Our Old Testament reading today comes from the Book of Job. Many of you will know the account of Job recorded in the first several chapters of his book. He was a very wealthy, God-fearing man. Job had many herds of sheep, camels, and other cattle, along with ten children. However, unbeknownst to Job, Satan met with God, and he challenged the Almighty to take everything from Job, including his health, in order to see if Job would still be faithful to Him. Satan had permission then to destroy the herds and all he had, slay the children, and take away his health (Job 1-2).
The majority of the Book of Job relates the discourse between Job and his friends, how they were discussing why Job was going through these trials. His friends generally felt that there must have been something Job did to be so cursed, but he continually protested his innocence of doing anything to merit these judgments.
As the book progresses Job becomes more frustrated and upset with God, especially when he feels God is not answering his questions. He starts to become bitter. Here in Chapter 38, where our Scripture passage today picks up, God enters the scene. As verse 1 states, the Lord God speaks to Job out of a whirlwind. God has spoken to His children in many ways, most often through His Word, the Bible. God also speaks through the words of other believers, like He spoke to David through the words of the prophet Nathan (II Samuel 12:1-15). He has spoken to people through dreams, such as with both the Old Testament Joseph (Genesis 37:5-11), and the New Testament Joseph (Matthew 1:20-21), and through visions as He did to Peter (Acts 10:9-16). God spoke to many people through angels, as He did to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38). Here the Lord spoke to Job in a whirlwind. Are we alert and listening for His voice?
Because of all the things he was going through, Job had much anger and bitterness. Many of us, while going through very intense trials, have become angry with God. Job wanted answers from God, and was becoming very bitter. In chapters 38 - 41, God answers Job. Throughout this discourse God is speaking to Job, his friends, and to everyone. Here He redefines who is who in the universe. His words are intended to stun us, awaken us, and to cause us to bend our knee in homage to Him. God owes no man anything.
Often when we are upset at God due to our circumstances, we forget exactly to Whom we are addressing, as Job did. God is God, not ourselves. He is the Creator, and we are the created, as our passage today declares. God is the absolute authority. As believers, He is our Friend, but He is not our peer!
While Job was going through his trials, God did not reveal why these things were happening. So many of us question God as to why this or that happened. There is nothing wrong with that. It is when we forget our place and let our anger grow out of hand, even turning into bitterness, that it becomes sin. God owes no one any explanations. Are we as eternal, great, powerful, wise, and perfect as God? If not, then we are much better off to be quiet and trust Him.
We go through trials, and maybe even feel abandoned as Job did, but we need to remember that God has always been shown to be faithful. As Job learned after his discourse with God, whatever we go through, we need to submit to God’s authority, and rest in His care.
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