As we reach Job 32, we come to a turning point. After three cycles of argumentation, Job’s three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—have finally run out of words. Job himself has offered his final rebuttal and a searching reflection on wisdom. He has grieved the loss of his days of sweet fellowship with God and man and grieved the stark reversal of his life. And in chapter 31 he has searched his own life and laid it bare before us and God as testament to the opening affirmation of his character: Job is “a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil.” In closing, he pleads for the Almighty to meet him at the witness stand and bring His charge publicly to bear… if indeed there is an indictment against him.

So Job’s words close, as it were, by calling God to the witness stand in the court of justice. Job, in his integrity, in his confusion, in his despair, pleads for a fair hearing to rebut the assertions of guilt seemingly piled up by his circumstances and, certainly, by his friends.

As Job’s questions come to a close after 31 long chapters, we await some answers. And the text that we are studying today comes from a new voice, a new friend named Elihu, and it sets the stage for when God Himself will draw near to at last address Job.