Thursday, December 28, 2017

Job 37:14 says, Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.  Elihu once more asks Job to consider the wondrous works of God.  If we are feeling deserted by God today, one of the things we need to do is to consider the wondrous works of God, and I believe most importantly His wondrous work of salvation.  Nothing that happens in the world can take God's salvation from us.  Verse fifteen asks, Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?  Though Elihu was speaking to Job and those around him, the question is just as relevant to us today.  Like Job, we cannot claim to understand everything about how God works in the world.  Verse sixteen asks, Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?  Those forecasting the weather today have computer models of what the weather is going to do, and they are very often wrong.  Elihu reminded Job that God knew what was going to happen whether He was the direct cause or just allowed it to happen.  Verse seventeen then asks, How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?  I believe that Elihu was asking if he still believed that God was the One Who brought him comfort when it came.  If we reach the point of only blaming God for bad things that happen in life and forget the good, then we are not being good witnesses for Him.  Verse eighteen asks, Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?  I believe that these questions were asked to cause Job to do what Elihu had said, and that was to stop and consider.  We today, especially when things are going badly, need to stop and consider all that God has done for us. We need to be secure and content in God's love for us.  We can never be more powerful than God.  Verse nineteen says, Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. We often do not even know what to say to God, but as His followers, He will give us the words.  Darkness, or evil, gets between God and us, but when He forgives us, the barrier is removed.  Verse twenty says, Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.  Elihu said that what he had said was unworthy of being heard by God.  Elihu had done well in his speech about God, but he knew that he was unworthy.  Verse twenty-one says, And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.  Elihu said that the bright light, God Himself, that had been hidden was about to be revealed to them clearly.  I believe that when God speaks, or reveals Himself to people, that there can never be any doubt that He is the One at work.  Verse twenty-two says, Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.  Elihu was almost finished speaking, because he saw the coming majesty of God revealed.  All the clouds of confusion would be swept away. When we are suffering or in doubt, we need to listen for the clear word of God, waiting patiently in faith.  Verse twenty-three says, Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.  As Elihu told those listening to him, we cannot find out God on our own.  God reveals Himself to all people at some point in their life, but they can never find God from their own ability.  We find God only in faith as He reveals Himself to us.  In verse twenty-four Elihu concludes, Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.  Elihu finished by saying that people should fear, or live in awe of the Holy Majesty of God.  We have nothing to say, no matter how wise we are, that will ever add anything to Who God is.

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