What is the meaning of Job 36:31? For by these • “These” points back to the rain, clouds, lightning, and thunder Elihu has just described (Job 36:27-30). • God’s mastery over weather is literal and ongoing; every drop of rain, every flash of lightning is governed by His hand (Psalm 147:8; Jeremiah 10:13). • Scripture treats these natural forces not as random but as purposeful tools in the Lord’s management of His world (Amos 4:7). He judges the nations • Judgment is not limited to final, future events; God presently oversees and corrects entire peoples through the same weather patterns that sustain life. – Droughts, floods, and storms can humble proud societies (Isaiah 19:1-10). – Prosperous seasons can expose hidden idolatry when gratitude is withheld (Romans 1:21). • Every nation remains accountable to the Creator who “does whatever pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth” (Psalm 135:6-7). • Elihu’s claim underscores that God’s justice is public and global, not merely individual (Psalm 2:10-12). and provides food in abundance • The very elements that can chastise also nourish: rain soaks the soil, lightning fixes nitrogen, clouds shield crops—tangible evidence of God’s kindness (Acts 14:17). • Abundance comes by His deliberate blessing, never by chance (Deuteronomy 11:13-15; Matthew 6:26-30). • The verse pairs judgment with provision, revealing that God’s character is simultaneously holy and generous (Psalm 33:5). • His supply is “in abundance,” reminding us that He delights to give more than the minimum (John 10:10b; 2 Corinthians 9:8). summary Job 36:31 assures us that the same sovereign God who uses weather to discipline wayward nations also uses it to lavishly feed the earth. Judgment and provision flow from one righteous hand, inviting every people group to revere Him and every believer to trust His unfailing care. |
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