“Now, Job, hear my words, please” (JOB 33:1).
1, 2. In what difficult situation are Elihu and Job's three acquaintances?
Elihu and Job's three acquaintances are in a very difficult situation because Job, a very rich and famous man, has been left with practically nothing. All his camels, sheep, cattle, and donkeys have died or been stolen. Almost all his servants have also been murdered, and all his children perished when the house they were in collapsed on them.
Furthermore, he is very ill, his body covered in painful ulcers, sitting among ashes and completely despondent. The scene is so shocking that they remain silent for seven days, at a loss for words.
3. What are we going to see in this article?
In this article, we will see how the story of Job can help us when we need to give advice to someone. First, we will analyze the bad example of Job's three acquaintances, whose words, in some cases, were influenced by an evil spirit. Then we will examine the good example of Elihu, whose words were inspired by Jehovah. In each case, we will see how the Israelites benefited and how we can benefit today.
THE COUNCILS OF ELIFAZ, BILDAD, AND ZOFAR
4. Why were Job's three acquaintances unable to comfort him? (See also the picture.)
Job's three acquaintances failed to comfort him because they jumped to conclusions. For example, they mistakenly assumed that God was punishing Job for some sin.
Furthermore, much of their advice was insensitive, even hurtful, and of little help. At times, they said things that sounded good but ultimately proved empty. They frequently spoke to her with an air of superiority and in an overbearing, sarcastic, and judgmental tone.
This shows that, deep down, what these men were trying to do was not to comfort Job or strengthen his faith, but to prove him wrong.
ILLUSTRATION
One of Job's supposed friends speaks harshly to him while the other two watch. Job, whose body is covered in painful sores, sits on the ground listening to their advice.
When giving advice to someone, let's not make them feel superior; our goal should be to help them. (See paragraph 4).
5. What did Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar achieve with their advice?
By expressing ideas that did not reflect God's viewpoint and treating Job without compassion, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar made Job feel crushed. Therefore, it is understandable that he felt the need to defend his reputation, which led him to lose his composure and say inappropriate things. By acting in this way, they became tools in the hands of Satan.
6. What might the elders of Israel have learned from the bad example of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar?
It is possible that the elders of Israel learned from the bad example of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar the importance of not drawing hasty conclusions or judging without knowing all the facts.
The story of Job could teach them that, before giving advice or passing judgment, they should listen carefully, investigate matters thoroughly, and ask questions, without assuming they already knew everything that had happened. They could also learn that it was essential to speak with kindness and compassion, not harshness, so that the person would feel comfortable and open their heart.
In this way, the bad example of those three men reminded the elders of Israel that they should reflect Jehovah's righteous standards, acting with patience, justice, and empathy when helping others.
7. Besides the elders, who in Israel could advise others, and what could they learn from the account of Job? (Proverbs 27:9).
Besides the elders, anyone—young or old, male or female—could give advice to someone who needed it to draw closer to Jehovah or to correct some aspect of their conduct, for that is what is expected of a true friend.
The Israelites could learn from the story of Job by reflecting on the bad example of his three acquaintances and thus understand what they should not say or do when advising others.
8. What mistakes should we avoid when giving advice? (See also the images).
Before saying anything, we must make sure we know all the facts and avoid jumping to conclusions. We should always base our decisions on the truth of God’s Word, not on our own opinion or experience. We should never use a harsh or critical tone. When giving advice, we should never make the person feel that Jehovah is unreasonable or that it is impossible for him to love them.
ILLUSTRATION
Images of a brother lovingly counseling a brother who is upset. 1. The two are sitting at an outdoor table having refreshments. The upset brother vents his frustrations, and the other brother listens patiently. 2. The listening brother opens his Bible. 3. He lovingly shares some advice from the Bible with the other brother, who listens calmly.
When we talk to someone, 1) let's make sure we know all the facts, 2) let's use God's Word, and 3) let's express ourselves with kindness. (See paragraph 8.)
THE COUNSELS OF ELIHU
9. Why did Job continue to need help, and how did Jehovah provide it?
Job still needed help because, throughout the debate with his three supposed friends, they mostly gave in to anger and frustration. As a result, Job continued to feel very discouraged and in need of comfort and correction.
To help him, Jehovah used Elihu, who, although young, listened patiently and respectfully before speaking. At first, he remained silent out of consideration for the older men, but after hearing them all, he realized that he could no longer remain silent. So he intervened to advise Job. Thus, Jehovah gave him the help he needed through Elihu’s balanced and timely words.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Job still needed help because throughout the debate with his three supposed friends, far from comforting him, they had only left him more discouraged. His words were marked by anger and frustration, and instead of receiving support, Job ended up even more dejected and in need of correction.
10. What did Elihu do before he advised Job? (Job 33:6, 7).
Before advising Job, Elihu made sure to calm the atmosphere and prepare the ground. First, he controlled his own emotions. Although he was initially very angry, he did not allow that feeling to influence his speech and avoided using a harsh or cruel tone; rather, he spoke with kindness and affection.
Furthermore, he spoke to him with humility, acknowledging that before the true God he was equal to him. He also demonstrated that he had been listening attentively, for he summarized the main points of six of Job's speeches. Later, he did the same when giving him further advice.
11. How did Elihu advise Job? (Job 33:1).
Elihu advised Job with great respect and without humiliating him. From the beginning, he addressed him by name, which reflected closeness and consideration. Furthermore, he kindly offered Job the opportunity to respond, for he surely remembered that he himself had wanted to intervene on several occasions while Job and his acquaintances were speaking.
With kindness, he helped Job see that he should be careful with some of his arguments and reminded him of Jehovah’s qualities: his wisdom, power, justice, loyalty, and love. In this way, Elihu’s kind words made Job willing to receive further correction, this time directly from Jehovah.
12. How did Jehovah use the prophets to help his people, and what could the Israelites learn from Elihu’s good example?
Jehovah used prophets to teach his purpose and correct the Israelites. During the period of the Judges, he used the prophetess Deborah and the young Samuel to guide and instruct the nation. Later, in the time of the kings, he sent prophet after prophet to spiritually strengthen the people and correct those who strayed from pure worship.
By reflecting on Elihu’s good example, the Israelites could learn how to correct and counsel others. They would understand the importance of speaking with respect, humility, and kindness, of listening carefully before responding, and of basing their words on the Word of Jehovah.
13. How can we imitate Elihu's example in encouraging our brothers?
We can imitate Elihu's example by encouraging our brothers and sisters, sharing God's will, and always basing our words on the Bible. Furthermore, when we offer advice, we should use words that encourage and build up.
We must also remember that when someone is upset or going through a difficult time, they may say things without thinking. Instead of reacting harshly, we should show understanding and speak in a caring and comforting way.
14, 15. How can an old man imitate Elihu?
First, she will try to understand the situation well before speaking. She will ask tactful questions and listen carefully to understand the reasons, without jumping to conclusions.
Second, he will look for positive aspects. For example, he may commend the brother for continuing to attend meetings and participate in the preaching work, helping him to see his effort and faithfulness.
And finally, when he has a complete picture of what is happening, he will use the Bible to strengthen his faith and help convince himself that Jehovah loves him.
LET US CONTINUE LEARNING FROM THE BOOK OF JOB
16. What should we do to continue learning from the book of Job?
To continue learning from the book of Job, we must frequently review the lessons it teaches us and strive to apply them in our lives.
When we have to give advice to someone, we can remember what we learned: avoid the bad example of Job's three acquaintances and copy the good example of Elihu.
Furthermore, if it's been a while since we last read this book, we can set ourselves the goal of rereading it. This way, we'll discover that it remains as valuable today as when it was written.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What things that Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar did should we avoid when giving advice?
We must avoid jumping to conclusions and giving unhelpful, insensitive, or even hurtful advice. We must also avoid speaking with an air of superiority or in a condescending, sarcastic, or judgmental tone. When giving advice to someone, we shouldn't make them feel superior.
How can we imitate Elihu when giving advice?
We can imitate Elihu by proclaiming God's will and basing our teachings on the Bible. Furthermore, when offering counsel to our brothers and sisters, we should use words that encourage and edify them.
Both we and the elders must remember the importance of speaking in a loving and comforting way to all brothers and sisters, including those who are upset or tend to say things without thinking when going through a difficulty.
What should we do to continue learning from the book of Job?
To continue learning from the Book of Job, the next time we need to give someone advice, we can review the lessons this story teaches us, avoid the bad example of Job's three acquaintances, and imitate the good example of Elihu. And, if it's been a while since we've had the opportunity to read this book, we can set ourselves the goal of doing so again.
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