Job 36:17-33: a reflection

17“But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you. 18Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside. 19Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength? 20Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place. 21Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction. 22Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? 23Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’? 24“Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung. 25All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off. 26Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable. 27For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor, 28which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly. 29Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion? 30Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea. 31For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance. 32He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark. 33Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.

As Elihu speaks of God, he is drawn into wonder at a God greater than we can comprehend, whose greatness is beyond our knowing. Behold, God is great, and we don't know him, Elihu says; the number of his years is unsearchable. Elihu points to God's work in the world, drawing up the drops of water into rain, spreading the clouds, wielding the lightning; and confesses that God is exalted and great beyond our understanding. God is great, he says, and we do not know him; we cannot fully comprehend him, prescribe his ways, or search out his years. Before such a God, the fitting response is humble wonder. This shows that God is greater than we can comprehend, calling us to humble wonder. God is greater than we can comprehend; stand in humble wonder before him. We cannot fully know or search out the greatness of God. Before a God so great, humility and wonder are fitting. Do not presume to comprehend or prescribe the ways of a God beyond us.

Notice the wonder into which Elihu is drawn. Contemplating God, and pointing to his work in the natural world, the rain drawn up and poured down, the spreading clouds, the thunder and lightning, Elihu is struck by God's greatness, and confesses its limit for us: behold, God is great, and we do not know him; the number of his years is unsearchable. God is exalted, great beyond our comprehension; we cannot fully know him, cannot prescribe his ways, cannot search out his greatness or his years. Before such a God, Elihu is drawn not to explanation but to wonder. This holds a fitting posture for us before God. We can be tempted to think we have God figured out, to reduce him to what we can comprehend, to presume to prescribe his ways or to judge his doings by our limited understanding. But God is great, and we do not fully know him; his greatness exceeds our comprehension, his ways are beyond our full understanding, his years beyond searching out. The fitting response to such a God is not presumption but humble wonder: to stand in awe before a God greater than we can grasp, to hold our understanding humbly, to worship rather than to presume. This humble wonder is truer and more fitting than any presumption to have comprehended God. We do well to stand in humble wonder before a God greater than we can comprehend, holding our understanding humbly and worshiping him. Stand in humble wonder before a God greater than you can comprehend. Do not presume to have God figured out or to prescribe his ways. God's greatness exceeds our understanding; hold your understanding humbly. Let wonder and worship, not presumption, be your response to God.

That is worth taking to heart, for God is greater than we can comprehend, and the fitting response is humble wonder, as Elihu confessed that God is great and we do not know him. We can presume to have God figured out and to judge his ways; but Elihu, struck by God's greatness in his works, confessed that God exceeds our knowing. Stand in wonder. Do not presume to comprehend or prescribe the ways of God; stand in humble wonder before a God greater than you can grasp, holding your understanding humbly and worshiping him. Stand in humble wonder before a God greater than you can comprehend, holding your understanding humbly and worshiping rather than presuming to have him figured out, as Elihu, speaking of God, was drawn into wonder at a God greater than we can comprehend, saying God is great and we do not know him and the number of his years is unsearchable; for Elihu points to God's work in the world, drawing up the drops of water into rain, spreading the clouds, and wielding the lightning, and confesses that God is exalted and great beyond our understanding, that we cannot fully comprehend him, prescribe his ways, or search out his years, so that before such a God the fitting response is humble wonder, which holds a fitting posture for us, since we can be tempted to think we have God figured out and to reduce him to what we can comprehend and presume to prescribe his ways or judge his doings by our limited understanding, but God is great and we do not fully know him, his greatness exceeding our comprehension and his ways beyond our full understanding, so that the fitting response is not presumption but humble wonder, to stand in awe before a God greater than we can grasp and hold our understanding humbly and worship rather than presume, this humble wonder being truer and more fitting than any presumption to have comprehended God, so that we do well to stand in humble wonder before him.

Lord, as Elihu speaks of you, he is drawn into wonder at a God greater than we can comprehend, whose greatness is beyond our knowing. Behold, God is great, and we don't know him, Elihu says; the number of his years is unsearchable. Elihu points to your work in the world, drawing up the drops of water into rain, spreading the clouds, wielding the lightning; and confesses that you are exalted and great beyond our understanding. You are great, he says, and we do not know you; we cannot fully comprehend you, prescribe your ways, or search out your years. Before such a God, the fitting response is humble wonder. Show me the wonder into which Elihu is drawn. Contemplating you, and pointing to your work in the natural world, the rain drawn up and poured down, the spreading clouds, the thunder and lightning, Elihu is struck by your greatness, and confesses its limit for us: you are great, and we do not know you; the number of your years is unsearchable. You are exalted, great beyond our comprehension; we cannot fully know you, prescribe your ways, or search out your greatness. Before you, Elihu is drawn not to explanation but to wonder. This holds a fitting posture for me before you. I can be tempted to think I have you figured out, to reduce you to what I can comprehend, to presume to prescribe your ways or to judge your doings by my limited understanding. But you are great, and I do not fully know you; your greatness exceeds my comprehension, your ways are beyond my full understanding, your years beyond searching out. The fitting response to you is not presumption but humble wonder: to stand in awe before a God greater than I can grasp, to hold my understanding humbly, to worship rather than to presume. Take that to my heart. Keep me from presuming to have you figured out or to prescribe your ways; help me stand in humble wonder before you, Lord, a God greater than I can comprehend, holding my understanding humbly and worshiping you, letting wonder and worship, not presumption, be my response to you.