I wasn’t a big fan of cartoons as a child because most days I wanted to do something other than sit in front of a TV, but in recent years I have fallen for an animated show called Masha and the Bear. It’s a Russian children’s series starring a tiny, mischievous girl and a huge, kindly bear.

Daring little Masha constantly gets into trouble and the bear rushes to her rescue, usually saving her against her will. He chases her down, plucks her out of her predicament and while she pounds his chest with her miniature fists, he carries her to safety.  He gently puts her down and walks away unscathed despite her best attempts to punish him.

I thought of Masha and the Bear when I read Job 35:4-8. Elihu wanted to rescue a very disgruntled Job who recklessly protested against God. Job had swung from submission to God’s will in chapter one, to blaming God for his suffering in chapter six. Job’s complaints and accusations against God mounted up and up.

Job’s Pitiful Protests

In Job 35:5-8 Elihu confronts Job and his pitiful protests.

“Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you. If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.”

 Job was trying to pound on Almighty God with his tiny metaphorical fists. It was useless; God was unmoved. God cared about Job’s real needs, but he wouldn’t respond to Job’s self-centered demands.

God Knows Who Wants Him

God hears the cries of people in distress, and he is able to discern whether they are seeking him — or — what he can do for them.

“People cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful. But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’” Job 35:9-11

God wants a relationship with every person on earth, but if all they want is to have him satisfy their self-serving desires “ . . . God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.” Job 35:13

Job’s Empty Words

Job had become impatient enough to insult God so his case was worse than merely self-centered.

“How much less, then, will he listen when you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him and you must wait for him . . . so Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.” Job 35:14, 16

God is Pays Attention

God pays attention to people. He sees each person and deals individually with them, according to who they are.

“God is mighty, but despises no one; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights. He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.” Job 36:5-7

God Gives People What They Need

When people need correction, he provides it.

“He tells them what they have done – that they have sinned arrogantly. He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.” Job 36:9-10

When people do well, he blesses them.

“If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.” Job 36:11

When people suffer without any apparent reason, God speaks to them.

“But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.” Job 36:15

God Calls to Job

Job experienced all of these kinds of attention from God at one time or another. God corrected him, commended him when he did well, and spoke to him when he suffered. God also called to Job in his distress. As Elihu pointed out:

“He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.” Job 36:16

No Easy Way Out

The comfort had not yet arrived and while Job still struggled with his suffering Elihu warned him not to take the easy way out. If Job took his eyes off God, he might see Satan was ready to bribe him with earthly riches. Satan had been trying to get Job to turn away from God from the beginning.

“Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside. Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress? . . . Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction” Job 36:18-19, 21

Earlier Job had wondered out loud what he gained by not sinning (Job 35:3) and Elihu didn’t want his friend to slip away from God.

Elihu Offers Safety 

Elihu provided a safeguard for Job’s soul by directing his thoughts upward. He reminded him to extol his Creator because there was no one like God.

“God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’? Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.  All humanity has seen it; mortals gaze on it from afar. How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.” Job 36:22-26

A Storm Rises in the Distance

Elihu’s attention suddenly shifted. He heard a tremendous sound in the distance and was startled by brilliant flashes of light.

“Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of his roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back.” Job 37:1-4

The atmosphere was changing; a storm was coming; God was in it.

“Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty. The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore, people revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?” Job 37:22-24

Job, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar must have turned and followed Elihu’s gaze to the north where dark storm clouds swirled, lightning flashed and thunder boomed.

“Out of the north he comes in golden splendor; God comes in awesome majesty.”

 God was coming. Why? What did he plan to do?

The first sentence of tomorrow’s reading answers that question and I’m not going to make you wait for it. The storm rushed in toward the group of men huddled together in fear and . . .

 “Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm.” Job 38:1