Job 37
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At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.
2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.
3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
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.
5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
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.
7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.
8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.
9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.
11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud:
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.
13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.
14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
17 How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?
18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.
22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
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.
24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Job 37:1-24
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
1“At this also my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
and his lightning to the corners of the earth.
4After it his voice roars;
he thunders with his majestic voice,
and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.
5God thunders wondrously with his voice;
he does great things that we cannot comprehend.
6For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
7He seals up the hand of every man,
that all men whom he made may know it.
8Then the beasts go into their lairs,
and remain in their dens.
9From its chamber comes the whirlwind,
and cold from the scattering winds.
10By the breath of God ice is given,
and the broad waters are frozen fast.
11He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
the clouds scatter his lightning.
12They turn around and around by his guidance,
to accomplish all that he commands them
on the face of the habitable world.
13Whether for correction or for his land
or for love, he causes it to happen.
14“Hear this, O Job;
stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
15Do you know how God lays his command upon them
and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16Do you know the balancings of the clouds,
the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
17you whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18Can you, like him, spread out the skies,
hard as a cast metal mirror?
19Teach us what we shall say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
20Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?
21“And now no one looks on the light
when it is bright in the skies,
when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22Out of the north comes golden splendor;
God is clothed with awesome majesty.
23The Almighty—we cannot find him;
he is great in power;
justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24Therefore men fear him;
he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Job 37:1-24
1“At this my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
2Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.
4After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
5God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
7So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.
8The animals take cover;
they remain in their dens.
9The tempest comes out from its chamber,
the cold from the driving winds.
10The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.
11He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.
12At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.
13He brings the clouds to punish people,
or to water his earth and show his love.
14“Listen to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.
15Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning flash?
16Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
17You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
18can you join him in spreading out the skies,
hard as a mirror of cast bronze?
19“Tell us what we should say to him;
we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
20Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21Now no one can look at the sun,
bright as it is in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean.
22Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;
God comes in awesome majesty.
23The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.
24Therefore, people revere him,
for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?”
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
In this final chapter before God speaks, Elihu’s last argument is recorded. To a great degree he is right. God is mighty. He is powerful. He is just. He should be respected, and because He is so awesome we will never completely understand Him. His argument is summed up in verse 23, “The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in His justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.”
But even in this last chapter the assumption is, since God is just, Job must have done some horrible things to be in this condition. Elihu and his friends are right that there is evil in the equation. And they are right that it isn’t with God. But where they go wrong is blaming it on Job. We get a behind the scenes peek at the beginning of the story that Satan has instigated the whole thing. This is where the evil lies. And this explains why bad things happen to good people.
We are caught in a battle between good and evil. Knowing this gives us more insight than all of Job’s wise friends. It allows us to still believe God is just, and to have a compassionate, non-blaming approach for those going through rough times.
Lonnie Wibberding
Pastor, Glide and Turning Point Seventh-day Adventist Churches
Oregon, USA
