God is great and we cannot know Him

“Behold, God is great, and we know him not neither can the number of his years be searched out.” - Job 36v26

Elihu was the youngest of Job’s four companions. He patiently waited his turn while the other men spoke and Job responded. Finally, he entered the fray after Job gave what surely seemed to him like a long statement of self-righteousness. Like everyone else there Elihu did not know that was going on, but he seemed to him that Job was blaming God for punishing him and that Job was claiming perfection. Job was not doing that of course, but perceptions are important and we must all watch how others perceive us.

In the midst of his spirited response Elihu makes some brilliant statements. Here he reminded Job and the others of something they had already alluded to a couple of times – “God is great and we can’t know Him.” Of course, it is possible to know God personally, but it truly knowing Him and all that He does is beyond our ken. How can sinful, frail men ever hope to understand the perfect, holy, omnipotent God?

The answer is of course that we can’t. That is why it is important that we learn how to trust God in situations where we can’t figure it out. We are much better off if we stop trying to figure out the “whys” and trust that He is doing what is best.