Job Chapter 37
Please read: Job 37 –
The remainder of Elihu’s speech is one we could all agree a beautiful description of the majesty of God. He continues to describe God through the imagery of a thunderstorm. I wonder if there wasn’t actually a storm brewing that gave Elihu ample material to speak about. Perhaps there were lightning strikes in the distance and the sounds of low rumblings of thunder. In verse 3 Elihu states “under the whole heavens He lets it go.” You and I have certainly experienced thunderstorms that seemed as if the whole of the heavens were being shook out upon the earth with loud thunderclaps that seemed to shake your whole house and lightning strikes that lit up the whole night sky. Those kinds of storms certainly remind us of the power of our God!
He ends his speech with the beautiful imagery of the sun breaking through when a storm has passed. The beautiful sunrays remind us of God’s splendor and majesty. In Elihu’s beautiful reminder to Job, he makes it clear that God in all of His majesty, He will not break His justice and abundant righteousness. Elihu is correct. God is righteous and just and that will never change. He was also correct when he stated that men should fear Him. Men should not think that they can out-smart God. And there we have the final implied accusation toward Job.
Let's Reflect
1. In the first verse what does Elihu describe what often happens to us when there is a particularly loud thunderclap or a big bolt of lightning that strikes near us?
2. In describing the voice of God, what does Elihu liken it to?
3. In verses 6 and 9 he gave other examples of weather that are creations of God and imagery of God’s majesty. What did he talk about?
4. According to verse 13 what did Elihu describe as the purposes of the storms sent to earth?
5. In verses 14-26 Elihu teaches Job that the things of nature caused by the Almighty cannot be explained. Humans have spent years and years and millions of dollars trying to figure out the weather. If only they would put that much effort into getting to know the creator of it all. But Elihu, in his teaching, seems to belittle Job. Job was a man who had a close relationship with God, but Elihu seems to indicate what about Job’s understanding?
6. In verse 23 Elihu was correct when he said we cannot find the Almighty if he meant that we cannot physically see God. But there is clear evidence of Him all around us and we can certainly see His majesty portrayed in His creation. What three words did Elihu use to describe the greatness of God?
