God Reminds Job Who He Is

Every Sunday morning, in churches all around the world, local churches gather to worship in song and to worship as they hear the word of God.

Whether this is your first time being in our church or the thousandth time, we want you to know that this is what our church is about, and it’s what all churches should be about: gathering to hear the word of God. We’re not looking to hear God say something new. We are seeking to know what God has said and preserved for every subsequent generation.

When we read or study the Bible, we’re not looking for some magical or hidden meaning in the text. We’re not looking for some personal, private message. We are seeking to understand it correctly, and then to implement that into our lives. We want to put it into practice. The specific application of the truth in our lives might be different, but the truth doesn’t change. It’s eternal. This is the word of God.

Second Peter 1:19 calls this the prophetic word… to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.

God’s word is precious. It’s what God uses so that His Spirit grants wisdom and spiritual life. It is what equips us for service to God. That doesn’t mean, however, that hearing God’s word will always be enjoyable. Sometimes, we don’t like what God says, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t what we need to hear.

For example, in Luke 11, Jesus denounces the Pharisees for their foolish hypocrisy. They thought they could please God just by looking religious on the outside without addressing their hearts. And Jesus pronounces a curse on them.

But then, in Luke 11:45, one of the lawyers said to Jesus, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” In other words, “Be careful, Jesus. You sound like you’re attacking us too.” And so, Jesus turns to them and says, “Woe to you lawyers also!” And he pronounces judgment on them as well for rejecting the heart of God.

Jesus didn’t speak like that all the time, nor to everybody, but it was an expression of the holiness of God.

In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel saw the holiness of God early on. The people were delivered out of Egypt, and they came to Mount Sinai, from where God would give them His law. You might be familiar with the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, but we tend to forget what came along with that.

Exodus 19 says that the people were commanded to consecrate themselves. The entire mountain was covered in dark smoke. And God’s voice came with lightning and thunder and an earthquake and the sound of a blasting trumpet.

Once God gave the ten commandments, the people were terrified, and they said to Moses, “We don’t want to hear from God anymore. You talk to God, Moses, and then you tell us what He said.” It was a terrifying thing that day to hear the word of the Lord.

Well, years before God spoke to Israel on Mount Sinai and demonstrated His holiness, He spoke to a man named Job whose story we have been following for a couple months.

Job lost all that he had, and he spent months arguing with his friends about why this had happened. We know, from the beginning of the story, that God was doing something to prove Satan wrong and to demonstrate the sincerity of Job’s faith, but Job doesn’t know that.

Job’s friends kept accusing him of a hidden sin that he needed to confess and repent of, but Job maintained his innocence. In fact, he kept saying he wished he could speak to God himself.

And now, Job finally gets what he’s been asking for. Look with me at Job 38, verse 1. It says—Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind.

This is what Job had been asking for, right? “Let’s bring God into this conversation. He’ll clear things up. He’ll show you that I’m innocent.”

Well, God is now going to speak, but He’s not talking to Job’s friends. He’s talking to Job. And in this case, a visit from God is not going to be a pleasant experience.

The word “whirlwind” typically refers to a severe storm, and it seems we should take it literally. Dark clouds and wind gathered. It would have been an ominous sight.

Metaphorically, Job has been through storms in his life, but this is going to be something completely new and unexpected. Job was humbled through all that he lost, but now, there is coming is a new level of humbling. He had been humbled by his circumstances, but now he will be humbled by God Himself.

God steps forward, and He starts with a question. Verse 2—Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

This is not a question God intends Job to answer out loud. God is making a point, and it matches the dark storm clouds. Darkness represents fear, and it also represents ignorance. It represents not knowing. So, God is saying to Job, “How dare you speak in your ignorance.”

In the ESV, chapters 38 and 39 have got about 40 question marks, but this is not an interrogation. This is a confrontation. This is a challenge. This is a rebuke. All the men have had their chance to speak, and now it’s God’s turn.

And God says to Job, verse 3—Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

“Job, man up and get ready. Do you really think you’re qualified for this discussion? Let’s hear your credentials, Job.”

Verse 4—Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.

God is going to ask similar questions over and over. How does Job measure up compared to God? What kind of credentials does Job have? What has led Job to think he can demand answers from God?

And so, God asks Job, “Were you there when I created the world? Did you help me form and measure and build this planet? Were you there when the angels sang?

You probably don’t usually think about God as being sarcastic, but there are harsh words for Job. In verse 5, God says—Who determined [the earth’s] measurements—surely you know!

In verses 8-11, God asks, “Are you in charge of the ocean? Are you the one who carved out the shoreline?

Verses 12—Are you in charge of the sun? Is that within your control?

Verse 16—Have you seen the bottom of the ocean? Tell me, Job. Do you know what’s down there? Verse 18—Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this. “I’m listening, Job. Tell me what you know.”

Verse 19—Are you in charge of light and darkness? Can you tell me how this all got here?

Verse 21—You know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!

God’s not making fun of how old Job is. He’s pointing out that no matter how old he is on the earth, he is nothing compared to God.

Verse 22—Can you go up into the clouds where there is snow and hail? You took care of your animals and your farmland, but what about the rest of the world? Do you water the deserts where no one live? Are you in charge of the rain? Do you change the seasons?

Beginning in verse 31, God goes outside the earth to the constellations. Mankind has given them names like animals. So, God asks: Are you in charge of them? Do you herd them like sheep and goats? Do you control the galaxies?

Verse 34—Can you call down rain and lightning on the earth?

God knows the answers to the questions, and so do we. Job had nothing to do with creating the world, and he does nothing to do with sustaining it.

Similar to other sermons in Job, I’m moving fast and just summarizing the points, but I encourage you to read it on your own. Let yourself feel the weightiness of God’s message to Job.

Now, after discussing weather and astronomy, God turns to the animal kingdom. He highlights certain animals and emphasizes that Job has nothing to do them as well. And the barrage of questions continues.

In verse 39, God talks about the powerful lions and the scavenging ravens. Do you provide for them, Job.

Chapter 39, verse 1—Do you see the elusive mountain goats? Do you know all about them?

Verse 5—Are you in charge of the wild donkeys? Have you tamed him?

Verse 9—What about the wild ox? Are you in control of him too? Are you his master?

Verse 13—What about the ostrich, in its apparent stupidity and its speed? It’s faster than a horse! Did you make that?

Verse 19—Are you the one, Job, who gave horses their power and their speed and their bravery?

Verse 26—Did you teach the hawk to soar? Did you show him how to make a nest in the cliffs? Did you give him his keen sight and teach it to care for its young?

And then, God’s speech ends in chapter 40, verses 1 and 2—And the Lord said to Job: “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

In other words, “Job, you’re out here questioning the way I do things. So, why don’t you fill me in on your knowledge Job? You teach me, Job, because it seems you have so much experience.”

And what does Job say? God talked for 80 verses. Job’s answer at this point is just two verses. Job 40, verses 4 and 5. This is Job’s answer—Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.

Job is absolutely silenced. He had a comeback every time one of his three friends talked, but now, he’s got nothing to say. Why not? He is coming to realize his own insignificance. Job realizes he is nothing before God.

And you would think that God would let him go with that, but He doesn’t. God goes into a second speech. One more time, God speaks out of the whirlwind.

Look at chapter 40, verses 7-9—Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?

Again, in the interest of time, I’m not going to go into detail, but continues to shame and humiliate Job. How dare Job put God in the same category as Himself.

In verse 15, God talks about a powerful sea creature named Behemoth, a creature made by God just like Job, and which eats plants. The best understanding is that this is some ancient animal that is now extinct. And since I take Genesis at face value, I have no problem believing that that was likely some kind of herbivore dinosaur. God simply asks Job, “Can you capture this animal?”

In chapter 41, God talks about another animal named Leviathan, which is a powerful sea creature. Even if we understand some of the language as being poetic, the idea is that this animal is impenetrable. He cannot be caught. He cannot be tamed. He is avoided by everyone because he is so powerful.

His teeth are terrible. His skin is like armor. There is creature like him in mystery and in power. Mankind is terrified. You can read it for yourself. It sounds a lot like Godzilla.

And the point is the same. It’s a simple point. There is so much in this world that Job knows nothing about and has zero control over. But God knows everything, and He rules over all.

So, what’s the proper response? To be humble, and to be silent. Be humble and be silent. Recognize your own insignificance. Recognize how small you are in this world, and worship God.

Job was certain he could come before God on his own terms. Job was certain he could demand answers from God. Job was certain God owed him something.

He was absolutely wrong. And we need to understand the same thing. No matter how pleasant or how difficult life is, we cannot bring God down to our level. We need to be humble, and we need to be silent. We don’t go to God telling Him what to do. We don’t go to God, demanding that he do what we want.

We need to come before Him recognizing how insignificant and unworthy we are. Think about that the next time you watch a documentary about nature, or the weather, or animals, or astronomy or the human body. God made all of it. He’s in charge of all of it. He doesn’t need our advice. He doesn’t need out input.

So, if we have this understanding if we recognize our own insignificance and unworthiness before God, does that mean we should just leave God alone?

No. Let me wrap up by looking at Hebrews chapter 4, verse 16, near the back of your Bible. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 16. You can turn to it, or just listen. It says this—Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

How do you go from Job, saying, “Okay, God. I’ll be quiet,” to God commanding us to come before Him? How does that happen? It doesn’t happen by itself.

It happens because God has provided what Job was asking for earlier. God has provided a Mediator. God has provided a way for us to be reconciled to Him. God has provided a way for you to be accepted. And Hebrews 4:14-15 tells us who it is. It is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For those of us who have trusted in Him, He is our great high priest.

Jesus created this world. Jesus sustains this world. He is eternal, uncreated God. And yet, He is also God in human flesh. He is God and man, sent to unite God with man.

The only way any of us can stand before God—the only way we can come before Him with confidence—is through faith in who Jesus is and in what He’s done by dying for sin and rising from the dead.

So, yes, we are silent and humble before the Lord. We can’t make any demands. We can’t have any expectations. But in Christ we are cleansed and redeemed, and God accepts us as His child.

In Christ, through our faith in Him, we have perfect access to God. This is what is symbolized when we, the people of God, partake of the Lord’s supper.

His body was broken. His blood was shed, so that undeserving sinners could be eternally reconciled to the Father and have perfect access to Him forever.