As he finishes his speech, Elihu continues the hymn he began to the greatness and wisdom...
As he finishes his speech, Elihu continues the hymn he began to the greatness and wisdom of the Creator (vv. 1-24). At first glance it may seem that it is no different from similar doxologies already pronounced by Job himself and by his friends. But Elihu ends his speech by mentioning God's righteousness, His just judgment, and the fact that God oppresses no one (v. 23). The wise in heart, Elihu says, experience "fear" before God, that sacred awe of which the ancient sages said that it is the source of true wisdom (v. 24). It would seem that there is nothing special in these words of Elihu; he is merely repeating what by his time had long since become commonplace in discussions of wisdom. But in essence, when Elihu recalls the fear of God as the foundation of true wisdom, he has in mind something quite different from what the ancients spoke about. Speaking of the fear of God, or sacred awe, they meant above all the state that overtakes a person who has met God face to face. It was caused precisely by the awareness that something incredible was happening, that a person had found himself in immediate nearness to the One who is, in essence, infinitely far from human beings.
Such an experience is supernatural at its root; it is connected with the awareness of the incredibility of what is happening, with the reality of the miracle that every step God takes toward a person is. It is no wonder that the reality of the impossible, which becomes possible because of God's direct intervention in a person's life, gives that person reverence before God and sacred awe before Him. Elihu, however, is speaking of something else. He means the entirely natural feeling of admiration that seizes a person at the sight of the greatness and beauty of God's world. Of course, the wisdom and power of the Creator truly are manifested in this beauty. But there is nothing supernatural in the experience that overtakes a person at the sight of the beauty of creation. Naturally, a believer understands perfectly well to whom the world owes its beauty, greatness, and harmony. But he also understands that the world is no more than a mirror reflecting its Creator. One can admire the reflection of the Creator, which is beautiful insofar as the One reflected is beautiful. But it would hardly occur to anyone to experience sacred awe before the reflection of the One who inspires that awe. Elihu, however, calls Job to be content with the reflection and not to lay claim to anything more.
37 Elihu observes the hand of God, in thunder and lighting, Job 37:1-5.
In frost and snow, rain and wind, Job 37:6-13.
Challenges Job to account for these, Job 37:14-22.
Concludes, that God is great and greatly to be feared, Job 37:23-24.
37:2 Hear - It is probable that while Elihu was speaking it thundered, and that tempest was begun, wherewith God ushered in his speech. And this might occasion his return to that subject of which he had discoursed before. Voice - The thunder is called God's voice.Because by it God speaks to the children of men, to fear before him.Mouth - That is produced by God's word or command, which is often signified by his mouth.
37:3 Directeth - His voice: which he guideth like an arrow to the mark, that it may do that work for which he sends it.
37:4 After - After the lightning, which is seen before the thunder is hard. Them - The lightnings spoken of in the beginning of the verse.
37:6 Strength - Those storms of rain which come with great force and irresistible violence.
37:7 Sealeth - By these snows and rains he drives men out of the fields, and seals or binds up their hands from their work. That - They may seriously contemplate on these, and other great and glorious works of God.
37:9 Cold - Freezing winds.
37:10 The waters - The waters which had freely spread themselves before, are congealed and bound up in crystal fetters.
37:11 Watering - The earth. They spend themselves and are exhausted watering the earth, until they are weary. Wearieth - Them with much water, and making them to go long journeys to water remote parts, and at last to empty themselves there: all which things make men weary; and therefore are here said to make the clouds weary by a common figure. Scattereth - As for the white and lightsome clouds, he scatters and dissolves them by the wind or sun.
37:12 Turned - The clouds are carried about to this or that place.Not by chance (though nothing seems to be more casual than the motions of the clouds) but by his order and governance.
37:13 Correction - To scourge or correct men by immoderate showers.Earth - The whole earth, which is said to be the Lord's, Psa 24:1 Job 37, Psa 50:12, and so this may denote a general judgment byexcessive rains inflicted upon the earth, and all its inhabitants, even the universal deluge, which came in great measure out of the clouds. Mercy - For the benefit of mankind and for the cooling of the air and improving the fruits of the earth.
37:14 Consider - If there be so much matter of wonder in the most obvious works of God, how wonderful must his secret counsels be?
37:15 Them - The things before mentioned, the clouds, rain, snow, and other meteors. Did God acquaint thee with his counsels in the producing and ordering of them? His cloud - Probably the rainbow, seated in a cloud, which may well be called God's cloud, because therein God puts his bow, Gen 9:13.
37:16 Balancings - How God doth as it were weigh the clouds in balances, so that although they are full of water, yet they are kept up by the thin air.
37:17 Quieteth - The air about the earth. From the south - By the sun's coming into the southern parts, which makes the air quiet and warm.
37:18 With him - Wast thou his assistant in spreading out the sky like a canopy over the earth? Strong - Which though it be very thin and transparent, yet is also firm and compact and steadfast.Looking glass - Made of brass and steel, as the manner then was.Smooth and polished, without the least flaw. In this, as in a glass, we may behold the glory of God and the wisdom of his handy - work.
37:19 Teach us - If thou canst. Say unto him - Of these things.Order - To maintain discourse with him, both because of the darkness of the matter, God's counsels being a great depth; and because of the darkness of our minds.
37:20 Shall - I send a challenge to God, or a message that I am ready to debate with him concerning his proceedings? Speak - If a man should be so bold to enter the lists with God. Swallowed up - With the sense of his infinite majesty.
37:21 Light - The sun; which is emphatically called light, and here the bright light: which men cannot behold or gaze on, when the sky is very clear: and therefore it is not strange if we cannot see God, or discern his counsels and ways. Them - The sky by driving away those clouds which darkened it.
37:22 North - From the northern winds which scatter the clouds, and clear the sky. Elihu concludes with some short, but great sayings, concerning the glory of God. He speaks abruptly and in haste, because it should seem, he perceived God was approaching, and presumed he was about to take the work into his own hands.
37:23 Find - We cannot comprehend him: his power, wisdom, justice, and his counsels proceeding from them are past our finding out.Power - Therefore as he doth not need any unrighteous action to advance himself, so he cannot do it, because all such things are acts of weakness. Judgment - In the just administration of judgment, he never did, nor can exercise that power unjustly, as Job seemed to insinuate.Afflict - Without just cause.
37:24 Fear - Fear or reverence him, and humbly submit to him, and not presume to quarrel or dispute with him. Wise of heart - Wise in their own eyes.