Will the
faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it. Then Job answered the LORD and said, Behold,
I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. Job 40:2-4
Poor Job. He has gone
through so much and really reacted much better than a lot of us would. But he put his foot in his mouth when he
questioned God’s faithfulness and abilities.
We can all feel for Job. If you
are breathing, you have been in pain. We
haven’t all lost a child, or all of our children but we have all experienced
deep pain, physical and emotional pain. If we haven’t said it, we have all felt like
saying, "God, you must not care,
because if you really loved me like the Bible says you do, you would never have
allowed this to happen." That's Job's first accusation.
God’s reply to Job by raising all
of these questions is this: "I am a
God of infinite care and love and concern for my creation. If I am concerned
when the goats give birth, if I am concerned that the sun rise every morning,
isn't it reasonable, Job, that what you are accusing me of is a lie?” God also addresses Job’s second accusation
that He cannot control the universe that He created, or that He doesn’t have the
ability to protect Job. Finally, God
finishes and says, “Job, what do you say
to all of this? Answer these questions.” Job realized that there was no way He could
reply to God almighty. He said, “there is no reply so I am just going to
cover my mouth with my hand now.”
Smart man.
God really put Job in his place
and reminded him of what he couldn’t remind himself of. When we are shaken by our circumstances we
forget who God is. We can’t see the end
of the tunnel so we assume that He can’t either. But He can.
He already knows the outcome and even when we are spinning out of
control, and everything around us is spinning out of control, He is not. He is in control and capable, and He loves us
and has not abandoned us.
Even when Job realized he had made
a mistake in questioning almighty God, God still did not provide answers. He just flooded Job with the knowledge of His
presence, His sovereignty, and His control of all creation. Is there any comfort when there are no answers? Most of life is spent in that sphere. There is comfort, and that comfort comes from
a reliance on the revealed character of God.
God has revealed himself to us, but he has not revealed himself
completely. God has called us to a confident faith that is real faith. Not only does he love us, but He is also
above us and controls all of life's circumstances. No explanations, no justification, only
revelation. Job was not comforted by
answers, because there were none. What
comforted Job in tragedy, and what can comfort us, is the character of
God. He is steadfast and merciful,
omnipotent and He loves us more than we can ever know.
Scripture to Claim
I am the Lord , and there is no other; Besides
Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may
know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me.
I am the Lord , and there is no other, The One forming light and creating
darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all
these. Isaiah 45:5-7 NASB
