Job 37
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CHAPTER 37
Elihu Concludes (37:1–24)
1–13 Elihu continues his hymn of praise to God. But even as he is speaking, an approaching storm is heard: “Listen to the roar of [God's] voice,” says Elihu (verse 2). And then Elihu goes on to further describe God's mighty activities in nature, which according to His will produces either punishment or blessing (verse 13). But all during the rest of Elihu's speech, the storm continues to approach, the storm out of which God Himself will soon speak (Job 38:1). Indeed, we can understand that Elihu was a divinely sent forerunner to prepare his listeners (and us the readers) for the arrival of God.
14–18 Here Elihu asks Job a series of questions about the atmosphere-questions that Job cannot answer. Job can't do a thing about the weather except to endure it (verses 17–18). If Job can't understand or change the weather, how does Job expect to understand or change the mind of God?
19–24 Elihu says to Job: “Tell us what we should say to him. How can we draw up our case before God? We are in darkness—in ignorance of His ways” (verse 19). Yet Job had insisted on “drawing up his case” and presenting it to God (Job 31:35). Elihu viewed this as arrogant on Job's part. “Should [God] be told that I want to speak?” asks Elihu (verse 20). “For such arrogance, I would be swallowed up.”
To confront God in this way would be like trying to stare down the sun. God cannot be approached like an equal; He cannot be argued with. He is always just and always right; He does not oppress people wrongfully (verse 23). Therefore, Job has no complaint against God. Instead, Job should show himself wise in heart and humble himself before God and revere Him (verse 24).
How are we to assess Elihu? Surely he was much closer to the truth than Job's three friends were. Elihu understood that suffering was sent by God not only to punish the wicked but also to correct the righteous. Job's problem, according to Elihu, was that he wasn't responding to the correction properly; Job's attitude was wrong. And therefore Job's suffering had been prolonged. Job wasn't suffering because of his sin, he was sinning because of his suffering.
Because of his suffering, Job had become combative; he was demanding an explanation from God. Job was so determined to uphold his own righteousness that he came close to impugning God's righteousness. But Elihu told Job that he should stop putting his faith in arguments and explanations and start putting his faith in God Himself. In this, Elihu was right, of course. Yet Elihu was only a human being; it was time now for a greater Speaker to come and put to rest the arguments of men.