1. What caused Elihu to charge Job as thinking he was more righteous than God?
The charge was based in the fact that Job had said that cleansing himself would be unprofitable implying God as being an unrighteous judge: “(2) Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's? (3) For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin” (Job 35:2-3)?
The statements Elihu referenced can be found here: Job 9:30-35; 10:13-15
2. Would God be impacted by Job’s righteousness or wicked actions?
Job’s decisions can affect man, but will not have a physical effect upon God. Job needed to realize for sure just how much higher than man God is: “(4) I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. (5) Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. (6) If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? (7) If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? (8) Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man” (Job 35:4-8).
3. Who are the oppressed not looking to when they cry out?
God: “(9) By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty; (10) But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; (11) Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? (12) There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men” (Job 35:9-12).
4. Does God open His ears to vanity?
No: “Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it” (Job 35:13).
5. Did Elihu try to correct Job’s vain talk concerning God not seeing and judging aright?
Yes: “(14) Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him. (15) But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity: (16) Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge” (Job 35:14-16).
6. Did Elihu claim to speak on God’s behalf?
Yes: “(1) Elihu also proceeded, and said, (2) Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf” (Job 36:1-2).
7. Did Elihu purpose to set forth the truth or did he purpose to speak falsely?
He said he’d speak the truth. In v. 4 Job was “perfect” he should be able to discern what is being said: “(3) I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. (4) For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee” (Job 36:3-4).
8. Job has charged that God is with the wicked (Job 9:24; 10:3; 21:7). Did Elihu answer that charge?
Yes: “(5) Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. (6) He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor. (7) He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted” (Job 35:5-7).
9. For what purpose would God allow the affliction of His people?
For correction: “(7) He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. (8) And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction; (9) Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. (10) He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity” (Job 36:7-10).
10. Did Elihu set forth any principles similar to what we have read in passages such as Deuteronomy 30:15-20?
Yes, we reap what we sow: “(11) If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. (12) But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge” (Job 36:11-12).
11. What difference does Elihu state about the poor and the hypocrites?
“(13) But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them. (14) They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean. (15) He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression” (Job 36:13-15).
12. Who has prevented God from intervening in the sufferings of Job?
Job has: “(16) Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness. (17) But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee” (Job 36:16-17).
13. Can Job appease the anger of God with some sort of ransom?
No: “(18) Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. (19) Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength” (Job 36:18-19).
14. What is Job counseled not to desire and not to regard?
“(20) Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place. (21) Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction” (Job 36:20-21).
15. Is God a teacher that should be charged as doing wrong?
No: “(22) Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him? (23) Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity” (Job 36:22-23)?
16. What should Job remember that others see through him?
“(24) Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold. (25) Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off” (Job 36:24-25).
17. What argument did Elihu set forth about God’s greatness?
“(26) Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. (27) For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: (28) Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. (29) Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? (30) Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea. (31) For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance. (32) With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt. (33) The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour” (Job 36:26-33).
18. Did Elihu fear God?
Yes: “At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place” (Job 37:1).
19. What does Elihu instruct Job to hear attentively?
The voice of God: “(Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth” (Job 37:2).
20. Does God direct snow, rain, freezing cold, etc.?
Yes: Job 37:3-11.
See also: Genesis 7:4, Leviticus 26:4, Deuteronomy 11:17, Psalms 68:9, Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:17, and Hebrews 6:7.
21. For what purpose does God control “nature”?
“And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth” (Job 37:12).
22. Does God ever control natural things as a form of correction?
Yes: “He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy” (Job 37:13).
23. Did Elihu try to get Job to notice the power of God by looking at nature?
Yes: “(14) Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. (15) Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? (16) Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? (17) How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind? (18) Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass” (Job 37:14-18)?
24. Should one be taught how to speak to God?
Yes: “(19) Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. (20) Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up” (Job 37:19-20; cf. Luke 11:1 and James 4:3).
25. Can God be “figured out”?
No: “(21) And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. (22) Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty. (23) Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict” (Job 37:21-23).
God reveals what He wants us to know so that we can do what is right (I Corinthians 2:9-14 and II Timothy 3:16-17). The remainder is over our heads (Isaiah 55:6-9 and Romans 11:33-36).
26. Does God respect those who are wise in their own hearts?
No: “Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart” (Job 37:24; cf. Proverbs 28:26 and I Corinthians 3:18).