101. Behold the Wondrous Works of God

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Hymns: RHC 117 In Tenderness He Sought Me, 116 Higher Ground, 115 Constantly Abiding

Job 37:1-14

1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. 8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. 9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. 10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. 14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 

Behold the Wondrous Works of God

OUTLINE

  • By His Voice
    • Commandeth the Lightning, Rain and Snow (v1-6)
      • Determines the Activities of Men and Beasts (7-8)
    • Commandeth the Whirlwind, the Snow, Clouds (v9-11)
  • He Decrees whatsoever Comes to Pass on the Face of the World in the Earth (v12)
  • He Does So for Correction, for His Land and For Mercy (v13)  

INTRODUCTION

God judges His creation by His providence in way the entire universe functions, in particular, the happenings upon earth. It is all by His sovereign decree. By what God does, He determines and directs the activities and plight of men and beast. This is how great God is. He is the Determiner of all things around us, and thus, what more, our lives. Let us bow in humble adoration and fear as we understand the Person of God that is before us.

Matthew Henry observed likewise, “Elihu here goes on to extol the wonderful power of God in the meteors and all the changes of the weather: if, in those changes, we submit to the will of God, take the weather as it is and make the best of it, why should we not do so in other changes of our condition? Here he observes the hand of God, in the thunder and lightning (v1–5). In the frost and snow, the rains and wind (v6–13). 

He applies it to Job, and challenges him to solve the phenomena of these works of nature, that confessing his ignorance in them, he might own himself an incompetent judge in the proceedings of divine Providence (v14–22). And then, concludes with his principle, which he undertook to make out, That God is great and greatly to be feared (v23-24).”[1]

  • By His Voice
    • Commandeth the Lightning, Rain and Snow (v1-6)

1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

Indeed, it is by the Word of God, the utterance of God from on high that this universe comes into its existence. And Elihu tells us likewise, by His Word, the world is sustained by His power.

John 1:3-5 (KJV) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

By the voice of God, the repeated phrase in these 6 verses, showing the movement of the scenes of the weather around us, the lightning and the thunder. The forming of the snow when “He saith to the snow”, to come upon the earth. Just as the manna appeared on the ground one morning when the Israelites were in the wilderness. It was not snow but snowy food!

Our God directeth it under the whole heaven (v3). We are exhorted to realize how God is incharge of the world we live in. And He metes out His decrees through the weather and nudges the movement of men and beast.

Recall when Abraham came to Canaan from Ur of the Chaldees there was a great famine (Genesis 12). It was God’s test for Abraham. Did he realize it? As we studied the account, we were able to see how that affected the life of Abraham and Lot.

Likewise, when God gave the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, it was amidst thunder and lightning. He was given so as to prove His people.

Exodus 20:20 (KJV) And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

Exodus 20:21 (KJV) And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.

When Jesus hung on the cross from 12 noon – 3pm, there was a sudden darkness that came upon Jerusalem. Our Lord was bearing on the cross the sins of the world. He came to save sinners but being our sin-bearer. This He did upon the cross and Israel beheld, and we today, through the Scripture, the dark times, when our Lord took our sins upon Himself.

[1] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 729). Peabody: Hendrickson.