Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
The Final Examination
“I had a million questions to ask God; but when I met Him, they all fled my mind; and it didn’t seem to matter.”
—CHRISTOPHER MORLEY
The storm that Elihu had been describing finally broke, and God spoke to Job out of the storm. The answer to Job’s problems was not an explanation about God, such as the three friends and Elihu had given, but a revelation of God. The four men had declared and defended the greatness of God but had failed to persuade Job. When God displayed His majesty and greatness, it humbled Job and brought him to the place of silent submission before God. That was the turning point.
Swiss psychologist Dr. Paul Tournier wrote in his book Guilt and Grace (86), “For God’s answer is not an idea, a proposition, like the conclusion of a theorem; it is Himself. He revealed Himself to Job; Job found personal contact with God.”
We prefer that God speak to us in the sunshine, but sometimes He must speak out of the storm. This is how He spoke to Israel on Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:16–19; Heb. 12:18) and centuries later to Elijah (1 Kings 19:8–11). Ezekiel saw the glory of God in a storm and heard the voice of God speaking to him (Ezek. 1—2). Experiencing this majestic demonstration of God’s power made Job very susceptible to the message God had for him.
God’s address to Job centered on His works in nature and consisted of seventy-seven questions interspersed with divine commentary relating to the questions. The whole purpose of this interrogation was to make Job realize his own inadequacy and inability to meet God as an equal and defend his cause.
“Then summon me, and I will answer,” Job had challenged God, “or let me speak, and you reply” (Job 13:22 NIV). God had now responded to Job’s challenge.
God’s address can be summarized in three questions:
1. “Can you explain My creation?” (38:1–38).
2. “Can you oversee My creation?” (38:39—39:30).
Job’s first response (40:1–5)
3. “Can you subdue My creation?” (40:6—41:34).
Job’s second response (42:1–6)
The first question dealt with God’s power and wisdom in bringing the universe into being. The second dealt with His providential care of His creatures, and the third centered on two creatures (probably the hippopotamus and the crocodile) that defy man’s ability to subdue them. When Job repented of his self-righteousness, God restored him (vv. 7–17).
God is now called “the Lord,” that is, Jehovah God, a name that (except for 12:9) has not been used in the book of Job since the first two chapters. In their speeches, the men have called Him “God” and “the Almighty” but not “Jehovah.” This is the name that God revealed to Israel centuries later (Ex. 3:13ff.), the name that speaks of His self-existence (“I AM THAT I AM”) and His personal covenant relationship to His people.
Job was sure that his speeches had been filled with wisdom and knowledge, but God’s first question put an end to that delusion: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2 NIV). The Living Bible paraphrases it, “Why are you using your ignorance to deny my providence?” God didn’t question Job’s integrity or sincerity; He only questioned Job’s ability to explain the ways of God in the world. Job had spoken the truth about God (42:7), but his speeches had lacked humility. Job thought he knew about God, but he didn’t realize how much he didn’t know about God. Knowledge of our own ignorance is the first step toward true wisdom.
God began with the creation of the earth (38:4–7) and compared Himself to a builder who surveys the site, marks off the dimensions, pours the footings, lays the cornerstone, and erects the structure. Creation was so wonderful that the stars sang in chorus and the angels (1:6; 2:1) shouted for joy, but Job wasn’t on the scene! How, then, can he claim to know so much about the works of God?
From the beginning, God planned His creation to be a garden of joyful beauty; but sin has turned creation into a battlefield of ugliness and misery. Man in his selfishness is wasting natural resources, polluting land, air, water, and outer space, and so ravaging God’s creation that scientists wonder how long our planet will support life as we know it. Mahatma Gandhi was right: “There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.”
The Lord then moved to a consideration of the seas (38:8–11). The image here is not building but birth: The seas were “knit together” in secret (v. 8; see Ps. 139:13) and then burst forth like a baby emerging from the womb. They were clothed with clouds and darkness, and their limits were set by God. “Who did all of this?” asked God of Job, and Job knew the answer.
The next aspect of creation that God mentioned was the sun (Job 38:12–15). Here God pictured Himself as a general commanding His troops (the heavenly host). Had Job ever told the sun to rise and dispel the darkness? As the light spreads across the world, it reveals the details of the landscape, like the impression of a seal on clay or the unfolding of a beautiful garment taken out of a dark closet. But the light also puts an end to the evil deeds done in the darkness (John 3:19–21) and stops the criminal from attacking his victim.
The next eleven questions (Job 38:16–24) relate to the vast dimensions of creation. The average child today knows more about the heights and depths of the universe than Job and his friends could ever have imagined. Had Job ever taken a walk in the depths of the sea and visited “the gates of Sheol”? Did he know how far down he had to go to find the ocean’s floor? (The greatest depth measured so far is in the Pacific Ocean—35,810 feet or 6.78 miles.) And as for the reaches of space, Voyager 2 spent twelve years going 4.4 billion miles, and in 1989 passed within 3,000 miles of Neptune’s cloudbank!
In verses 19–21, God asked Job if he could calculate the reaches of east and west, or if the horizons were too much for him to measure. Then God inquired if Job understood the heights where the snow and hail were stored until God needed them (vv. 22–23; Ex. 9:18–26; Josh. 10:11) or the places where God kept His lightning and winds (Job 38:24). To be sure, God’s words are full of irony; but that’s what Job needed to puncture his pride and bring him to his knees in repentance.
How much did Job know about the rain (vv. 25–28)? Did he know how to plot its course so that it would accomplish God’s purposes? Could he tell the lightning where and when to flash? Was he able to “father” rain and dew so that the land would have the water that it needed? Can he explain why God sends rain to the places where nobody lives? Then God turned from the spring and autumn rains to the winter hail and frost (vv. 29–30). If Job didn’t know how the rain was “fathered,” did he understand how the ice was “born”?
By this time, Job was probably wishing for a reprieve, but the Lord kept right on. He centered Job’s attention on the heavens—the Pleiades, Orion the hunter, the various constellations (“Mazzaroth,” KJV), and the Bear “Arcturus” with his cubs. Did Job understand the laws that governed their movements, and could he control these stars and planets and make them appear in their proper seasons? Man may study the heavens, but he can’t control them.
The question “Canst thou set its dominion thereof in the earth?” (v. 33) is translated in the NASB, “Or fix their rule over the earth?” The NIV reads, “Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?” and The Living Bible says, “Do you know … how the heavens influence the earth?” Is there a suggestion here that the stars and planets have a direct influence over events on earth as the advocates of astrology maintain? Not at all. The statement can be paraphrased: “Job, if you understand so much about the heavenly bodies that are thought by some to affect the earth, then why don’t you use that authority to change your situation?” The Lord was speaking with “holy sarcasm” and not revealing some profound truth.
In verses 34–38, the Lord called Job’s attention to the clouds. Since Job knew the laws of the heavens, could he order the clouds to give rain? Was the lightning his servant, reporting for duty? Could Job take inventory of the clouds and “tip them over” like jars to make the rain come?
Creating all these things is one thing; maintaining them for man’s good is quite something else. The Lord moved next into a series of questions about His providential working in the world. He moved from the inanimate world to the animate.
“CAN YOU OVERSEE MY CREATION?” (38:39—39:30)
The Lord brought before Job’s imagination a parade of six beasts (lioness, goat, hind [deer], wild donkey, wild ox, and horse) and five birds (raven, ostrich, stork, hawk, and eagle). As he contemplated these creatures, Job had to answer the question, “Do you understand how they live and how to take care of them?” Obviously, Job’s reply had to be no.
The providence of God is certainly remarkable (see Ps. 104). In His wisdom and power, God supervises the whole universe and makes sure that His creatures are cared for. “You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Ps. 145:16 NKJV). We humans have a difficult time keeping the machinery of life operating successfully, but God runs the whole universe with such precision that we build our scientific laws on His creation.
Did Job know how to feed the lion cubs or the young ravens (Job 38:39–41)? Would he even know that they were hungry? Where could he find food for them? The ravens would know to find the carcasses left behind by the lions because God taught the birds (even unclean ravens!) how to find food.
God then moved from the topic of death to the subject of birth. Did Job know the gestation periods for the goats and deer and how the young are born (39:1–4)? How do the little ones grow up safely, and how does the mother know when they are ready to leave home? Shepherds and farmers assist their animals during pregnancy and birth, but the wild beasts bring forth their young alone.
The wild donkey (vv. 5–8), also known as the “onager,” roamed the wilderness freely and refused to be domesticated. It survived without human assistance because God taught it how to take care of itself. The wild ox (the “aurochs”) was another “loner” in the animal kingdom (vv. 9–12), refusing to yield to the authority of men. You couldn’t keep him in your barn, harness him to your plow, or force him to do your threshing.
“Now, Job,” asked the Lord, “if you can’t succeed with these animals, how do you expect to succeed when you meet Me in court? How strong do you think you are?”
God then turned to a description of two birds, the stork (“peacock,” KJV) and the ostrich (vv. 13–18). God asked Job no questions in this paragraph; He simply reminded him of the bizarre anatomy and behavior of the ostrich and suggested that perhaps Job could explain it.
The stork has beautiful wings that are very serviceable, but all the ostrich can do with her wings is fan the air! Why did God make a bird that couldn’t fly but that could run faster than a horse? Why did He make a bird that puts her nest in such a vulnerable place where her eggs might be destroyed or eaten by a predator? Unlike most birds, why does she seem to be unmindful of her young?
The horse was next in line (vv. 19–25), an animal that was greatly admired and valued for strength and courage. This is a description of a war horse, not a farm horse; and you can visualize it prancing and pawing and eager to rush into the battle. When he hears the trumpet, he can’t stand still, but runs so fast that he seems to be “eating up the ground.” It was God, not Job, who made the horse with the strength and ability it needed to face danger and serve effectively on the field of battle.
The parade ended with two birds, the hawk and the eagle (vv. 26–30). Who gave the birds the instinct to migrate and the knowledge to build nests? Not Job! Eagles build their nests high on the cliffs; but God gave them keen eyesight so they can see their prey from afar, swoop down, and capture it. Eagles can also find corpses on which to feed themselves and their young because God made them that way.
JOB’S FIRST RESPONSE (40:1–5)
God uses language that reflected Job’s desire to take God to court and argue his case. “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it” (Job 40:2 NASB). God presented His case; now He gave Job opportunity to present his case. But Job has no case to present! His first words were, “Behold, I am vile!” which means, “I am insignificant and unworthy. I have no right to debate with God.” Job had told his friends to cover their mouths (21:5), and others had covered their mouths when Job appeared (29:9); but now Job had to put his hand over his mouth lest he say something he shouldn’t say (Prov. 30:32; Rom. 3:19). Until we are silenced before God, He can’t do for us what needs to be done. As long as we defend ourselves and argue with God, He can’t work for us and in us to accomplish His plan through us.
But Job was not quite broken and at the place of sincere repentance. He was silent but not yet submissive; so, God continued His address.
“CAN YOU SUBDUE MY CREATION?” (40:6—41:34)
Instead of confronting Job again with the broad sweep of His creation, God selected only two creatures and asked Job to consider them. It’s as though God were saying, “My whole universe is too much for you to handle. However, here are two of My best products. What can you do with them?”
The issue now is not the power of God but the justice of God (Job 40:8). Job had said that God was unjust in the way He treated him (6:29; 27:1–6) and in the way He failed to judge the wicked (21:29–31; 24:1–17). In 40:9–14, God asked, “Job, do you have the strength and holy wrath it takes to judge sinners? If so, then start judging them! Humble the proud sinners and crush the wicked! Bury them! You claim that you can do a better job than I can of bringing justice to the world, so I’ll let you do it!”
However, before God turned Job loose on the sinners of the world, He asked him to put on his majestic robes and “practice” on two of His finest creatures, the hippopotamus (vv. 15–24) and the crocodile (41:1–34). If Job succeeded in subduing them, then he would qualify to execute judgment against a sinful world.
The hippopotamus (Job 40:15–24). Most students agree that the animal described is the hippopotamus, although some prefer the elephant or the water buffalo. The word behemoth is the transliteration of a Hebrew word that means “super-beast.” Today’s big-game hunter with his modern weapons would probably not be deterred by the hippo’s size or strength, but this beast was a formidable enemy in the days of arrows and spears.
God reminded Job that He was the Creator of both the hippo and man (v. 15), and yet He made them different. The hippo eats grass and is strong and mighty; Job ate a variety of fine foods and was weak and unable to fight with the hippo. The hippo has a powerful body, with strong muscles and bones like iron rods; while man’s body is (comparatively speaking) weak and easily damaged. The hippo lounges in the river, hidden under the water, and feeds on the vegetation that washes down from the hills; while man has to toil to earn his daily bread. A raging river doesn’t frighten the hippo, and hunters don’t alarm him. In Job’s day, it was next to impossible to capture the hippopotamus, but how easy it is to capture a man!
“Now, Job,” asks the Lord, “can you capture and subdue this great creature? If so, then I’ll believe that you have the power and wisdom to judge the world justly.”
The crocodile (Job 41:1–34). The word leviathan is the transliteration of a Hebrew word, the root of which means “to twist, to writhe.” People used the word to describe the “sea monsters” that were supposed to inhabit the Mediterranean. Psalm 104:25–26 may refer to whales or dolphins. The Jews used the word to describe their enemies (Isa. 27:1), especially Egypt (Ps. 74:13–14). Revelation 12:9 refers to Satan as “that old serpent.” In mythology, the leviathan was a many-headed monster that ruled the waters and feared no man.
“Can you capture the leviathan?” asked the Lord. “And if you can, what will you do with him?” (See Job 41:1–11.) Well, what can you do with a captured crocodile? You can’t make a pet out of him, no matter how agreeable he seems to be (vv. 3–5); and the merchants won’t want to buy him from you (v. 6). If you try to train him, you’ll quit in a hurry and never try to do it again (vv. 8–9)! God drew a practical conclusion: “If you can’t come to grips with the crocodile, how will you ever be able to stand before Me?” (vv. 10–11).
In verses 12–24, God gave a poetical description of this great creature’s mighty limbs, fierce teeth and strong jaws, and impregnable covering (vv. 12–17). When the crocodile churns up the river and blows out water, the sun reflects from the vapor; and it looks like fire and smoke from a dragon’s mouth (vv. 18–21). His armor is so strong that he can go anywhere without fear (vv. 22–24).
The chapter closes with a description of the leviathan’s anger and courage (vv. 25–34). People flee from him in fear (v. 25), but he doesn’t flee from them. In verses 26–29, God named eight different weapons that the leviathan laughs at and treats like pieces of straw or rotten wood. Just as this creature fears nothing around him, so he fears nothing under him; for his underside is protected with a covering like sharp pieces of pottery (v. 30). He fears no enemy on the land or in the water (vv. 31–32), for he makes the water to foam like the ingredients in the apothecary’s mixing pot. And when he swims through the water, the wake looks like the white hair of an old man!
JOB’S SECOND RESPONSE (42:1–6)
Job knew he was beaten. There was no way he could argue his case with God. Quoting God’s very words (Job 42:3–4), Job humbled himself before the Lord and acknowledged His power and justice in executing His plans (v. 2). Then Job admitted that his words had been wrong and that he had spoken about things he didn’t understand (v. 3). Job withdrew his accusations that God was unjust and not treating him fairly. He realized that whatever God does is right, and man must accept it by faith.
Job told God, “I can’t answer Your questions! All I can do is confess my pride, humble myself, and repent.” Until now, Job’s knowledge of God had been indirect and impersonal; but that was changed. Job had met God personally and seen himself to be but “dust and ashes” (v. 6; 2:8, 12; Gen. 18:27).
“The door of repentance opens into the hall of joy,” said Charles Spurgeon, and it was true for Job. In the climax of the book, Job the sinner became Job the servant of God (Job 42:7–9). Four times in these verses God called Job by that special Old Testament title “my servant” (see 1:8; 2:3). How did Job serve God? By enduring suffering and not cursing God, and thereby silencing the Devil! Suffering in the will of God is a ministry that God gives to a chosen few.
But Job the servant became Job the intercessor. God was angry with Job’s three friends because they hadn’t told the truth about Him (42:7), and they had to be reconciled to Job so he could pray for them. Job became the umpire between God and his three friends! By forgiving his friends and praying for them, Job brought back the blessing to his own life (v. 10). We only hurt ourselves when we refuse to forgive others.
Job ended up with twice as much as he had before. He had twenty children, ten with God and ten in his home. (He and his wife were also reunited.) Friends and relatives brought money for a “restoration fund,” which Job must have used for purchasing breeders; and eventually, Job had twice as much livestock as before. He was once again a wealthy man. If the “double” formula also applied to Job’s age, then he must have been seventy when the story began (Ps. 90:10), and God allowed Job to live twice as many years (Job 42:16).
In the East, parents are especially proud of beautiful daughters, and Job had three of them: Jemimah (“dove”), Keziah (“cinnamon”), and Keren-Happuch (“horn of eye paint”). Jemimah had quietness, Keziah had perfume, and Keren-Happuch had the cosmetics!
To die “old and full of years” was the goal of every person. It means more than a long life; it means a rich and full life that ends well. This is the way Abraham and Isaac died (Gen. 25:8; 35:29), and also King David (1 Chron. 29:28).
QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION OR GROUP DISCUSSION
1. If you could face God and ask two questions, what would they be?
2. How do you respond to the statement that “when we are suffering we don’t need to know more about God, we need to know more of God”?
3. Describe a time when God demonstrated His presence to you either out of sunshine or out of a storm.
4. What members of the animal kingdom speak to you most about God’s presence and His greatness in the world? Why those?
5. What do you imagine went through Job’s mind when he faced his opportunity to respond to God?
6. Dr. Wiersbe wrote that Job “realized that whatever God does is right and man must accept it by faith.” How do you respond to that statement?
7. What is the role of repentance in accepting God’s will and trusting Him through suffering?
8. After resolving his issues with God, Job had to resolve things with his three friends. In what ways should we mirror Job in our lives when we go through a difficult time?
9. If Satan’s opening argument was that Job only obeyed God because of His blessing, what did Job’s journey through suffering prove in the courtroom of heaven?