Job 36: Behold, God Is Great
Elihu speaks on God's behalf, describing how the Almighty disciplines to instruct, delivers the afflicted through affliction, and reigns in unsearchable greatness.
Job 36 (WEB)
1 Elihu also continued, and said,
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.
7 He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they don’t listen, they shall perish by the sword; they shall die without knowledge.
13 “But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
16 Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a broad place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
19 Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
20 Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness?’
24 “Remember that you magnify his work, whereof men have sung.
25 All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.
29 Yes, can any understand the spreading of the clouds, and the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also concerning the storm that comes up.
Job 36 (KJV)
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
Job 36 (ASV)
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will show thee; For I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false: One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked, But giveth to the afflicted their right.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: But with kings upon the throne He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, And be taken in the cords of affliction;
9 Then he showeth them their work, And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He openeth also their ear to instruction, And commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.
13 But they that are godless in heart lay up anger: They cry not for help when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, And their lifeperisheth among the unclean.
15 He delivereth the afflicted by their affliction, And openeth their ear in oppression.
16 Yea, he would have allured thee out of distress Into a broad place, where there is no straitness; And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.
17 But thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: Judgment and justice take holdon thee.
18 For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
19 Will thy cry avail, that thou be not in distress, Or all the forces ofthystrength?
20 Desire not the night, When peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God doeth loftily in his power: Who is a teacher like unto him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, Whereof men have sung.
25 All men have looked thereon; Man beholdeth it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil in rain from his vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, The thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light around him; And he covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he judgeth the peoples; He giveth food in abundance.
32 He covereth his hands with the lightning, And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
33 The noise thereof telleth concerning him, The cattle also concerningthe stormthat cometh up.
Summary
Elihu asks Job to bear with him a little longer, for he still has something to say on God's behalf, ascribing righteousness to his Maker. He declares that God is mighty yet despises no one, mighty in strength and in understanding, and that God does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous. When people are bound in the cords of affliction, God uses their suffering to show them their sin, open their ears to instruction, and command them to turn from iniquity; those who listen spend their days in prosperity, while the godless store up anger and die without crying for help. Elihu insists that God delivers the afflicted by their very affliction, opening their ear in oppression, and he warns Job not to let bitterness or the desire for escape lead him astray. He then lifts Job's gaze to the greatness of God, who is exalted in power, an incomparable teacher whose ways no one prescribes. Elihu calls Job to magnify the work of God that all men have sung, confessing, “God is great, and we don't know him.” He describes God drawing up the drops of water that fall as rain, spreading the clouds, and wielding the lightning, the livestock themselves sensing the coming storm. As the thunderheads gather, Elihu's words begin to shade into the very tempest from which God will soon speak. The chapter exalts a God too great to be fully known, yet near enough to instruct and deliver.
Voices
- Elihu — The speaker who pleads God's cause, describing God's instructive discipline and unsearchable greatness.
- God the Almighty — The great and mighty Teacher who disciplines to instruct, delivers the afflicted, and rules the rain and storm.
- The afflicted and the godless — Those who either listen to God's instruction in suffering and prosper, or harden their hearts and perish.
Key Verse
Job 36:26 (WEB)
Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
Lessons Learned
- God may use affliction itself to instruct us, opening our ears in the very midst of oppression.
- The Almighty is mighty in power yet despises no one, near to the lowly even in his greatness.
- Bitterness in suffering can lead us astray; we are warned to keep listening to God's correction.
- God is so great that we cannot fully know him, which calls us to worship rather than to dictate.
- God is great beyond our knowing. “God is great, and we don't know him” (Job 36:26, WEB); his unsearchable greatness should lead us to humble worship rather than presumption.
- Discipline aims at instruction. God “opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity” (Job 36:10, WEB); his correction is meant to teach and restore, not merely to punish.
- God delivers through affliction. “He delivers the afflicted by their affliction” (Job 36:15, WEB); the very trial can become the doorway to rescue when we listen rather than rebel.
- Bitterness can lead us astray. Elihu warns Job not to let wrath or escapism turn him aside (Job 36:18, 21, WEB); how we respond in suffering shapes where it takes us.
- How does Elihu describe the purpose of God's discipline in the lives of the afflicted?
- What does it mean that God “delivers the afflicted by their affliction”?
- How does Elihu warn Job about the dangers of bitterness in suffering?
- What is the effect of confessing that “God is great, and we don't know him”?
- How might the truth that God can teach and deliver through affliction change the way you face a current trial?
- Elihu says God uses affliction to show people their sin, open their ears, and call them to turn from iniquity, with prosperity for those who listen (36:8-11). Discipline is portrayed as instructive and merciful.
- It means that suffering itself can become the means God uses to get our attention and rescue us (36:15). The trial that feels like an enemy can be the very thing that turns us back to God.
- Elihu cautions Job not to let anger, the lure of riches, or the longing to escape pull him off course (36:18-21). He sees that the response to suffering is as crucial as the suffering itself.
- Confessing God's unsearchable greatness humbles us and silences our demands, moving us from arguing with God to adoring him (36:26). It prepares the heart to receive rather than to dictate.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider what God might be teaching in their present trial, without assuming the trial is punishment. As leader, balance comfort and challenge, pointing to a God great enough to be trusted and near enough to instruct.