THE ALMIGHTY IS EXALTED IN POWER

Passage: Job 36:1-37:24

Key verse: 37:23

NIV

36 Elihu continued:

2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
4 Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
    one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)

5 “God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
    he enthrones them with kings(L)
    and exalts them forever.(M)
8 But if people are bound in chains,(N)
    held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
9 he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.(P)
10 He makes them listen(Q) to correction(R)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,(T)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(U)
    and their years in contentment.(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword[a](W)
    and die without knowledge.(X)

13 “The godless in heart(Y) harbor resentment;(Z)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(AA)
14 They die in their youth,(AB)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.(AC)
15 But those who suffer(AD) he delivers in their suffering;(AE)
    he speaks(AF) to them in their affliction.(AG)

16 “He is wooing(AH) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place(AI) free from restriction,(AJ)
    to the comfort of your table(AK) laden with choice food.(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(AM)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe(AO) turn you aside.(AP)
19 Would your wealth(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(AR)
    to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(AS)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.(AT)

22 “God is exalted in his power.(AU)
    Who is a teacher like him?(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(AW) for him,(AX)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,(AZ)
    which people have praised in song.(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;(BB)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(BC)
    The number of his years is past finding out.(BD)

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(BE)
    which distill as rain to the streams[c];(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(BG) fall on mankind.(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(BI) from his pavilion?(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(BK) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(BL)
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations(BM)
    and provides food(BN) in abundance.(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(BQ)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[e](BR)

37 “At this my heart pounds(BS)
    and leaps from its place.
2 Listen!(BT) Listen to the roar of his voice,(BU)
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(BV)
3 He unleashes his lightning(BW) beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.(BX)
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders(BY) with his majestic voice.(BZ)
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
5 God’s voice thunders(CA) in marvelous ways;(CB)
    he does great things beyond our understanding.(CC)
6 He says to the snow,(CD) ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(CE)
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,(CF)
    he stops all people from their labor.[f](CG)
8 The animals take cover;(CH)
    they remain in their dens.(CI)
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,(CJ)
    the cold from the driving winds.(CK)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.(CL)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(CM)
    he scatters his lightning(CN) through them.(CO)
12 At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.(CP)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(CQ)
    or to water his earth and show his love.(CR)

14 “Listen(CS) to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.(CT)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning(CU) flash?(CV)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(CW)
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(CX)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(CY)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(CZ)
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(DA)

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(DB)
    we cannot draw up our case(DC) because of our darkness.(DD)
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
    Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21 Now no one can look at the sun,(DE)
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(DF)
    God comes in awesome majesty.(DG)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(DH)
    in his justice(DI) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(DJ)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(DK)
    for does he not have regard for all the wise(DL) in heart?[g]”

Footnotes
  1. Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
  2. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
  3. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  4. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  5. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil
  6. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
  7. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Elihu Extols God's Greatness

36 And Elihu continued, and said:

2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
    for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from (A)afar
    and ascribe (B)righteousness to my (C)Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
    one who is (D)perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 “Behold, God is mighty, and (E)does not despise any;
    he is (F)mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
    but gives (G)the afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his (H)eyes from the righteous,
    but with (I)kings on the throne
    he sets them forever, and they are (J)exalted.
8 And if they are (K)bound in chains
    and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
    and their transgressions, that they are (L)behaving arrogantly.
10 He (M)opens their ears to instruction
    and commands that they (N)return from iniquity.
11 (O)If they listen and serve him,
    they (P)complete their days in prosperity,
    and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they (Q)perish by the sword
    and die (R)without knowledge.

13 “The (S)godless in heart cherish anger;
    they do not cry for help when he (T)binds them.
14 They (U)die in youth,
    and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers (V)the afflicted by their affliction
    and (W)opens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
    into (X)a broad place where there was no cramping,
    and what was set on your (Y)table was full of (Z)fatness.

17 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
    judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
    and let not the greatness of (AA)the ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your (AB)cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
    or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for (AC)the night,
    when peoples vanish (AD)in their place.
21 Take care; (AE)do not turn to iniquity,
    for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
    who is (AF)a teacher like him?
23 Who has (AG)prescribed for him his way,
    or who can say, (AH)‘You have done wrong’?

24 “Remember to (AI)extol his work,
    of which men have (AJ)sung.
25 All mankind has looked on it;
    man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we (AK)know him not;
    the number of his (AL)years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
    they distill his (AM)mist in (AN)rain,
28 which (AO)the skies pour down
    and drop on mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand (AP)the spreading of the clouds,
    the thunderings of his (AQ)pavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
    and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he (AR)judges peoples;
    he gives (AS)food in abundance.
32 He covers his (AT)hands with the lightning
    and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its crashing declares his presence;[a]
    the cattle also declare that he rises.

Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty

37 “At this also my heart trembles
    and leaps out of its place.
2 Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
    and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
    and his (AU)lightning to the (AV)corners of the earth.
4 After it (AW)his voice roars;
    (AX)he thunders with his majestic voice,
    and he does not restrain the lightnings[b] when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders wondrously with his voice;
    he does (AY)great things that we cannot (AZ)comprehend.
6 For to (BA)the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
    likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
7 He (BB)seals up the hand of every man,
    that all men whom he made may (BC)know it.
8 Then the beasts go into their (BD)lairs,
    and remain in their (BE)dens.
9 From (BF)its chamber (BG)comes the whirlwind,
    and (BH)cold from the scattering winds.
10 By the breath of God (BI)ice is given,
    and (BJ)the broad waters are frozen fast.
11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
    the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They (BK)turn around and around by his (BL)guidance,
    (BM)to accomplish all that he commands them
    on the face of (BN)the habitable world.
13 Whether for (BO)correction or for his (BP)land
    or for (BQ)love, he causes it to happen.

14 “Hear this, O Job;
    stop and (BR)consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them
    and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Do you know the balancings[c] of the clouds,
    the wondrous works of him who is (BS)perfect in knowledge,
17 you whose garments are hot
    when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18 Can you, like him, (BT)spread out the skies,
    hard as a cast metal (BU)mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him;
    we cannot draw up our case because of (BV)darkness.
20 Shall 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.
22 Out of the north comes golden splendor;
    God is clothed with (BW)awesome majesty.
23 The Almighty—we (BX)cannot find him;
    he is (BY)great in power;
    (BZ)justice and abundant righteousness he will not (CA)violate.
24 Therefore men (CB)fear him;
    he does not regard any who are (CC)wise in their own conceit.”[d]

Footnotes
  1. Job 36:33 Hebrew declares concerning him
  2. Job 37:4 Hebrew them
  3. Job 37:16 Or hoverings
  4. Job 37:24 Hebrew in heart
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The mighty God does not despise men (36:1-33)

This is Elihu's 4th and final speech. He proclaims God's justice. Even though God is mighty, he does not despise men. His eyes are on the righteous. When those who suffer repent of sin and seek him, he blesses. But godless men become stubborn and bitter when they suffer. With rebellious hearts they persist in sin and reap its consequences. God's ways are beyond our understanding (26), but we cannot doubt that our Maker is both wise and just.

2. God's voice thunders in marvelous ways (37:1-24)

Elihu prepares Job to listen to God's voice out of the storm. Elihu is awestruck when he sees God's mighty hand in nature. God hurls lightning to the earth; he tells the rain to become a downpour which makes men stop work and run for cover. Elihu asks Job to stop and consider the mighty works of God (14). God is almighty; he is exalted in power, but he does not use his power to oppress. Therefore, we must revere and worship him.

Prayer: Lord, I praise your name, for you are great and good.

One Word: God is the Almighty Creator