Bible Study Day 30

Job 38:1-40:5

Instead of answering Job’s question directly, God asks Job a series of questions that no human could possibly answer. Job responds by recognizing that God’s ways are best. During difficult times, we, too, must humbly remember our position before the eternal, holy, incomprehensible God.

Job’s questions were not at the heart of the issue. Instead, God used Job’s ignorance of the earth’s natural order to reveal his ignorance of God’s moral order. If Job did not understand the workings of God’s physical creation, how could he possibly understand God’s mind and character? There is no standard or criterion higher than God Himself by which to judge. God Himself is the standard. Our only option is to submit to His authority and rest in His care.

Just as armies keep weapons in the armory, God has all the forces of nature in His control. Sometimes He uses them to confound those opposed to Him or His people. Job couldn’t even begin to know all of God’s resources.

God stated that he has all the forces of nature at His command and that He can unleash or restrain them at will. No one completely understands such common occurrences as rain or snow, and no one can command them - only God who created them has the power. God’s point was that if Job could not explain such common events in nature, how could he possibly explain or question God? And if nature is beyond our grasp, God’s moral purposes may not be what we imagine either.

God asked Job several questions about the animal kingdom in order to demonstrate how limited Job’s knowledge really was. God was not seeking answers from Job. Instead, he was getting Job to recognize and submit to God’s power and sovereignty. Only then could he hear what God was really saying to him.

Reference: Project 365 for Year 2012