Thoughts on the Bible Readings December 27th (Job 37; Zechariah 12; Revelation 14)

Elihu concludes his speech in Job 37 by proclaiming the majesty of the Almighty. The final speeches of the book are delivered by our Sovereign God. And so, in a sense, Elihu is God's forerunner just as John the Baptist was of our Lord Jesus Christ as Malachi 3 prophesied he would so do. In the final chapter Job is asked by the Almighty to make intercession in prayer for his 3 friends. As no such intercession is requested for Elihu it is reasonable to conclude that Yahweh had accepted what Elihu had said. Like with Moses and Elijah at Mount Sinai, so did the LORD precede His speech with an awesome display of His might - on this occasion "out of the whirlwind'. The whirlwind is a symbol of warfare in the Bible - indicating there is a divine warfare in the book of Job - between the Almighty against sin and self- righteousness. Elihu outlined the majestic power revealed in the thunder (spoken of in the Psalms as, "the voice of Yahweh") and in the lightning and the interplay between these two momentous forces. Verse 6 says that the snow falls at the Almighty's command. Mankind and all creatures are cowed by His awesome power. And what God does is according to His will and He does it purposefully. How can you even understand such power, let alone think you can challenge the LORD? Humble yourself and learn from Him. Show reverential fear and cease from your conceit. The same words must be acknowledged by us and responded to by the way in which we live.