Job 38:1-21
As I’ve read the book of Job multiple times over the years, there’s one thing that seems to be missing. In the first two chapters you had the “veil parted” for us to see what was really going on in heaven. You saw the tragedies that befell Job as he was struck by the Enemy on multiple fronts. You saw the eloquent and insightful speeches of Job and his friends as they debated about the nature of God and suffering. Then, finally, the Lord shows up and meets Job face to face (so to speak). If you were reading the book for the first time, then what would you expect? Maybe, I don’t know, an explanation to Job as to why this whole thing started? Would it be so hard for God to say, “My child, this is why all this happened to you. Satan appeared in my court and was slandering you with all kinds of nasty accusations. So he and I had a sort of contest. . .”
But that didn’t happen at this point or at any other in the book. I suppose at some point the Lord revealed to Job what was going on behind the scenes, since we know, and it was divinely revealed to the author. But that certainly didn’t happen during this first meeting. Several times throughout the book, Job called for an audience with God. He wanted to hear from the Lord's own lips why this was happening to him. He knew that, even though he wasn’t sinless, he didn’t have any gross immorality which he was hiding. And he wanted to hear that from the Almighty himself. What else did he want? Did he actually expect the Lord of the universe to come down and say “Gee, Job, I was wrong for doing all this to you. You really are a righteous man, and you didn’t deserve any of this.”? Based upon the barely suppressed anger and bitterness he was displaying in his speeches, it looks like that to me.
You ever hear the old cliché “Be careful what you wish for”? That certainly applies here. He wanted an audience with God, but it didn’t turn out like he imagined it. As one Bible commentator put it, the Lord doesn’t answer him, he explodes at him. His response to Job could be summed up this way: “Who do you think you are? I’m God, and you’re not.”
Now, I laid out the summary so you can see his main point, but you seriously need to read these chapters. This is God talking, so there’s no guesswork as to how correct the speaker is, as in the speeches made by mere men. You will find absolutely nowhere in Scripture a more beautiful description of God’s relationship with his creation. The first two chapters of Genesis gave the bare-bones details: “He created plant life, then he created animal life, etc.” in an almost ho-hum sort of way. Chapters 38-41 absolutely sing with his pride over his handiwork. If you can read these chapters and not feel a sense of awe, and a desire to fall on your knees before holy God, then I feel really sorry for you.
What, there's a song which captures this wonder waaaaay better than I ever could! Here you go:
Father God, you are God, and there is no other. There is no one like you. From everlasting to everlasting you are God. With my body, with my soul, with my life, I worship you.
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