The last part of Elihu’s long speech, chapters 36 and 37 in Job, has four parts. In 36:1–23 Elihu addresses Job and further defends the righteousness of God. In fact, this is really the theme of all of Elihu’s argument. In 36:24–37:1 (I think we have another bad chapter break here), Elihu exhorts Job to remember to magnify God’s work. The imperative in verse 24 is a second person singular form in the Hebrew (which the English translation doesn’t show). In 37:2–13, Elihu addresses others (the imperative is a plural form), though we do not know who they are. They might be Job’s friends, the wise men addressed in 34:2 (if different from Job’s friends), or all those who were present and listening. Finally, in 37:14–24, Elihu addresses Job again.
Each of the last three parts begins with a very similar exhortation: “Remember to magnify His work (36:24), “Hear attentively the thunder of His voice (37:2), and “Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God” (37:14). And he develops just one theme: the greatness of God as revealed in his control of the weather.
36:2–24
The first section of this speech (36:2–24) is mostly a very explicit defense of the righteousness of God. He does not preserve the life of the wicked, gives justice to the oppressed and exalts the righteous (vv. 6–7). When he afflicts the righteous, he has good reason for it: he shows them their transgression and opens their ears to instruction (vv. 8–10). If they heed him, he blesses them; if they do not, they will perish by the sword (vv. 11–12). He sees through hypocrites whose righteousness is only a pretense, and he brings judgment on them (vv.13–14). He delivers the poor (v. 15).
In verses 16–21 Elihu applies this directly to Job: “Indeed he would have brought you (singular) out of dire distress,” and blessed you (v. 16), but you have been wicked. Therefore, “judgment and justice take hold of you” (v.17). More wrath lies in store if you do not repent, and nothing will deliver you from it (vv. 18–19). Do not try to hide your deeds in darkness because even there God’s judgment can reach you (v. 20). You may choose either iniquity or submission to the chastening hand of God; do not turn to iniquity (v.21).
But notice now, how Elihu brackets this speech about the righteousness of God with references to God’s power. In verse 5 he says, “Behold, God is mighty… He is mighty in strength of understanding;” and in verse 22, “Behold, God is exalted by His power.” It sounds very much like Elihu is saying that the power of God implies his righteousness. In God’s case, might is right; power is justice. The exercises of his power are, of necessity, righteous. The Almighty, simply because he is the Almighty, cannot pervert justice. That can never be the case with men; with men too often power is injustice, but with God it is inconceivable.
Therefore, “Who teaches like Him?” No other teacher has this kind of authority or this kind of power to make his word effective. No can tell him what to do, and no one can say, “You have done wrong” (vv. 22–23), which is what Job has done.
36:24–37:1
In the remainder of the speech and in harmony with this idea of the inseparability of omnipotence and righteousness in God, Elihu explains in detail the power of God, especially as revealed in his control of the weather. He does it in three exhortations, the first and third to Job, and the second to others.
He first exhorts Job to “remember to magnify His work” (36:24). God is great (v. 26). He controls the whole process of evaporation, condensation and precipitation (vv. 27–28), spreads the clouds and governs the thunder (v.29), and covers the whole face of the sea with his lightning (v.30). He throws his lightning bolts exactly where he wills (v. 32) and announces what he has done by the thunder and the cattle’s seeking refuge.
Because of this great power, Elihu trembles before him (37:1). Job and all men ought to do the same.
Furthermore, in all of this display of power, God has his purposes. In some cases, he sends such storms for judgment, and in others he gives food in abundance (v. 31). In fact, he may do both in one storm.
37:2–13
Chapter 37:2–13 develops the same idea with a particular focus on thunder and winter: “Hear attentively the thunder of His voice” (v. 2). His thunder and lightning are everywhere under heaven (v. 3). He roars loudly with his majestic voice (vv. 4–5). He commands the snow and both gentle and heavy rain to fall (v. 6). He sends the whirlwind which brings heat from the south, and the scattering wind that brings cold from the north (v. 9). His breath (the wind) freezes the broad waters (v. 10). He fills the clouds with water, scatters them over the face of the sky and guides them precisely in all their swirling about, so that they do exactly what he commands them (vv. 11–12).
He prevents men from playing any part in all this, so that they may know that it is his work. The animals can only respond to it by seeking shelter in their dens (vv. 7–8).
And again, the Almighty has his purposes in all of this. He causes it to come for correction (for the chastening of sin), for his land (to provide for the earth), or even for mercy (v. 13). With respect to the last, we remember that he killed many of Israel’s enemies in the time of Joshua with hailstones (Josh. 10:11) and used the Brook Kishon to sweep away the horses and chariots of the Canaanites (Judg. 5:21).
37:14–24
Finally, in the last few verses of his speech, Elihu turns again to Job with an exhortation to stand still and consider the works of God. These verses also talk about the weather, but, in contrast with verses 2–13 which focus especially on winter, these focus on summer.
Elihu asks Job a series of questions which the questions of God in chapters 38–41 echo. “Do you know” and “Did you do” are the key phrases in them. Do you know when God dispatches his clouds, where they come from and where they go, and how he causes their lightning to shine? Do you know how they are balanced and hang in the sky? Can you explain the south wind by which your garments become hot? Did you spread out the skies like a bronze mirror, to bake the earth with the sun’s heat (vv. 15–18).
Then, with a note of sarcasm, if you can answer these questions, then you know what to say to God. Teach us, so that we may know too (v. 19). But God is the incomprehensible one, hidden in darkness. There is nothing we can say to him (v. 19). We don’t even have a right to speak, and, if we did speak, we would be swallowed up (v. 20). You have said that if only God would take away your terror of him you would be able to bring a coherent defense of your righteousness to him. Understand that the proper posture of man before God is fear and trembling. It cannot be otherwise. The sun is so bright that men cannot look at it, but the splendor of God is greater. “With God is awesome [fearful] majesty” (vv. 21–22). We cannot find him. His power is too great and judgment and justice too abundant for us ever to comprehend them. “Therefore men fear him” (v. 24).
Conclusion
In these two chapters Elihu seeks to invoke in Job a sense of wonder and fear, of humility and submission to the Almighty. He sees clearly that Job has gone far beyond what is right for man to do in accusing God of taking away his justice. But he also avoids the trap that the friends fell into: trying to explain Job’s suffering by making a direct connection between specific sin and immediate judgment. Instead, he teaches Job that God has many purposes in affliction which we can enumerate (correction, prevention of future sin, mercy, provision for the earth, teaching men his power, and so on) but which we usually cannot identify in specific circumstances.
But we may not question his righteousness. His power and majesty put him far beyond our right and ability to make of any such challenge anything but impertinence and pride.
Thus the answer to Job’s suffering, turmoil and desire for explanation, and to every sufferer who has felt the same, can be painfully difficult to accept. God has his reasons which no man can explain, but he is the Almighty and righteous. He is, in fact, God; and we must submit to his hand.
But also, in that way of submission comes peace and blessing, as Job himself discovered when finally he laid his hand on his mouth.