God Answers Job

Context

Current Series: Faith Suffers.

Guide: Job, a righteous man, full of faith. Chapters 1-2 reveal to us that…

One day, God held court in heaven. There, “Satan” — Satan is a title, an Accuser — questioned whether it had ever really be proven that Job’s faith was genuine.

So, God permitted Job’s faith to be tested.

Job was afflicted with great suffering — loss of property, wealth, even his children.

After initially condoling with Job, his friends claim this calamity must be some kind of divine punishment, that Job must have sinned.

But Job will not deny his innocence. They argue back and forth for about 30 chapters, all in poetry.

Eventually, Job appeals to God, so that he can make his case…something is not right is his claim and God would surely acquit him!

In our lesson today, God appears.

Just as Job and his friends poetically argue back and forth for chapters, so when God appears he speaks at length in chapter 38-42; I am going to read selections to highlight the key points God makes and Job’s response.

Text

Selections from Job 38-42.

Job 38:1–21 ESV

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and prescribed limits for it and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’? “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? It is changed like clay under the seal, and its features stand out like a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and their uplifted arm is broken. “Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this. “Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!

Job 40:1–8 ESV

And the Lord said to Job: “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.” Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?

Job 40:15 ESV

“Behold, Behemoth, which I made as I made you; he eats grass like an ox.

Job 40:18 ESV

His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like bars of iron.

Job 40:24 ESV

Can one take him by his eyes, or pierce his nose with a snare?

Job 41:1 ESV

“Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?

Job 41:33–34 ESV

On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.”

Job 42:1–6 ESV

Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Introduction

Sounds like bullying? Job has been suffering. He complains to God. I am innocent. Are you just to afflict me? I am want to make my case. We may agree with that sentiment. God owes Job an explanation!

Then God shows up and, seemingly, just says, Well, I am stronger than you. So deal with it. Seems like God is being a cosmic level bully. Can’t defend his action toward Job with reason, so he just threatens. Not the God I believe in!

I want to relieve us of that view of this story this morning, and off you a better picture of the God who appears at the end of Job, a vision of the God we do believe in.

Exegesis

God appears to Job in a whirlwind. Symbolically, a whirlwind signals the presence of God, who comes with overwhelming power, that cannot be contained or controlled.

I suggest symbolism because the entire book of Job, is a book of wisdom poetry, employing images, metaphors, and similes — often at length, 10, 20, 30 chapters of it — to communicate to us truths that are incredibly potent and emotive.

An example. Let us suppose I am in love with someone. I could write them a note that simply says, “I love you.” Well and good. Or, if I were Elizabeth Barrett Browning, I could write them a sonnet, like this:

Elizabeth Barret Browning Sonnet 43 “How Do I Love Thee?”

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of being and ideal grace.

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right.

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

The Sonnet and the simple sentence communicate the same idea…but the sonnet communicates the feeling of love. Browning, through her poetry, invites us to experience the love she is feeling.

Now, we turn back to Job.

Job has been been at a loss for God. God shows up to communicate to Job that he is absolutely wise, powerful, just and good. A simple sentence won’t do.

So the author uses long poetry to help us feel Job’s experience. Through an abundance of words and images — that expand into two chapters —

Were you there, when I…

Do you have the power to…

The answer to all these questions is, of course, no. But the questions are not put as a rant against Job. No, the questions are a poetic way for us as readers to get some sense of the overwhelming sensation Job had of the infinite gap between himself — a mere mortal — and God.

God appears and Job realizes that his complaint has been against the God of the universe —who orchestrates all things from the grandest to the least detail….all of which — just like a whirlwind, is beyond the knowledge and power of Job.

YET God does all things for goodness and beauty, everything is not blown away, but held together by God.

So, God puts the question to Job 40:2 ““Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” JRH: Seeing that I govern all things well, do you suppose that I mismanage your affairs?”

Job answers: Job 40:4–5 ““Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.””

JRH: I was talking out of turn. I was ranting out of place. A heartfelt self-humbling.

A second round of poetic questioning from the Lord takes us even deeper into the exchange.

Job 40:7–8 ““… Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?”

Another two chapters.

Focus on God’s ability to subdue Behemoth and Leviathan - monsters that represent chaos.

The point being God who is good and all-powerful, does not allow random chance to rule his universe.

Job confesses Job 42:5–6 “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.””

JRH: When I actually see you, I despise that I could have thought I was a victim of chance or blind fate.

Job demanded an answer to Why, but you have revealed yourself: Who is good and almighty.

repent = comfort. I am in, even in these ashes, in the care of God!

Interpretation

And answering not the question Why, but Who?

The experience that God offers Job meets a deeper need Reason , it affirms relationship.

God knows Job didn’t need an explanation for everything And couldn’t understand it if it were given. Need a secure relationship with God.

Example.

In parenting. Can’t explain everything. Child wouldn’t understand. But what does the child need to know — mom and dad love you and you can trust that we are looking out of you.

Marriage, don’t understand why he or she does this or that. Give up understanding: but must be sure of secure love.

Spiritual life - we think we need to understand God, but God knows what we really need is to know he loves us and is good and wise and sovereign.

He’s got the whole world in his hand, and me.

Jesus - Trust in God. Not a sparrow falls. You are worth more than a bird. (Matt. 10:31)

We may be tempted to complain against God for our lot in life.

What we need is not an explanation, but an encounter. To be reminded who God is and who we are before him in Christ.

And were Jesus to stand before us, we would hear the very words of the Son of God.

Were you there in heaven when seeing the plight of sinful man the Father and I determined to save them with a mighty and humble hand?

Was it your wisdom that prompted me to take on flesh and be born of a virgin?

Was it your humility that enabled the Savior of mankind to undergo deprivation and insult?

Was it by your strength that the temptation of the Devil were routed?

Were you there when I broke the power of sin on the cross?

Do you know the way to Hell and back up again?

Did you roll away the stone of the tomb and burst forth with new life?

Tell me if you know, how to ascend from earth to heaven!

Is it your spirit that gives strength to martyrs and saints and eternal life to innumerable people?

Do you have the power to open the heavens like a scroll and descend in glory?

Will you call all the nations to account? Do you have the wisdom to judge the intentions of the heart and to separate the sheep from the goats?

Do you have the key to the gates of paradise and can you shut the portal of hell?

does that fault finder speak? Would you put me in the wrong to so that you can be right?

Job was humble before God. We are to be humble before our Lord Jesus.

not because he wants push us down, but because we are reminded Who Jesus is and that he has lifted us up in great works of wisdom, goodness, and love.

Application

when we are suffering. We can complain against God. Why? Why?

as if that were really the question we want answered.

A deeper level. Who. Who are you God and who am I before you. Show me, remind me.

I need to know that you are good, all powerful, all of creation from beginning to end is in your hand.

We can reflect on the poetry of Job. Not as a rant, but as a revelation.

God is good and sovereign all the time. God is governing the universe and every detail of life.

He arranged the stars in the sky, he can arrange the events of my life.

He tames Leviathan, he can tame this situation.

He raised Jesus from the dead and to heaven, he can pull me through this.

Conclusion

All is aid and done. Faith becomes sight. We will say: you have done all things well!