Hearken
To The Thunder Of His Voice:
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Job’s Friends
Word gets out, and along come Job’s friends. They don’t even recognize the wise man as he sits in sackcloth and ashes. They do, however, behold a man blasted with the sands of disaster, and they sit in the shadow of his grief for a week without saying a word. Job’s was an age of hospitality, so we expect that as his friends ministered silence to Job, his good wife saw to their needs.
Finally Job breaks the stillness – he curses the day he was born.
Job 3:11-19. “Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should suck? For then I should have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept; then I should have been at rest ... Or why was I not as a hidden untimely birth, as infants that never see the light? There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest.”
This speech opens the door for Job’s friends to opine about his dilemma. Each is sure he knows the reason for Job’s judgment – be it a sin or a character flaw or just that Job was rich – well – that was reason enough in itself for him to lose everything, one guy thought. The poems that comprise their theological musings continue on for 35 chapters. Some of the language is so obscure that translators are stumped. One thing’s certain, though. Neither Job nor his friends gain the treasure of their speculation in all that squawk– none discover the correct reason that Elohim would afflict a righteous man or even allow trouble of any kind to befall him. ¿Isn’t blessing for the good and trouble for the wicked? Job must have sinned, they all reason.
Aren’t We Blessed?
In this time of wind and rain, are we not all like Job and his friends? Are we not righteous, commandment-keeping people? Do we not love the L*rd and revere the Son of the Most High? Are we not the Spiritual Israel that we claim? Do we not live in the “Bible Belt”? Then why have four of the most devastating hurricanes in history, named Charley, Frances, Ivan, Jeanne and Dennis, come upon us, spawning hundreds of deadly tornados, and felling thousands of trees? Why have our homes been damaged, some destroyed; and folks in our community even killed? What sins have we committed to allow for this mess, or by what omissions have we caused it? Has Yahweh judged us, or is it not nice to fool Mother Nature?
What science lies behind the façade, and why couldn’t some smart scientist or flashy meteorologist stop it? Why couldn’t we pray it away, or why didn’t we receive early warning so we could get away? Why did the good get stung right along with the evil? And why is it that some folks got off better than others? Luck? Or are some more divinely blessed? Or are some better commandment keepers or lovers of humankind? Or are some more loved by the Almighty? Or are some just luckier? Do you feel lucky?
Admit it: we are like Job’s friends. Every friend here has pondered these same questions. Many with whom I’ve spoken have boiled the whole “Jobic” diatribe down to a few noble words – “It could have been much worse. We are blessed.” And indeed, we are blessed.
Another Man – Elihu
In Job’s evil day, another man wandered into the ashes. Unlike the rest, he was young, uninvited and no friend of Job’s. As a youth, he patiently waited for the others to speak their pieces before he uttered his voice. But when his turn came, he was bold in his exhortation, for he was there on Yahweh’s behalf, speaking for the Almighty. The man’s name was Elihu, which means, “He is my El.” We take up part of Elihu’s speech from Job, chapters 36 & 37.
Job 36 :2.
“Bear with me and I will show you, for
I have yet something to say on El’s behalf. 3. I will fetch my knowledge
from afar, and ascribe righteousness to my Maker. 4. For truly my words
are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you. 22.
Behold, El is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
23. Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘Thou hast done
wrong’? 27. For he draws up the drops of water, he distils his mist in
rain 28. which the skies pour down, and drop upon man abundantly.
29. “Can any one understand the spreading of the clouds, the
thunderings (thunder 1) of his
pavilion? 30. Behold, he scatters his lightning (thunder 2)
about him, and covers the roots of the sea. 31. For by these he
judges peoples; he gives food in abundance. 32. He covers his
hands with the lightning (thunder 3),
and commands it to strike the mark. 33. Its crashing declares concerning
him, who is jealous with anger against iniquity.
Job 37: ... 2. “Hearken to the thunder (thunder 4)
of his voice and the rumbling that comes from his mouth. 3. Under the
whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning (thunder 5)
to the corners of the earth. 4. After it his voice roars; he thunders
(thunder 6) with his majestic voice and
he does not restrain them[*]
when his voice is heard.
5. “El thunders (thunder 7)
wondrously with his voice; he does great things which we cannot
comprehend. 6. For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth’; and to the
shower and the rain, ‘Be strong.’ 7. He seals up the hand of every man,
that all men may know his work. 8. Then the beasts go into their lairs,
and remain in their dens. 9. From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and
cold from the scattering winds. 10. By the breath of El ice is given,
and the broad waters are frozen fast. 11. He loads the thick cloud with
moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. 12. They turn round and
round by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face
of the habitable world.
13. “Whether for correction, or for his land, or for
love
(chesed,
kindness or reproach;
eleoV LXX, mercy),
he causes it to happen.”
The Wisdom of Elihu
Elihu shares several remarkable knowledge nuggets regarding not only the events that befell Job, but also what’s been happening to us. Elihu tells us first of all that El is present – along with his perfect understanding of the situation. Yahweh should understand the elements, because he created them. Yes, the storms are his doing – the rain, snow, wind, ice, clouds, whirlwinds, lightnings and thunderings: they are His voices. (In fact, if you read closely, you can find the seven thunders of Revelation 10:4 “sealed up” here.) Yes, these weather disturbances are the means by which Yahweh speaks the loudest to us – and to all humanity – be we in covenant with him or not.
All may hear the voice of skies and seas. All will quake at the rumblings of thunder and be blinded by the explosive lightning. All are affected by whirlwinds and the driving rains – even beasts seek refuge. His voice is a roaring explosion, and he tells his voice, “Be loud and strong.” The winds and clouds whirl around because he commands them, “SPIN!” Why? So he will surely be heard in the midst of all the eating, wine drinking and merriment of an unconcerned, disobedient and rebellious world. His purpose must be accomplished and He must make that purpose known: that takes hurricanes.
“He causes it to happen,” exclaims Yahweh’s messenger, Elihu. “HE causes it!”
Flushing Out the Bad
What has Elohim been trying to tell us with all this rumbling, cracking, booming and fearsome noises? If Elohim caused hurricanes to destroy – or – if that’s too strong of stuff for you – if Elohim allowed hurricanes to destroy – then why here, why among us Elohim-fearing folks? Three reasons are found in probably the most curious line of Elihu’s poem: “Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it” (Job 37:13).
Let me first speak regarding “his land.” Unfortunately, humans are in the way of the renewal of land and waterways. Hurricanes and great storms are vital to the natural process of cleaning up land and flushing out waterways of debris and detritus. Hurricanes distribute seeds of native vegetation while destroying plants that aren’t indigenous to an area. Hurricanes redistribute sand and dirt and create new dunes and habitats, making safer places for wildlife to live. Also, big winds bring in fresh water. Obviously, Elihu was an environmentalist. He tells us that Yahweh restores creation when it’s groaning. Sometimes that restoration requires desperate measures – an Opal or an Ivan or a Jeanne.
But more apropos to our concern is that Yahweh brings storms upon “the habitable world” (Job 37:12) –for “correction.” Some versions say “judgment.” The debris and detritus of the human heart needs a good flushing by “acts of Elohim.” What He’s given, He may reclaim. What is His, he may take. Yahweh is uttering his voice, calling those who think they’re already among his chosen to turn back to him and learn from him. He’s warning all that they must no longer look to that which is destroyed, but seek out the Living instead. He’s strongly cautioning that his commandments are forever and, at the final trumpet, he means to enforce punishment upon those who’ve not heeded.
Feast of Trumpets
Speaking of trumpets: Did you know that Hurricane Ivan crashed into this area on the Feast of Trumpets (September 16, 2004)?
Leviticus 23:24,25. “Say to the people of Israel, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of solemn rest, a memorial proclaimed with blast of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no laborious work; and you shall present an offering by fire to Yahweh.”
The Feast of Trumpets is also known as the Day of Awe (Yom Teruah). Your Bible also calls it “The Day of the LORD.” It’s that one day of the year set aside to remember that Yahweh will judge disobedience. Those who say His commandments are no longer valid forget that Jesus, Paul and all their disciples observed Trumpets, and that Paul and the Revelator wrote Trumpets into many passages – especially the Great Trumpet – when the holy will descend and the wicked be judged. Yet 99% of the people around here know nothing of that – nor care. But Yahweh forced the observance of Trumpets this critical year with a sky-trumpet – a hurricane. Most were in great awe on that day; only the fool did laborious work; and every soul sacrificed whether they intended to or not.
Believer, take note. Write TRUMPETS on your 2005 calendar now – October 4th – so you will observe it properly next time and not incur His wrath. From the Feast of Trumpets next year, you can follow your Bible on to the Day of Atonement.
Atonement
And speaking of that: Do you realize that last Friday sundown (September 24, 2004) began the Day of Atonement? This is a fitting observance to follow such a calamitous Feast of Trumpets.
Leviticus 23:26-32 excerpts. And Yahweh said to Moses, “On the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall fast[†] and present an offering by fire. Whoever does not fast on this day shall be cut off. Whoever works I will destroy. It is a statute forever in all your dwellings.”
The commandment is to fast and do no laborious work on one day every year in honor of the tremendous work of reconciliation accomplished for you through Yahshua’s blood. The Day of Atonement was YESTERDAY. Did you fast and pray as you’ve been commanded? Or do you believe obedience to the Word of Yahweh is no longer necessary for Chr-stians? Do you accept the plain voice of your Elohim or do you prefer the pronouncements and omissions of some inconvenienced preacher? Yahweh says, “It is a statute forever in all your dwellings.”
Are you a Bible believer? Then how plainly do you read that? After such Trumpet Blasts on the 16th, how could we not observe Atonement on the 25th? Yet the ninety and nine neither knew nor cared about His name or His commandments, and most scoff at those who do. On the last Feast of Trumpets in the World of Today, many will be cut off from the World of Tomorrow. Why? Because they’ve been inconvenienced by Yahweh’s voice or led astray by the shepherds of churchianity.
We of the Covenant can’t afford to be lax concerning eternal things anymore. Your obedience now may be the safety net for those in your household who are, in that day, eating and drinking wine as if nothing were happening. Your stand for Bible truth may save your entire family in that day. (You’ll thank me then.) And if you say now that Job’s family wasn’t spared by his righteousness, remember that he gained his family back – through the resurrection of the dead. And you may also if you’re careful.
The Mercy of Yahweh
Elihu has one more reason for inclement weather that’s perplexing: that Yah causes disasters to happen “out of love” (RSV only). (The word checed is better translated as “mercy” than “love.”) How can such terrors be “out of love,” or merciful? Here’s how.
Yahweh is compassionate and merciful (Exodus 33:19). He gave us creation to view – and in it we can see his handiwork. He assembled prophets to convey His word over several millennia, and others to lead his people into true paths of righteousness. Yahweh sent His son as a serpent on a pole to convey His will to the world in a way the world will never, ever forget. And after His Son’s passion, Yahweh sent him back from death to comfort the beloved and warn of the wrath to come. He sent his Spirit, the Paraclete, to woo all humanity into an atoning relationship with the Creator. And he’s sent a multitude of undeniable, latter-day signs to warn the whole world of His Day (Isaiah 2:12).
What more can he send? What more can he give? What more can he do to warn a world of people whom he loved so much that he sent his own Son as a ransom (Job 36:18)? He can do one more thing. He can still send forth his mighty voice.
Job 37:3-5. El thunders wondrously with his voice. Under the whole heaven he lets it go, and his lightning to the corners of the earth. After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice and he does not restrain them when his voice is heard.
That’s one of the reasons that, in his great mercy, Yahweh sent Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne – to warn the people He loves with his breath – people like you and me – our families and our kind – that there’s mercy and safety in the Blood of Yahshua and the Covenant of Yahweh. My friend, you can be the salvation of a multitude, if only you’ll hear the voice of Ivan, and come into the fullness of Yahweh’s hurricane shelter or mercy. You may not simply stand in an open door and wait out the storm there. You must be totally covered.
A Literary Note on the Name “Ivan” and “Katrina”
By the way, Ivan is the English pronunciation of the Russian name Ivan. It’s a Bible name. In English, it’s John. In the language of the Bible, it’s Ya’chan. That’s why I picked the Gospel reading about the great voice of IVAN the Baptist crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of Yahweh, make his paths straight.” And what does Ivan mean? Ivan – John – means, “Yahweh is Merciful.”
Dennis is the name of the Greek Elohim of revelry and drunkenness (Dionysius). Katrina means “cleansing” (catharsis).
Yahweh bless you as you do everything in your ability to honor him.
Jackson Snyder (801) 850-6901 Vero Beach, FL