Job 37 · The Lantern

Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place.

At this my heart trembled, and was moved from its place. Because, while fear strikes the mind, it estranges it from itself, the Latin translations sometimes call an ecstasy fear, as is said by the Psalmist, I said in my fear, I am cast out from the sight of Thine eyes; [Ps. 31, 22] Where, namely, it could have been called not fear, but a transport ['excessus'].

Now this is the most wonderful thing that earthly and corruptible man is advanced to the possession of spiritual and heavenly things, and so he says, "About this," that man can ascend to possess the light, "my heart trembled," from the fear of wonder and astonishment, "and leapt out of its place," so that it not only desires and eagerly strives after those things seem connatura…

Hear, hear the raging of his voice, and the rumbling that goes out of his mouth.

It will hear a hearing in the terror of His voice, and a sound going out of His mouth. It is the habit of Holy Scripture, that, when it informs us that any thing is heard with the hearing, it says that this hearing is heard. As Habakkuk says, O Lord, I have heard Thy hearing, and was afraid. [Hab.

[By] the words "the judgment that comes from his mouth; under the whole heaven he will be praised," [the author] speaks about the thunder that is produced in the instant itself, in which punishment is inflicted on sinners; it is heard everywhere and everyone who hears it praises God.

After sight which is the knowledge of corporeal light, comes hearing which especially serves the intellect because by it one perceives the voices which express intellectual conceptions.

Under all the heavens he lets it loose, and his lightning to the corners of the earth.

After it a voice roars; he thunders with the voice of his majesty, and he does not hold them back when his voice is heard.

God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things beyond our knowing.

For to the snow he says, “Fall on the earth”; and to the shower of rain, and the showers of his mighty rain.

He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men he has made may know it.

This is the reason, he says, for the grandiosity of his creations, the reason for the cold and the heat, the reason for the irregularity of the winds. Was it impossible to produce a harmonious blend? [If God did not do that], it is because he wants to prevent by any means the pride and arrogance of thought.

Who sealeth the hand of all men, that every one may know his works. For men scorn to think of the sins they commit. But when they hear the power of heavenly severity, they discern this burden of misdeeds which weighs them down.

Since everything which happens in lower things is somehow or other ordered to man, he says, "he has put signs on the hand of every man that they might each know his works." For different dispositions of the air correspond to the different works of men.

And the beast goes into its lair, and stays in its dens.

Out of the chamber comes the storm, and cold out of the scattering winds.

By the breath of God ice is given, and the breadth of the waters is frozen hard.

He also loads the thick cloud with moisture; he scatters the cloud of his lightning.

And it turns about, wheeling by his guidance, to do all that he commands them on the face of the world, toward the earth.

Whether for a rod, or for his earth, or for loyal love — he makes it find its mark.

Give ear to this, Job; stand still and consider the wonders of God.

Do you know when God lays his charge upon them, and makes the light of his cloud shine?

Do you know the balancings of the cloud, the wonders of one perfect in knowledge —

Dost thou know the mighty paths of the clouds, and their perfect knowledge? These clouds have most subtle paths, namely, the ways of holy preaching. For narrow is the gate, which leadeth unto life. [Matt. 7, 14] They confine then those by paths, who do not depart from the track of their purpose by wandering through the wide desires of the world.

"Do you know the paths of the clouds, the great paths and perfect sciences?" He says "great paths," that is, philosophical and theological knowledge, which are called "great paths," because they comprehend many sciences; he says "perfect paths" with respect to gratuitous and glorious knowledge.

He speaks about their motion saying, "Do you know the paths of the clouds?" namely, how and from what cause they are propelled to various regions by the breath of the winds?

you whose clothes are hot when the earth is still from the south?

Here he may mean, You are now in the midst of afflictions, but later you will have rest—and there is also the proof given by divine wisdom, which has foreseen death as a solution and end to human tribulations. Or perhaps [he means], even in the midst of your trials, you remain out of the fight of the war and the troubles, and he punishes you in this manner.

Are not thy garments warm, when the earth hath been blown upon by the south wind? We have often said already that blessed Job stands for a type of Holy Church. But all they, who are joined to it by the unity of the Faith, are the garments of the Church.

Since the clouds are driven by the winds, he consequently adds the effect produced by the wind saying, "Are not your garments hot when the South wind blows on the earth?" For the South wind makes the air warm because it comes from warm regions. From this heat, the garments of a man can make him hotter.

Can you beat out the skies with him, hard as a cast mirror?

Make known to us what we should say to him; we cannot set out our case because of darkness.

Should it be told him that I would speak? Would a man ask to be swallowed up?

And now they do not see the light; it is bright in the skies. And a wind has passed and cleansed them.

"But now they do not see the light; suddenly the sky is covered with clouds; and the passing wind will drive them away." With his words he demonstrates how they do not see the light he demonstrates with his words by saying, "Suddenly the sky is covered with clouds"; the splendor of the sun is hidden by thick clouds and a darkened sky, but it is called back for the use of mortal…

But now they see not the light. The air will suddenly be gathered into clouds. And the wind passing over will drive them away. Of which light doubtless it is said even by the Prophet, The people which was sitting in darkness, saw a great light. [Is. 9, 2] But he shews how this light is seen by men, when he immediately adds; The air will suddenly be gathered into clouds.

But to preclude one from believing that the knowledge of divine truth must be withdrawn from man forever he says, "But now," in the present time, "they (men) do not see the light," which is the clarity of divine knowledge. Yet he proclaims to the friend of God that, "he can ascend to this light" at some time as he already said.

Out of the north comes gold; upon God is fearful majesty.

"From Aquilon comes gold." "From Aquilon the golden-colored clouds [come], the great glory and honor of God is in them." "From Aquilon gold comes." He said "Aquilon" for the east and "gold" for dawn, which imitates the appearance of the shining metal with its glowing color.

Gold will come from the north. And from God fearful praise. What is designated by the 'north,' but the Gentile world, fast bound in the cold of sin? Which he held under the yoke of his tyranny, who proudly said, I will sit in the mount of the covenant, in the sides of the north, I will ascend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. [Is. 14, 13.

Sometimes shiny objects are discovered in dark places. The Northern region is called dark because of its distance from the sun, and yet much gold is discovered in Northern regions which is one of the most glittering metals.

The Almighty — we cannot find him out; he is great in power; and judgment and abundant righteousness he does not violate.

Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise of heart.

Therefore men will fear Him, and all who seem to themselves to be wise, will not dare to contemplate Him. Eliu in this place calls those who are strong of understanding 'men.' And we must note that he says not, 'And wise men will not dare to contemplate Him,' but, They who seem to themselves to be wise. By which words, namely, he implies those who are skilful, but arrogant.

This is the reason why his praise is dreadful, and so he then says, "Therefore men," no matter how powerful they are, "will fear him" because of the greatness of his power, "and they will not dare to contemplate him," i.e., presume to know him fully, "all those who seem to themselves to be wise." He says this clearly because the wisdom of a man, however great it may seem to him…

Job37

Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty