Photo by Alexander Andrews on Unsplash
By Mike Chaffin
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” Job 38:4
Ever heard the term, “taking someone down a notch”? This is what God is doing to Job, who had gotten a little too bold for his own good. In an effort to defend himself before his unhelpful friends, Job went too far in his claims to have a right to stand before God and argue for an answer for his decimation.
Job is a study in how we can tumble down the rabbit hole in our impatience for an answer to adversity. Early in the book Job had told his wife,
But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10
As time went on and Job illness drug on, friends came to visit. They began to hint, then accuse Job of sin so bad that God had cursed him. Even after this first salvo of accusations Job was still standing in faith, but cracks can be seen. It seems he is so cocksure of his innocence that pride has crept into his defense. His pride, and indignation, is starting to show when he tells his friends,
Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. Job 13:15
This is a turning point in Job’s plight. In chapter 1 God admitted that Job was the most righteous man on earth. Job thought so too and in thinking that began to think he had the right to stand up to God. What a silly idea.
But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6
For the next twenty-five chapters Job and his friends go back and forth with their ideas of sin, judgement, and the ways of God, until God decides He has heard enough of their foolishness. He breaks into their conversation and gives Job a lecture for the next four chapters, starting with our key verse.
“Would you indeed annul My judgment? Would you condemn Me that you may be justified? 9Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?
10Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty.
1 Disperse the rage of your wrath; Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. 12Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; Tread down the wicked in their place.
13Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in hidden darkness.
14Then I will also confess to you that your own right hand can save you. Job 40:8-14
God chastises Job for his pride. He, and we all, cannot be righteous enough, do enough virtuous deeds, or be good enough so that we can save ourselves, or even defend our life before God. Paul in Acts stated that at the judgement seat, when we stand before God, our mouths will be shut, unable to utter a word.
However, Job finally realized the error in his thinking and has the right response.
Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2“I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
3You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ 5“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
6Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6
God forgave Job, healed him, and soon he had more family and flocks. Job lets go of his pride, and bitterness, for being tested and repented.
This question points out the massive difference between our Creator God and us, His creation. We can’t understand all that God can do. However, we should always have faith to trust Him, even in the face of fierce trials that seem to have no end.
Contemplation: Am I holding something against God that I shouldn’t? Is pride a barrier in my life keeping me from asking for forgiveness? Is there a seed of bitterness growing inside me due to a time of testing, trial, or unanswered prayer?
