God seals the hand of man - Job 37

For the fifth time in Job the author uses the Hebrew word translated "seal" in 37:7. In Job 9:7 he writes, "He commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars". In Job 14:17 he writes, "My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And You wrap up my iniquity. In Job 24:16 states, "In the dark they dig into houses, They shut themselves up by day; They do not know the light. in Job 33:16 we read, "Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction, Finally in 37:7, in a chapter that Elihu is boasting of God's great manifestation of Himself, the author writes, "He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work. God is in the process of revealing Himself to man. To do that He makes everything man does under His control and within His design. Even unsaved men are directed by God. Let us rejoice that God has chosen to reveal Himself to us. Some men would read this verse and take offense to God "sealing" their hands ... preventing them from doing things He does not direct. Yet, the truth of the matter is that if God did not seal us and keep us in His directed path we would self-destruct. Man is bent on sin and the destruction of it. God sealing our hands is simply another picture of God's great Grace.