Ep. #06 “JOB: PART FOUR” [Series: GENESIS & JOB]

Job 38 opens a rather one-sided discussion between God and Job. It appears that Job’s friends are not included in the discussion. Job has been wanting to talk with God, and this is his chance. However, once God starts speaking, Job realizes he wasn’t prepared to get what he wanted. God does not justify or explain his actions to Job. God does not inform Job of Satan’s role in his misfortunes. God just gives Job the opportunity to see the difference between God’s majesty and Job’s insignificance, and he does that by asking Job some “simple” questions. Where was Job when God laid the foundations of the earth? Who determined its dimensions? Where are its footings set? Who laid its cornerstone? God goes on and on, asking questions about nature, weather, light, the stars, and a host of other things. It is not long before Job realizes he is incapable of understanding anything of importance, much less of advising or correcting God. Job 38-41 include some of the most valuable information about God in the Bible. Few things can humble you more than taking these chapters to heart. Job 42:1-6 describe Job’s final conclusion: he is incapable of speaking of things that are far beyond his understanding or dealing with an all-powerful God. God then turns to Job’s friends and castigates them for speaking falsely about God. He forgives them when they offer sacrifices and has Job pray on their behalf. The conclusion of the book of Job has caused a lot of differing reactions through the centuries. After Job prays for his friends, the Lord blesses the rest of Job’s life even more than the first part! For the last 140 years of his life, he enjoyed great riches, more children and grandchildren, and (probably) his wife. Why did God bless Job so much? Because he was faithful through his trials? Because he was humble at the end? To rub it in the nose of Satan? We are not told why. In that respect, we are like Job. We see that God gives and God takes away, but we do not have enough information to know why he does. And, like Job, we are incapable of understanding the nature of God sufficiently to predict why he does what he does.