Burning With Anger

So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.
Job 32:1–5
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Burning With Anger
At this point in the Job narrative, we hear from a new person, Elihu. He was younger and so in deference to Job’s older friends he remained silent while Job and his friends tried to figure out the source of his suffering. But he had finally had enough.  Elihu was angry. He was angry with Job and with Job’s friends. He felt Job was attempting to justify himself before his friends and in his own eyes.  He felt that Job’s friends were acting in a way which only condemned Job without finding a reason for such condemnation.  For all this Elihu burned with anger.  Yet Elihu himself seems to be condemning Job in much the same manner as Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar had done.  He accuses Job of claiming to be righteous in his argument with God, that he is innocent and therefore God is in the wrong. Often times we find ourselves in similar situations.  We hear an argument and think that we have the correct answer.  We can’t believe no one has come to the same conclusion as we have. Therefore, we get angry, we lash out, and we accuse unjustly.  We play the role of God in determining guilt or innocence.  And more times than not we condemn.  The devil wants us to turn against our fellow believers. He wants us to tear each other down and despise each other.  Just look at our world. Nation rises against nation, brother against brother, as we steal, kill, and destroy what God has given us.  It is in these times when we need to not look to find a place to lay the blame but instead look for a place to find forgiveness. The truth is we are all guilty of grievous sins. We all deserve death, and not for the love of our heavenly Father that is what would await us.  But He offers a different path. His Holy Spirit gives us faith to know that Christ died for our sins. We turn to the cross in repentance and forgiveness, seeking reconciliation with God and with our neighbor.  And in humility our burning anger is drenched in the waters of Holy Baptism, as we die with Christ to be raised as new creations.  In His death and resurrection, we are saved, and our anger turned to joy.