Job 35-37


Job 35

1 Then Elihu said: 2 “Do you think this is just? You say, 'I am in the right, not God.' 3 Yet you ask him, 'What profit is it to me, and what do I gain by not sinning?' 4 “I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you.


5 Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you. 6 If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand?


8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people. 9 “People cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. 10 But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, 11 who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?' 12 He does not answer when people cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked. 13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.


14 How much less, then, will he listen when you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him and you must wait for him, 15 and further, that his anger never punishes and he does not take the least notice of wickedness. 16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.”


Job 36


1 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; I will ascribe justice to my Maker. 4 Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.


5 “God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. 6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights. 7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. 8 But if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, 9 he tells them what they have done— that they have sinned arrogantly. 10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. 11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. 12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.


13 “The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. 14 They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines. 15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.

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


22 “God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? 23 Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, 'You have done wrong'? 24 Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song. 25 All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar.


26 “How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. 27 “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; 28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. 29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? 30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. 31 This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.  32 He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. 33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.


Job 37

1 “At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. 2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. 3 He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. 4 After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. 5 God's voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. 6 He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' 7 So that everyone he has made may know his work, he stops all people from their labor. 8 The animals take cover; they remain in their dens.


9 “The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds. 10 The breath of God produces ice, and the broad waters become frozen. 11 He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them. 12 At his direction they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them. 13 He 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. 15 Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? 16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge? 17 You who swelter in your clothes when the land lies hushed under the south wind,18 can 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. 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, bright as it is in the skies after the wind has swept them clean.  22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. 23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. 24 Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?”



Snapshot 28 Mr. Know-It-All

Job 35-37

Job 35

Elihu is not quite done youth-splaining life to his elders. He recalls Job's comments about trying hard and receiving nothing in return from God. He tells Job that he is not doing God any great favors by being good or avoiding sin. God is God either way. This is a good reminder for my life as well. God does not need my money or my achievements. He does not need me to defend Him on FB. He is my savior – I am not His.


That is a hard one because people trumpet lies all over the place. I think God can lead you to act. You need to be extra careful and certain if you speak for Him. If you are just pointing out perverted truth, then be very deliberate. I try to talk to people one on one rather than lambasting them publicly. I always wonder what I can say to them that would best represent God's truth.  


That all being said, I think God does want us to do good and not evil.  He wants to draw closer to us and sin separates.  


Elihu says that God does not listen to the pleas of the wicked.  He asks Job if God is going to listen to his complaints that God is being unjust in his case.  He says that Job is wasting his words to God.  This part of the speech is straight up wrong.  God may not listen to the pleas of the wicked.  But why is it worse to put your case before God?  Why is it worse to question why God is not punishing the wicked?  In this case, Job has some grounds for complaint.  I can see Elihu's youth sticking out here.  


36

Elihu says he is speaking on God's behalf.  Gutsy.  He claims to be 100% correct.  Well then.  I can almost see Job's eye roll.  Elihu says that God is mighty and firm in purpose.  So far so good.  He says God kills off the wicked and helps the afflicted.  Well, sometimes.   He does not take his eyes from the righteous and honors them forever.  He corrects sinners and tells them to repent.  So far there is a lot of truth in there.


In 11 it gets more iffy.  If you serve God, he will make you prosperous and content the rest of your life.  Um, not always.  This is the exact prosperity doctrine that God is trying to teach out of Job.  In V14 he goes on to describe how godless people die young among male prostitutes at shrines.  Um, not often.   And that is oddly specific.  I wonder if he knows a guy.  He tells Job he is being judged because he is wicked.  


I think Elihu is strongest when he focuses on the nature of God.  He is not good with theology or in knowing about Job's life.  Look at some of his words about the nature of God:


26 How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. 27 “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; 28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. 29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? 30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.


It is very poetic and honors God very well.  I wish Elihu had stuck with that material.


37

Elihu continues on about the greatness of God through the weather.  It is beautiful language – sometimes makes me think of the Frozen movies.  I wonder if it encouraged Job.  


One line sticks out to me in all of the weather talk:  

13 He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water his earth and show his love.


It is a profound thing to say in this circumstance.  Elihu does not see it.  Sometimes the clouds are an act of punishment, sometimes the clouds are an act of love.  Suffering can be punishment, but it can also be other things.  Elihu sees it in one  place, but not the other.  


He challenges Job – what can you say to this God?  He is just and righteous.  Oh, to be young and have it all figured out.  There is a lot of truth tucked in places– but the conclusions are not all true.  Sometimes God speaks through friends.  Sometimes friends miss the boat along with us.