#671 Storm At A Distance

“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 afar

and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

4 For truly my words are not false;

one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;

he is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 He does not keep the wicked alive,

but gives the afflicted their right.

7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,

but with kings on the throne

he sets them forever, and they are exalted.

8 And if they are bound in chains

and caught in the cords of affliction,

9 then he declares to them their work

and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

10 He opens their ears to instruction

and commands that they return from iniquity.

11 If they listen and serve him,

they complete their days in prosperity,

and their years in pleasantness.

12 But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword

and die without knowledge.

13 “The godless in heart cherish anger;

they do not cry for help when he binds them.

14 They die in youth,

and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.

15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction

and opens their ear by adversity.

16 He also allured you out of distress

into a broad place where there was no cramping,

and what was set on your table was full of 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 the ransom turn you aside.

19 Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress,

or all the force of your strength?

20 Do not long for the night,

when peoples vanish in their place.

21 Take care; do not turn to iniquity,

for this you have chosen rather than affliction.

22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;

who is a teacher like him?

23 Who has prescribed for him his way,

or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 “Remember to extol his work,

of which men have sung.

25 All mankind has looked on it;

man beholds it from afar.

26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not;

the number of his years is unsearchable.

27 For he draws up the drops of water;

they distill his mist in rain,

28 which the skies pour down

and drop on mankind abundantly.

29 Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,

the thunderings of his pavilion?

30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him

and covers the roots of the sea.

31 For by these he judges peoples;

he gives food in abundance.

32 He covers his hands with the lightning

and commands it to strike the mark.

33 Its crashing declares his presence;

the cattle also declare that he rises. Job 36 ESV

There must have been some rolling eyes or yawns from his audience, for he gives the "bear with me". He also claims to be speaking on God's behalf, which a man can do by repeating God's words, but there is this issue of rightly dividing as well. I can read from God's word at any time by picking up the Bible, but I can still be wrong in my understanding and then in application as well. Before the completion of Scripture you had prophets, but for every true oracle of God there were probably a hundred false. I won't go deep into this because it will come up more directly again in other books, but this seems to be Elihu's claim, that he is prophesying. A lot of what he says is also true and oddly stands out as before it's time, but it is still without understanding of Job's particular situation.

One who is perfect in knowledge - This is a difficult statement and I have seen commentators look at it differently, some suggesting that he means by this his own understanding and others God's understanding, that will be brought forth through him as the oracle. The first would be an outright lie, for no one is all knowing except God. This would be an attempt at equality with Someone he has described as so far above humanity, and described in a way that should not only invoke Job's humility, but his own as well. The second is more likely given the regard he shows to God, that he is obtaining knowledge from afar, and that he wants them to believe that he is speaking on behalf of God. 

Does not despise any - If God were a man then He may despise the lesser of Himself, He would have the limits of a man; if He were not all knowing He might despise those who are less knowing. Elihu wants Job to understand that God gives men thrones, that he avenges the afflicted, that Job has not escaped the knowledge or sight of God, so if he is suffering, bound in chains, they are the chains of his own making. God is serving you the reward of your deeds. Job has to be questioning how much this man hears from God, if at all, because he misses to touch on the testing of Job as occurred in heaven. He says what the others have already said to this predicament, that Job is guilty of a high crime, only he thinks he has said it better or said something else. I have seen this a lot in certain circles lately, that they have introduced the Bible back into their preaching, which should be good, and the sermons seem to outline that of an exposition, great so far, yet just like Elihu and Job's other friends, they hear from God and spirits as well and apart from the Author's intent in scripture. In other words, the preacher reads from the word of God, examines the text, has shown some level of study, but in the end ties all these truths to a big fat lie, that of prosperity. You make out the grandness of God, His might, His omniscience, yet you think you hold Him in this wee box, where Job is suffering so he has done a great evil, has called down the wrath of God. "Job, if you just listen, do this and that, pray this prayer, say these words, you may come back to prosperity." Material blessing is the only blessing they revere. If you flip the whole of what they are saying, if they had ears to hear the whole of what they put forth, if God is truly so great and majestic as they say, then should I not acknowledge Him for the truth, Who He is, praise Him not for the gifts I would like to receive, but because He is God? 

Job is a sinner as all men are, but he has chosen to walk in a rather upright fashion, commended by God before angels even, yet before the eyes of men he appears, by their doctrine, to be cursed of God. He is, to Elihu, a hypocrite, because he has yet to repent, he is in their minds protecting his appearance before men, and should die as the pervert, the godless, those who do wickedness under the cloak of darkness for they have yet to discover Job's sin. They cannot see the possibility that it would be hypocritical for him to perform some act of repentance, to ask forgiveness in their hearing, for their sake, that they may be falsely blessed for their many words. As my wife would say, "just admit I am right." If you were, I would have no problem with that.  

Man looks on it from afar - There is with some storms a distinct change in pressure, the temperature can cool quite rapidly, the middle of the day is disguised behind dark clouds, and this becomes the back drop to the rest of this poem. Look at the greatness of God, and this is that part that seems so far ahead of it's time. Like Isaiah 55:10:

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, 11 so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.…Isaiah 55: 9-11

And Psalm 135: 6-8

The LORD does whatever pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. 7 He causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings the wind from His storehouses. 8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.…

He most eloquently describes the Hydrologic cycle from a point very early in history, where this is not so well known or documented so greatly by science, but here it is as poetry. We can come to so many wonderful things in part, yet miss this great small peace, that part of the story that says, "Job is God's servant, that God loves Job still."

And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.…Romans 8: 17-19