It is an unsettling mistake God’s people often make, that if I can’t see the Lord, then He doesn’t see me.
If there is one outstanding characteristic of Elihu’s presentation, it’s his methodical approach. He knows, as A.W. Tozer famously stated, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” So Elihu is building his case for the true God, one characteristic at a time. Is God sovereign? Yes! Is He partial? No! These tragedies have not occurred either because God has lost control of His universe or because He is biased against Job. Now in Job 34:21-30, he asks if perhaps some things in this busy world are overlooked by heaven. No, says Elihu, that is definitely not true. “For His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps” (v 21). He not only knows their “ways”; He also “knows their works” (v 25). And it isn’t that He’s turned His back on wicked men—“they turned back from Him, and would not consider any of His ways” (v 25). And listen to this! “They caused the cry of the poor to come [up] to Him; for He hears the cry of the afflicted” (v 28). It’s as if they refused to pick up the emergency line when the needy cried for help, so it went through to the main switchboard and God answered their 911 call instead. But here’s the thing. It’s true that we—and Elihu is especially thinking about the wicked trying to hide from Him—are fully exposed to the eyes of God. And the voice of the afflicted is always heard in the Throne Room. But the opposite is not true. “When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?” That is, when He withdraws to His inner chambers, no amount of fuss or fury will disturb Him. “And when He hides His face, who then can see Him?” (v 29). God will show up when He chooses to, Job, and not a moment before He’s ready. But are you ready for Him?