Job

Chapter  37  

"Elihu finishes his speech."  

When you look at our Father's majesty and power through God's nature, we can learn a lot from it.  However we will see in next chapter that God Himself will set the record straight. 

Job  37:1   "At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place."

This is a continuation of the prior chapter, and Elihu is saying that sometimes it frightens me when I see lightning striking all around me. 

Job  37:2   "Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the sound that goeth out of His mouth."

"The noise of His voice" spoken of here is the thunder that follows the lightning as it streaks across the sky.  We can see why this man doesn't know God, for remember what God told Elijah when the storm came upon him?  God told Elijah that He was not in the storms, but Elihu is teaching that when it thunders, that is the voice of the God. 

Job  37:3   "He directeth it under the whole heaven, and His lightning unto the ends of the earth."

This is a true statement, God lets it rain whether man is there or not.

Job  37:4   "After it a voice roareth: He thundereth with the voice of His excellency; and He will not stay them when His voice is heard."

We are getting more than just a comparison here.

Job  37:5   "God thundereth marvellously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend."

This is also a true statement.

Job  37:6   "For He saith to the snow, `Be thou on the earth;' likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of His strength."

Elihu is giving a lot of common facts that will lull you into a sleep, and make you unsuspecting of other statement that will follow.  When one starts off this way, in the end it will cause you to believe other things this person can think up.  When snow comes down it does covers the earth.  God sends the light rains and follows them with the heavy rains, and any other simply thing that is a true statement, just to get you agreeing with what he is saying.  Elihu sounds like a salesman.

Job  37:7   "He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know His work."

Elihu is telling us that any man can see God's handiwork.  Look at the snow, isn't it pretty.  Look at the rain fall on the garden.  Do you see the simple statements that Elihu is making to set you up to accept what is going to follow?  So far you have to agree with most of what the young man is saying, and that is why we must be on guard. 

Job  37:8   "Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places."

These are more plain simple facts.

Job  37:9   "Out of the south cometh the whirlwind and cold out of the north."

Most of the people know that when it is winter in the northern hemisphere, the cold wind comes out of the north.  Being east of Jerusalem, we know that Job and these friends are in the northern hemisphere, so again it is just another set of facts. 

Job  37:10   "By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened."

Job  37:11   "Also by watering He wearieth the thick cloud:  He scattereth His bright cloud:"

Job  37:12   "And it is turned round about by His counsels: that they may do whatsoever He commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth."

So we see that Elihu is continuing to just talk about things that are true, and of course even a child understands them to be true.  All we see are words, words, words...Many of these statement that Elihu is saying is similar to what God will say in the chapters that follow.  So what does God want us to learn from this?  Many of these facts of life are boring, however there is a kinship between God and man. 

Job  37:13   "He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy."

The "it" stated here is a "whip" or a "rod".  Elihu is saying that God comes with His whip or His rod to do what ever He does.  God can use that whip or rod to show His mercy, or to correct mankind.  To a point that is true, God can and does correct His elect when they are drifting off where they should not be.  Remember that Job is an example or type of the elect in this book of Job. 

Job  37:14   "Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.."

Job  37:15   "Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of His cloud to shine?"

When God moves the elements of this earth age about, can you see the hand of God in it?

Job  37:16   "Dost thou know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of Him Which is perfect in knowledge?"

Job  37:17   "How thy garments are warm, when He quieteth the earth by the south wind."

Do you know why God can make it warm in the summertime when the south wind blows?

Job  37:18   "Hast thou with Him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?"

When you look up to the sky and see all the beauty in the sky, did you help God do that Job?  This of course is a true statement for neither did anyone else.

Job  37:19   "Teach us what we shall say unto Him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness."

Elihu is saying that we can't make our case to God because of the darkness of the veil between God and us.  This was a true statement at this time of Job and Elihu, for Jesus Christ had not been born yet, nor had Moses given the law.  In accordance with the plan of God, the dispensation of grace had not come about.  Christ had not gone to the cross yet to pay the price.  That veil was there at Job's time, and it would not be rent in two for sixteen hundred years, until the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. 

Mark  15:37   "And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the Ghost [Spirit]."

Mark  15:38   "And the veil of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom."

Mark  15:39   "And when the centurion, which stood over against Him, saw that he had cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God."

Before that veil of the Temple was rent in twain, mankind could not approach the Living God directly, for it required the sacrifice of the blood of sheep and goats for on a temporary basis for the year.  So we see that Elihu was correct when he stated that there was a veil of darkness that stood between God and man at these men's time.  However it no longer exists for us today, because we have the right to approach the throne of God directly, through our faith and our repentance in Jesus name.  That is our credentials before the throne of God, "In Jesus name".  That is the only way, the truth and the life, and no man cometh to the Father but by the name of Jesus Christ.    

Job  37:20   "Shall it be told Him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up."

Elihu says, those things that he says can be heard but not remembered. 

Job  37:21   "And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them."

Job  37:22   "Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty."

Job  37:23   "Touching The Almighty, we cannot find Him out: He is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: He will not afflict."

Then Elihu sums up every thing that he has stated with this plain statement.  "If you are a righteous person, God will not afflict you."  What a jab at Job.  He went along stating all sorts of simple truths to get your interest, and with each statement you find your head bobbing yes.  Then right at the end he makes this statement that is not true, and Job, the three men by Job's side and all of us are suppose to believe it.  Remember Elihu had said that he waited all this time to give only the facts, to find the truth, but in the end, all he gave was a lot of simple truth, and nothing but hot air and words, just like the rest of the men.  Elihu is calling Job a liar to his face, and telling him that he is not a righteous man. 

Job  37:24   "Men do therefore fear Him:  He respecteth not any that are wise of heart."

Elihu is telling Job that he is conceded and unrighteous and God doesn't respect those that are.  Job's only defense through these entire thirty seven chapters was that he was a righteous man, and this punk kid is calling Job a liar.  You talk about a man that is full of conceit, that had to be Elihu himself.  In the end, Elihu let his own ignorance of Job and God be known. 

This is an example of what we must be on guard against, those that have many words, and a position or title, yet in their mind they are ignorant of the ways of God.  They can spout many facts and most of them may true to the point, but in their conclusions they have missed the mark.  They love to show their pride, the same pride that caused the fall of Satan, and judged him to destruction.  If we are not careful in these latter days, we also can get drawn in by the many words of the modern day Elihu's, the Scripture lawyers.

God's Word is complete and God is not the author of confusion, but you must be in step with God.  The only thing that we are to draw from this book of Job is that Satan will cause you all sorts of harm and trouble if you let him.  Though to this point, the truth had not been given, we will not enter chapters where our Heavenly Father will give us the truth.  God is going to warn us even of the Antichrist that shall come in the latter days. 

It is true that most people believe that there is a Satan, and that he exists.  They will tell you how bad he is, and just what he does.  Satan plays many roles throughout the Scriptures, and one of his roles is the Antichrist.  Most Christians today have no idea of anything about the Antichrist, and when or how he will come to this earth.  they refuse to prepare their protection with the armor of God, but will allow so-called Elihu's [preachers] to tell them that they will be gone.  And they throw away all the protection of the book of Revelation, and the Old Testament, and in turn fill their minds with half truth, and sick child's fly away stories.  The Book of Job to this point has given us an example as to how the elect, those sealed of God are going to be viewed and attacked by those with many words, and standing with their titles and facts to confuse you into believing their lies. 

Christians today don't look for Antichrist, because they are told that they will not be here.  Very few believe that they will see the Antichrist, who is Satan, when he arrives with his fallen angels here on earth.  They don't look for it because they don't believe it.  The men with words have raptured them away, and have pulled the veil right back over their eyes.  Friend, it is going to be an honor to stand against Satan, for Satan is the Antichrist.  It is an honor to our Heavenly Father who loves you.