Did You Give the Horse Courage?
Job • Sermon • Submitted
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Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear; Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding. What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider. Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off. Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.
Today’s text closes the first round of questions that God asked Job. Here he asked him about three types of animals: the ostrich, the horse, and birds of prey.
Now, remember why God asked Job about these things. He wanted him to marvel at his unfathomable wisdom and to stop relying on his own. God doesn’t ask us audible questions today, but every situation we face was give to make us ponder the same thing. Are we trusting God’s wisdom, or are we trusting our own?
When we’re suffering, it’s both important and hard to learn this lessons. It’s important because, being sinners, we often turn to ourselves and those around us when we feel weak and helpless. But the more we do, the less help we find. And it’s hard because it requires us to trust the Lord completely, to take him at his Word. We don’t know how or when he’ll come to our rescue, but we have to believe his promise that everything must work together for our good.
Ostrich
Ostrich
The first animal found in today’s text is the ostrich. But why this particular creature? After all, God himself said in verse 17 that he had deprived it of wisdom and not given it understanding. And the description of ostrich hens in verses 14 through 16 make them sound like the stupidest creatures on earth: they lay their eggs in the dirt and carelessly dance around them, and then they totally ignore their young. So, the fact that God even mentions ostriches leaves us wondering: if he made animals this silly, are they really the best examples of his wisdom and skill?
The answer is yes, but we have to pay attention to what the Lord actually said about them. He was probably citing ancient proverbs about ostriches. Ancient people didn’t have a very high view of them. Their proverbs were well known. But even with that, the Lord still had a lot of positive things to say about them.
God gave ostriches wings. The word goodly in verse 13 is actually a verb that means ‘to rejoice,’ probably referring to the way males their wings in their courting rituals. Of course, the wings of ostriches are useless for flying, but this only makes the rejoicing all the more remarkable. They’re very happy to be what God made them to be, regardless of how silly they may appear.
And though it’s true that ostriches lay their eggs in the dirt, where else would they lay them? Since they can’t fly, building nests in trees is out of the question. Even if hens could somehow get up in the branches to lay their eggs, how would their young get down? Laying their eggs on the surface of the ground seems to make them vulnerable, but they’re not really as vulnerable as we might think, since they’re well camouflaged and their shells are thick and hard. So, in God’s marvelous plan, their eggs hatch, and the hatchlings grow.
And what about the fact that ostriches neglect their young. Verse 16 says, She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers. This gives the impression that ostriches abandon their offspring. The same thought occurs in Lamentations 4:3, where Jeremiah said that ostriches are cruel because they don’t care for their young. This probably refers to what ostriches do when they’re either hunted or attacked. The chicks lie flat on the ground, while the parents run away to draw the predators after them. Thus, their apparent cruelty is really how they protect their little ones.
So, you see, the ostriches aren’t nearly as stupid as ancient proverbs suggest. In fact, God blessed them in one rather unexpected way. Although they can’t fly, he made them so that they can run very fast — even faster than horses. For short sprints, they can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour, which is exactly what they need to protect their young (and themselves).
What does this teach us about God? The obvious point is that God created strange animals, and their apparent strangeness is precisely what makes them remarkable. They display God’s wisdom. Even their strange behavior has a purpose. As Job questioned God’s wisdom, he needed to learn that nothing — not even the silliest of God’s creatures — fails to show a wisdom that goes far beyond his own.
Horse
Horse
The last thing God said about ostriches in verse 18 is that they scorn the horse and its rider. This naturally takes us to the horse as the next animal that reveals God’s wisdom and skill. There’s no mistake here: while the behavior of ostriches may be confusing, horses are without a doubt among the most beautiful and majestic of creatures.
There’s a lot that God could have said about horses, but in our text he highlighted one specific attribute: their fearlessness in the face of battle.
The first reference to horses in the Bible is Genesis 47:12. It’s was Joseph’s responsibility to make sure that cattle and horses had enough food. Moses wrote,
And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.
This seems to have been about the time that horses were first imported to Egypt. The Egyptians bred them and sold them to other nations, where they were later used in military campaigns. Solomon was the first Israelite king to use them this way. First Kings 10:26 says,
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
In our text, the Lord says that horses are strong, courageous, unafraid, proud, eager to confront the enemy. As soon as they hear the trumpet, they’re off and running. They can even smell the battle.
Had Job made them so? Could he make them thunder as they ran or leap like locusts? Did he even have the power to control such a magnificent animal?
Hawk
Hawk
And finally, the last subject that God asked Job about was birds of prey. The words translated hawk in verse 26 and eagle in verse 27 encompass many different species of carnivorous birds. The hawk (נֵ֑ץ), for example, could be a sparrow hawk, a falcon or a kestrel; and the eagle (נָ֑שֶׁר) could be either an eagle or a vulture. All of them were well skilled at hunting and feasted on slain carcasses.
God asked Job, “Did you give these birds understanding to go south in the fall and return in the spring? Do they fly at your command or build their nests where you tell them to live?” The answer, again, is no. Neither Job nor any other man had this much control over them. In fact, man has little control over anything. God, on the other hand, as an absolute sovereign, is the master of everything. He knows the beginning from the end, and everything in between.
The Lord’s question in verse 26 has to do with wisdom or discernment. This takes us full circle to where God began. In the previous chapter, the very first question that God asked Job was,
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Both verses use exactly the same Hebrew word. Thus, everything that God asked Job about was meant to uncover his lack of discernment. He didn’t understand the universe, so how could he claim any say in how it should be managed?
And the fact that God’s questions conclude with birds of prey is also instructive. What do we know about these marvelous creatures?
First, birds of prey are sort of like kings in their own realm. They dominate the sky, just like lions rule the land. When Saul and Jonathan died, David mourned their deaths by comparing them to both. He said that they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions (2 Sam. 1:23).
Second, birds of prey live in fortresses. That is, they build their nests where no other creature can reach them. Obadiah 4 compares Edom to eagles. It says,
Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.
And finally, birds of prey are fierce and accurate hunters. They kill and take fresh meat back to their young. Job recognized this earlier when he said,
They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
With these credentials, birds of prey — especially eagles — have served as the symbol of many powerful nation over the years. Modern countries that use it include Russia, Poland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Romania, Moldova, Armenia, the United States, the Philippines, Mexico, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia and Ghana. In the Bible, mighty armies are often compared to eagles in speed. Deuteronomy 28:49 says,
The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
(cf. Jer. 48:40; 49:22; Lam. 4:19).
Since the beginning men have studied animals and their behavior, and yet even today understand so little about them. Yet, God made each one what it is to show his wisdom and to expose our ignorance. That was true for Job. It’s true for us, too. So, one insight we gain from our text is an increased appreciation for the power and glory of God.
But I believe there’s a lot more to be said. The ostrich appears nonsensical and uncaring. The horse is fierce and strong; in battle it shows tremendous courage. And birds of prey are well protected and well fed. What does all of this say to us?
Well, is there anything as silly as an ostrich? Yes, at least to unbelievers. It’s the gospel. The idea that sinners can be saved by the death of one man on a cross is preposterous. Yet, as the apostle Paul wrote, the foolishness of preaching is exactly what God uses to save men. So, it’s not so foolish after all. It’s the wisdom of God.
Is there anything as courageous as a horse in battle? Again, the answer is yes. Jesus is. He set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem, knowing that there he would be arrested, abused and crucified (Luke 9:51–53). But he was also confident of victory because he knew that he would rise again from the dead. In his death and resurrection, we also have victory.
And what about the eagle? Is there anything as well protected and cared for? We are. As Paul wrote in one of the most celebrated passages of Scripture, nothing can separate us fro the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:39).
Just like Jesus’ parables, the created world with all of its marvelous intricacies, riddles and unknowns teaches us to look to the Lord for the answers to all our questions. And Jesus Christ is the answer.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Job found that it’s foolish to look anywhere else. We need to learn this as well. Amen.