Read
Elihu Continues
I Am Frightened
1I am frightened
and tremble all over,
2when I hear the roaring voice
of God in the thunder,
3and when I see his lightning
flash across the sky.
4God's majestic voice
thunders his commands,
5creating miracles too marvelous
for us to understand.
6Snow and heavy rainstorms
7make us stop and think
about God's power,
8and they force animals
to seek shelter.
9The windstorms of winter strike,
10and the breath of God
freezes streams and rivers.
11Rain clouds filled with lightning
appear at God's command,
12traveling across the sky
13to release their cargo—
sometimes as punishment for sin,
sometimes as kindness.
Consider Carefully
14Job, consider carefully
the many wonders of God.
15Can you explain why lightning
flashes at the orders
16of God who knows all things?
Or how he hangs the clouds
in empty space?
17You almost melt in the heat
of fierce desert winds
when the sky is like brass.
18God can hammer out the clouds
in spite of the oppressive heat,
but can you?
19Tell us what to say to God!
Our minds are in the dark,
and we don't know how
to argue our case.
20Should I risk my life
by telling God
that I want to speak?
21No one can stare at the sun
after a breeze has blown
the clouds from the sky.
22Yet the glorious splendor
of God All-Powerful
is brighter by far.
23God cannot be seen—
but his power is great,
and he is always fair.
24And so we humans fear God,
because he shows no respect
for those who are proud
and think they know so much.
Reflect
Have you ever felt overwhelmed with awe during an encounter with the natural world? God’s creation is designed to reveal God to us (compare Psalm 19; Romans 1), so it is not surprising that it can produce in us feelings of awe. Whether it is breathtaking scenery, observing animal life, seeing the night sky full of stars, or watching the sheer power of a mighty storm, nature has the God-given ability to make us aware of how small we are in comparison with the universe. This, in turn, makes us realize how small we are in comparison to the God who created the universe.
Elihu directs Job’s attention to God’s creation (vs 1-13).He begins with the fact that nature is simply full of amazing realities. Lightning and thunder; snow and rain; humans and animals; all are in God’s control. The beauty and power of nature is to be meditated on so that God’s power and control can be seen and appreciated.
But Elihu does more than just point out some of the amazing aspects of the created order. He points out that we cannot duplicate what God does, nor can we fully understand how he does it (vs 14-18).This moves from observing certain facts to meditating on their significance. The awe-inspiring facts of nature are a gateway to reflect on the greatness of the Creator. We must not stop with the first step of observation—we must press on to theological reflection and worship.
If the Creation is so great, what must the Creator be like? In a beautiful, poetic image Elihu says that it would be easier to gaze at the sun than to see God (vs 21-23).What God has made is too bright for our eye; God himself is infinitely brighter.
Respond
Creator God, the works of your hands fill us with awe. Your wisdom, strength, and beauty are revealed wherever we look. Give us eyes to see you in what you have made. Help us to appreciate the greatness of your Creation, so we can see your greater glory. Amen.
Steve West
Steve West is the Lead Pastor at Crestwicke Baptist Church in Guelph, Ontario, as well as an adjunct professor at Heritage College and Seminary (Cambridge) and Toronto Baptist Seminary.