\\INTRODUCTION TO JOB 33\\

In this chapter Elihu addresses Job himself, and entreats his attention
to what he had to say to him, and offers several things to induce him
to it; and recommends himself as one that was according to his wish, in
the stead of God, a man like himself, and of whom he had no reason to
be afraid, \\#Job 33:1-7\\; and then he brings a charge against him of
things which he himself had heard, of words that had dropped from him
in the course of his controversy with his friends; in which he too much
and too strongly insisted on his own innocence and purity, and let fill
very undue and unbecoming reflections on the dealings of God with him,
\\#Job 33:8-11\\; to which he gives an answer by observing the superior
greatness of God to man, and his sovereignty over him, not being
accountable to him for anything done by him; and therefore man should
be silent and submissive to him, \\#Job 33:12,13\\; and yet, though he is
so great and so absolute, and uncontrollable, and is not obliged to
give an account of his affairs to man, and the reasons of them; yet he
condescends by various ways and means to instruct him in his mind and
will, and even by these very things complained of; and therefore should
not be treated as if unkind and unfriendly to men; sometimes he does it
by dreams and visions, when he opens the ears of men, and seals
instruction to them, and with this view, to restrain them from their
evil purposes and doings, and to weaken their pride and humble them,
and preserve them from ruin, \\#Job 33:14-18\\; and sometimes by chastening
and afflictive providences, which are described, \\#Job 33:19-22\\; and
which become teaching ones; through the interposition of a divine
messenger, and upon the afflicted man's prayer to God, and humiliation
before him, God is gracious and favourable to him, and delivers him;
which is frequently the design and the use that he makes of chastening
dispensations, \\#Job 33:23-30\\; and the chapter is concluded with
beseeching Job to mark and consider well what had been said unto him,
and to answer it if he could or thought fit; if not, silently to attend
to what he had further to say to him for his instruction,
\\#Job 33:31-33\\.