What is the meaning of Job 35:11? Who teaches us Elihu points to God Himself as the Teacher: “Who teaches us more than the beasts …” (Job 35:11). Scripture repeatedly presents the Lord as the One who actively instructs His people. • “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:8). • “God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?” (Job 36:22). • “All your children will be taught by the LORD” (Isaiah 54:13). By beginning with “Who,” Elihu reminds Job that learning is personal—rooted in a living relationship with the Creator. Our questions, pains, and confusions are best addressed by turning to the Master Teacher rather than merely airing grievances (compare James 1:5; Psalm 25:4-5). More than the beasts of the earth Animals offer useful lessons (Job 12:7-10), yet God has chosen to invest humans with a capacity beyond instinct. • Dominion was given to mankind at creation (Genesis 1:26-28), setting us apart from “the beasts of the earth.” • Psalm 8:6-8 echoes that distinction: humanity is “crowned with glory and honor” and placed over the works of God’s hands. Elihu’s point: if animals rely on their Creator without complaint, how much more should people, who have been equipped with higher understanding, trust Him in suffering. And makes us wiser Wisdom is not self-generated; it is a gift God “makes” available. • “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6). • Daniel and his friends were granted “knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning” (Daniel 1:17). • When we lack insight, we are invited to ask (James 1:5). Elihu implies that Job already possesses access to divine wisdom; instead of accusing God, Job should seek fresh understanding from Him. Than the birds of the air Birds illustrate both instinctive skill and humble dependence (Matthew 6:26; Job 39:26-30). God, however, imparts to people a moral and spiritual reasoning that surpasses avian instinct. • Luke 12:24 highlights that humans are “much more valuable” than birds, not only in worth but in potential for discernment. • Ecclesiastes 7:25 reflects a uniquely human pursuit: “to seek and to search out wisdom and the reason of things.” If God sustains creatures that neither sow nor reap, He certainly has purpose and provision for those He has made wiser—calling us to exercise that wisdom in trust, reverence, and obedience. summary Job 35:11 underscores that God personally teaches humanity, endowing us with understanding far above animals and birds. Because He has granted this elevated capacity, we are responsible to seek His wisdom, submit to His ways, and trust His character—even amid suffering. Our higher privilege carries a higher call: let the Teacher shape our perspective, and let our God-given wisdom lead us to humble faith rather than fruitless complaint. |
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