14 ¶ Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and
consider the wondrous works of God. 15
Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud
to shine? 16 Dost thou know the
balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in
knowledge? 17 How thy garments are warm,
when he quieteth the earth by the south wind? 18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which
is strong, and as a molten looking glass? 19
Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by
reason of darkness. 20 Shall it be told
him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
Elihu admonishes Job to consider
God’s amazing works, to focus his mind on them. Elihu declares that Job does
not have complete and perfect knowledge of God’s activity in natural processes.
Job, and mankind in general, don’t understand why or even how God does things.
The Bible is not a science manual, explaining how processes work, but explains
why processes work, in that God causes them to do so. It is the task of mankind
to attempt to understand the intricate details. But, when man assumes the first
cause or the background of why a process functions cannot include God then
mankind shuts himself off from understanding.
Elihu, in speaking in terms and
phrases that would be understandable to a man of Job’s time but seem rather
poetic in our jaded age of science textbooks and instruction manuals, asks Job
to render a better explanation than what he has given. Our knowledge is
imperfect. God’s knowledge is immediate and complete. What can we tell Him that
He doesn’t already know? How, can we, in our ignorance, even address God?
Science is about understanding by
what method a thing is done. Science, due to the finite and limited capacity of
man, is wholly incapable of determining why. When a scientist delves into the
realm of speculating on what happened that cannot be measured or studied by the
method of science; observation, experimentation that can be repeated by others,
and a constant reevaluation of the most basic, foundational principles of his
or her theories, then he drifts into guesswork and even makes a scientific
matter an issue of faith. “It is true because I believe it,” is not a valid
scientific argument and neither is, “all of our future beliefs must be based on
this foundation of atheistic evolution and nothing contrary can be considered
or taught.” We have now come to a point where a leading geneticist has declared
the insane theory that human beings came about as a result of the mating of a
chimpanzee and a pig due to the difficulties they admit to man descending from
an ape-like creature but the terrifying fear that other possibilities may lead
to God. (38)
The same goes with the science of Bible
translation. I have read statements in many books and scholarly journals in
debates on Bible translations the phrase, and forgive me for paraphrasing it in
my own understanding, “This verse must be mistranslated because I cannot
believe the writer would say such a thing.” This hardly constitutes a negation
of what Christians have believed for hundreds of years anymore than saying,
“there cannot be a God because I can’t accept the idea that God exists,” is a
matter of scientific certainty. It has been said that a conclusion is the place
where you have stopped thinking.
Surely, mankind who rejects God’s
revelation will be swallowed up in astonishment and blindness, and eventually
by God’s very wrath.
(38) Eugene McCarthy, “The Hybrid
Hypothesis: A New Theory of Human Origins,” Macroevolution.
http://www.macroevolution.net/human-origins.html.
(accessed 1.5.2015).
21 ¶ And now men see not the bright light which is
in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. 22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with
God is terrible majesty. 23 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. 24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not
any that are wise of heart.
Men see only in a limited fashion what
is the inconceivable majesty and glory of God. The storm will always pass and
fair weather will come. You can sit and scratch your head and try to understand
why this happened or why that happened, look for a reason as you might, but you
cannot find Him out. We don’t understand His power or His dispensation of
judgment and justice as things seem so random and arbitrary at times. Like Job’s
friends we always assume reasons and explanations for what we see without
accurate knowledge. It is overwhelming. But we have His promises that He doesn’t
afflict us without a reason nor does He take pleasure in our suffering but
wishes for us to repent.
Lamentations
3:32 But though he cause grief, yet will
he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. 33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve
the children of men.
Ezekiel
18:32 For I have no pleasure in the
death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and
live ye.
Men who have true wisdom and
understanding fear the Lord, as that is the beginning of wisdom, understanding
and knowledge.
Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the
Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Psalm
111:10 The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his
commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Proverbs
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
And, God has no regard for the
so-called wise men that are filled with the self-conceit of the person who
rejects God as the first and primary cause of all things.
Psalm
14:1 « To the chief Musician, A
Psalm of David. » The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They
are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm
53:1 « To the chief Musician upon
Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David. » The fool hath said in his heart,
There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is
none that doeth good.
In this passage Elihu may be
hurrying to finish his argument as he realizes that God Himself is about to speak.
Whatever the case, God does take over and speaks directly to Job, which is what
the righteous Job pleaded for throughout his arguments. We’ll see if Job will
make his own case, as he promised he would do if he could stand before God.
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