God Reveals His Power in the Weather

Some of us had a childhood friend who was oddly fascinated by weather reports. While the rest of us were glued to cartoons or sports, they tuned in to the Weather Channel, captivated by cloud formations and storm patterns. It seemed quirky then. But now, decades later, many of us would do well to recover that wonder not just for weather, but for the God who commands it.

Scripture does not treat weather as a scientific fluke or cosmic accident. It presents storms, rain, lightning, thunder, and even the shifting winds as instruments in the hands of a sovereign God. And perhaps no passage unpacks that awe more clearly than Elihu’s speech in Job 36–37, where he meditates on God’s greatness not through abstract theology, but through weather.

When Theology Fails, Wonder Begins

Job’s friends operated under a strict moral formula: good people are rewarded, bad people suffer. Since Job was suffering, he must be hiding sin. But Job, though righteous, eventually wavers and begins questioning God's justice. Into this debate steps Elihu a younger man who listens patiently, then speaks powerfully. His four-part speech bridges the gap between Job’s complaints and God’s direct answer from the whirlwind.

And in his climactic conclusion (Job 36–37), Elihu takes us outside to the storm. Not to explain it with a forecast, but to invite us into awe. “Behold, God is great,” he says, “and we know him not” (Job 36:26). Elihu’s argument is that the weather itself unpredictable, powerful, majestic testifies to a God who is both close and incomprehensibly vast.

Written in Rain and Thunder

Elihu describes God drawing up the drops of water, forming mist, and commanding the rain to fall (Job 36:27–28). What we call precipitation, he calls divine command. The next time rain alters your plans, consider it didn’t just happen. God ordained it.

Elihu continues: “He seals up the hand of every man, that all men whom he made may know it” (Job 37:7). The storm that halts your schedule is not always a nuisance it may be a divine pause button. A moment to stop striving, look up, and remember who really runs the world.

Thunder is next: “The thunderings of his pavilion” (Job 36:29). Elihu says thunder is the “voice” of God (Job 37:4–5). And it’s not just poetic language. Scripture consistently uses thunder as a symbol of God’s majestic voice not to frighten his children, but to awaken them.

To the unbeliever, thunder is terror. But for those in Christ, thunder is a reminder of God’s greatness and nearness. Psalm 29 captures this beautifully “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders” (Psalm 29:3). And it ends with this comfort: “May the Lord bless his people with peace” (Psalm 29:11).

His Lightning and His Cold

Lightning, too, is not random. Elihu calls it “his lightning” (Job 36:30). It strikes exactly where God commands: “He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark” (Job 36:32). No bolt lands without divine direction.

Wind and cold follow: “From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds” (Job 37:9). Ice, says Elihu, comes “by the breath of God” (Job 37:10). The storm is not just a meteorological event it’s an unfolding of God’s will. “Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen” (Job 37:13).

Beyond the Forecast

It’s tempting to believe our modern understanding of weather has removed the mystery. But forecasts remain imprecise. Despite supercomputers and satellite models, storms still surprise us. There’s still wonder and a whole lot of not knowing. Elihu was right: we do not fully understand “the spreading of the clouds” (Job 36:29).

So what should we do with this divine weather report?

1. Let it humble us. The next thunderstorm should remind us that we are not in control. The world is not ours to manage it belongs to God.

2. Let it awaken awe. Rain is not just water; thunder is not just noise; lightning is not just light. These are flashes of divine presence. His voice. His power. His glory.

3. Let it stir worship. For those in Christ, the storm is not judgment but invitation. Like a Psalm 29 thunderclap, it calls us to declare, “Glory!”

4. Let it reset our vision. We need more than theology textbooks. We need moments of stillness where we stop and consider “the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14). Not just in sanctuaries, but under rainclouds and open skies.

The Storm and the Savior

And then as Job learns the God who speaks through thunder is the same God who walks with us in suffering. After Elihu finishes, God speaks out of the whirlwind (Job 38:1), not to crush Job, but to comfort him with His majesty.

Later, in the Gospels, this same God will quiet storms with a word (Mark 4:39), walk on water (Matthew 14:25), and offer peace that surpasses understanding. Jesus, the very Word who spoke thunder into being, comes near in mercy.

So the next time lightning flashes or thunder rolls, don’t just run for shelter. Let it remind you: this is your God sovereign, mysterious, and near. The weather is not random. It’s a sermon in the sky, inviting you to worship the One who sends both storm and stillness.

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