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God continues to ask questions to Job in chapter 40 that humble him further. True humility is always the pathway to greatness in God.
Behemoth & Leviathan? Opinions on what these creatures are vary but I don’t think anyone knows for sure. Some people like to think that Behemoth is an Elephant or Hippopotamus but how could that be when “he moves his tail like a cedar.” (Job 40:17) Also people speculate that Leviathan is a crocodile or a whale. If that is the case, I would say that God’s description was a bit of a stretch. The LORD says what He means and means what He says, so both of these creatures must be extinct or unknown to us today. What is God’s point in bring up both of these creatures? The LORD seems to point out that these creatures are way beyond us conquering them but yet He created them and therefore are nothing compared to His might. Leviathan seems to have a double meaning for Satan. In Job 41:34 the LORD says, “he is king over all the children of pride.” Job 42:2-6 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3 You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' 5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes." Job is now humbled; he knows God is worthy for him to let Him have complete control over his life. Next, I want to include Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary for Job 42:7-9. His commentary is the following paragraph After the Lord had convinced and humbled Job, and brought him to repentance, he owned him, comforted him, and put honour upon him. The devil had undertaken to prove Job a hypocrite, and his three friends had condemned him as a wicked man; but if God say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, it is of little consequence who says otherwise. Job's friends had wronged God, by making prosperity a mark of the true church, and affliction a certain proof of God's wrath. Job had referred things to the future judgment and the future state, more than his friends, therefore he spake of God that which was right, better than his friends had done. And as Job prayed and offered sacrifice for those that had grieved and wounded his spirit, so Christ prayed for his persecutors, and ever lives, making intercession for the transgressors. Job's friends were good men, and belonged to God, and He would not let them be in their mistake any more than Job; but having humbled him by a discourse out of the whirlwind, he takes another way to humble them. They are not to argue the matter again, but they must agree in a sacrifice and a prayer, and that must reconcile them, Those who differ in judgment about lesser things, yet are one in Christ the great Sacrifice, and ought therefore to love and bear with one another. When God was angry with Job's friends, he put them in a way to make peace with him. Our quarrels with God always begin on our part, but the making peace begins on his. Peace with God is to be had only in his own way, and upon his own terms. These will never seem hard to those who know how to value this blessing: they will be glad of it, like Job's friends, upon any terms, though ever so humbling. Job did not insult over his friends, but God being graciously reconciled to him, he was easily reconciled to them. In all our prayers and services we should aim to be accepted of the Lord; not to have praise of men, but to please God. Job 42:10 says, “And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” When we give it is given unto us! Job gave love, mercy and grace to his friends and received it back pressed down, shaken together and running over.
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Job 38:1 says, “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind” That is quite a statement; let’s see if there is any background for how this came about…
As Elihu is speaking in the end of chapter 36 and in chapter 37, there seems to be clues that a storm comes in as he is talking. He says in 36:29: “Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy?” Then Elihu tells them to “look” in verse 30: “Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea.” Verses 32 & 33 go on to say, “He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike. His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.”Then he says, “Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that comes from His mouth.” (Job 37:2) The LORD is giving powerful conformation to Elihu’s words; this gives a whole new meaning to ‘preaching up a storm.’ Then the LORD Himself seems to approach in the storm as Elihu says, “He comes from the north as golden splendor; With God is awesome majesty.” (Job 37:22) “Whirlwind” in Job 38:1 could also be translated “storm” or “tempest.” So, as the wind roars and the rain comes down, the thunder in the sky is overtaken by the thunder of the Lords own voice as he approaches Job Himself. Concerning The LORD’S first question, "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? (Job 38:2), it would be wise for us to do what Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, “Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.” Job had spoken rashly in his misery and loss but now he begins to see how he had erred. God continues with a list of questions that compound the fact that God is perfect in power, perfect in wisdom, perfect in justice, and perfect in love. It is amazing how God “puts Job on trial” by asking him these questions and the questions reveal the answers that Job really needs. Jesus did this same thing in His earthly ministry; He asked the right questions that amazed those listening. Look at these two examples… 1. Luke 2:46-47 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 2. Matthew 22:41-46 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David." 43 He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'LORD,' saying: 44 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, TILL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOTSTOOL" '? 45 If David then calls Him 'LORD,' how is He his Son?" 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore. I’ve never been a big fan of fiction, and especially “mysteries,” but I’ll have to say that the book of Job is a powerful non-fiction “mystery” of sorts that will keep the seeker digging deeper for clues to why things happen the way they do. Sometimes things seem like a “mystery” in our own lives. (Leading to the “why God, why’s?)
Deuteronomy 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” So, we must be content to trust Him with the things that He decides to keep secret and be a diligent seeker of what He desires to reveal. Regardless, it’s all to lead us into a stronger faith relationship with our Lord. Before we look at today’s chapters, let’s look again at the powerful truths found in the book of James about Job. James was writing to Christians who were going through varies trials and persecutions. In James 5:11 he tells them to look at the prophets (God’s chosen messengers) and use them as an example for yourselves of how to go through suffering and how to be patient. Then verse 11 says this, “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” Regardless of what we do not understand about Job, we can understand this: God is compassionate, and merciful, and has what is best for us if we will be patient and endure in faith. A word of caution while reading the book of Job… If the only Scripture we had was the book of Job, we would have one more book than Job had and therefore would be blessed, but we are blessed with much more than that; we have 66 books of God’s Scripture! So, when we read Job, let’s remember all the truths that are contained in God’s New Covenant to us. Amongst so many other things, He has given us healing and protection in His Covenant. (I Peter 2:24, James 5:14-15, Psalm 91) That said, He has also promised us sufferings, and various trials, and persecution. (Philippians 1:29, I Timothy 3:12) So, we should be mentally prepared to confront various trials with patience and God’s peace, but we should NOT expect sickness or our immediate family being destroyed. Amen! Elihu The next 2 days (6 chapters) are of Elihu’s speech; he brings some truth and is a forerunner for God Himself to speak to Job. Elihu patiently waited until Job’s three friends were done speaking because he was younger than them, but when they were done he can’t hold back from speaking any longer. Job 32:1-3 So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then the wrath of Elihu …was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. 3 Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. A better translation of the second part of verse 2 would be this: “his wrath was aroused because he (Job) justified himself more than God.”In other words, Job’s focus was on how what he was going through couldn’t be fair. Job’s focus on his own uprightness instead of God’s uprightness caused him to question what God was doing. Of course Job wasn’t a man who never sinned for: "There is none righteous, no, not one,” (Romans 3:10) but he was a man walking in righteousness before the LORD. Job 1:8 says, “Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" Although Job questions God and is confused, it was only Job’s three friends who spoke wrongly about God. Job 42:7 says, “… the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has.” Elihu was angry with Job’s friends because, “they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job” (Job 32:3b). Job’s friends knew of no sin that Job committed yet assumed he must have done something wrong. We would do well to heed this warning and not make assumptions about other people. Anytime you suffer in any trial remember that the LORD is very compassionate and merciful and has an intended end to bless you. Post comments and questions! Now continues the discourse of Job’s friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) accusing and judging Job; they assume God is judging Job, so he must have done some evil. Job continues to defend his innocence, and questions why this tragedy has happened to him, and he questions why God is not vindicating him.
As you continue to read through the book of Job, I want to make you aware of what the LORD thinks of Job’s friend’s words recorded in Job 42:7. … the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is aroused against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. Not all of Job’s words were perfect – he continued to justify himself while he questioned God. The thing that caused God’s anger was Job’s friends assuming God was judging Job because of the tragedy's even though they knew of no sin that Job had committed. Some believe the book of Job is the oldest book written occurring during the time of the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There are more questions than answers on the background of Job. The book starts by saying he was a man in the land of Uz, but more importantly it says, “that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” He had very little light on the Truth, but he walked in all of it.
The Bible speaks of Job in 2 other places: Ezekiel 14:14 says, Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it (Israel), they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness," says the Lord GOD. James speaks of Job’s suffering and his patience, and the outcome God had in mind for him. James 5:10-11 says, My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. In Job chapters 1 and 2 we see Satan incite God against Job two times. God is not willing to do any harm to Job but is confident Job will stand strong under the attack of Satan when God’s hedge was removed. It is important to note that all the assaults of Satan could be seen as just natural occurrences (attacking armies and natural disasters). I believe we let Satan get away with too much under the guise of it being just natural occurrences. It’s been said that “fear” is having faith something negative will happen. Job had faith in God but Job 3:25 lets us know he had fear operating also, “… the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, And what I dreaded has happened to me.” Please post questions or comments |
AboutRead through the Bible with us in 2012! The reading plan can be downloaded below; we are reading in chronological order. Check back often to read the blog posts on the Bible readings and discuss things in the "comments" section. 2012 Bible Plan
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