The political atmosphere these days is charged with progressive electrons.

Everything seems to be flowing toward one end of the political spectrum, and those who raise a hand or voice to offer a contrary opinion are ignored, scorned, or attacked by those who are supercharged with the temper of the times. It can be rather intimidating to express one's views about matters of moment in the public square, unless those views harmonize with the newly dominant progressive mindset.

Elihu must have felt a similar wariness about speaking up in the situation involving Job and his friends. Each of Job's friends and counselors had reached a similar conclusion about the sufferer's dilemma and how it should be resolved. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar all agreed: Job must have sinned in some way, and if he would only ‘fess up to his transgression, the Lord would quickly restore his well-being. These were long-time friends of Job, and wise old heads at that. What could a young man possibly add to this discussion, especially since he was prepared to reject the counsel of his elders and turn the conversation toward a new focus?

Elihu may have felt somewhat intimidated, but he insisted on his right to speak into the situation. In Job 34:16-27 he offered an analogy to justify expressing his views, one that he was certain all parties would agree with, and which would therefore allow him room to voice his opinion.

It is this analogy, a brief for the duty of political speech, that concerns us here. We want to consider Elihu's analogy for what we can learn from it about speaking up on matters of public moment in our own day, when all the loudest voices seem to be blowing and blustering in a direction that many of us may not find to our liking.

The priority of political speech

Elihu's premise in this analogy is that no one is going to object when someone who sees injustice in the public square raises his voice to protest (vv. 16-19). Indeed, even the wisest among them would acknowledge that men must not simply stand by while unjust rulers pursue wicked policies, showing partiality to special interests in order to pad their own wellbeing. The duty of speaking up, even in the bluntest of terms, would be agreed upon by all.