Job 36

“What, then, is the God I worship? … You are the most hidden from us and yet the most present among us, the most beautiful and yet the most strong, ever enduring; and yet we cannot comprehend you.” —S. A

Theology (“the science of God”) used to be called “the queen of sciences” because it deals with the most important knowledge we can have, the knowledge of God. Theology is a necessary science, but it is also a difficult science; for it is our attempt to know the Unknowable (Rom. 11:33–36). God has revealed Himself in creation, in providence, in His Word, and supremely in His Son; but our understanding of what God has revealed may not always be clear.

“The essence of idolatry,” wrote A. W. Tozer, “is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him” (The Knowledge of the Holy, Harper & Row, 11). So, whoever attempts to explain and defend the Almighty must have the humble heart of a worshipper; for “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor. 8: niv).

As you read Elihu’s speeches, you get the impression that he was not growing; he was swelling. You also get the impression that his listeners’ minds were wandering, because he kept exhorting them to listen carefully (Job 33:1, 31, 33; 34:2, 10, 16). In the last two-thirds of his speech, Elihu explained and defended the justice of God (Job 34—35) and the greatness of God (Job 36—37).

God is Just (Job 34—35) Elihu had promised not to use flattery (Job 32:21), but he came close to it in 34: when he addressed his audience as “wise men” and “men of learning” (niv). Actually, he was flattering himself; because if these “learned wise men” were willing to listen to him, they must have thought that he was more learned and wise than they! Quoting Job’s words (v. 3; 12:11), Elihu urged them to use discernment as they “tasted” his words, so that he and they might “learn together what is good” (34: niv). Elihu compared his speaking to the enjoyment of a tasteful and nourishing meal.

Elihu listed two of Job’s complaints to be discussed: “God is unjust” (vv. 5–6) and “There is no profit in serving God” (vv. 7–9). He answered the first complaint in verses 10–37 and the second in Job 35.

“God is unjust” (Job 34:5–6, 10–37). The injustice of God was one of the major themes in Job’s speeches. He felt that he was being treated like a sinner, and yet God would not “come to court” and tell Job what he had done wrong. (See 9:2, 17–20; 19:6–7; 27:2.) Elihu recalled Job saying that he was innocent and had been denied justice (34:5; 10:7; 6:29), and that God was shooting arrows at him (34:6; 6:4).

Elihu presented three arguments to prove that there is no injustice with God. To begin with, if God is unjust, then He is not God (34:10–15). “Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity” (v. 10). “It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice” (v. 12 niv). Abraham asked, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25), and the obvious answer is yes!

If God is truly God, then He is perfect; and if He is perfect, then He cannot do wrong. An unjust God would be as unthinkable as a square circle or a round triangle. According to Elihu, what seems injustice to us is really justice: God is paying sinners back for what they do (Job 34:11). In fact, God is so just that He has ordained that sin itself will punish the evildoer. (See Ps. 7:15; 9:15–16; 35:8.) There is no way to escape the justice of God.

Elihu emphasized that God is sovereign, and a sovereign God can be indicted by no law or judged by no court. The king can do no wrong. God was not appointed to His throne, so He can’t be taken from it (Job 34:13). To say that God is unjust is to say that He is not God and therefore has no right to be on the throne. But God controls our very breath and can take our lives away in an instant (vv. 14–15; Acts 17:25, 28). “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not” (Lam. 3:22).

The book of Job magnifies the sovereignty of God. From the very first chapter, it is obvious that God is in control; for even Satan is told what he can and cannot do. During the debate, it appears that God is absent; but He is aware of how Job feels and what Job and his friends say. Thirty-one times in the book of Job, God is called “the Almighty.” Elihu was right on target: God is sovereign and cannot do wrong.

His second argument is that if God were unjust, there could be no just government on earth (Job 34:16–20). As a respected elder, Job had participated in local government and had helped to bring justice to the afflicted (29:7–17). But all human government was established by God (Gen. 9:1–7; Rom. 13:1–7); so if mortal man can execute justice on earth, why can’t a holy and sovereign God execute justice from heaven? He can dethrone kings and remove nobles, and He shows no partiality (Dan. 4:25, 32, 35). If the God who rules the world were unjust, there could be no order or harmony; and everything would fall apart.

However, Elihu made a big mistake in singling out and emphasizing only one divine attribute, the justice of God; for God is also loving and gracious. (Bildad had made the same mistake in his speeches.) In His wisdom, God devised a plan of redemption that satisfies both His justice and His love (Rom. 3:21–31). Because of the cross, God can redeem sinners and still magnify His righteousness and uphold His holy law.

Elihu’s third argument is that if God were unjust, then He must not see what is going on in the world (Job 34:21–30). But God is omniscient and sees all things! A human judge, with his limitations, hears a case and makes the best decision he can, and sometimes he’s wrong. But God sees every step we take, and there is no place where we can hide from Him (Ps. 139:7–12). Job wanted God to meet him in court so he could present his case, but what could Job tell God that God didn’t already know? “God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment” (Job 34: niv). Unlike human officials, God is not obligated to conduct an inquiry and gather evidence; He knows everything and can judge with perfect wisdom.

One of Job’s complaints was that God was silent and had hidden His face from him (9:11; 23:1–9), but Elihu had an answer for that: “But if He remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him?” (34: niv). In Job 24, Job had accused God of ignoring men’s sins; but what right had he to judge the Judge? God waited four centuries before judging the wicked nations in Canaan (Gen. 15:13–16) and 120 years before sending the flood (6:3). Sinners should be grateful that God gives them time to repent (2 Peter 3:9).

God rules over nations and individuals (Job 34:29), but He is not responsible for their sins; for He gives them freedom to make decisions. They also have the freedom to turn from their sins and trust God. Because of this, Elihu closes this part of his speech with an appeal to Job that he confess his sins and repent (vv. 31–33). “Ask God to teach you what you don’t know,” he counsels, “and promise not to sin like this again” (see v. 32). God rewards us on His terms, not our terms; and one of His requirements is that we repent and turn from our sins.

Elihu paused and gave Job opportunity to speak (v. 33), but Job said nothing. This may have angered Elihu even more because he ended this part of the address with a terrible accusation against Job. He said that Job lacked knowledge and insight, that he was rebellious and spoke proudly against God. Clapping the hands is today a sign of approval, but in that day it was a gesture of mockery and contempt (27:23; Lam. 2:15). Elihu concluded that Job needed even more testing (Job 34:36)! Perhaps that would bring him to his senses.

Having disposed of Job’s first complaint, Elihu turns to the second one.

“There is no profit in obeying God” (Job 34:7–9; 35:1–16). Again, Elihu tries to throw Job’s own words back in his face: “I am innocent” (10:7; 12:4; 27:6), and “What have I gained by obeying God?” (9:29–31; 21:15). Job did make the first statement, but the second is not an accurate quotation of his words. Job never did bargain with God as Satan said he would (1:9, 21; 2:9–10). Eliphaz had discussed this topic (Job 22) and had come to the conclusion that neither man’s piety nor his iniquity could make any difference to the character of God. But Elihu felt it was important to deal with the theme again.

Elihu asked his listeners to look up to the heavens and see how far away the clouds were, and then imagine how far God’s throne was from the earth (35:5–7). Can a man’s sins or good deeds on earth exert such power that they will travel all that distance and change the Almighty in heaven?

Then Elihu asked them to consider human society (vv. 8–16). Our sins or good works may affect people around us (v. 8), but God is not affected by them. Certainly God grieves over man’s sins (Gen. 6:6) and delights in the obedience of the faithful (Ps. 37:23); but our good deeds can’t bribe Him, and our misdeeds can’t threaten Him. God’s character is the same whether men obey Him or disobey Him. God can’t change for the better because He is perfect, and He can’t change for the worse because He is holy.

God cares for the birds and beasts, and they trust Him (Job 35:11; Matt. 6:25–34); but men made in the image of God don’t cry out to God until they are under a terrible burden of oppression (Job 35:9). They forget God until trouble comes. But God knows that their prayers are insincere, so He doesn’t answer them (vv. 12–13). This explains why Job’s prayers haven’t been answered: his heart was not right with God (v. 14).

But even if God doesn’t relieve the burden, He can give the trusting sufferer “songs in the night” (v. 10; Ps. 42:8; 77:6). “Any man can sing in the day,” said Charles Spurgeon. “It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but he is the skillful singer who can sing when there is not a ray of light by which to read.” The Lord gave “songs in the night” to Jesus before He went to the cross (Matt. 26:30) and to Paul and Silas in the prison in Philippi (Acts 16:25). If God doesn’t see fit to remove our burdens, He always gives strength to bear them—and a song to sing while doing it!

Elihu dismisses Job’s complaint that he can’t see God. The important thing is that God sees Job and knows his case completely (Job 35:14). Job’s situation won’t be changed by his empty talk and many words (v. 16), so the only thing for Job to do is wait and trust (v. 14).

God is gracious (Job 33), and God is just (Job 34— 35); but God is also great and mighty (Job 36—37), and Elihu thought that Job needed to recognize how great God is.

“Behold, God is mighty” (Job 36:5). “Behold, God exalteth by his power” (v. 22). “Behold, God is great” (v. 26). In these two chapters, Elihu magnifies the greatness of God in His merciful purpose for man (vv. 1–25) and in His mighty power in nature (36:26— 37:13). He concludes his speech by making one last appeal to Job to fear the Lord and repent (vv. 14–24).

God’s merciful purpose for man (Job 36:1–25). Elihu’s self-importance reaches new heights as he introduces the last third of his speech (vv. 1–4). His listeners must have been getting restless; otherwise, why did he have to say, “Bear with me a little [longer]” (v. 2)? The statement “I will fetch my knowledge from afar” (v. 3) suggests that either he is boasting of wide knowledge or of getting his knowledge right from heaven. And to call himself “one perfect in knowledge” (v. 4 niv) is hardly an evidence of humility!

(1) Explanation (vv. 5–15). The fact that God is great and mighty does not mean that He ignores man or has no concern for individuals. “God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty and firm in His purpose” (v. 5 niv). What is that purpose? To punish the wicked and help the afflicted (“poor,” vv. 6, 15). Elihu contrasts God’s dealings with the arrogant wicked and the afflicted righteous. “He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the afflicted” (v. 6 nasb).

Job thought that God was ignoring him, but God keeps His eyes on the righteous (v. 7; 1 Peter 3:12) and eventually transforms their circumstances. He lifts them from the ash heap to the throne (Luke 1:52–53) and sets them free from their chains (Job 36:7–8). He chastens us that He might correct us and teach us the right way to live. If we learn our lesson and obey, He will bless us once again. But if we rebel, He will destroy us (vv. 9–12).

The response of the heart is the key. The hypocrites (“godless in heart,” niv) only heap up wrath as they harden themselves against God. No matter how much God disciplines them, they refuse to cry out for help. But the humble in heart get God’s message (“He speaks to them in their affliction,” v. 15 niv) and turn from their sins. The phrase “the unclean” in verse 14 refers to the male prostitutes at the various idolatrous shrines (Deut. 23:17). Elihu chose this image as a picture of the very depths of shame and sin. The wicked not only die young (Job 36:14; 20:5, 11), but they die in disgrace.

(2) Application (vv. 16–25). Job must make a decision. “He [God] is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place” (v. 16 niv; Ps. 18:19). Job’s table was laden with suffering when it could be laden with the choicest of foods. How would Job respond?

Elihu saw several dangers ahead for Job and tried to warn him. The first was that Job might look for some shortcut for getting out of trouble and thereby miss the message God had for him. Job might agree to let somebody “buy his way out,” but no amount of money could do that (Job 36:18–19). The Wall Street Journal said it best: “Money is an article which may be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider for everything except happiness.”

The second danger was that Job might consider taking his own life (v. 20). “The night” and “darkness” are images of death, and Job often expressed a longing to die (3:1–9, 20–23; 7:21; 10:18–22). Many sufferers have committed suicide in order to escape their hopeless situations, but there was not much danger that Job would take this route. Job was a man of faith and was not about to go into God’s presence uninvited.

Elihu saw a third danger, that Job might give up all hope and turn to a life of sin (36:21). In my own pastoral ministry, I have counseled people who were so bitter against God that they abandoned their professions of faith and went back into the world. “If life is going to be this tough,” they say, “then we might just as well enjoy ourselves while we can.” They forget that there can be no true enjoyment without God, and that sin eventually brings its own harvest of suffering and sorrow.

Finally, Elihu urged Job to catch a new vision of the greatness of God and start praising Him (vv. 22–25). God wants to teach us through our sufferings (v. 22), and one evidence that we are learning our lessons is that we praise and thank Him, even for trials. “Glorify him for his mighty works for which he is so famous” (v. 24 tlb). “Praise changes things” just as much as “prayer changes things.”

God’s mighty power in nature (Job 36:26— 37:24). “Behold, God is great, and we know him not” (36:26). This is the theme of the last part of Elihu’s speech; and he illustrated it with the works of God in nature, specifically, God’s control of His world during the seasons of the year.

(1) Autumn (36:27—37:5). In the East, after the heat and drought of summer, both the land and the people welcome the autumn rains. It is interesting to discover Elihu’s insight into the “water cycle” of nature (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) and the need for electricity (lightning) to help the “system” work.

With the mind of a scientist but the heart of a poet, Elihu describes the storm. He begins with the formation of the clouds (36:26–29), then the release of power by the lightning (vv. 30–32), and then the sound of the thunder (36:33—37:5). To Elihu, the lightning is the weapon of God (36:32), and the thunder is the voice of God (37:2, 4–5). In the East, you can see a storm brewing miles away and with fascination watch as it approaches.

What was Elihu’s response to the drama of the storm? For one thing, the storm reminded him of God’s sovereignty and God’s goodness. “This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance” (36: niv). It also aroused in him a sense of awe at the mighty power of God (37:1). David recorded a similar experience in Psalm 29.

(2) Winter (vv. 6–10). At some point, the autumn rains become winter ice and snow. Workers must stop their labor, and wild animals retreat to the protection of their dens. God breathes on the waters, and they freeze. What the weatherman calls “meteorological phenomena,” Elihu calls the miracle work of Almighty God. Isaac Watts agreed with Elihu when he wrote, I sing the goodness of the Lord That filled the earth with food; He formed the creatures with His word, And then pronounced them good. There’s not a plant or flower below But makes Thy glories known; And clouds arise and tempests blow By order from Thy throne.

(3) Spring (vv. 11–13). Eventually the warmer winds start to blow, the snow and ice melt, and the rain clouds appear once again. Elihu knew that the wind plays a most important part in the world’s weather. Nobody can predict exactly what the wind will do (John 3:8), but God is in complete control (Ps. 148:8). The “water cycle” operates effectively: the clouds are full of water, the lightning flashes, and the rain falls. Sometimes God sends the storms for discipline (Job 37:13; Gen. 6–8; Ex. 9:13–26; 1 Sam. 12:16–19); but for the most part, the rain is the gift of His love and mercy (Job 37:13).

(4) Summer (vv. 14–18). Now the clouds “hang poised” (v. 16 niv), and everything is still. The summer sun heats the air, the south wind (the “sirocco”) blows from the desert, and people start to “swelter in [their] clothes” (v. 17 niv). The sky is like a brass mirror, and nobody feels like doing anything but resting.

But Elihu was doing much more than delivering a poetical, scientific lecture on the four seasons. He wanted Job to consider the greatness of God and the wonders of nature and realize how little Job really knew about God and His working in this world. Elihu asked Job three rhetorical questions—about the clouds, the lightning, the wind, and the rainless skies. “Can you explain these things?” he asked. “Can you control them?”

This led to Elihu’s final thrust: “If you can’t explain to us the everyday things of nature, then how will you ever prepare a court case to defend yourself before God?” He then warned Job that to challenge God might lead to Job’s being swallowed up by God’s judgment (v. 20). Verses 21–22 describe the “clear shining after rain” (2 Sam. 23:4), the blue sky, the bright sun, the “golden splendor” and “awesome majesty” of God (niv). “You can’t even look at the sun,” says Elihu, “and yet you want to meet God face to face!”

Elihu’s closing words remind us that, even though we can’t fully understand God, we know that He is great and just and does not afflict men to no purpose. What should our personal response be? “Therefore, fear him”! Job had come to that same conclusion after pondering the works of God in the world (Job 28:24–28).

It is possible that while Elihu was speaking, an actual storm was in the making in the distance; and when he finished, the storm broke—and God was in the storm!

Job will now get what he’d been asking for: a personal meeting with God. Was he ready? Are we ready?