Beloved, I am pleased to share with you today the above theme from Job 40:1 onwards. Indeed, Job had thought that his well-being did not interest Jehovah. But was there any creature, from the little raven to the horse or the eagle, that God did not care for? If he takes care of all living beings, all the more so does he watch over man, his highest creature, possessing even a life beyond the tomb.
The Lord Jesus in the gospels gives His people exactly the same teaching (Job 38:39-41; Luke 12:22-26). And he invites us not to worry about our daily needs, because God knows them. Only one thing can be missing – and often fails – and that is… faith in this faithful God. Jehovah has just spoken to Job of his creation; he concludes precisely: “Here I am little“. But he cannot yet say more. He who had offered to discuss with God, so to speak, as equals (Job 10:1-7; Jb 13.1-4; Jb 23:1-7) now that the opportunity is provided to him, understands before all the greatness of his Creator that this is not possible. This is a first lesson, but he still has another lesson to learn. Jehovah will speak for the second time in order to bring Job to a full and sincere conviction of sin.
The picture of creation would not be complete without the description of two mysterious and terrible animals. The first is the behemoth, perhaps the hippopotamus, in any case an impressive beast whose power evokes that of death. Solemnly, it must have been the first of God’s ways towards the guilty man. As a consequence of the fall, an invincible sword arms death for the punishment of sin (v. 19; Gen. 3:22-24). Not only does it prey on every man, but all the beasts of the earth are given to it as pasture (v. 20). The Jordan, river of death (v. 23) also tells us about it.
But here is an even more formidable monster. Death has power only over the present life, while Satan, whose figure is Leviathan, drags his victims with him into the second death (Isaiah 27:1). In the face of such an enemy, we are naturally as helpless as a child who would pretend with a ridiculous hook to seize a crocodile! (v. 25). Certainly, one does not play with the power of evil with impunity. Are we at his mercy? No, by the grace of God! Christ triumphed on the cross of the terrible Adversary. Let us remember this final battle and remain attached to the One who won it (v. 32; Col. 2:13-15).
Now comes God’s direct word from the storm cloud to Job. He addresses him as “the one who rebukes God.” He had fought the Almighty and now the Almighty Job had judged him in front of him and demanded an answer. Let him answer. And Job answers; And what an answer! This is the answer God has been waiting for. “Hold on! I am vile; What will I say to you? I will put my hand over my mouth. He acknowledges that he has spoken too much and that now he can no longer answer and does not go any further. He is completely silenced, acknowledges his own nothingness and baseness, that his words were false and that he has nothing else to say. He was convinced that such a God who had spoken to him about creation and its creatures, making known its power, wisdom and care, could never be unjust in his relations with man. But Jehovah, the seeker of hearts, is not finished yet. Job’s abominable pride must be laid bare. Jehovah asks him the serious question: “Will you annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be righteous? Do you have an almighty arm like God, or can you thunder with a voice like his? Then he said to her, “Dress now with majesty and glory.” Dress in majesty and power. Come and take my place and then adorned, let Job be in the place of God, reign and deal with proud men and evildoers.
No! God reveals His glory to him, makes him feel where he had gone wrong, how presumptuous he had been. That’s all. He does not say, “All this has been a trial for your righteousness: you have fought a battle against Satan for me, and you have received many painful wounds.” Nothing is said of the truth, already mentioned and affirmed in this Book, that suffering accomplishes its perfect work when it purifies and elevates the human soul, and brings it closer to the God who sends or permits suffering. Nor is any light thrown on this faint and faint glimmer of a hope that is not yet fully born in the world, of a life beyond the grave; of a life where there will be no more sadness or sigh, where Job and his lost sons and daughters will be reunited. The thoughts we should have been looking for, perhaps sucked in, are not here. Those who tell us that the only great lesson of the whole book is to present the patriarch Job as the model of simple submission, of simple resignation – those who seek in it a final justification, that is, an explanation of God’s way of governing the world, those who find in it a revelation of the sure and certain hope of a blessed immortality, can scarcely have studied either the language of Job or the chapters before us today.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped for your better understanding.
Job’s first response:
- Arguing with God, it makes no sense to
John 9:3 If he wanted to dispute with him, Out of a thousand things he could not answer one. Job 33:13 Will you therefore argue with him, because he is not accountable for his deeds? Isaiah 45:9 Woe to those who dispute with their creator! -Vase among earthen vessels! -Does clay say to the one who shapes it: What are you doing? And your work: He has no hands? Rom 9:20 O man, rather, who are you to dispute with God? Will the clay vessel say to him who formed it: Why did you do this to me?
- Humility, general examples of humility
-Jacob Gen. 32:10 I am too small for all the graces and faithfulness you have used to your servant; for I have passed this Jordan with my staff, and now I form two camps.
King Saul 1 Sam. 9:21 Saul answered, “Am I not Benjamite, of one of the smallest tribes of Israel?” and is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you speak to me like this?
-King David 2 Sam. 7:18 And King David went before the Lord, and said, Who am I, Lord Eternal, and what is my house, that you have sent me where I am?
-King Solomon 1 Kings 3:7 Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant reign in the place of David, my father; and I am only a young man, I have no experience.
-John the Baptist 3:14 But John objected, saying: It is I who need to be baptized by you, and you come to me!
-The centurion Mt 8:8 The centurion answered, Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof; but say only one word, and my servant will be healed.
-The Canaanite woman Matthew 15:27 Yes, Lord,” she said, “but little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.
-Paul 1 Tim 1:15 It is a certain word and entirely worthy of being received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of which I am the first.
- Submission to God’s Will
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 26:39 Then, having taken a few steps forward, he threw himself on his face, and prayed thus, My Father, if it be possible, that this cup may depart from me! However, not what I want, but what you want. Luke 1:38 Mary said, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word! And the angel left her. Rom 6:13 Do not give your members over to sin as instruments of iniquity; but give yourselves to God, as the living of the dead that you were, and offer your members to God as instruments of righteousness. James 4:7 So submit to God; resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- Natural creator, God as
Gen. 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Psalm 102:26 You have formerly founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Acts 14:15 exclaiming: O men, why do you do this? We, too, are men of the same nature as you; and, bringing you good news, we exhort you to renounce these vain things, to turn to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea, and all that is therein. Heb 11:3 It is by faith that we recognize that the world was formed by the word of God, so that what we see was not made of visible things.
From all the above, we note that theLord asks Job to consider the mastodon; it is probably the hippopotamus (from the Greek river horse). A description of this powerful beast follows: He calls the mastodon the “leader of God’s ways,” one of his greatest works in animal creation. The mastodon is one of Job’s creatures “that I made like you.” He eats grass like an ox. He has tremendous strength in his kidneys and legs. He rests in the shade of the trees and fears nothing: Suppose the stream swells, he will not whiten becausehe believes Jordan can drink. Will someone take it while he’s on call? Or with a ring will someone pierce his nose? Behemoth is then a powerful and uncontrollable beast that lives for itself. How weak man is compared to this beast in possession of such a wonderful strength. Yet it is only a beast and Job is a man. How abominable, then, the pride and boast of Job must appear in the sight of the Lord. The righteous man is called and empowered to trust in God’s righteousness; the good man is led to entrust himself to that divine goodness which is the source of his own. But the malefactor remains free from grace, insensitive to sacrifice. He rightly held to the idea of the divine will as the only energy that sustains all energies. But he did not fully see the correlative principle of sovereign grace: The revelation of God in Christ, our Sacrifice and Redeemer, justifies to sinners and obedient alike the divine act of creation. It shows the Creator taking responsibility for those who fell, seeking and saving the lost; it shows a magnificent sweep of evolution that starts from the manifestation of God in creation and returns through Christ to the Father, charged with the multiple immortal gains of creative and redeeming power. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in truth to pray with me:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my personal Lord and Savior. I acknowledge that you died at the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and my faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom by walking according to your ways.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to be baptized by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all worship, power and glory, now and for ever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “The prayer of a persecuted man. (Job 41)
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.