Elihu focused next on God"s activities in nature. There may be references to autumn conditions in Job 36:27-33, winter in Job 37:1-13, and summer in Job 37:17-18. [1][source]
Elihu"s third "Behold" ( Job 36:26) draws attention to the infinite wisdom of God. No one can understand how or why He deals with nature as He does ( Job 36:29). [source][source][source]
The fourth "Behold" ( Job 36:30) affirms a similar point. God uses rain to bring both blessings and curses on people. Lightning and thunder declare God"s presence even if people cannot fully understand when or why they come as they do. [source][source][source]
Having introduced the idea of God"s sovereign control over all things as reflected in His control of nature ( Job 36:26-33), Elihu elaborated on these thoughts in chapter37. In Job 36:1-13 he cited more examples of God"s working in nature that we cannot comprehend fully ( Job 37:5). We can learn that He does these things for different purposes. ( Job 37:7). Sometimes God does them for people"s benefit or harm, but sometimes He does them simply for the sake of His world ( Job 37:13). [source][source][source]
At this point, Elihu turned again to apply these truths to Job"s situation ( Job 37:14-24). He urged Job to be humble before such a great God ( Job 37:14-20). No one can find Him, but we can count on Him to be just ( Job 37:21-23). Job also needed to fear God ( Job 37:24). [source][source][source]
". . . fear is a normal human emotion and there is nothing wrong with it. We use the fear of sickness, injury, or death to teach children to wash their hands, stay away from power lines, and look carefully before crossing the street. Fear of financial loss motivates people to buy insurance, and fear of death encourages them to have an annual physical checkup. [source][source][source]
"Fear of death (and the judgment that follows) is a legitimate motive for trusting Jesus Christ and being saved." [2][source]Job 36:21 may mean that a person cannot look directly at the sun when the sky is clear of clouds. The implication is that neither can we see God in all His glory; He is partially unknowable. [source][source][source]Job 36:22 seems to be another allusion to Ugaritic mythology. The Canaanites thought their gods lived in the north, but Elihu said the true God comes out of the north in golden majesty (lit. gold), perhaps like the sun. Since the sun does not rise in the north, this cannot be a description of sunrise as symbolic of God"s appearing. Rather, it may contrast the appearing of the true God with Baal"s supposed appearing. [3][source]
In his four speeches, Elihu introduced a different reason for suffering: God has things to teach people that they can only learn through pain. He also described God in terms that suggest he may have had a more realistic, fuller concept of God than Job"s three friends did. All the same, neither Elihu nor the other three men had adequate insight into Job"s situation. They could not have had it unless God revealed to them what had transpired in His heavenly court (chs1-2). Elihu"s words are closer to the truth and set the stage for God"s fuller special revelation of Himself that follows in chapters38-42. Generally, Elihu emphasized the positive aspects of God"s character, whereas the other three comforters emphasized the negative aspects. Elihu saw God more as a teacher, whereas the other men spoke of Him as a judge. [source][source][source]
"Worshipers of the ancient Near Eastern gods, Satan, Job , and his three antagonists-all these believed that suffering originated from a "tit for tat," "measure for measure," compensation theology, which governs the correspondence between righteous behavior and prosperity, and sinful behavior and misery. However, Elihu showed that neither he nor God supported this theory. Under God"s justice, suffering comes to people for several reasons, many of which are unrelated to compensation theology." [4][source]
Context Summary
Job 36:1-33 - He Despiseth Not Any
God is mighty, but He does not despise thee, though thou be the least of saints. His eyes are upon thee for good, and He will set thee before His throne forever. He will stoop to thy low dungeon, whispering instruction to thine ear and commanding thee to return. There are broad places before thee in which there shall be no straitness; tables await thee full of fatness. Thy path leads from thy present prison-house into liberty and light.
Remember the unsearchable numbers of His years. Behold the wonderful machinery by which He collects from ocean, lake, and stream the clouds which, like floating cisterns, carry the waters to be bleached in the snow of the hills, and oxidized in the torrent beds! There is more love than terror in creation. Nature's myriad voices proclaim with Scripture, "God is love." He cannot, therefore, be indifferent to the righteous man or neglect him. He may discipline him to make him hate sin; but, when this end is attained, He will assuredly withdraw His rod, Job 36:10-11. [source]
Chapter Summary: Job 36
1Elihu shows how God is just in his ways 16How Job's sins hinder God's blessings 24God's works are to be magnified
What do the individual words in Job 36:27 mean?
ForHe draws updropsof waterwhich distillas rainfrom the mist
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּרַע
Sense: to diminish, restrain, withdraw, abate, keep back, do away, take from, clip.