Job 40:1-5
The Lord answered Job: Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who argues with God give an answer. Then Job answered the Lord: I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once and I will reply; twice, but now I can add nothing.
The dialogue
Moreover, the Lord answered Job and said: Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
The Lord has a precedent of answering His people when they called upon Him. Before they called, He answers, while they speak He hears. All who seek and search for the Lord with all their heart will find Him. The Lord rebuked Job for arguing with Him when he presented his case before Him; who was and is in complete control of all things. The one who is greater than man, the one who counsel stands forever, the one who thunders marvelously with His voice and does great things, which we cannot comprehend. Job in moments of despair call upon the Lord, presented his case to Him, and voiced out pleads, and voiced out the Lord would vindicate him. Job in his anguish taught the Lord did not hear him. Yet, the Lord stood by Job and his vindication came from the presence of the Lord.
He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye shall he not see? He who instructs the nations shall He not correct, He teaches man knowledge?
The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile. Psalm 94:9-11
“But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, gracious, long-suffering and abundant in mercy and truth”
Scripture is not clear when God responded to Job, whether God answered Job immediately in the moment of his despair or God answered Job after a period of time. The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said “Who is this who darkens counsel by the words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
(2 timothy 3:16-17)
Job: I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth. I have spoken once and I will reply; twice, but now I can add nothing.
Job acknowledged God as God and Job as man, and he humbled himself in the presence of God and in his response to God. Job acknowledged he spoke rashly with limited knowledge, in ignorance when compare to the wisdom of God.
Do not be rash with your mouth
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God
For God is in heaven and you are on earth
Let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2
Jesus said: And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think they will be heard for their many words. Matthew 6:7
Pause & think
- What are some of the things Job was not privy to in his relationship to God?
- Are we privy to all things of God?
- What are the acceptable ways of approaching God?
- Is it OK to argue with God or how can you make petition to God without arguments?
- How should you approach God in moments of despair?
Job 40:6-9
The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “ Now prepare yourself like a man, and I will question you and you shall answer me:
Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn me that you may be justified? Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
God at various times in various ways in time past spoke to our fathers, He spoke to Job in a whirlwind, executed judgment in a whirlwind, and took Elijah away in a whirlwind. In these last days, He speaks to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds, who is the brightness of His glory, the image of the invisible God.
“When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation”
- The Lord asked Job 4 notable questions that separates man from the divine:
- Do you have authority to annul God’s judgment? (Job 40:8)
- Are you God to condemn? (Job 4:8)
- Can you save yourself? (Job 40:9)
- Can you thunder with your voice and offer the rumbling that comes from it? (Job 40:9)
“Let the heavens declare His righteousness for God Himself is Judge.” (Psalm 50:6, Isaiah 33:22, Psalm 75:7)
For as the Father has life In Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. (John 5:26-27)
And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)
Who shall bring shall charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? Is it Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us? (Romans 8:33-34)
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; nor His ears heavy that He cannot hear. (Isaiah 59:1)
Awake, awake put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Are you not the arm that cut Rehab apart, and wounded the serpent? (Isaiah 51: 5-6; 9)
Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth? (Job 37:1-5, 40:9)
Jesus said: Father glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven saying, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again. Therefore the people who stood by hear it and said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel had spoken to Him. Jesus answered and said” This voice did not come because of me but for your sake.
Now is the judgment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out. (John 12:21-31)
Pause & think
- What are the various ways in which the Lord appears to His people?(Judges, 6:37-40, 1King 19:11-12, Number 22:22-30, Job 40:6, Ezekiel 1:4, Ex.3: 2, 4-17, 24:10, Ex.16: 10, Isa.6, Genesis 32:20)
- How significant is the Arm of the Lord?
- Who has God-given authority to execute Judgment?
Job 40:10-14
Then adore yourself with majestic and splendor and array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath. Look on everyone who is proud and humbled him. Look on everyone is proud and bring him low. Tread down on the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together; bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will confess to you that your own right hand can save you.
The Lord challenged Job the esteem himself as God. The God who is clothed with honor and majesty; He is cover with light as with a garment. He sees what is in darkness and light is with Him. The God who makes the clouds His chariot and walks on the wings of the wind. He walks above the circles of the heavens and sits above the circles of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. The God who does not dwell in temples created by human hands. He brings out the stars by numbers and calls them all by name and by the greatest of His might and strength of His power; not one is missing. He stirs up the sea with His power and by His understanding breaks up the storm to the praise of His glory and grace.
The Lord challenges Job to disperse his wrath like God. Can He draw out the Leviathan with a hook or snare his tongue with a line, which he lower. Can he put a reed through his nose or pierce his jaw with a hook? Or can his spirit adorn the heavens and can his hands pierce the fleeing serpent? (Job 41)
The Lord challenges Job to humble the mighty, to frustrates the devices of the crafty, catch the wise in their own craftiness and bring the counsel of the cunning upon themselves. The foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than man. (Job 5:12-16) “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.” For God desires men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, to the praise of His glory and grace.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him. God is Holy, let all the earth and everyone reverence Him.