Job 37:9

Having warned Job in this way, Elihu turned again to dwell on the greatness of God as seen in creation. The rest of his speech stays on that theme. He gave particular attention to the control the Creator exercises over what lies wholly out of man's control. That means the clouds, the winds, the thunder, the lightning, the rain, the snow, the frost. As these things came before his mind, he had to admit that his heart trembled and was deeply moved.

In our day men have made many discoveries. They have gained limited control over a few of the subtle powers that lie in God's wonderful creation. But the things Elihu mentioned they cannot master. When, as he put it in verse 9, the whirlwind comes out of the south and the cold out of the north, the cleverest of men can only accept the situation. They look for shelter or warmth, whichever they need.

mezarim means "the scattering." It treats the north wind as scattering the clouds and bringing severe cold. Elihu said the cold came out of the north. The word occurs only in Job 37:9.

The Old Testament often mentions the whirlwind as one of the means God wields in His judgements on the earth. It is twice connected with the south.

"Out of the south comes the whirlwind," and so on (verses 9-12). That is, he shows the absolute sovereignty of God. And if that is true about natural things, is it not still more necessary in spiritual things?

Elihu recognised that God ordered the weather with a wise purpose. What He sends may be "for correction," that is, discipline for wrongdoing. It may be "for His land," that is, to keep the ordinary productivity of the earth going. Or it may be "for mercy," that is, to bring about some merciful deliverance. This too had a bearing on Job's case.

Men have tried in many ways to control the weather. It is a foolish, pointless effort, because they do not want to allow God to have His way. God meant all of these things to speak to Job about the unpleasant circumstances he was going through. Would Job not let God have His way? So the storm was a most important object lesson for him.

The falling snow may cover the earth like a burial cloth. Winter may lay its icy hand on man and stop all his activity. Even so, it is His snow, His hand, to teach man His supreme power. The beast retires into its shelter; let us too enter into the "cleft of the rock," until these troubles have passed over. Whether the storm comes as the whirlwind of the south, or from the frozen north, it is only His breath. How good, then, to humble ourselves under His mighty hand!

All nature is balanced in this way, one force against another; and so too there is a divine equilibrium in the clouds of life. He will "with the temptation provide the way of escape." All things work — but they work together for good to those who love God. There are the balancings of the clouds.