Job - Chapters 38-41

In chapters 38 to 41 of the book of Job, the Lord answers Job's questions and challenges him with a series of his own. The Lord emphasizes his power and authority over creation and asks Job if he can do any of the things that God can do. Job realizes his unworthiness and acknowledges God's justice. The Lord continues to question Job and highlights his sovereignty. Job responds by humbling himself before God. The passage reminds us of God's greatness and our smallness in comparison. It also shows that God cares for us and wants to have a relationship with us. The Lord never directly answers Job's questions about his suffering but instead emphasizes his almightiness. It encourages us to humble ourselves before God and obey him. I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If, by chance, you want to contact me, you can do that at dab.bc.pc at gmail.com. In chapters 38 through 41, the Lord answers Job. If you remember, Job lost everything, including his ten children, plus his health. His three friends came in order to comfort him, but instead they accused him of sinning against God, which is why they thought these catastrophes happened to him. Job defended his innocence, and the three gave up, and then young Elihu takes over. He also believed that Job sinned, which is why these terrible things happened, but he did not know, like we know, that these things happened because Job was blameless and upright. He feared God and shunned evil. That's found in chapter 1, verse 1, chapter 1, verse 8, and then chapter 2, verse 3. Even God even told Satan in chapter 2, verse 3, and he still, meaning Job, and he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason. Elihu reminded Job that God was great beyond understanding. God always does right, and he is always just. The end of Elihu's speech in chapter 37, he speaks of God as if he has a voice that rumbles like thunder and comes with lightning, snowfall, or rain as a mighty downpour. His breath produces ice, and the clouds obey his commands. Then verses 23 and 24, Elihu said, the Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power. In his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress. Therefore men revere him, for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? Then chapter 38, verse 1a reads, then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. Now in the very beginning of the story of Job, the writer calls God the Lord, especially when dealing with Satan. But when Job, his three friends, and even when Elihu speaks, they refer to him as God, the generic term. Here we have a relational name for God, the Lord, because here God and Job are building on their relationship. The Lord answered Job out of the storm, some translations say out of a whirlwind. In Dr. Albert Moeller's study Bible, he said the storm is a continuation from what Elihu had just said, and his words paved the way for Job's encounter with the Lord. Over reading that, it made me think of the storm that had been going on in Job's life. Out of this storm, the Lord said, who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man, I will question you and you shall answer me. Job had placed God's policies on trial, but if you notice, the Lord does not defend his policies. Instead, the Lord asks Job lots of questions. The first set of questions deal with the creation of the world. Was Job there? Nope. Did Job measure it? No. Did Job set the stars in place? No. Did Job have anything to do with the clouds, the sea, the waves, the morning sun, the earth, the depths of the sea, the gates of the shadows of death, the abode of light, the path of light and darkness? No. Then the Lord throws a bit of sarcasm in verse 21. Surely you know, Job, for you were already born. You have lived so many years. The Lord continued and asked Job, if he ever entered the storehouses of snow or hail, and does he know where the lightning is dispersed and where the winds go, or the rains, or the thunderstorm, or the ice, or the frost? No, is the answer. Then God questioned Job if he planned or has control over the constellations of the stars in the sky, or can he control the clouds, the floods of water, and the lightning bolts? Again, we know the answer is no. Can Job give wisdom or understanding to anyone? No. Can Job satisfy the hunger of the lions or the ravens? No. Chapter 39 continues with more questions. Does Job understand the mountain goats and how they give birth, or can he let the wild donkeys go free, or will the wild ox serve Job? No. Does he understand the glory of the ostrich, or the horse and its strength, or the flight of the hawk, or the soaring eagle? Again, the answer is no. Chapter 40, verses 1 through 5, the Lord said to Job, Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Will him who accuses God answer him? Then Job answered the Lord, I am unworthy. How can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer. Twice, but I will say no more. Job had been demanding a meeting with God so he could justify himself. He wanted to contend with God, but it seems that Job forgot that God is the Almighty God as well. Job had accused God of injustice. He cried out, it's not fair. Now he experienced the Almighty, and he recognized he was unworthy. He had no answer, but the Lord was not done yet. Verses 6 and 7, the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm, Brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you shall answer me. Verse 8 is a convicting verse. Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Ladies, how many times have we done that? Then God asked Job more questions. Does he have an arm like God? Does his voice thunder like God's? Can Job glorify himself with splendor, honor, and majesty? Can he unleash his fury and make every proud man low? Can he humble a proud man? Can he crush the wicked? Can he bury them in the dust? The answer is no. God knows that. But then God said in verse 14, if the answer is yes, then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you. Then the questions turned to amazing creatures. Chapters 15 through 24 speak of the land creature, the behemoth, in all his splendor and strength, and can Job capture him and trap him and pierce his nose? Then chapter 41 speaks of the sea monster, the Leviathan, and can Job lay a hand on this powerful and amazing creature? The answer to all of these questions is no. Job doesn't have a clue. Chapter 41 ends with the description of the Leviathan, nothing on earth is his equal, a creature without fear. He looks down on all that are haughty. He is king over all that are proud. Chapter 42 is Job's response to this second round of questions by the Lord. Let me ask you, ladies, how would you respond? When life seems so overwhelming, I like coming to these chapters to remind myself that God is sovereign over all creation, and I am just a speck in the grand scheme of things. It reminds me of my smallness in the bigness of God, and if I am small, then my problems are even smaller. One other thing we see with the Lord's questions is that He is the Lord, the relational God, and not just God up in the sky looking down. That also reminds us that God cares about Job, and He is willing to speak to him, and it reminds us that God cares for us too, and He wants to speak to us too. If you noticed, God never answered Job's questions. He never answered the why question. He just reminded him of His almightiness. So ladies, if you have heard His voice today, please don't harden your heart. Instead, let's be women who humble ourselves before the Almighty God, and let us be in awe as we pray and obey the Lord. Until next time, and thank you so much for listening.