Daily Devotional | Elihu: Selective Hearing

Every now and then, somebody will explain to me (a pastor) how certain electronic equipment works. Not realizing that I have an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering, they will say things I know are not true. Although they are speaking authoritatively, they are wrong.

Elihu falls into this same category. He speaks to Job, saying, “But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say” (v. 1). “Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak” (v. 31). What arrogance! If he started his speech in humility (Job 32:6), he isn’t operating in humility anymore.

Elihu misrepresented Job, claiming, “You have said in my hearing—I heard the very words—‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy’” (33:8–11). Nowhere in the book of Job can these words be found. In fact, Job stated, “Why do you not pardon my offenses and forgive my sins? For I will soon lie down in the dust; you will search for me, but I will be no more” (Job 7:21).

Again, Job said, “All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come. You will call and I will answer you; you will long for the creature your hands have made. Surely then you will count my steps but not keep track of my sin. My offenses will be sealed up in a bag; you will cover over my sin” (Job 14:14–17).

It appears that Elihu had listened carefully to the friends’ rebuttals of Job (Job 32:12), but not carefully to Job. Elihu had selective hearing. He heard only what he wanted to hear. Elihu asks Job to be silent and gain wisdom from him (v. 33). If only he had taken the same advice and listened well to Job and to God.

Go Deeper

Have there been times when you have been tempted not to listen completely? Do you employ selective hearing?

Pray with Us: With Job, we cry out to You, Lord: “You will call and I will answer you” (Job 14:15). Teach us, we pray, to listen for Your call, to hear it, and to answer.

BY Eric W. Moore

Eric Moore is Professor and Chair of the Applied Theology Field at Moody Theological Seminary. Eric is graduate of Michigan State University, Dallas Theological Seminary, the University of Michigan, and Western Seminary. He is the author of Pastoring the Small Church and a contributor to the One Volume Seminary (Moody Publishers). He has pastored Tree of Life Bible Fellowship church for over two decades. Eric and his wife, Marilyn, live in southeast Michigan and have three children.