A Singular Privilege
Job 35-37
In these final three chapters of the conversation between Job and his friends, Elihu continues his discourse. The one thing we learn from these friends is that one can speak truth and still be in error. That’s a scary thought, a theological disaster.
But when we speak in our arrogance, taking what is truth and twisting it to suit our purposes, we run the risk of ending up like Job’s friends—condemning the innocent, attributing to God what is not his, and bringing down on ourselves his judgment. God is about to speak, actually to piggyback on Elihu’s words as he “counsels” his friend.
The truth that we find in these chapters is another eloquent description of the wonders of God—something God will pick up on in the following chapters. Elihu rightly asks who is capable of understanding the ways of God. He might think he is (36:3, 4) but he is about to find out otherwise. Still, his description is elegant:
“God is exalted in his power…How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years past finding out. He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams…Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion…Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice…he thunders with his majestic voice…He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour,’…The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power” (Job 36:22-37:24). I only quote excerpts but all these verses are well worth contemplating.
I “sweat the small stuff,” (and the big stuff too) forgetting that every detail is under his control. He is a great God, exalted in power. And I, praise him, have the undeserved privilege of sheltering under his almighty arm and counting on that almighty arm for protection and provision—even when I don't fully understand his ways.
In these final three chapters of the conversation between Job and his friends, Elihu continues his discourse. The one thing we learn from these friends is that one can speak truth and still be in error. That’s a scary thought, a theological disaster.
But when we speak in our arrogance, taking what is truth and twisting it to suit our purposes, we run the risk of ending up like Job’s friends—condemning the innocent, attributing to God what is not his, and bringing down on ourselves his judgment. God is about to speak, actually to piggyback on Elihu’s words as he “counsels” his friend.
The truth that we find in these chapters is another eloquent description of the wonders of God—something God will pick up on in the following chapters. Elihu rightly asks who is capable of understanding the ways of God. He might think he is (36:3, 4) but he is about to find out otherwise. Still, his description is elegant:
“God is exalted in his power…How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years past finding out. He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams…Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion…Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice…he thunders with his majestic voice…He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour,’…The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power” (Job 36:22-37:24). I only quote excerpts but all these verses are well worth contemplating.
I “sweat the small stuff,” (and the big stuff too) forgetting that every detail is under his control. He is a great God, exalted in power. And I, praise him, have the undeserved privilege of sheltering under his almighty arm and counting on that almighty arm for protection and provision—even when I don't fully understand his ways.
The one thing we learn from these friends is that one can speak truth and still be in error.
ReplyDeleteDEFINITELY scary - and a good reminder. SO glad He is in control.