Elihu's Words (XIV)

Here are the closing words of Elihu:

14“Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. 15Do you know when God dispatches them, And causes the light of His cloud to shine? 16Do you know how the clouds are balanced, Those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge? 17Why are your garments hot, When He quiets the earth by the south wind? 18With Him, have you spread out the skies, Strong as a cast metal mirror? 19“Teach us what we should say to Him, For we can prepare nothing because of the darkness. 20Should He be told that I wish to speak? If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up. 21Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies, When the wind has passed and cleared them. 22He comes from the north as golden splendor; With God is awesome majesty. 23As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, In judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress. 24Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.” (14-24)

In these closing words of Elihu, the young whippersnapper again elaborates upon points not directly in dispute, such as that God is the Creator and Preserver of all creation, that he is omnipotent, sovereign of sovereigns, majestic, etc. None of these theological principles were denied by Job. Job had said the very same things. Further, Job never confessed to having perfect understanding of God and his works. To call upon Job to explain how God controls the weather, so as to prove his innocence, is unreasonable. It implies that Job is guilty of sin (causing his sufferings) if he cannot explain in detail the workings of God. In reply, we might ask Elihu "do you comprehend God and his works?" If he says yes, he would then show his arrogance, conceit, and pride. If he says no, then one may, using Elihu's argumentation, affirm that Elihu is thereby indicted. Further, Job never thought of himself as God's equal, and his calling upon God for an answer implied no such thing. Job knew that he was inferior to God as he called upon God.

Again, notice how he is still speaking derogatorily of Job the elder by calling him by name, and again says to Job "listen." Further, his various interrogatives serve to insult Job's knowledge of God and his works. 

One of the things that commentators on Job have called attention to in regard to Elihu's theology is how he speaks of God as distant from his creation (even though he controls it). God is transcendent and unapproachable. He infers that God cannot be directly addressed or approached. He also says that God cannot be found. "As for the Almighty, we cannot find him," he said. 

Job however did acknowledge God's transcendence. But, he also believed in God's immanence. God is in some ways far from his creatures, being infinitely superior to them. But, he is also in scripture shown to be immanent. 

Concerning God's transcendence Paul said that God "alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen." (I Tim. 6: 16)

Wrote one commentary (here) on these words of the apostle:

"That light is unapproachable to creatures, except in so far as they are admitted by Him, and as He goes forth to them [BENGEL]. It is unapproachable on account of its exceeding brightness [THEOPHYLACT]. If one cannot gaze steadfastly at the sun, which is but a small part of creation, by reason of its exceeding heat and power, how much less can mortal man gaze at the inexpressible glory of God [THEOPHYLACT, To Autolycus] (Ps 104:2; 1Jo 1:5). (1 Timothy 6)"

Habakkuk gives us an overwhelming description of God - "His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, and there is the hiding of His power." (Hab 3:4+)

God cannot be comprehended but he may be apprehended. It is only by Christ and the work of God that anyone can approach God. God is inscrutable. Said the Psalmist:

"Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple." (Psa. 65: 4)
 

The elect are they who the Lord makes to approach him who is unapproachable. 

Again, the transcendence of God is declared in this oracle:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55: 8-9)

God does show up at the end of the story of Job and thereby shows that he is not transcendent but immanent. Elihu had suggested that God would not answer Job, or show up, because Job was not worth the time or attention of God. Notice how the apostle Paul speaks of God as being both transcendent and immanent in these words to the ancient citizens of Athens.

"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." (Acts 17: 24-28)

God is above all and yet he is "not far from any." 

In an article titled "The Gentle Voice of God in Job 38,"  T. C. HAM (pdf here) wrote (emphasis mine):

"First, it does not seem likely that these rhetorical questions intend to show Job's ignorance of creation theology, since the questions are quite easy to answer. Westermann correctly asserts that "nothing was said in this speech of which Job did not already know the content."47 Second, the questions are not mere assertions of God's transcendence and omnipotence as new information for Job, since Job already believes and expresses such concepts of God.48 Although Job repeatedly asks for a fair hearing from God, he seems well aware of God's supreme power and wisdom. Third, the content of Yhwh's speech does not callously humiliate Job. After all, Job has already heard from his friends much of what Yhwh has to say without having been humiliated (though deeply discouraged). Fourth, there is nothing in the content of God's speech that constitutes a condemnation or rejection of Job. Though von Rad asserts, "It is, of course, clear that the speech contains a rejection of Job," he must acknowledge the scarcity of passages that assign blame to Job.49 Finally, the divine speech does not demonstrate that human beings are insignificant creatures who dare not question God.50 So, what then might be the purpose of these rhetorical questions from Yhwh?" (pg. 9-10)