition in the world to cause us to doubt God.  In verse thirty-six Job declares, Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.  Job said that if God answered him, that he would bind himself up in that answer and that it would be like a crown in his life.  Job was not speaking of the things of this world being a crown of success in his life, but of his relationship with God being restored.  In verse thirty-seven Job continues, I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.  Job said that if God would answer him, that he would follow God with every step he took, which he felt he had always tried to do.  Verse thirty one continues, If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;  Job felt that if he had done the things he was accused of that the land itself would have cried against him.  Verse thirty nine states,  If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:  I believe that Job was asking anyone who could prove that he had cheated them and not just make the claim to speak out.  Then, in verse forty Job declares, Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.  I believe that Job was saying that if he had done the things his friends had accused him of that he deserved to suffer.  What we must remember is that our relationship to God can never be based on material things, which Job's friends were claiming.  Job had stated his case, and now he had no more to say in his defense.  We also must ultimately quit attempting to prove our worthiness before God and simply rest assured in our faith.

Job 31: 24 says, If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;  As Job continues to answer the charges made against him, he now really says that he didn't put his faith in gold.  Even if we have riches beyond measure, we can never put our faith in them.  Like everything else but our relationship to God, they will pass away.  Verse twenty-five states, If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;  I believe that Job was stating that he did not find a reason for rejoicing because of his wealth.  He still saw it as a blessing from God.  If we are followers of Christ and become rich in material things, we can never allow them to be our source of rejoicing.  We need to remember that everything belongs to God, and He expects us to use what He blesses us with for His glory.  Verse twenty-six adds, If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;  I believe that Job was stating that he never worshipped false gods like the sun and moon, as many did in his day.  Verse twenty seven adds, And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:  Job said that he never even thought of worshipping the false gods nor paying homage to them.  We should be just as careful today that we do not even allow thoughts of worshipping false gods to enter our minds.  If we are not careful, we can begin to believe that the sun, moon, or stars somehow determine our fate.  Verse twenty eight states, This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.  I believe that Job was saying that if he was guilty of idolatry that he should be punished, even in the courts of the day.  Job said the reason for this was if he were worshipping idols, no matter what they might be, he was guilty of denying the one true God.  If we allow anything to come between God and us, we are guilty of the same thing.  Verse twenty-nine states, If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:  Job said that he did not rejoice in the destruction of his enemies, nor did he use their destruction to make him feel morally superior.  As followers of Christ today, we need to have that same attitude.  In verse thirty Job continues  Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.  Job said that not only did he not rejoice in the destruction of his enemies, but he didn't even allow his words to curse them, or wish for their destruction.  We today need to pray for the salvation of our enemies instead of praying for or even threatening their destruction.  Verse thirty one states, If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.  Job said that even though those who were around him wanted his, or their, enemies destroyed, he did not agree with them.  We, as followers of Christ, are not called to destroy people, but to lead them to forgiveness through Christ.  Verse thirty two says, The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveller.  Job said he treated the stranger with hospitality, not allowing them to sleep in the street.  Today, we somehow find it acceptable to have families living on the street, often feeling that somehow they deserve it.  This is not what God's word teaches us though.