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Commentary on Job 37 verses 1–5
Thunder and lightning, which usually go together, are sensible indications of the glory and majesty, the power and terror, of Almighty God, one to the ear and the other to the eye; in these God leaves not himself without witness of his greatness, as, in the rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, he leaves not himself without witness of his goodness (Act 14:17), even to the most stupid and unthinking. Though there are natural causes and useful effects of them, which the philosophers undertake to account for, yet they seem chiefly designed by the Creator to startle and awaken the slumbering world of mankind to the consideration of a God above them. The eye and the ear are the two learning senses; and therefore, though such a circumstance is possible, they say it was never known in fact that any one was born both blind and deaf. By the word of God divine instructions are conveyed to the mind through the ear, by his works through the eye; but, because those ordinary sights and sounds do not duly affect men, God is pleased sometimes to astonish men by the eye with his lightnings and by the ear with his thunder. It is very probable that at this time, when Elihu was speaking, it thundered and lightened, for he speaks of the phenomena as present; and, God being about to speak (Job 38:1), these were, as afterwards on Mount Sinai, the proper prefaces to command attention and awe. Observe here, 1. How Elihu was himself affected, and desired to affect Job, with the appearance of God's glory in the thunder and lightning (Job 37:1, Job 37:2): "For my part," says Elihu, "my heart trembles at it; though I have often heard it, often seen it, yet it is still terrible to me, and makes every joint of me tremble, and my heart beat as if it would move out of its place." Thunder and lightning have been dreadful to the wicked: the emperor Caligula would run into a corner, or under a bed, for fear of them. Those who are very much astonished, we say, are thunder-struck. Even good people think thunder and lightning very awful; and that which makes them the more terrible is the hurt often done by lightning, many having been killed by it. Sodom and Gomorrah were laid in ruins by it. It is a sensible indication of what God could do to this sinful world, and what he will do, at last, by the fire to which it is reserved. Our hearts, like Elihu's should tremble at it for fear of God's judgments, Psa 119:120. He also calls upon Job to attend to it (Job 37:2): Hear attentively the noise of his voice. Perhaps as yet it thundered at a distance, and could not be heard without listening: or rather, Though the thunder will be heard, and whatever we are doing we cannot help attending to it, yet, to apprehend and understand the instructions God thereby gives us, we have need to hear with great attention and application of mind. Thunder is called the voice of the Lord (Psa 29:3, etc.), because by it God speaks to the children of men to fear before him, and it should put us in mind of that mighty word by which the world was at first made, which is called thunder. Psa 104:7, At the voice of thy thunder they hasted away, namely, the waters, when God said, Let them be gathered into one place. Those that are themselves affected with God's greatness should labour to affect others. 2. How he describes them. (1.) Their original, not their second causes, but the first. God directs the thunder, and the lightning is his, Job 37:3. Their production and motion are not from chance, but from the counsel of God and under the direction and dominion of his providence, though to us they seem accidental and ungovernable. (2.) Their extent. The claps of thunder roll under the whole heaven, and are heard far and near; so are the lightnings darted to the ends of the earth; they come out of the one part under heaven and shine to the other, Luk 17:24. Though the same lightning and thunder do not reach to all places, yet they reach to very distant places in a moment, and there is no place but, some time or other, has these alarms from heaven. (3.) Their order. The lightning is first directed, and after it a voice roars, Job 37:4. The flash of fire, and the noise it makes in a watery cloud, are really at the same time; but, because the motion of light is much quicker than that of sound, we see the lightning some time before we hear the thunder, as we see the firing of a great gun at a distance before we hear the report of it. The thunder is here called the voice of God's excellency, because by it he proclaims his transcendent power and greatness. He sends forth his voice and that a mighty voice, Psa 68:33. (4.) Their violence. He will not stay them, that is, he does not need to check them, or hold them back, lest they should grow unruly and out of his power to restrain them, but lets them take their course, says to them, Go, and they go - Come, and they come - Do this, and they do it. He will not stay the rains and showers that usually follow upon the thunder (which he had spoken of, Job 36:27, Job 36:29), so some, but will pour them out upon the earth when his voice is heard. Thunder-showers are sweeping rains, and for them he makes the lightnings, Psa 135:7. (5.) The inference he draws from all this, Job 37:5. Does God thunder thus marvellously with his voice? We must then conclude that his other works are great, and such as we cannot comprehend. From this one instance we may argue to all, that, in the dispensations of his providence, there is that which is too great, too strong, for us to oppose or strive against, and too high, too deep, for us to arraign or quarrel with.
39. For the Lord doubtless turns into sorrow the life of him whom He has filled with His illumination; and the more He suggests to the enlightened mind eternal punishments, the more cruelly does He weary it with sorrow for its past wickedness; and a man grieves at what he was, because he now begins to discern the good which he was not. He hates himself, as he remembers himself to have been. He loves himself as he discerns he ought to have been; and now loves only the bitterness of penitence; because he carefully considers in what great pleasures he has sinned through self-indulgence. It is well said then, After Him a sound will roar. Because when God enters the mind, it is doubtless plain, that the sorrow of repentance immediately follows, in order that that soul may now delight in wholesome sorrow, which used to rejoice in its iniquity with a lamentable mirth. But the more abundantly a sin is lamented, the higher is the knowledge of the truth attained. Because the conscience, before polluted, is renewed by a baptism of tears, to behold the light within. Whence after the roaring of repentance, it is fitly subjoined,
He will thunder with the voice of His greatness.
40. For God thunders with the voice of His greatness, when, to us who have been now well prepared by sorrow, He makes known, how great He is in His doings above. For thunder proceeds, as it were, from heaven, when the look of grace strikes us slumbering in carelessness and neglect, with sudden fear; and when lying on the ground we hear a sound from above: for thinking of things of earth, we are suddenly alarmed at the sentence of terror from above; and our mind, which used to slumber with evil security in things below, is now properly alarmed and anxious for things above. But we know not, in what way the terror of this secret visitation enters into us: nor is it discerned by the eye of the very mind, whose purpose is changed for the better. Whence it is fitly subjoined,
And He will not be enquired into, when His Voice hath been heard.
41. The voice of the Lord is heard, when the breathing of His grace is conceived within the mind; when the insensibility of our inward deafness is broken through, and the heart, excited to zeal for the noblest love, is pierced by the voice of inward power. But even the mind, which has been enlightened by the voice of the supervenient Spirit, which insinuates Itself into the ears of the heart, does not trace it out. For it is unable to consider by what openings this invisible power flows into it, in what ways it comes to, or recedes from, it. Whence it is well said by John, The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh and whither it goeth. [John 3, 8] For to hear the voice of the Spirit, is to rise up to the love of the invisible Creator, by the power of inward compunction. But no man knows whence it cometh; because we are not told on what occasions it pours itself forth on us by the mouths of preachers. And no man knows whither it goeth; because when many hear one and the same preaching, it doubtless cannot be understood, whom It forsakes and casts off, or into whose heart It enters and takes its rest. For but one thing is taking place without, but the hearts of those who behold are not penetrated by it in one way: because He who invisibly modifies visible things, plants incomprehensibly the seeds of events in the hearts of men. Hence is it that some believed, when Lazarus was raised from the dead: while yet the greater number of the Jews were roused to zeal in persecution by this very resurrection. [John 12, 10. 11.] That one and the same miracle, then, which conferred on some the light of Faith, deprived others of the light of the mind, by the darkness of envy. Hence is it that each of the thieves beheld that same death of our Redeemer, which was like his own; but the one feared not in his pride to assail Him with contumely, Whom the other honoured by fearing Him. In the same circumstance the thoughts of each was not the same; because the inward Arbiter, by invisibly modifying, made it to differ. But as these secret modes of breathing on us cannot be comprehended by our thoughts, the traces of the Divine voice are doubtless unknown to us.
“Behind him the thunder will roar.” Certainly God transforms into tears the life of him whom he filled with his illumination, and the more he reminds the illuminated soul of eternal punishments, the harder he submits it to the groans for its past wickedness; and so a person feels the pain for what he has been, because he begins by now to see the good he did not do, he hates himself for what he has been, and he loves himself for what he should have been.… “He will thunder with the voice of his greatness.” God thunders with the voice of his greatness when he suggests to us, who are now well disposed through our tears, how great he is there on high.… “And after hearing his voice, nobody will be able to investigate.” The voice of God is heard when the soul perceives the inspiration of his grace.… But not even the soul illuminated by it can investigate this voice of the Spirit, which reaches and penetrates the ear of the heart.
[By] the words “the judgment that comes from his mouth; under the whole heaven he will be praised,” [the author] speaks about the thunder that is produced in the instant itself, in which punishment is inflicted on sinners; it is heard everywhere and everyone who hears it praises God.
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SUMMARY
Job 37:4 powerfully describes the immediate and overwhelming manifestation of God's voice through thunder, following the lightning. Elihu, in his final discourse, portrays God's majesty and irresistible power, asserting that when the divine voice roars, nothing can restrain its impact or hinder its purpose. This verse serves to instill profound awe and reverence for the Creator, highlighting His absolute sovereignty over creation and His unchallengeable authority, preparing Job for the direct encounter with God that is soon to follow.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Job 37:4 is situated within Elihu's final and most extensive speech, spanning from Job 32 to Job 37. Throughout this discourse, Elihu attempts to justify God's ways to Job, emphasizing divine wisdom, justice, and sovereignty, often contrasting God's greatness with human limitations. Chapters Job 36 and Job 37 are particularly focused on God's power as revealed in natural phenomena—rain, snow, ice, wind, and especially the storm. The preceding verses in Job 37 describe the lightning (fire) that precedes the thunder, setting the stage for the dramatic impact of God's voice. This verse acts as a climactic description of the storm's power, building anticipation for the moment when God Himself speaks to Job out of the whirlwind in Job 38:1. Elihu's aim is to humble Job and all listeners before the unsearchable greatness of God, whose power is evident in every aspect of creation.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, storms, particularly thunder and lightning, were widely understood as manifestations of divine power and presence. Many pagan deities, such as Baal, were associated with storm phenomena. However, the biblical text consistently reclaims this imagery for Yahweh, the one true God, demonstrating His unique and absolute control over all creation. The Book of Job itself is set in the land of Uz, a region likely east of Palestine, and reflects a wisdom tradition that grappled with profound questions about suffering, divine justice, and human understanding of God. The nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle implied in the book would have made the people intimately familiar with the raw power of desert storms. The imagery of God's "voice" as thunder would have resonated deeply, evoking both terror and awe, reinforcing the concept of a God who is both transcendent and immanently active in the world, far beyond human comprehension or challenge, as seen in Psalm 29.
Key Themes: Job 37:4 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the Book of Job and Elihu's speeches. Foremost is the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Omnipotence. God's voice, roaring as thunder, symbolizes His absolute control over creation and His irresistible will; nothing can "stay" or hinder His purposes. This reinforces the idea that God is not subject to human questioning or understanding, a central point of contention throughout Job's suffering. Secondly, the verse highlights Nature as a Revelation of God's Power and Wisdom. Elihu uses the grandeur of the storm to demonstrate God's active presence and governance, arguing that creation itself testifies to the Creator's unsearchable greatness. This theme is echoed in Psalm 19:1. Finally, the verse underscores Human Limitation and Humility. By contrasting the overwhelming power of God's voice with human frailty, Elihu seeks to humble Job, preparing him to acknowledge God's incomprehensible ways and to respond with reverence rather than complaint, a lesson that Job ultimately learns in Job 42:1-6.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Roareth (Hebrew, shâʼag', H7580): This verb typically describes the roar of a lion (e.g., Amos 3:8). Its use here for God's voice in thunder evokes immense power, authority, and an intimidating, awe-inspiring presence. It suggests a sound that is not merely loud but primal, majestic, and indicative of an unstoppable force. The imagery conveys a sense of divine might that commands attention and instills fear, aligning with the root meaning "to rumble or moan" often with a sense of might.
Excellency (Hebrew, gâʼôwn', H1347): This noun denotes majesty, sublimity, pride, or glory. When applied to God, it refers to His inherent greatness, supreme dignity, and elevated status above all creation. The "voice of his excellency" is thus a voice that emanates from the very essence of God's glorious and majestic being, underscoring the divine source and unparalleled power of the thunder. It is a voice that perfectly reflects His inherent glory, embodying His "arrogancy or majesty" in a positive, divine sense.
Stay (Hebrew, ʻâqab', H6117): This verb means to hold back, restrain, hinder, or delay. In this context, it emphasizes the irresistibility of God's actions and decrees. Once His voice is heard, once His power is unleashed, there is no force, human or natural, that can impede or divert it. This reinforces the theme of God's absolute sovereignty and the futility of any attempt to oppose His will, drawing on the root meaning "to restrain (as if holding by the heel)."
Verse Breakdown
"After it a voice roareth:" This clause establishes the sequence of the storm, with the thunder following the lightning mentioned in the preceding verses. The "voice" is immediately identified as a powerful, roaring sound, personifying the thunder as a direct utterance from God. This is not just a natural phenomenon but a divine communication, charged with immense power and authority, demanding attention and instilling awe.
"he thundereth with the voice of his excellency;" This expands on the previous clause, explicitly attributing the thunder to God ("he thundereth"). The phrase "with the voice of his excellency" elevates the thunder from a mere sound to an expression of God's inherent glory, majesty, and supreme authority. It suggests that the thunder is a perfect manifestation of God's glorious nature, echoing His divine essence and demonstrating His unparalleled greatness.
"and he will not stay them when his voice is heard." This concluding clause underscores the irresistible nature of God's power and will. "Them" likely refers to the effects or consequences of His voice—the storm, the rain, the divine purposes set in motion. Once God's voice is heard, once His command is issued through the thunder, nothing can hold back or hinder its intended outcome. This emphasizes God's absolute control and the futility of any resistance to His sovereign decrees.
Literary Devices
Job 37:4 is rich in Imagery, vividly portraying the power of a thunderstorm as a direct manifestation of God. The "roaring" voice and the "thunder" create powerful auditory images, while the implicit connection to lightning (from preceding verses) adds visual impact. Personification is evident as the thunder is described as God's "voice," roaring and speaking with "excellency," attributing human-like vocal actions to a natural phenomenon to emphasize its divine origin and power. The verse also employs Metaphor, where the thunder serves as a metaphor for God's unchallengeable authority and irresistible will. The phrase "he will not stay them" functions as a form of Hyperbole, emphasizing the absolute and unhindered nature of God's power, suggesting that once God acts, no force in the cosmos can impede His purpose. This dramatic language contributes to the overall sense of Awe and Sublimity, aiming to overwhelm the listener with the sheer magnitude of divine power and wisdom.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 37:4 profoundly contributes to the biblical understanding of God's omnipotence and His revelation through creation. It asserts that the natural world is not merely a collection of impersonal forces but a dynamic stage upon which the Creator displays His attributes. The thunder, as God's roaring voice, serves as a powerful reminder that His authority is absolute, His will is irresistible, and His majesty is beyond human comprehension. This truth calls humanity to a posture of humility and reverence, acknowledging that the God who commands the elements is also the God who governs all circumstances, even those that seem chaotic or unjust. Elihu's emphasis on God's unchallengeable power in nature prepares the way for Job to encounter the living God, whose voice truly thunders from the whirlwind, bringing Job to a place of repentance and deeper understanding of divine sovereignty.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 37:4 invites us to cultivate a profound sense of awe and reverence for God, recognizing His absolute power and sovereignty over all creation. In a world often characterized by human striving for control and understanding, this verse serves as a powerful reminder that there is a God whose "voice" commands the very elements, whose purposes cannot be thwarted, and whose majesty far surpasses our limited comprehension. When we encounter the raw power of nature—a thunderstorm, an earthquake, or a raging sea—we are called to see beyond the physical phenomenon to the divine hand that orchestrates it all. This understanding should lead us not to fear in a debilitating way, but to a holy fear that inspires worship, trust, and surrender. It encourages us to rest in the knowledge that the God who controls the chaos of a storm is also the one who holds our lives in His hands, working all things according to His excellent will, even when our circumstances seem as tumultuous as a raging tempest.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of thunder being described as God's "voice" in this verse?
Answer: The description of thunder as God's "voice" is highly significant, serving as a powerful theological metaphor. In ancient Near Eastern thought, and especially in the biblical tradition, the storm, particularly thunder, was often seen as a direct manifestation of divine presence and power. By calling it God's "voice," the text personifies the natural phenomenon, attributing it directly to God's active utterance. This emphasizes His direct involvement in creation, His absolute authority, and the undeniable, overwhelming nature of His power. It's not merely a sound but a declaration of His majesty and an expression of His irresistible will, as seen in Psalm 29:3-9, where the "voice of the Lord" breaks cedars and shakes the wilderness.
What does it mean that God "will not stay them when his voice is heard"?
Answer: The phrase "he will not stay them when his voice is heard" underscores the irresistibility and unhindered nature of God's power and purposes. "Stay them" means to hold back, restrain, or hinder. When God's voice—symbolizing His command, His will, or the unleashing of His power—is heard, nothing can impede or prevent its intended effect. This applies not only to the immediate effects of the storm (e.g., rain, wind, lightning) but also to God's broader sovereign plans. It communicates that once God acts or declares His will, it is unstoppable and will accomplish its purpose, reinforcing the theme of divine omnipotence found throughout the Book of Job and other scriptures like Isaiah 55:11.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Job 37:4 powerfully portrays God's majesty through the roaring thunder, its ultimate fulfillment and most profound revelation of divine power and "excellency" are found in Jesus Christ. The "voice" that thunders from the heavens in creation finds its clearest and most intimate expression in the Word made flesh, Jesus, who is the very embodiment of God's wisdom and power (1 Corinthians 1:24). Just as God's voice in the storm cannot be stayed, so too Jesus demonstrated absolute authority over creation, calming the raging sea with a mere word (Mark 4:39) and commanding demons to flee. He is the visible image of the invisible God, through whom all things were created and by whom all things hold together (Colossians 1:15-17). The "voice of his excellency" that Elihu describes points forward to the Son, who perfectly reveals the Father's glory (Hebrews 1:3). Ultimately, the irresistible power of God's voice is most profoundly seen not just in creation's thunder, but in the resurrection of Christ, where the power of God raised Him from the dead, conquering sin and death forever (Ephesians 1:19-20).