Job 38-39 – God is not through with us yet

At the beginning of the book, Satan accused Job before God, insinuating that the patriarch served the Almighty because of the blessings He had bestowed on him. Satan alleged that Job would reject God, if he was made to suffer. God then permitted the trials to come upon Job. He not only suffered the loss of his property and children through a series of calamities, he was also inflicted with incurable skin lesions. Job suffered greatly but had successfully endured the trial. However, it must be said that he did entertain thoughts that were not so wholesome. But it was not as Satan had predicted. In the trial Job’s insights concerning righteousness were sharpened. The devil was sure that Job would reject God but was proven to be wrong totally. Although Job lamented his sufferings, he nevertheless clung on to God. In chapter 19:25-27, we see expression of his profound faith in God. He said:

²⁵“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
²⁶ “Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God;
²⁷ Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.”

All the while God was silently watching all that was happening. He heard all the dialogues Job had with his three friends. He heard what Elihu had said. God was now about to intervene and bring an end to Job’s suffering, and to bestow on him the fruit of what he went through. Job 38-41 are records of God’s response to Job and his accusing “friends.” These four chapters are divided into two parts. They are divided by Job’s confession in chapter 4o verses 3-5. Job had been asking for a chance to argue with God. So, here in Job 38:1-3 God offered him the opportunity to present his case in His presence, before He painted a panoramic view of the act of creation for Job. In a series of questions, God pointed out the patriarch’s ineptness concerning the natural world and their operations and the world of the animals. Beginning with chapter 38, questions concerning:

·       The earth (4-6)

·       Stars (7)

·       The sea (8-11)

·       The sun (12-15)

·       Light and darkness (19-21)

·       Snow and hail (22-23)

·       Wind, rain and lightning (24-27)

·       Dew, frost and ice (28-30)

·       Movement of the stars (31-38)

·       And the animals in chapter 39

The point of God to Job is this: If he could not fully comprehend all the workings of nature and the animals, how then would he be able to understand the profound, incomprehensible and mystery of God’s moral governance. These chapters are timely reminders to us. If we cannot fully comprehend the mystery of nature and creation, much less will we be able to understand the mystery of God’s eternal governance and providence. It behooves us then to remain humble before God, to stay reverent in His presence and to simply trust and submit to His will for our life. We are to be obedient to God for what we know, and to trust Him to reveal where we do not understand. Remember He is honing our life progressively. He is the loving Heavenly Father and His love never fails!