Job 38 & 39 - God Speaks Out of the Storm

LINKS: Job 38 & Job 39 (Read over the next two days)

BACKGROUND

God arrived in a storm to bring revelation to Job. Job switches from the plaintiff in this court case to the defendant, and God comes out with a bang! His questioning of the defendant reveals His greatness and man's smallness.

He rebuked Job for speaking words without knowledge (38:2). I love the way The Living Bible paraphrases this: "Why are you using your ignorance to deny My providence?" Job did not know everything about God; but, in pride, did not acknowledge that. Warren Wiersbe says, "Knowledge of our own ignorance is the first step toward true wisdom" (Be Patient). That is so true. The more I grow. The more I realize how much I do not know about God!

In these chapters, the heart of God's questions are: "Do you understand all about the physical (Job 38) and animal (Job 39) worlds? 

The Life Application Bible says:

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. (p. 888) 

I want to share the diagram of God's justice again because it bears repeating:


REFLECTION 

If I have said it once, I will say it again. This REALLY trips people up in their walks with God. That is why I love this diagram.  We have our own "Law of Fairness" that we think that God should operate under; but for obvious reasons, He does not operate under anyone because He is GOD. He is the standard of justice. All of His ways are just. We may not understand it, as Job did not, but it is what it is. Learning to rest in that is key to growth!

APPLICATION

Please continue to simmer on this concept and talk to God about it. It is crucial to a vital relationship with God. Here is a picture I took once when things were out of control. It is titled, "The Virtue of Humility: Realizing That He is God, and I Am Not":



PRAYER

I am grateful that You are God. I am grateful that You have Your own standard of justice that You created, and I do not need to figure everything out. Lord, I pray that everyone in the Bible Book Club can submit to that truth and live their lives accordingly. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.