In Job 35 What Does Elihu Mean When He Says That God Does Not Answer The Proud?
Understanding Elihu’s Words in Job 35: God’s Response to the Proud
The Book of Job is a profound exploration of suffering, faith, and the nature of God’s justice. In Job 35, Elihu, the youngest of Job’s friends, speaks up to correct what he perceives as errors in both Job’s arguments and those of the other friends. His speech in this chapter centers on God’s justice, human pride, and the reasons why God might not answer certain prayers.
The Context: Job’s Complaint and Elihu’s Response
Job has repeatedly questioned why God seems silent in his suffering. Elihu responds by challenging Job’s assumptions about God’s fairness and the effectiveness of human righteousness or wickedness on God’s character. Elihu’s core message can be found in these words:
Surely God will not hear an empty cry, Neither will the Almighty regard it. How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not: The cause is before him, and thou waitest for him! - Job 35:13-14 ASV
Elihu asserts that God does not answer “an empty cry,” referring particularly to the prayers of those whose hearts are proud or insincere. Let’s break down the meaning and biblical insights from this passage.
What Does Elihu Mean by “Proud”?
The term “proud” in Scripture often refers not only to arrogance but to those who are self-reliant, unrepentant, or who approach God with a sense of entitlement. Elihu suggests that such people may cry out in distress when suffering comes, but their prayers are not genuine acts of faith or humility.
There they cry, but none giveth answer, Because of the pride of evil men. - Job 35:12 ASV
Here, Elihu connects unanswered prayer to pride, indicating that a haughty attitude can be a barrier to God’s response. This is a theme echoed elsewhere in Scripture:
Though Jehovah be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; But the haughty he knoweth from afar. - Psalm 138:6 ASV
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. - James 4:6 ASV
Why Does God Not Answer the Proud?
From an Evangelical Baptist perspective, God desires a contrite and humble heart. Pride stands in opposition to the grace and relationship God offers. When someone prays with a proud heart, they are not truly seeking God’s will or trusting in His wisdom. Instead, they may be demanding their own way, which Scripture warns against:
If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear: - Psalm 66:18 ASV
God’s refusal to answer such prayers is not a denial of His justice, but a call for humility and repentance. God listens to those who come to Him by faith, acknowledging their need for mercy.
The Centrality of Christ and Humility in Prayer
Through the lens of the New Testament, we see that access to God is made possible through Jesus Christ. True humility recognizes our dependence on Christ for salvation:
Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need. - Hebrews 4:16 ASV
This boldness is not rooted in pride but in faith in Christ’s finished work. The proud, who trust in themselves, remain distant from God, but the humble, who trust in Christ, are welcomed.
Conclusion: A Call to Humility
Elihu’s words in Job 35 remind us that God is not indifferent, but He responds to those who approach Him in humility and faith. Pride is a barrier, but humility opens the door to God’s gracious response. As believers, we are called to examine our own hearts, ensuring that our prayers flow from a place of dependence on God and trust in His perfect wisdom.