#673 God Speaks

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Dress for action like a man;

I will question you, and you make it known to me.

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell me, if you have understanding.

5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

6 On what were its bases sunk,

or who laid its cornerstone,

7 when the morning stars sang together

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors

when it burst out from the womb,

9 when I made clouds its garment

and thick darkness its swaddling band,

10 and prescribed limits for it

and set bars and doors,

11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,

and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began,

and caused the dawn to know its place,

13 that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,

and the wicked be shaken out of it?

14 It is changed like clay under the seal,

and its features stand out like a garment.

15 From the wicked their light is withheld,

and their uplifted arm is broken.

16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea,

or walked in the recesses of the deep?

17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you,

or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?

Declare, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,

and where is the place of darkness,

20 that you may take it to its territory

and that you may discern the paths to its home?

21 You know, for you were born then,

and the number of your days is great!

22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,

for the day of battle and war?

24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,

or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

25 “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain

and a way for the thunderbolt,

26 to bring rain on a land where no man is,

on the desert in which there is no man,

27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,

and to make the ground sprout with grass?

28 “Has the rain a father,

or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,

and who has given birth to the frost of heaven?

30 The waters become hard like stone,

and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades

or loose the cords of Orion?

32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

or can you guide the Bear with its children?

33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you establish their rule on the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

that a flood of waters may cover you?

35 Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go

and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts

or given understanding to the mind?

37 Who can number the clouds by wisdom?

Or who can tilt the water skins of the heavens,

38 when the dust runs into a mass

and the clods stick fast together?

39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

40 when they crouch in their dens

or lie in wait in their thicket?

41 Who provides for the raven its prey,

when its young ones cry to God for help,

and wander about for lack of food? Job 38 ESV

The reader of Job has an understanding, from the first two chapters, that God is more than aware of Job's predicament, but none of the human players in this drama have this clarity. They have told Job from the perspective of tradition, human doctrines, supposed encounters with spirits and supposedly as the mouth piece of God, that this is all an issue of cause and effect. Job is in their eyes a transgressor, and they desire that he repent. This is all based very much upon the pillars of a material and works related religion. Until now, in this 38th chapter, God has remained silent towards Job, who has very much wished for God's presence. He has desired an audience with the only one Who can show him right, to explain his situation. Upon more contemplation he has desired even a mediator.

And the one inside answers, ‘Do not bother me. My door is already shut and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ 8I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9So I tell you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.…Luke 11: 7-9

That storm that had long been approaching, the muse to Elihu's eloquent prose, was now the tornado before them. The storm at a distance was inspiration and testimony to a powerful Creator, and a twister would be so feared as the finger of God now in front of them. It would pale most men to be so close to the whirlwind, yet here is the paralysis, from the whirlwind comes the voice of God. God speaks through the storm. I was excited to come to this chapter, but now I must confess that it is hard to write about it. My eyes water at trying to imagine it, his loneliness, the want of such a meeting, but what a frightening presence when it appears. I have heard so many say, "when I see God, I am going to ask Him this or tell Him that," will you? Remember, Job was discouraged by Elihu to ask for the presence of God, and God does nothing that He does not want to do. Here He is, to speak on His own behalf, and this makes it even scarier to write about, but these are my thoughts, my notes, and like Job I want to have a relationship with a Holy and Just God, so I don't pretend at that sort of righteousness, but that which is by faith in His Son.

Who is this who darkens counsel - Everyone in this book was without knowledge of God's will and purpose, not only from the readers understanding of the conversation in heaven, but also of that which God knew from eternity past. Elihu was the most recent speaker before God steps in, but everyone here has misspoken. Job wants to be vindicated or as my wife's mom says, "I need closure," and his friends want to be held up as wise, but here is God, I tremble. Job wanted to face God like a man, and it is interesting that God says, "dress for action like a man", as if the ant could persuade the elephant. It's not two seasoned warriors coming to meet each other for the first time on the field of battle. It is not that sort of contest at all, a struggle, yes, and a place where God may bring us to overcome, but not man to man, sinner to sinner. It is, however, a most beautiful and unmerited encounter, the honor of being made in the image of God, valued in a moment that words can scarce describe. You can never again be the fly upon the wall, you never were, every thought you have about what we just read is open before the eyes of God. 

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. 12 Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.…1 Corinthians 13: 11-13

Where were you - God is going to ask the questions, and this is the first problem for the demand of created things, they are not the Creator. You had a beginning, God is timeless, there is so much that God knows that we have not yet seen and cannot now wrap our heads around. He is eternal and the origin of the finite. 

Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.…John 8: 57-59

I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed. 6 I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.…John 17: 4-6 

Thus far shall you come - The sea was a mass of great power and mystery to them. Even now, there are places in the depths that we have not traversed, and creatures that are still being discovered. Men marvel at the greatness of the sea, the changing of the sea, the effect of weather upon it and it upon the weather, yet God is over this as well. You are standing where you cannot see the other side, yet He can, and under and through, it is all His doing, and that to which the angel's sing. 

Treasury of hail - Men will develop technology, create a stock hold of weapons and ammunition against such days of trouble or to obtain what others have, but God has stored up hail and snow as the confounding armory and commerce of heaven, befuddling large armies in hot, desert places. 

So Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. 24 The hail fell and the lightning continued flashing through it. The hail was so severe that nothing like it had ever been seen in all the land of Egypt from the time it became a nation. 25 Throughout the land of Egypt, the hail struck down everything in the field, both man and beast; it beat down every plant of the field and stripped every tree.…Exodus 9: 23-25

Has the rain a father - We look on as men, and we dive in as men, thinking, discovering and growing in knowledge about things that were made by Someone else. We even go so far as to take pride in the little understanding we have, yet we were also made, given these great faculties of the mind to follow each discipline of the sciences, which should only lead even the smartest man to humility and awe. "Fearfully and wonderfully", and listen to Spurgeon's clever anecdote on this:

God showed Job that man was completely unable to cause rain. Charles Spurgeon took this idea and likened rain to the grace of God. “If both Houses of Parliament were to be called together, and the Queen were to sit upon her throne of state, and they were unanimously to pass an act ordering the rain to fall, he that sitteth in the heavens would laugh, the Lord would have them in derision, for the key of the rain is in no hand but that of Jehovah. It is exactly so with the grace of God. You and I cannot command it. The presence of the most holy men in our midst would not of itself bring it. The most earnest preaching, the most Scriptural doctrine, the most faithful obedience to ordinances, would not make it necessary that we should receive grace. God must give it; he is an absolute Sovereign, and we are entirely dependent upon him.” (Spurgeon)

Guide the Great Bear - Job, like many of his contemporaries, would not only see the stars, but name the stars, know of these constellations, follow the patterns of the seasons, be guided as the Magi from the east, always evaluating the stars. This intimacy gained by much observation over long periods of time, before telescopes, televisions, and before light pollution, was nothing in comparison to the knowledge of the One Who made and hung the stars in their place, Who has stretched out the heavens. 

God goes on to describe the provisions He has made for the animals, and as He has graciously given us the intellect to investigate these things, so He has also given them the resources with the instincts to gather their food. The design is His, and this is not a cruel rebuke, for the truth is more like honey for the soul, water for the desert of the heart, washing away the delusions of the mind causing the seeds of wisdom to sprout. I bet there is some fear here, even though they are tired from much arguing, and Job from so much heart ache, yet I think there would also be relief mingled with tears of joy. God spoke to me, from the whirlwind, yes, but He spoke to me.

But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” 39Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and thesea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. 40“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”…Mark 4: 38-40