Job 36:1-33
36:1-4 Elihu's praise of God is tainted by the fact that first and foremost, he wanted to exalt himself. Pride is a sure and immediate mark of an unwise man. No matter how much knowledge Elihu actually had, or boasted, he was unable to grasp a principle element of God's philosophy for humanity: he had no humility.
36:5 God is powerful and kind, strong and understanding.
36:6 God does stamp out the power and life of the wicked. He establishes and restores justice for the victimized.
36:7 God is always present, always vigilant over the lives of His children. The deeper our faith, the wider breadth we allow Him in our lives to act on what He observes. Leaders of faith, justice, and righteousness are upheld by Him.
36:8-9 God disciplines; He is our ultimate parent and as such, He pulls us back from poor behavior and nudges us toward spiritual and moral maturity.
36:10-12 We each have the opportunity listen to and to absorb God's instruction; there are benefits and blessings for the contentious child of God. But an evil person is subject to the repercussions of their own wicked behavior.
36:13-15 A life without God has poor quality: despair, discontentment, emotional imprisonment, and servitude to sin.
36:16-21 We cannot escape what we sow. We all walk into the places we have built.
36:22-23 Truly God is our greatest instructor. We do ourselves a lamentable disservice to ignore and/or neglect His principles, commandments and wisdom. Again, Elihu missed the mark by applying this particular advice to Job, who already valued God's instruction.
36:26-33 Elihu marveled at the works of God; indeed He is above and beyond what our minds are able to comprehend. It is spiritually healthy for us all to take in the beauty and wonder of His creation all around us and within us.
