Yearly Archive: 2009

Right now, in chapter 40, that was about how Job had to be feeling. Not only has God already said "put on your fighting clothes", He has been sparring with him. Now, comes the real test.

"Since you have found so much wrong with Me (God), and you know everything that is wrong with Me and what I do, speak!" (verse 2)

Job knew he was in a corner and in deep trouble. He recognizes that he is nothing (the word was "insignificant"), and as a result he said "Hush my mouth!" After all the words of Job and his friends in chapters 1 through 37, Job is speechless. Not only that, his friends don't even utter a single word. There were probably scared witless as they watched and heard their friend being "drawn and quartered" by God.

This was not going to be pretty!

God kind of joked with Job by telling him again to get his "war clothes on" and face the test of your life. God said "I'm gonna ask some questions (like because I am dumb) and you teach Me." It's interesting here that God just by making that statement says again "You are so smart, tell the world!"

With the four questions in verses 8 and 9, God stretches Job's knowledge beyond it's limit…[html]<ul><li>Do you have the ability to change what I have decided?<li>Can you condemn Me so that you look right?<li>Who's arm is bigger – yours or mine?<li>Can your voice roar and rumble like thunder?</ul>[/html]
There is was…Job had no where to turn. He was boxed in. It's surprising that he did not just run for his life.

Job listened well here in chapters 40 and 41 as God reminded him again about His handiwork as he created the animals that bring fear to mankind. The real question was buried in the statements, but nonetheless, Job understood. He could well have uttered the words we hear in Psalm 8 verse 4 – "What is man that You even want to take time to think about him or even care about him."

Even in all his suffering, Job got the message – but will we?

God, in chapter 40, gives Job another chance to vent. Here it was, the opportunity again to tell God off! God gives Job an opening big enough to drive the proverbial truck through, and Job does not take it. God has been speaking using questions about natural things – clouds, weather, animals. Job has listened, but after all his desire to condemn God for punishing an innocent man, he is mute.

It is as though God says "You say I am wrong – me the Almighty? Well then, let the one who critizes God answer these questions I have been asking."

It's like some tough guy or gal who always bullies anyone who is not as strong as they are. They never really do anything physical, it is just the threat. And then Chuck Norris walks into the room and says "So you are a good fighter – let's go a round." Do you really think the bully would do that? Not in a million years.

We humans all know our limits. We talk a good game, but when it comes down to it, we really don't want to go up against some people. We know we'd be "dead meat."

Job finally got the message somewhere in these two chapters. Kind of like us when we finally are willing to admit we don't know everything. Or when our world is falling down around us and we are willing to admit we can't control everything. Job finally says "Look, I am like nothing – insignificant. What do I know that I can say to you?" He says he will slap his hand over his mouth and sounds like the accused in the room with the cops…"I ain't got nothing more to say."

God has come, not for the put down of all time, but rather to demonstrate that He is still in control. It was a wake up call for Job and his friends.

The picture here, as God asks "Do you have an arm like God, or a thunderous voice like His?" shows God reaching out. It shows that when God speaks, nothing can not hear. God is saying "I am here!"

He may not be finished with Job yet – there are still lessons to bring to his mind. Images of His greatness and power.

Imagine that you were Job. Would you have cracked? Would you have expected God to come down after all you had said and not just smash you? Imagine what Job is thinking about now in his life.

Now that God has started, He continues with more questions. It's like He has already said, "You know everything, so here's some more easy stuff!"

Job is (like we would be) probably squirming. Thinking to himself "what did I do, raising questions about God?" After all Job's words of protestation about his righteousness and goodness, and his questioning why God would do this. Job might expect some answers, but instead, God has questions and more questions.

Poor Job. Almost ready to yell out "Okay! I get it!"

But God, as God, wants to make sure that Job and his friends do not miss the point. "I Am God and there is no one like Me!" God wants to emphasize in every area of their and our understanding that we control nothing. We may think we are great, but what we are and what we control is nothing compared to "I Am".

"Listen Job, can you make a horse, and put a mane on it? How do you make it to leap like a giant grasshopper?"

It wasn't enough that God questioned Job about horses, He moves to the hawk and eagle. But the real insight comes when, just as about the weather, God asks "Do you command the eagle to build it's nest high up on a cliff?" The question is out there, and although asked of Job, I am sure his friends were a little afraid that God might ask them something. After all, they had poked their wisdom out at Job and for everyone to hear and see.

The real question is how we are feeling about a God who controls only what we could imagine. After our lambasting God, how would we answer His questions?

After all, we said we "knew."

But do we really?