Musings From Job

Fifth discourse and Job’s response (chapters 18 – 19) 

    

This is Bildad’s second time at bat.  In this entire discourse, the overriding theme is that God punishes the wicked.  Of course, the insinuation is that since Job is being punished, then he must be wicked and hiding his sins.  Again, that which is indelibly imprinted upon the minds of men in these early generations after the flood, is the fact that God judged a wicked world by a watery judgment.  No doubt, stories about the horrors of the flood were passed down from generation to generation. One of the earliest works of literature is called the Epic of Gilgamesh.  It was written upon clay tablets and found in the region of Mesopotamia, that region where the first civilization after the flood was built.  Part of this epic recounts the story of the universal deluge.  The “Noah” of the Babylonian flood tradition was called Utnapishtim.  Naturally, the names would not be the same since this was after the confusion of languages at the tower of Babel.  In this story, Utnapishtim tells of the horrors which he witnessed. “When the storm came to an end and the terrible water spouts ceased, I opened the window and the light smote upon my face;  I looked at the sea, tentatively observing, and the whole humanity had returned to mud.  Like seaweed the corpses floated.  I was seized with sadness;  I sat down and wept, and my tears fell upon my face.” I believe this was an actual and true story told by Noah to his descendants for several generations.  Noah’s father had sons and daughters.  This means that all of Noah’s brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, uncles, and aunts all perished in the flood.  When Noah looked at all those corpses, he was saddened with the knowledge that some of those bodies floating on the water were many of his own loved ones.  The population of the world at that time could have been millions, possibly billions.  Yes, that memory of the judgment of an evil world was haunting to those early generations after the flood.  This is why that thought about God punishing the wicked keeps coming up throughout the book of Job. To those skeptics that believe in evolution which cynically ask why  we cannot find human remains in sedimentary layers along with dinosaurs or other extinct animals, the answer is simple.  Humans are the most intelligent and would have moved to higher ground, and also would have found something that floated to cling to.  They would have been the last to succumb to the water’s devastation. Their floating corpses would eventually have been consumed by the various creatures found in the oceans. Job responds by saying “these ten times” you, my supposed friends, have reproached me. The number “ten” in the Bible denotes completeness or fullness.  They did not merely reprove him of his alleged hidden sin, but they attacked his very character. Job pleads with them to have pity on his plight instead of heaping condemnations upon him.  His family, his close friends, and even his servants have all abandoned Job, and try to avoid him as much as possible.

     

“My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children’s sake of mine own body.”  (19:17)

    

 The Hebrew word for “breath” is ruach and can be translated breath or wind or spirit.  Here Job uses it to refer to his spirit, his innermost soul.  His very existence has become wearisome and 

loathsome to his wife.  She is tired of his complaining about his condition.  She just wants him to “curse God and die.”  Job pleads with her to at least commiserate with him the loss of their 

children.  She wants nothing to do with him.  Job has been physically and socially abandoned and isolated from all those whom he loved.

     

“Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book!”  (19:23)

    

 Little did Job realize that one day his words would be recorded for all posterity to read.  Millions have received comfort, knowledge, and wisdom from what Job had to endure.  God allowed the 

curtain to be pulled back enough for us to see the spiritual workings behind the scenes of Job’s trials.

   

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”  (19:25, 26)

    

Here, we see a truth that I believe was passed from Adam to Noah to Job.  It was a truth and a hope that mankind had held to since those days in the Garden when God confronted Adam and Eve with their sin.  The truth I am referring to was that promise of a coming redeemer as recorded in Genesis 3:15.  Not only did Job proclaim his confidence in a redeemer that would come in the “latter day” (Jesus), he also believed that he would be given a new body in the resurrection.  Unknown to Job at this time, was the fact that after his trial was over, he would “see” God. It is hard, actually extremely difficult, for us to see God when we are going through a valley and experiencing trials in our lives.  But, that is why the book of Job is so important and valuable. We need to remember that “this too shall pass.”  God will bring us through.

    

Sixth discourse and Job’s response (chapters 20 – 21)

    

Zophar closes out the second round of discussions of Job’s friends.  He is still convinced that Job must be hiding some sins from them.  Zophar tells Job that a hypocrite will eventually be found out, and that his facade of righteousness will soon be removed.  He does not outrightly accuse Job of certain deeds, but it is insinuated.  In a round about way, he hints that Job is suffering because he has “oppressed and forsaken the poor.”  He even proposes that Job took someone’s home from them by force.  Maybe Zophar is suggesting that perhaps this is how Job accumulated his wealth. He then relates to Job a story that had been passed down for generations. 

     

“When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath. This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.”  (20:23, 28-29)

    

 This story by Zophar paints a picture of the events at the onset of that great Deluge.  The Bible records that on the same day that all the animals had been loaded, and Noah and his family entered the ark, it began to rain. There is a passage in Matthew spoken by Jesus that is very reminiscent of the words here in Job.  Jesus spoke of that day of wrath when God judged the world with a flood.

     

“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day

    that Noe entered the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”  (Matthew 24:37-39)

    

In his response, Job tells his friends to listen carefully to what he is about to say.  He confesses that his complaint is not with them, but with God.  He states that when he even thinks about it, he is gripped with fear.  As a man, should he dare question what God is doing or allowing to be done to him?  After all, in his heart, Job believes he is innocent of wrongdoing.  As he contemplates the lives of the wicked before the flood to his own suffering, Job feels that there is an inconsistency in God’s judgment.   He sarcastically tells his friends that after he has said what is on his heart, then they could continue to mock and ridicule him.

     

“Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, mighty in power? They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 

    What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?”  (21:7, 13-15)

    

Remember, that before the flood, the Bible said that they lived to ancient ages and became “mighty men...men of renown.”  In living such long ages, they had accumulated much wealth.  They even mocked God and told him that they had no need for him.  I have encountered many atheists and agnostics who reject God, especially in today’s social media.  They flippantly mock God as those in Job’s day. But, one day, they will all stand before the Judge of the earth and give an account of their life’s deeds. These ancient ones had the joy of seeing their children and many generations of their descendants.  Job, knowing that these were wicked men, could not reconcile their blessings of life with what he, a righteous man, was having to endure.  The wicked, Job reasoned, did not see judgment until the very end.  Whereas, he is having to suffer in the present time, while he is still relatively young. Where is the justice in that?  Job realizes that he is treading on dangerous ground in questioning God’s justice.  That’s what made him so fearful. Have we not wondered, just as Job, why aren’t the wicked punished?  It appears that their life is full, even as they continue in their evil ways with impunity.  He explains that even someone walking down the road, when asked about the fate of the wicked, knows that they will ultimately be punished.  But, Job challenges his friends with this question:  who will bring them to justice now? Although Job’s questions to his friends might seem to them interesting in an abstract way, they were life and death questions to Job.

 

Seventh discourse and Job’s response (chapters 22 – 24) 

    

In chapter 22, the last comments made by Eliphaz are recorded.  Remember, when Eliphaz first began to speak, he praised Job for his piety and all his humanitarian deeds.  But now, he doesn’t restrain himself in his accusations against Job.  As he sits there and looks at Job in his pitiful condition, Eliphaz convinces himself that Job must have sinned.  Again, this mindset is based on the narrative and tradition that has been passed down in the previous few generations, that is, that God punishes the wicked.  He tells Job, “Is not thy wickedness great?  And thine iniquities infinite?”  Here are Eliphaz’s accusations made against Job:

     

        You have taken a pledge from your brother for no reason.

        You have taken clothes from those who barely had anything.

        You have even refused to give water and food from those that were hungry and thirsty.

        You have denied help even to the widows who came and asked for assistance.  Those children, who no longer had a father, you have taken advantage of. 

    

Eliphaz uses Job’s own words against him.  He asks Job, surely you remember the life and path that the wicked have taken.  Eliphaz told Job that these evil persons were judged and punished before they could even finish their allotted life spans.  They were all destroyed by the flood.  These were the very ones you spoke about earlier that said to God, “Depart from us.”  He told Job that even though God had initially given them much wealth, it would all be taken away from them because of their wickedness.  Eliphaz is making the analogy that the exact same thing has happened to Job.  He ends his speech to Job by again encouraging him to confess his sins and ask God for mercy. Job responds to Eliphaz by declaring that if only he could find God, then he would be able to defend his integrity and righteousness.  Job says that he is confident that God would agree that he is innocent of all these accusations.  He says that when all this is over, he would come out untarnished and pure, just like gold.  Job steadfastly proclaims: “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” How did Job know what God’s commandments were?  Where did Job ever hear the words that came from God’s mouth?  Earlier, I made reference to the clay tablets found in the ancient city of Ur. Yes, writing was accessible, but there was no Bible to guide him.  We know from the first chapter that Job was knowledgeable about the need for sacrifices.  Obviously, the knowledge about God and what he desired from mankind came from the teachings of Noah that he passed on to later generations.  Also, from the context, we can ascertain what God desired, and what he wanted mankind to practice. God placed much emphasis upon the fact that mankind should help the helpless.  Who were these that were less fortunate than others?  The text tells us:  the fatherless or orphans, the widows, the poor, the ones that society had seemingly forgotten.  We know from scripture that God never changes.  His character, his essence, his values always remain constant.  In the Ten Commandments, the first four addressed man’s duty to God, but the last six focused on mankind’s duty to each other.  Remember, when someone asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was?  His answer affirmed what God had established even from the dawn of mankind:  (1) Love God, and (2) love your fellow man.  Yes, it’s that simple. Job continued to answer Eliphaz.  In answering him, Job admits that he does not understand the “why” of what was happening to him.

    

    

“For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him. Therefore am I troubled at his presence:  when I consider, I am afraid of him. 

    For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me: Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.”  (23;14-17)

    

Job has accepted the fact that God will do that thing that he has decreed for Job.  Job knows that it is not just an accident or happenstance.  The Hebrew word for appointed literally means to “cut in stone.”  That is why he said that he trembled at the presence of God.  He further confesses that he is afraid of God.  This word has the meaning of “to be startled” or “stand in awe.” Most likely, Job experienced both emotions as he contemplates God’s majesty and purity.  He is made to be faint at heart as he stands before God. In his heart, Job felt that he had done all that he possibly could do in his service to God.  He knew what God had commanded.  Job was faithful in his love and devotion to his Maker.  This fact was a consternation to Job.  When he thought of his Godly grandfather, Methuselah, he knew that he did not have to go through the judgment of the flood.  Jewish tradition said that Methuselah died the week of the flood.  Methuselah’s name meant “when he dies, judgment.”   Yet, here he was having to go through this darkness of suffering.  Job wonders why. In chapter 24, Job goes through a whole litany of sins which the antediluvians were guilty. Essentially, many of these were the same as what Eliphaz accused Job of committing.  Job reminds his friends that many of these lived a full, prosperous life and went to their graves without having to face the judgment of God (they died before the flood).  Job challenges them to say that what he just said was not true.

    

 Eighth discourse and Job’s response (chapters 25 – 31)

    

Interestingly, this would be the shortest comment from his friends, yet the longest of Job’s responses.  Here, Bildad the Shuite concludes with what all have already confirmed, that is, God is all-powerful and beyond the comprehension of man.  He says that all men are impure in comparison to God.  Even the moon and stars, the celestial bodies in heaven, are imperfect before their Creator. Therefore, Job, how can you still maintain that you are righteous and just before him?  He asks Job, “How can man be justified with God?”  Bildad is here just repeating what Eliphaz said at the very beginning in his story about the visiting spirit in a night vision. In the first four verses, Job sarcastically replied to his friend.  Who have you helped?  Who have you lifted up from despair? Who have you counseled?  Obviously, he did not help Job.  By the way, Bildad, what “spirit” gave you this wisdom of counsel?  Job mockingly asks Bildad, did a “spirit” come to you too? Job then began to declare the awesomeness of God.

     

“He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end.”  (26:7-10)

    

Long before the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman empires, man had knowledge of the mysteries of the universe.  Yes, ancient man knew that the earth was supported by nothing. Polaris, the North star, is situated near the “empty place.”  The Hebrew word translated “empty” means desolate.  However, it wasn’t until 1981 that the Bootes Void, otherwise known as the Great Void or Super Void, was discovered.  This region in space is a vast emptiness.  It’s diameter has been estimated to be about 250 to 330 million light years.  Since light travels at 186,282 miles per second, a light year is almost 6 trillion miles.  For comparison, our Milky Way galaxy is approximately 100,000 light years in diameter. A little over 4000 years ago, Job made a declaration that was probably common knowledge to those of his day, that is, that the earth was spherical.  Job said that God had encircled the oceans with boundaries.  In fact, Job said that there was a place in which day and night met.  Today, we call that “twilight.”  Because our atmosphere bends sunlight, it produces a “gray line” or “twilight zone.”  This zone covers a distance of about 37 miles.  If it were not for the atmosphere, night and day would hardly have any transition at all.  The line that separates day and night is appropriately called the “terminator.” One of the accusations made against Job was that because he was hiding his sins and feigning to be righteous, he was therefore a hypocrite.  He responds with this statement:

     

“For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?”

    

Jesus repeated almost these very same words:  “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” To God, the worth of a single soul is more than all this world. John 3:16 describes the extent to which God loves us:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.”

    

In chapter 28, we see the ingenuity of man in searching the minerals from the earth.  Ancient men knew where and how to extract the treasures of the earth.  But, the one thing that man could not find was wisdom.  It is God who knows the origin and essence of wisdom.  It is God who can look from his throne in heaven and view the whole earth and all its inhabitants.  It was God who made a weight for the “winds” or atmosphere.  He even weighed the waters from its dimensions. In every school year (I teach chemistry and physical science), I have the students guess the weight of the air that is in my classroom.  My classroom is rather large since it includes a lab area.  They know that they need to find the volume of the room, so they measure that first.  I then give them the weight of 1 cubic foot of air, which is .0807 pounds per cubic foot.  They are always shocked to discover that the air in our room weighs about 900 pounds.  I then show them a 12 inch ruler.  I tell them to imagine a one foot cubed container filled with water.  They then are told to guess the weight of the water in the container.  Again, they are amazed at how much that little bit of water weighs. Job then declares how to achieve wisdom.

     

“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”  (28:28) 

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:  a good understanding have all they that do his commandments:  his praise endureth for ever.”  (Psalms 110:10)          

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God, and keep his commandments:  for this is the whole duty of man.”  (Ecclesiastes 12:13)    

    

In 2002, a Christian pastor wrote a book titled, “The Purpose Driven Life.”  In his book, Rick Warren gave five purposes for mankind.  Solomon, who God endowed with wisdom, made it very simple as to man’s purpose in this life when he penned the words found in Ecclesiastes 12:13.  The Hebrew word for “fear” means to reverence.  In fact, it means to reverence exceedingly. We are not to hold back or diminish in any way our awe and reverence toward God.  Yes, this is true wisdom. In chapter 29, Job reminisces and pines for the days before calamity fell upon him.  No where in the book of Job do we find the length of time that he had to endure his suffering.  However, in verse two, we get a hint that it lasted for at least several months, maybe close to a year. “Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me.” The blessings of God upon Job began even at a young age.  He had a special walk and intimacy with God (verse 4).  Job continued with his reminiscing about his children and the time when life was going so well with him. He said that both young and old gave him honor.  In verses 12-17, he gives the reasons why people admired him.  It was because he had a tender heart toward those who were less fortunate than he:  the poor, the orphans, the widows, the blind and the lame.  He made it his business to render aid and assistance to them.  He was also in a position to render due justice to those who had done evil.  He was always willing to give counsel to those who needed it. In these verses and in others in the book of Job, one can discover what is truly important to God.  Let’s see what they are.

     

    “Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.  Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.”  (4:3,4) 

    “Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me:  and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy… 

    I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor…And I brake the jaws of the wicked…”  (29:12-17)          

    “Did not I weep for him that was in trouble?  Was not my soul grieved for the poor?”  (30:25) 

    

We have mentioned some of this previously, but since we find it several times in this ancient book, it is worth noting again.  What God deems important, we should also.  What was of importance in Job’s time is just as important in our own present age.  Empathy, compassion, generosity, benevolence and love to our fellow man touches the heart of God.  Jesus demonstrated this throughout his earthly ministry. In chapter 30, Job laments that all that has changed now.  Instead of rendering him honor and reverence, Job now receives derision and ridicule, even from the young and those that were of base character.  He said that he wept for those who were in trouble, but none weeps for Job. He tried to get sympathy from those in the assembly, where once he was held in high esteem, but his cry of despair fell on deaf ears.

     

“I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.”

    

This is not a phrase that we use today, however it was in the time of Job, and even centuries after Job.  What did it mean then?  First, I want to consider the word “dragon.”  The Hebrew word for dragon was tanniyn or tanniym which means “elongate.” In other words, it was large.  The word was usually used to denote either land or marine monsters.  In fact, mankind used the word “dragon” up until 1841 when the word “dinosaur” was finally coined to describe these monsters.  As mankind migrated farther and farther out after the tower of Babel, he continually drove these creatures into more desolate places.  I realize that evolutionists today ridicule the idea that mankind and dinosaurs ever coexisted.  However, their presence is recorded in petroglyphs (rock engravings), clay and ceramic artifacts, and written and oral history in cultures all over the world. Both the dragons and the owls were said to live in desolate places and both produced mournful sounds. This is why Job now feels a kindred to both of these creatures.  Let’s look at a few other passages of scripture to see how they fit with this scenario.

     

“Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon…”  (Jeremiah 51:34) 

“Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.”  (Psalms 44:19) 

“Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked:  I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.”  (Micah 1:8) 

“And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.”  (Malachi 1:3)

    

Job ends his defense by saying that if he had committed any of those offenses of which he had been accused, then how would he answer God when he stood before him?  But, Job knows down deep in his heart that he stands guiltless of those accusations. He is so confident of this fact, that he welcomes the time when he stands before his Maker.  He said that it was his heart’s desire that God would answer him.  In just a short time, God would answer Job’s prayerful desire. The author of this ancient story writes this:  “The words of Job are ended.”

    

 Ninth discourse (chapters 32 – 37) 

    

This last speaker is not listed as one of Job’s friends.  He is identified as Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite.  We do not know if Job had ever met this young man before this encounter.  He might have.  Job was well known throughout the region of the East.  It may be that Elihu just wanted to tag along to finally meet Job, this man of renown.  When I think of Elihu, the term ‘millennial” comes to mind.  In today’s society, a millennial has sometimes been designated as a person who is between 22 to 38 years of age. Generally, the millennials are characterized as being more proficient in technology.  Sometimes they come across as being “know-it-alls.”  Obviously, this is a broad brush characterization.  As the reader will quickly see, Elihu definitely fits into this category.  In this one discourse, he speaks longer than any of Job’s three friends had done previously, even though they spoke multiple times.  Elihu said that he had held back so long, that he was about to explode because he had so much to say.  Let’s see if he indeed can add some wisdom and understanding to Job’s plight. One of the last things that Job said was, “my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me.” Elihu told Job that he was about to get his wish.  Elihu boldly and unabashedly stated that he came in place of God to answer Job.  At least he humbled himself a little by telling Job that, he too, was made of clay (Those early generations after the flood all knew the creation story).  Therefore, he would not frighten or use a heavy hand against Job.  What a guy!  He then tells Job that he has listened attentively to Job’s declarations of innocence.  But, Elihu confidently states that Job is indeed guilty and unjust regardless of his claims otherwise.  God is using this tragedy to turn him to repentance.  Elihu tells Job to not speak or interrupt because:  “I shall teach thee wisdom.”  I’m sure Job is sitting on the edge of his chair ready to absorb all that he can from this fount of knowledge.  What Elihu now offers as evidence against Job is without a single iota of proof.  He said that Job made it a habit to associate himself with wicked and evil men.  This was an assumption based on what Job had said. He further stated that Job’s speeches were void of any knowledge or wisdom.  He continued by saying that since Job, in his refusal to heed the counsel of his friends, had committed the sin of rebellion.  Elihu said that because of this final sin, his judgment and desire was that God’s punishment upon Job should continue.  He again slanders Job by claiming that Job made this statement:  “My righteousness is more than God’s.”  Job never said anything close to this.  It was an outright lie. “Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.” This is just another slanderous comment against Job made by Elihu.  I want the reader to take note of these last words of character assassination.  You would think by now that Elihu would be through with his tedious recitals of libels against Job. But he isn’t.  He told Job to “Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf” (youthful arrogance).  He then continued for another two chapters with more baseless accusations.

    

 Tenth discourse and Job’s response (chapters 38 – 42) 

    

God now enters the scene with his own words of wisdom.  The Bible said that God spoke “out of the whirlwind.”  There was no doubt to any that this was indeed God who spoke.  I find it almost humorous that the very first words that God uttered was: “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?”  Here, without ever mentioning his name, God deflates Elihu’s ego down to zero by repeating his own “words without knowledge” comment back to him. Job had been longing to be able to speak to God and to plead his case before him.  Now was his opportunity.  But, before God would allow a response from Job, he had some questions specifically for him to answer first.  Mr. T had the famous catchphrase of “pity the fool” which he first used as the boxer Clubber Lang in Rocky 3.  As a teacher, I certainly pity anyone who would have to take a test which God had prepared.  I believe that Job was probably cringing at the very thought of what was about to happen. God begins with the topic of Creation. Job, were you there when I created the earth?  Do you even know or understand how I did it?  Do you understand the secrets of geology, meteorology, astronomy, genetics or biology?  This was the essence of the first series of questions.  Let’s consider a few of these questions God posed to Job in this little pop quiz.

    

"Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? Today’s scientists had suspected that there were springs below the ocean floor for many years.  They had observed underwater volcanoes spewing forth tons of steam.  But, it wasn’t until the 1970s when they actually gathered direct evidence of their existence.  Obviously, ancient man knew of these springs over 4000 years ago.  The questions about God’s creation were things which Job had seen, or else, had knowledge of.  His knowledge was superficial. There was no depth of understanding.  It reminds me of an old saying, “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

    

Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow...treasures of the hail? Job most probably lived somewhere in what is now Saudi Arabia.  In today’s climate conditions, snow is a rare event in this geographical region.  But, in Job’s time, snow was more of a common event.  This will be discussed in more detail in the next question posed to Job.  Especially interesting was the statement made by God about hail.  He said that hail was kept in reserve or a depository as a weapon of war.  The Bible records at least two times in which God specifically used hail to accomplish an end. The first time was recorded in Exodus 9:22-26.  Here, hail was one of the ten plagues that God used against Egypt to foment the freedom of Israel from Egyptian bondage.  There was a battle recorded in Joshua 10:11, where God more specifically used hail as a weapon of choice.

     

“And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:  they were more which died with hailstones than whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.”

    

Some theologians and scholars scoff at this account in the book of Joshua.  They suggest it may have elements of truth, but it is an obvious exaggeration.  But, just a quick research in wikipedia, which gave 74 cited references, lends much credence to the Joshua account. The largest hailstone ever recorded was found in South Dakota in 2010.  This hail had almost an 8 inch diameter and weighed nearly 2 pounds.  Hail stones can reach velocities of between 70 to 100 mph, if they are baseball size and larger. I will list just five incidences that I found in the wikipedia article.

    

In the 9th century, several hundred people were killed by a hailstorm in India. A freak hailstorm struck France in 1360 which killed an estimated 1000 English soldiers on Black Monday during the Hundred Years War.                                                                                           

In 1490, reliable sources said that China had a hail storm which killed more than 10,000 people.                                                           Another deadly hailstorm happened in India which killed at least 230 people.                                                                In more recent times (1986), there were 92 people killed in Bangladesh.  Some of these hailstones were the size of grapefruits and weighed over 2 pounds.

    

Out of whose womb came the ice?...the face of the deep is frozen. Many biblical creation scientists believe that the ice age began about 100 years after the flood and lasted for about 500 years.  Undoubtedly, Job lived during this period of time. Secular scientists hold to the consensus that there were five ice ages.  When I was going to college in the 60s, I was taught that there were ten ice ages.  The truth is, there is only one viable mechanism that can explain an ice age, and that is the Noachian flood. During this period of earth’s upheaval, volcanic activity was simultaneously happening worldwide.  There are approximately 100,000 seamounts in the world’s oceans.  Seamounts are volcanoes which are below the surface.  This volcanic activity heated up the oceans and produced the moisture for an abundance of snow.  This continued for several hundred years, thus producing the ice age. The “deep” most probably refers to the Mediterranean Sea.  According to this verse, portions if not all of it was at one time frozen. Yes, Job had witnessed all of this, but was unable to explain it.

    

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?  Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?  Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Early mankind knew the constellations and the brightest and most prominent stars. Scientists today say that there are about 50 ancient constellations.  These can be traced back to the Middle Eastern, Roman and Greek cultures.  The ancients used these astronomical constellations  to determine the time of year.  The Bible states that God determined the number of the stars and even named each one (Psalms 147:4).  Contrary to modern cosmology, stars are not in the process of “being born.”  No, their “birth date” were all on the same day, the 4th day of the Creation Week.  It stands to reason that God named them at that time. Also, I suspect that God shared with Adam the name of the stars and constellations that could easily be seen with the naked eye.  These names were passed down from generation to generation. So, Job, were you the one who made the bond between that cluster of stars known as Pleiades?  Can you loosen the belt from Orion the Hunter?  Can you guide Arcturus in the constellation of the Herdsman along with his sons?  Can you bring forth the astronomical zodiac in its proper season? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?

    

For the rest of this chapter and all of chapter 39, God asks Job if he can explain all the behaviors and physical characteristics of the animals.  Obviously, Job is unable to do so. God told Job that all of it was due to the “wisdom” which he put inside of them when they were first created.  What is this wisdom?  Today, scientists call it their genome.  The genome is simply the sum total of an organisms’ genetic make-up which consists of the DNA molecule. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.  This is the hereditary material found in all living organisms.  In humans, we have over 3 billion nucleotides in each haploid cell of our body which contains a nucleus.  The psalmist David alludes to this phenomenon in Psalms 138:14-16.

     

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:  marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.                             

    Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

    

David said that even before the members of his body were formed, they were written in thy book.  It has been estimated that if the DNA molecule were transcribed into a book, it would amount to about 4000 books each with 500 pages.  Since the human body contains over 30 trillion cells, and most of these cells contain DNA, the number of books that could equate to this amount of information would fill the Grand Canyon over 25 times.

    

Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? The agnostics and atheists oftentimes bring up the unicorn as a point of reference to ridicule the Bible.  Of course, in their minds, they envision the mystical single-horned horse that was made popular in European folklore.  When anyone reads the description of the unicorn in this passage, it becomes obvious that God is describing an actual creature known to Job.  It is an animal that is extremely strong and cannot be tamed or domesticated by man.  Today, there is an animal that closely resembles that as mentioned by God. It is the Indian rhinoceros with the scientific name of Rhinoceros unicorns.  As its name implies, it has a single horn which was 5 or 6 feet long.  But, there is an extinct animal which probably gave rise to today’s rhinoceros.  It is known as the Siberian unicorn. It was much larger.  In fact, it was approximately the same size as the wooly mammoth.  Most likely, this was the unicorn mentioned in this passage found in Job.

    

Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? I am aware that many theologians and biblical scholars maintain that the ostrich is meant here instead of peacock.  However, I will use the peacock to make a point which still gives the same meaning as presented in the passage, that is, the awesomeness and omniscience of our Creator God. To the unbiased person, the intricate beauty and design of a male peacock’s tail feathers demand a Designer.  However, to the atheist and agnostic, this is unacceptable.  By the way, in the Hebrew, both wings or tail feathers are correct translations. Charles Darwin published his On the Origin of Species in 1859.  Its full title (which infers racism) is On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.  A scientist by the name of Asa Gray did a review of Darwin’s book. Charles Darwin wrote Gray a letter in 1860 thanking him for the review.  In his letter, he made this confession:

    

“It is curious that I remember well a time when the thought of the eye made me cold all over, but I have got over this stage of the complaint, and now small trifling particulars of structure often make me very uncomfortable.  The sight of a feather in a peacock’s tail, whenever I gaze at it, makes me sick!”

     

What disturbed him was the design that was so evident in the peacock’s tail.  His theory would not allow such a design (or Designer).  Everything must be explained in a naturalistic and secular manner.  In Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection, God did not have a role. In a letter written twenty years after his publication, Darwin reveals a little of his thoughts about God.  He said that he had never been an atheist, but now, especially as he has gotten older, he viewed himself as an agnostic.

    

After this, Job was greatly humbled.  He said, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee?”  When confronted with the Creator of the Universe, mankind is puny and helpless.  That’s exactly how Job felt at that moment.  To Job’s dismay, God is not through with his little pop quiz. He spends two chapters highlighting just two animals:  the behemoth and the leviathan.  What made these two animals so important that so much time would be used to discuss them?  God did not mention the lion (the alleged king of beasts) or the elephant. Let’s consider these two strange beasts.

    

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee. In Genesis 1:25-26, the Bible records that God created the land animals and mankind both on the sixth day of the creation week.  Here, God reaffirms that same truth.  Of course, this is contrary to evolutionary thinking.  The root word for what is translated “behemoth” means to be mute or dumb. In other words, the behemoth is just a huge, clumsy dumb animal.  So, why does God emphasize it as a wonder of his creation?  Most likely, it was due to its size. The herbivorous dinosaurs that once roamed the earth were huge.  It has been estimated that their length from head to tail might have a range of 65 feet to over 100 feet.  Their weight has been estimated to be between 65 tons to over 100 tons.  In comparison, most bull elephants weigh about 7 tons.  The heaviest ever recorded was nearly 12 tons.  Obviously, even this largest specimen pales in comparison to the giant herbivorous dinosaurs or sauropods. Practically all reference Bibles and commentaries identify the hippopotamus as the behemoth.  However, some have referenced it as the elephant or rhinoceros.

      

“Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.  He moveth his tail like a cedar:  the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.  His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.  

    He is the chief of the ways of God:  he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him…”  (Job 40:16-19)

    

If you had comparative photos of the sauropod, the elephant, and the hippopotamus, then you would naturally come to the conclusion that only one could match the description as recorded in this passage of Job.  In verse 19, God states that he, and only he, could dare approach and destroy this animal, not man. Ancient man has been known to kill the elephant, the hippopotamus, and the rhinoceros.  The puny tails of the three well-known animals could barely be compared to the movement of the cedar tree.  However, the sauropod’s tail movement could easily be likened to the swaying of the cedar. In the verses that follow in this chapter, the eating habits and behaviors of the behemoth are pointed out.  The Bible states that he grazes on the hill sides, and rests along the lowlands where there is shade and water.  When the behemoth drinks from the water (the Jordan river is mentioned here), the scripture says that he takes his time.  Two things can be drawn from this:  first, he is not afraid of any other animal that might attack him during this vulnerable time for most animals; second, he requires a lot of water.  If you weigh nearly 100 tons and you are composed of at least 60 % plus of water, then one can only imagine how much would satisfy the thirst of such an animal. Job, do you really want to contend with the Almighty?  In case you have any thoughts of doing so, let me tell you of one more of my creatures that is too awesome for man to even imagine. Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? If you don’t know what a leviathan is, just look at the margin of your Bible, and you will see that it is the crocodile.  At least, this is what the majority of commentaries and Bible scholars maintain. The problem is, a crocodile falls far short of the description as recorded in Job.

    

     

“None is so fierce that dare stir him up:  who then is able to stand before me?”

    

    

God gives Job examples of the two most awesome and fearsome creatures he ever made.  He tells Job, if you can’t stand before my created creatures, how could you ever have thought that you could stand before your Creator?  God then proceeds to give a detailed description of the leviathan.

His teeth are terrible round about.  The word “terrible” means to cause fright.  Well, I could see how the crocodile could fit the bill for that easy enough. His scales are his pride.  Pride could be interpreted as arrogance or majesty.  Again, the scales of a crocodile fits well into that description also. 

By his neesings a light doth shine.  This archaic word from the King James Version is literally translated from the Hebrew word which means “to sneeze” or “sneezings.”  There is some hesitation or doubt as to whether this is a correct translation for neesings, at least on my part.  In 2Kings 4:35, the KJV used the word “sneezed.”  It is a different Hebrew word entirely for this natural body response.  I am inclined to believe that “snort’ might better represent the action of the leviathan.  Whatever the case, when this strange creature did this, it produced a light or illumination.  There goes the crocodile hypothesis.                                         

Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.  Out of his nostrils goeth smoke...His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.  He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.   Alright, that did it, no crocodile.  No, this is indeed the genesis or beginning of the cultural and historical phenomenon of the fire-breathing dragon.  It is not a myth!  Rather, it is the quintessential of God’s creation of all the animals.  God said, “he is a king.”  Cultures all over the world including practically every continent have stories of dragons which breathe out fire.  Skeptics say these are but myths and folklore.  However, when cultures worldwide share a similar story, then that story is based upon a historical fact.  Yes, the stories have been altered and even embellished, but the basic facts remain.    

    

He maketh the deep to boil like a pot:  he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. When the ancients and even the apothecaries made an ointment, they gathered the herbal ingredients and boiled them in a pot.  Just as the water boils in a pot, so does the sea react to the tumultuous movement of the leviathan. The “sea” is the habitation of the leviathan, not some river or inlet where the crocodiles are found. I have one final thought about this mysterious creature called the leviathan.  In the description, it appears that it was some species of marine reptile.  Some of these huge animals are presumed to have whales as part of their diet.  They were the predators of the seas.  What struck me as strange, since they lived in the seas, why did God create them with this fire-breathing capability?  The only feasible reason was that it was a defense mechanism against man.  In evolutionary thinking, man and dinosaurs did not coexist. Evolution is in error.

 Finally, Job responds to God with a confession, “no thought can be withholden from thee.”  This reminded me of the statement as found in Job 2:10.

     

“In all this did not Job sin with his lips.”

    

I think that all of us are guilty at one time or another of spiritual pride.  Have there not been occasions when you did not speak your thoughts, even though you might have felt justified in doing so?  Have you ever been falsely accused, and did not defend yourself from such accusations? Did you pat yourself on the back, so to speak, afterwards for your restraint?  I think that now Job is remembering his thoughts that he had right after all the tragedy struck him on that one fateful day.  Job continues with his confession by saying he spoke those things which he did not understand. He could not see the hand of God that was orchestrating these events nor understand their purpose.

     

    I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear:  but now mine eyes seeth thee.   

    

As repeatedly mentioned in this study, Job lived in a time when the events of the Deluge was still fresh on people’s minds.  Noah and his sons were still living to share their stories.  Yes, Job had heard all about God. The Bible never declares that God visibly revealed himself, but only that he spoke out from a whirlwind.  Yet, Job said that he had seen God with his eyes.  Did he see a form?  Does it really matter? Just suppose that God spoke to you in an audible voice, in fact, he spoke to you in the presence of others, and they also heard that same voice.  Would seeing a theophany of God make it more real or believable to you?  I think not.     

    

 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.  When man is confronted with, and stands in the presence of a holy God, all of their frailties and faults become loathsome before their eyes.  

    

The prophet Isaiah had such an experience.  After he had a vision of the Lord sitting upon his throne, he cried out:  “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.” The LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends. The story of Job is coming to an end.  God now specifically addresses the eldest of Job’s three friends.  He tells him what is required to atone for their sins, a burnt offering. To make it even more clear as to their wrong, God tells Eliphaz that Job must pray for them before he would receive their sin offerings.  God does not mention Elihu, the millennial.  Several commentaries maintain that Elihu spoke the truth, that’s why his name is not mentioned here. However, this is far from being accurate.  I have previously cited the reasons why.

    

So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them:  the LORD also accepted Job.  And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Even as I write these words, I feel the power and force of God’s will for mankind.  First, there must be true repentance in a person’s life before they can approach the throne of God.  Also, I doubt there is not a man or woman alive who does not need to forgive someone who has wounded their heart with hurtful words.  These are powerful spiritual forces: repentance and forgiveness.  Jesus led a completely sinless life, so he never had to repent of anything.  However, he exercised that gift of forgiveness as he hung upon the cross.  In our walk with God, repentance and forgiveness are not options, they are life-giving requirements.  Unforgiveness in a person’s heart is like a cancer.  After Job prayed for his friends, I believe Job’s outward healing of his body was immediate.  This would be a sign to his friends that God indeed heard Job’s prayer.

    

Conclusion and Job’s blessing 

 

Not only did God heal Job from his boils and disease, he gave him twice as much earthly treasures as he had before.  Job’s brothers and sisters and friends came back to him with compassion and empathy.  Also, they brought him money and jewelry.  I suspect God moved upon them and probably showed them how they were guilty of not expressing love and compassion to Job.  With the newly acquired treasures, Job was able to buy twice the amount of livestock as he had before.  God gave him seven more sons and three more daughters to fill that void in his heart, after he had lost his children.  Job’s daughters were the most beautiful women in all the land.  God allowed Job to live another 140 years, even being able to see his descendants to the fourth generation.  This would bring us to the tenth generation after the flood.  Abraham entered history in the tenth generation, thus starting a new saga of God’s dealings with mankind.