Front matter (continued, part 73)
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.
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?"
"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
The issue now is not the power of God but the justice of God (Job 40:8). Job had said that God was
Job 40—42
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).
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!"
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).
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 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!
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!
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).
"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 manyheaded monster that ruled the waters and feared no man.
"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.
"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
Job 42
way! This chapter assures us that, no matter what happens to us, God always writes the last chapter. Therefore, we don't have to be afraid. We can trust God to do what is right, no matter how painful our situation might be.
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).
But Job's greatest blessing was not the regaining of his health and wealth or the rebuilding of his family and circle of friends. His greatest blessing was knowing God better and understanding His working in a deeper way. As James wrote, "You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the purpose of the Lord, that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful" (James 5:11 nkjv). And Hebrews 12:11 reminds us, "Now, no chastening seems to be joyous for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (nkjv).
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).
"In the whole story of Job," wrote G. Campbell Morgan, "we see the patience of God and endurance of man. When these act in fellowship, the issue is certain. It is that of the coming forth from the fire as gold, that of receiving the crown of life" (The Answers of Jesus to Job, Baker, 117).
POSTLUDE
No matter what God permits to come into our lives, He always has His "afterword." He writes the last chapter—and that makes it worth it all.
We must not misinterpret this final chapter and conclude that every trial will end with all problems solved, all hard feelings forgiven, and everybody "living happily ever after." It just doesn't always happen that
Therefore, BE PATIENT!
P S A L M S
G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h
J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h
1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h
J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i
E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f
S o l o m o n I s a i a h