12 June

Bible In 365 Days                                                 

Job 38-39

Job 38

Here begins the third movement in the great drama, that which deals with the controversy between Jehovah and Job. Out of the midst of the whirlwind the divine voice speaks. Its first word is a challenge to Elihu. The challenge must be carefully considered. It does not charge Elihu with false interpretation, but with darkening counsel by the use of words which he himself did not perfectly understand. As we have said, his theme is too great for him, and God now deals with it. His method is to unveil His own glory in certain aspects before the understanding of His child. God first speaks of the simplest facts of the material universe, which are sublime beyond the comprehension of man. The first movement has to do with the material universe. Throughout, Jehovah claims that all is of Himself, and that He is interested in all, and suggests Job's ignorance to him. The earth itself is dealt with (Job 38:4-7), and the sea also (Job 38:8-11), daybreak in its effect on nature and on man (Job 38:12-15), the underlying mysteries of the deep (Job 38:16-18).

Continuing the same line, Jehovah proceeds to speak of the heavens: the first, or atmospheric (Job 38:19-30); and the second, or stellar (Job 38:31-32). In dealing with the first, illustrations of the things which men may observe and cannot explain are suggested: the way of light and darkness, the mysteries of snow and hail, the majesty and sweep of the storm, the origin and method of rain, dew, ice, frost. Similarly, illustrations from the stellar spaces, the chain of the Pleiades, the bands of Orion, the signs of the Zodiac, the going of the Bear. All the while God is suggesting His own knowledge and interest, and the perfect ease of His stupendous activity. The ordinances of the heavens, their influences on earth, the bringing of rains, and the sending forth of lightnings; if man can perchance do any of these things, who then put wisdom in him, or gave him understanding?

Still the unveiling of the divine glory proceeds, but now in its application to the things of life: the feeding of the lioness and the young lions, the fact that the cry of a young raven is prayer in His ears, which He answers with food.

Job 39

And still the unveiling goes forward: the mystery of the begetting and birth of lower animals, with the sorrows of travail, and the finding of strength; the freedom and wildness and splendid untameableness of the wild ass, the uncontrolled strength of the wild ox; in all these things God reveals Himself as interested, and, moreover, as active. The differing manifestations of foolishness and power and wisdom, as they are evident among birds and beasts, are dealt with. The ostrich rejoicing in the power of her pinions and in her folly abandoning her eggs and her young, is described; and her very foolishness is accounted for by the act of God. He deprived her of wisdom.

There is nothing, then, that happens in these lower realms of life, apart from God's volition. The war horse with his might, but tameable so that he will serve man and come to rejoice amid strange and awful battle scenes and sounds, is yet not of man's creation. All his essential strength is divinely bestowed. The hawk, with wisdom directing it to the south land, and the eagle placing her nest on high, far from the possibility of intrusion, yet in such place of observation as enables her to feed her young, these also are God-guided. Even though in the great dispensation of His government God has committed dominion to man, it is dominion over facts and forces which he has not originated, nor does he sustain.