Job 37 Elihu describes God’s majesty
“My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me. Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice as it rolls from his mouth. It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes in every direction. Then comes the roaring of the thunder—the tremendous voice of his majesty. He does not restrain it when he speaks. God’s voice is glorious in the thunder. We can’t even imagine the greatness of his power.”
“He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power. The wild animals take cover and stay inside their dens. The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold. God’s breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water. He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning. The clouds churn about at his direction. They do whatever he commands throughout the earth. He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.”
“Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God! Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds? Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill? When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still, he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. Can you do that?
“So teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments. Should God be notified that I want to speak? Can people even speak when they are confused? We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds. So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor. We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us. No wonder people everywhere fear him. All who are wise show him reverence.”
Taken individually, this chapter is a glorious description of God’s magnificence and His power. But there’s a problem. Elihu is so concentrated on being snarky and trying to shame Job that eventually he spoils his own speech.
At no point has Job ever claimed that he is as powerful as God, nor has Job set himself up as a deity. Job knows how powerful God is, but Job is confused and frustrated because he has always trusted God and God seems to have abandoned him, despite his righteousness. Elihu demands that Job should “teach the rest of us,” but he doesn’t mean it. Intoxicated with the sound of his own voice and eloquence, Elihu simply can’t pass up the opportunity to deliver a moving speech, whether or not it accomplishes anything.
What can we do with this chapter? Once more, it’s a case of chewing up the meat and spitting out the bones. We can appreciate the wonderful descriptions of God while we ignore Elihu’s less than noble motives.
Elihu is the last of the self-styled comforters who prolong Job’s suffering by their pompous orations. One question we might ask God is “Why did You allow all these men to torment Job with their speeches and arguments?” and a second question might follow: “Why have You included this book in the Bible?”
When I was studying physics in high school, I had a gifted teacher named Mr. Young. When someone would ask Mr. Young a question to which he did not have an immediate answer, Mr. Young would reply, “Because God wants it that way.” God in His wisdom has included the Book of Job in the Bible because God knows human nature. This Book records the kinds of suffering that any future believer might encounter, including well-intentioned people with lousy attitudes who insist on inflicting advice on sufferers. Ever since the Book of Job has been recorded, generations of believers have taken encouragement from it. There are at least 65 references to the Book of Job, 37 in the Psalms, 18 in Proverbs, 9 in the prophets, and 1 in the New Testament.
We have finally reached the end of the advice others have given Job. Tomorrow God weighs in!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, You are glorious and magnificent, and Your power is amazing. Help us to truly worship You as we treat others with love and sensitivity. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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