Today we will finish the long verdict that Elihu hands down for Job’s court case with God.

36:1 Elihu said further:
2 “Be patient with me a little longer,
and I will instruct you,
for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf.
3 With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively,
and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness.
4 For in truth, my words are not false;
it is one complete in knowledge
who is with you.
5 Indeed, God is mighty, and he does not despise people;
he is mighty, and firm in his intent.
6 He does not allow the wicked to live,
but he gives justice to the poor.
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
but with kings on the throne
he seats the righteous and exalts them forever.
8 But if they are bound in chains
and held captive by the cords of affliction,
9 then he reveals to them what they have done
and their transgressions,
that they were behaving proudly.
10 And he reveals this for correction
and says that they must turn from evil.
11 If they obey and serve him,
they live out their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they refuse to listen,
they pass over the river of death
and expire without knowledge.
13 The godless at heart nourish anger;
they do not cry out even when he binds them.
14 They die in their youth,
and their life ends among the male cultic prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their afflictions;
he reveals himself to them by their suffering.
16 And surely, he drew you from the mouth of distress,
to a wide place, unrestricted,
and to the comfort of your table
filled with rich food.
17 But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Be careful that no one entices you with riches;
do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
19 Would your wealth sustain you,
so that you would not be in distress,
even all your mighty efforts?
20 Do not long for the cover of night
to drag people away from their homes.
21 Take heed; do not turn to evil,
for because of this you have been tested by affliction.
22 Indeed, 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 what is wicked’?
24 Remember to extol his work,
which people have praised in song.
25 All humanity has seen it;
people gaze on it from afar.

26 “Yes, God is great—beyond our knowledge!
The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 He draws up drops of water;
they distill the rain into its mist,
28 which the clouds pour down
and shower on humankind abundantly.
29 Who can understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 See how he scattered his lightning about him;
he has covered the depths of the sea.
31 It is by these that he judges the nations
and supplies food in abundance.
32 With his hands he covers the lightning
and directs it against its target.
33 His thunder announces the coming storm,
the cattle also, concerning the storm’s approach.

37:1 At this also my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen carefully to the thunder of his voice,
to the rumbling that proceeds from his mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
even his lightning to the far corners of the earth.
4 After that a voice roars;
he thunders with an exalted voice,
and he does not hold back
his lightning bolts
when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall to earth,’
and to the torrential rains, ‘Pour down.’
7 He causes everyone to stop working,
so that all people may know his work.
8 The wild animals go to their lairs,
and in their dens they remain.
9 A tempest blows out from its chamber,
icy cold from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the breadth of the waters freeze solid.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through the clouds.
12 The clouds go round in circles,
wheeling about according to his plans,
to carry out all that he commands them
over the face of the whole inhabited world.
13 Whether it is for punishment,
or for his land,
or for mercy,
he causes it to find its mark.

14 “Pay attention to this, Job!
Stand still and consider the wonders God works.
15 Do you know how God commands them,
how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud?
16 Do you know about the balancing of the clouds,
that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 You, whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind,
18 will you, with him, spread out the clouds,
solid as a mirror of molten metal?
19 Tell us what we should say to him.
We cannot prepare a case
because of the darkness.
20 Should he be informed that I want to speak?
If a man speaks, surely he will be swallowed up!
21 But now, the sun cannot be looked at—
it is bright in the skies—
after a wind passed and swept the clouds away.
22 From the north he comes in golden splendor;
around God is awesome majesty.
23 As for the Almighty, we cannot attain to him!
He is great in power,
but justice and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.
24 Therefore people fear him,
for he does not regard all the wise in heart.”

REFLECTIONS

Elihu’s speech is hard to work out. He certainly says many things that are right and that anticipate God’s own verdict. But in the end, Elihu blames Job for his predicament, just like the friends had. I think Elihu shows how limited human judgment is. Only God is qualified to judge the deep mysteries of suffering in this world.

There is, in fact, only one human judge who is competent to judge the thoughts of the heart: Jesus Christ – because Jesus is the Son of God who “comes from heaven” (John 3:31). That is why God the Father “has entrusted all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). You can trust Jesus’ judgment of all things.