Job 37:14

In Job 37:14, Elihu, the youngest of Job's interlocutors, delivers a profound exhortation. Having listened to Job's laments and his friends' arguments, Elihu now calls Job to shift his focus from his own suffering and perceived injustice to the overwhelming majesty and power of God. This verse serves as a pivotal invitation for Job, and indeed for any reader, to pause and humbly acknowledge the Creator's vast and incomprehensible wisdom, particularly as displayed in the natural world.

Context

This verse is part of Elihu's extensive discourse (chapters 32-37), which precedes God's direct intervention. Elihu positions himself as a mediator, offering a perspective on God's ways that is distinct from the other friends, who focused on Job's sin, and from Job himself, who struggled with God's justice. Chapter 37 specifically highlights God's control over meteorological phenomena—thunder, lightning, rain, snow, and winds—as evidence of His omnipotence and wisdom. Elihu's aim is to humble Job by contrasting human frailty and limited understanding with God's limitless power and inscrutable purposes. This call to "stand still, and consider" is a direct challenge to Job's intense focus on his personal plight, urging him to look up and outward.

Key Themes

• Divine Sovereignty and Omnipotence: The verse underscores God's absolute control over all creation, from the grandest cosmic movements to the most intricate details of nature. Elihu emphasizes that God's "wondrous works" are beyond human comprehension or control.
• Humility and Awe: The command to "stand still" and "consider" is an invitation to humility. It suggests that true understanding begins with acknowledging human limitations in the face of God's infinite power and wisdom. This posture leads to awe and reverence.
• Observation and Reflection: Elihu urges Job to be an attentive observer of God's creation. It's not enough to merely see; one must "consider," which implies deep thought, meditation, and a search for understanding the divine hand behind all things. This theme resonates with other biblical calls to learn from creation, such as Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God".
• Wisdom through Creation: Elihu implies that true wisdom comes not from human reasoning alone, but from recognizing God's wisdom displayed in His works. By considering these works, one can gain a glimpse into God's character and purposes, which ultimately prepares Job for God's own address in Job chapters 38-41.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrases carry significant meaning:

• "Hearken unto this": This is a strong imperative, a call for Job's undivided attention. It's an appeal not just to listen, but to heed and obey.
• "stand still": The Hebrew word is 'amad (עָמַד), meaning to stand, stop, or remain. It suggests a cessation of activity, a quietude, and a posture of receptivity. It's a call to cease arguing, complaining, or striving, and instead, to be still before God. This concept is echoed in Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God".
• "consider": The Hebrew word is bin (בִּין), which means to discern, understand, perceive, or meditate. It implies a deeper intellectual and spiritual engagement than just casual observation. It's an active process of processing information to gain insight and wisdom.
• "wondrous works": The Hebrew term is niphla'ot (נִפְלָאוֹת), derived from the root pala' (פָּלָא), meaning "to be wonderful, marvelous, difficult, extraordinary." These are not merely impressive acts, but supernatural, miraculous, and incomprehensible deeds that evoke awe and wonder, highlighting God's unique and transcendent power.

Practical Application

In our fast-paced, often self-focused world, Elihu's counsel to Job remains profoundly relevant. This verse encourages us to:

1. Pause and Reflect: Take deliberate moments to disengage from daily anxieties and distractions. Just as Job was called to "stand still," we are invited to quiet our minds and hearts before God.
2. Observe God in Creation: Actively look for God's hand in the natural world around us—from the complexity of a cell to the vastness of the cosmos. As Romans 1:20 teaches, God's "invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made."
3. Cultivate Humility and Awe: Recognizing the "wondrous works of God" fosters a proper perspective of our place in the universe. It diminishes our perceived problems and exalts God's infinite wisdom and power, leading to greater trust and worship.
4. Seek Wisdom Beyond Ourselves: Understand that true wisdom often comes from acknowledging God's sovereignty and seeking His perspective, rather than relying solely on human intellect or experience.

Job 37:14 is a timeless reminder that even in times of intense suffering or confusion, shifting our gaze to God's magnificent works can bring clarity, humility, and a renewed sense of His unwavering presence and control.