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Simply Awesome Old Testament Reflection

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.

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®) © 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
See this passage in other languages or Bible versions

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.

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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.

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