What is the meaning of Job 37:20? Should He be told that I want to speak? Job 37:20 opens with this humble, almost incredulous question. Elihu is reminding Job—and us—that the Almighty does not wait for human permission before acting or speaking. • Earlier, Job had longed for a courtroom where he could “state [his] case” (Job 13:3; Job 23:3-4), yet here Elihu warns that notifying God of our desire to debate Him borders on presumption. • Scripture repeatedly highlights how unwise it is to instruct or correct the Lord. Isaiah 40:13-14 asks, “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or given Him counsel?”; Romans 9:20 answers, “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God?” • Ecclesiastes 5:2 advises, “God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Elihu echoes that caution—God’s throne is not a suggestion box. • When Job finally encounters God face-to-face in Job 40:2, he realizes the truth behind Elihu’s words and places his hand over his mouth. In other words, it is far wiser to listen than to demand a hearing. Would a man ask to be swallowed up? Elihu’s second question drives the point home with vivid imagery. Would anyone knowingly invite destruction by stepping into the consuming presence of holy God unprepared? • The language recalls the judgment on Korah’s rebellion, when “the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them” (Numbers 16:30-34). Challenging God’s authority did indeed lead to being swallowed up. • Moses was told, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live” (Exodus 33:20). To insist on a face-to-face confrontation without mediation is to court certain ruin. • Hebrews 10:31 warns, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” while 1 Corinthians 10:22 asks, “Are we stronger than He?” Elihu’s rhetorical question implies, “Of course not—so why invite judgment?” • Job himself later confesses, “I have uttered what I did not understand” (Job 42:3), illustrating the wisdom of Elihu’s warning: better repentance than ruin. summary Job 37:20 urges humility before the sovereign Creator. Telling God we “want to speak” assumes He operates on our timetable; demanding a hearing risks the fate of those who challenged Him and were “swallowed up.” Elihu’s twin questions call us to reverent silence, trust, and surrender—recognizing that the God who rules the whirlwind deserves worship, not debate. |
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