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Job 36:31
31 For by them judgeth [diyn] he the people [`am]; he giveth [nathan] meat ['okel] in abundance [makbiyr]. KJV-Interlinear
31 'For by these He judges peoples; He gives food in abundance. NASB
By means of the simplest of things, the weather, the clouds, the lightning, the seas, God can bring judgment and prosperity, both, to humanity.
God commands and controls the weather. It is not a control of nature. He commands earthquakes in accordance with predetermined principles of the stresses of the continental plates. He commands storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, sand storms, floods, and anything else you can think of, in accordance with their predetermined principles of trends and patterns, as well as their association with the dispensations.
It is no coincidence that the most terrible of storms and disasters will not occur until the Tribulation. Everything that will or has occurred prior to the Tribulation is only an introduction of the worst that is yet to come.
Likewise, God can take these same events and turn them into mechanisms of prosperity. Where one may suffer loss, another may receive gain. Disasters are followed by a rebuilding. Gentle rains that may flood, can also bring great harvests.
But, Elihu makes a wider use of his words, 'by these.'
'These,' also refers to all of the natural events and principles of life. Economics, depression, the rise and fall of nations, employment, the near non-existence of technology, and until these past few decades the explosion of technology.
God can both judge and prosper individuals. And humanity will benefit or suffer by association with these events.
For example, Christianity is strong in this country, and weak in other countries. Prosperity follows spiritual strength. Suffering follows spiritual weakness. The USA is prospered due to its spiritual strengths, and though there are many who ignore or reject God, the spiritual side of our history has been far stronger. Thus indifferent people may prosper merely because of their association by living in this country, just as this country is prospered by association with a strong Christian heritage.
Go to another country where Christianity is weak and what do you find? A depressed state. No roads, no buildings, cities or villages in disrepair, poverty, disease, no innovation, not much of an economy, and less. Even their economy is dependent on the economies of spiritually strong countries.
Even geography tells a story. Where deserts are now, great forests and grasslands once thrived in ancient times.
When the Millennium begins, the planet will transform overnight into a phenomenal paradise.
None of these things have anything to do with mans lifestyle, but are solely dependent on mans spiritual state.
When disastrous trends occur, then what has changed? The worlds temperature? The use of fossil fuels? The suns solar flare activity? An explosion of a volcano?
Are these events all a part of some random or naturally occurring sequence of events, or are they an integral part of a very sophisticated design, coordinated with mans spiritual state?
Under mans rule, the world has undergone the rise of empire after empire, the rise of exploration of frontiers, the rise of industry, the rise of technology, the rise of philosophy, the rise of political views, the rise of religions.
Under Gods rule, the world has advanced through a system of dispensations.
Both plans will culminate in the final battle in the Tribulation. Man will lose in his efforts, and nearly destroy himself. God will win and transform the world into a perfect paradise.
But even then, people born into the Millennium will reject Christ, and at its end, will rebel against the greatest prosperity that history has ever known.
The answer to life is never the systems of world events, or anything of mans design. The answer to life is Christ and through Him, advancing in ones spiritual life.
Your life is not external to you, but internal within your soul.
Elihu has made it very clear. God can be found everywhere. Whether during a stormy night, whether during the brightest of days, or whether residing at the bottom of an extremely dark ocean floor. God is there, regardless of your circumstances.
And whether you are exposed to suffering or prosperity through the many events that can occur in life, they are all brought to you courtesy of Gods grace design.
You will never be able to control history. You cannot control how a billion or ten billion people think. You cannot control the drifting of the continents, you cannot control the weather.
But you can control your own thoughts. And you will always have access to Gods Word.
