To govern the universe, you need to understand everything and control everything. God does both. This is the main thrust of Elihu's final and grandest speech. His purpose is to ″ascribe justice to my Maker″ (Job 36:2-4), to demonstrate to Job that the God he worships is both great and good, both all-powerful and all-wise.

First, Elihu speaks about how God governs people in the world (vv. 5-25). He does punish evildoers (v. 6), and He will restore the righteous (that is, those who are righteous by faith) (vv. 6-7). Sometimes–perhaps not infrequently–people who trust God are ″held fast by cords of affliction″ (v. 8), but this is God's kind discipline, intended to save them in the end (vv. 9-10), if they will ″listen to correction″. Some will respond well (v. 11), but others will not (vv. 12-14). In verses 16-25, Elihu appeals to Job: God ″is wooing you from the jaws of distress″ (v. 16), so you must be careful not to say about God what you ought not to say, for God is very great.

Then, from 36:26 to the end of chapter 37, Elihu speaks with great power about God's government of the whole world. ″How great is God,″ he begins, ″beyond our understanding!″ (36:26). God is beyond and outside of time (v. 26). Things like the process of water evaporation, formation of clouds, and rainfall are beyond our understanding, but are clearly meant for our good (vv. 27-28), as are the terrifying processes of thunderstorms (vv. 29-33). Elihu is filled with awe at the majesty of the God who directs and controls the great storms of the world, and the storms of life (37:1-13).

From 37:14, Elihu appeals directly to Job: ″Listen to this, Job; stop and consider God's wonders.″ Think about the power of God seen in the storm, and consider the infinite wisdom of the God who directs these wild phenomena, so that every bolt of lightning and every clap of thunder is under His direction and control.

From verse 21, the storm is over, and Elihu meditates on the beauty of the light after the storm, on the ″awesome majesty″ (v. 22) of the God who directs the storm, and on the (same) God who brings beauty after the storm. The proper response to this great God is to ″revere him″ (v. 24), to bow before Him, and never to think that we know better than God on how to govern His world.

With his emphasis on the power and the wisdom of God, Elihu is a sort of an Elijah figure who prepares the way for the Lord himself to speak.