Category: Job

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Read Peter’s advice in 1 Peter 5:6. This is just what Job does. He finds no answers, but he does find the Lord again! Job is told to pray for his three friends. They are to repent of their wrong assessment of God and of Job. Elihu is not even mentioned! This is no oversight, but a very pointed lesson.

SJA Notes

“… For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

We come to the end of the book of Job, this most wonderful of windows into the heavenly realities, coupled with a clear example of humanity wrestling with why bad things happen.

God tells the friends that Job has spoken of Him what is right.

Job had given to god the glory. Job had hallowed the name of God.

So where does that leave us then, why did God speak the way he did to Job out of the whirlwind?

Because Job also tried to argue with his own wisdom. He darkened counsel by words without knowledge.

We all do this! How many times are we confronted with a rock-solid reality in this life and instead of turning to God and His word we pursue our own reasoning.

Job is such a great encouragement-book, as well as a reality-check. It points us to the awesome majesty of God, His absolute sovereignty, His working out His purposes of love for His people.

And in this, it shows us who we are, and why we need God.

We cannot save ourselves – Only God can!

* God Above,

Thank You that as Father You save us by Your grace.

Thank You that as Son You save us by Your righteousness, death, blood and life.

Thank You that as Spirit You save us by Your illumination, Your renovation and Your preservation.

Thank You for saving us!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The Lord humbles Job using two examples of huge animals – both land and sea. Behemoth and Leviathan sound like dinosaurs on a straight reading. No hippo or crocodile matches this description. Nature humbles us when we experience its force and might.

SJA Notes

“Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.”

God speaks again, and the beginning of chapter forty is almost a mirror chapter thirty-eight. There is a cycle here, a repetition.

God calls on our questioning and commands us to dress for action. Then speaks from the whirlwind.

If the first portion of God’s answer shows us the reality of who He is and who we are – How much deeper and further does this second portion!

We see the folly of man putting ourselves in the place of God,

“Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?”

And more. God has put within creation itself great lessons of humility.

Look at these two creatures, created by God, Behemoth and Leviathan.

They laugh at man.

So let us get our perspective right!

And Job’s first response are words to take into our hearts.

“Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?”

May the Lord teach us all this humility, this right perspective. Of what our place is in creation.

And of our God, our Lord and King.

* Almighty God,

You are the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-everywhere God – We praise You!

Please help us see You today.

Help us wrestle with our own pride, and come to a right and true understanding of our place in this world.

Please help us continue to find our identity in You, in what You have done for us, in what You have given and promised to us.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Job 38:2 refers to all five men! But Job knows that it refers to him. The Lord is dealing with him face to face! God does not answer Job question as to why this has happened. What God does is reveal His glory, wonder and goodness to Job through the natural creation.

SJA Notes

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.”

Here we are. We have read through thirty-five chapters of debate, and here God enters the fray!

But God doesn’t really enter into the debate.

The answer that He provides is so alien to the man-is-god understanding that we find ourselves often skipping past what He says here.

“Where were you …?”

There are deep and lasting truths that God speaks to us here.

One. Who God is.

Two. Who we are.

God has shut in the sea with doors. We have not.

God has commanded the morning since the days began. We have not.

God has determined the measurements of the earth, laid its foundation, sunk it bases and laid its cornerstone. We have not!

These are truths that should drive us to Jesus. They should strengthen our trust in our God, as well as striking deep at our pride and arrogance, our selfish desires.

Remember chapter one of Job. The heavenly council, the realities that sit apart from our perception.

This is a God who rules both heaven and earth! He was there when the morning stars sang together, and He is our God, working for us!

Really, here, these chapters are a trove of humbling knowledge and insight into who God is and who we are.

* Creator God,

Please show us today from Your word what You want for us to know.

Please teach us more of You each day. And please show us more of our desperate and utter need to know You as Lord and Saviour.

Amen.