The Lord Answered Job

The Lord Answered Job

(Job 38 v 1)

When things go wrong in the world, our lives, and the lives of people we love, we often want to know why. It often doesn't seem fair to us. The fact that God rules over all means we think God has made a mistake. God is a loving and wise so that's never the case.

Sometimes foolishly we think we know why God has done or allowed what happens in the world or our lives. However, what we think often is so wrong. Job's friends thought they knew why Job was suffering terribly. In the opening chapter of Job we see he lost his servants, oxen, asses, sheep and camels. We also read that he was bereaved of his 7 sons and 3 daughters all at once. Then in chapter two we read of Job losing his health. The explanation of Job's friends for all of this was Job must have terribly sinned against God, who was now punishing him. They were so wrong for God tells us that Job was the most holy person alive at that time.

In chapter 38 God answers Job but not by telling Job why all of this has happened to him, but by revealing His greatness and Job's ignorance. God asks where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth in v 4? Have you ever commanded the morning in v 12? Have you entered the springs of the sea in v 16? Can you perceive the breadth of the earth in v 18? Can you control the planets and the stars in v 31-33? Do you control the weather in v 34-38? Can you provide for lions and ravens in v 39-41?

God is showing Job and us His greatness and our ignorance. God is making clear to Job and us that He knows what He is doing and though we don't know why, we can trust Him.