Job 36-37: He Comes With Golden Splendor

The greatness of God is laid before us in this passage! God is mighty in strength and understanding (36:5): “Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’? (36:22-23)” Further, the author writes, “Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable (36:26).” God is infinite, and yet He works in time as we understand it. One of the strongest images that the Lord shows Himself through in time is outlined in the author’s illustration of God’s power over lightening. It is unfathomable that God scatters lightening around Himself (36:30), and he covers his hands with the lightening and commands it to strike the mark. Its crashing declares his presence (36:32-33). Elihu meditates further on this in chapter thirty-seven. After this Elihu then stops and poses the question, “Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror? Teach us what we shall say to him; we cannot draw up our case because of darkness (37:18-19).” We are too often blinded by our sin; we are drawn to lesser pleasures than the Lord. Our sight is in darkness and we need the Lord to draw up our eyes to Him. So that we might perceive that the Lord comes in golden splendor: “Out of the north comes golden splendor; God is clothed with awesome majesty. The Almighty—we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate. Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit (37:22-24).” This is a majestic God!