Job 37:1-24
1 "At this also my heart trembles,
And leaps from its place.
2 Hear attentively the thunder of His voice,
And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3 He sends it forth under the whole heaven,
His lightning to the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice,
And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard.
5 God thunders marvelously with His voice;
He does great things which we cannot comprehend.
6 For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth';
Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.
7 He seals the hand of every man,
That all men may know His work.
8 The beasts go into dens,
And remain in their lairs.
9 From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,
And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
And the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;
He scatters His bright clouds.
12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may do whatever He commands them
On the face of the whole earth.
13 He causes it to come,
Whether for correction,
Or for His land,
Or for mercy.
14 "Listen to this, O Job;
Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know when God dispatches them,
And causes the light of His cloud to shine?
16 Do you know how the clouds are balanced,
Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 Why are your garments hot,
When He quiets the earth by the south wind?
18 With Him, have you spread out the skies,
Strong as a cast metal mirror?
19 "Teach us what we should say to Him,
For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.
20 Should He be told that I wish to speak?
If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up.
21 Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies,
When the wind has passed and cleared them.
22 He comes from the north as golden splendor;
With God is awesome majesty.
23 As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him;
He is excellent in power,
In judgment and abundant justice;
He does not oppress.
24 Therefore men fear Him;
He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart."
We see Elihu continuing to extol God and His wondrous works. When he and we hear His word and observe His mighty works, our heart leaps within us as the two journeying to Emmaus in Luke 24:32 heard the Master’s voice. Elihu had this heart exaltation as he exalted the LORD and spoke of all His wondrous deeds in creation and towards men. These things he was using to rekindle Job’s heart in the midst of his suffering. They can encourage and move us as well. He used the example of thunder and lightning, mighty displays of God’s power as if He speaks through them, thundering marvelously! He used this to tell Job and us that God’s works are great and beyond understanding most of the time, of course unless He chooses to reveal some to us. Snow and rainfall, hibernating animals, and even limits to man’s works are illustrated to demonstrate God’s wonderful working. Winds, storms, ice, and clouds all move at His command, at His will and word. He gives three reasons for these things: first, for correction of us, second for watering His land we are tending (Genesis 2:15), and third to show His mercy. He sends storms to correct us that we may rely on Him alone. He waters the land to help us maintain and tend it that we may have food. He shows mercy in all His loving care by His power and control of the elements for our good and His glory. This Elihu told Job to consider these wondrous works of God starting in verse 14, and he pointed to the perfect knowledge of God in bringing all things about for a purpose, His providence. Job should consider this in his adversity and trust God’s working as unpleasant things are allowed with the good ones (Romans 8:28). We need to be taught what to speak to Him, just as Elihu and Job. The brightness of His glory and awesome majesty display God’s power and fair judgment, and we therefore fear Him to whom there is no partiality (Romans 2:11, Ephesians 6:9), as an example for us. The lessons for Job apply in many ways to us as well, especially when we reach the end of the book and understand the insight Job learned from these discourses. May our heart also leap within us as we consider these things from His word!
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