The Story Ends (Job 40 - 42)

God Continues His Questions

God asks Job, "let him who accuses God answered him?"

How in the world do you answer God? At this point, I do not envy Job. But I do think that Job came up with the best answer. He says he is unworthy and asks God, "how can I answer you?" He tells God that he's going to put his hand over his mouth. I'm sure most of us would have tried to defend ourselves. But Job knew when to stop. He was not only righteous but smart.

Then God continues his one-way conversation with Job. God asks him questions like, do you discredit my justice, or do you have an arm like God's arm and one more, can your voice thunder like God's voice? Can you adorn yourself with glory, splendor, honor, and majesty? There are other questions that God asks him but Job can't do any of these things. God then says to him if you can do this then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.

To hear God rattle off this list makes me realize how inadequate humans are. To me, it is an amazing thing to hear people call themselves God. Perhaps people don't understand the greatness of God and it seems that the REAL God is so removed from today's society. Some people believe that he is unknowable and doesn't interfere with life today. But we do know that in him we live, move, and have our being. In other words words, it is him that sustains us. Without him, we would not exist. We breathe because he is involved in things on this earth. And that's just one example.

Super Animals

Then God introduces two super animals. One is called the Behemoth. God says that he made it along with making Job. This animal feeds on grass, it is strong and powerful in the muscles of it's belly, it has a tail like cedar, bones like bronze, and limbs like iron. However this animal is very much a part of nature. Wild animals play near him, it can lie hidden among the in the marsh, and lotuses can hide it in their shadow. During that day it was difficult for anyone to catch it or pierce it's nose.

The second animal is the leviathan. This one seems to live in or near the water. God asks Job about putting a fish hook in it; apparently this one is more like a dragon. It doesn't seem like you can pierce it with a spear or a harpoon. It will give the hunter a great struggle that will never be forgotten. God says there is no one fierce enough to rouse it. God says, who can pierce   it's double coat of armor, who could open its mouth, and who can tackle it? It has fearsome teeth, it's back has rows of shields tightly together, it's snorts, and it's eyes are like the break of dawn. Flames shoot from its mouth and smoke comes from its nostrils. It's breath sets coals ablaze. Iron is like straw to him, it laughs at the lance, and it seems to be an all around beast that no one wants to meet in a dark alley. God says there is nothing out there that is its equal.

Neither of these animals are with us today. God gives a good description of them so we can easily imagine what they looked like. Of course we do not know when in history these animals became extinct.

The Purpose

The purpose of God describing these animals to Job demonstrates to me that he wants us to know and understand his creativity. I believe that he tells these things to Job so that Job could understand the greatness of God. He created these enormous animals and they showcase God's creativity. They show that God can do hard things.

Then Job responds to God. He says God, I know you can do all things and no plan of yours falls by the wayside. Surely, Job says, I spoke of things that I do not understand. These things are too wonderful for me to know. 

Job reminds God that he questioned him and was supposed to answer him but Job says, my ears heard and my eyes have seen. But, I despise myself and I repent in dust and Shane. I guess it is really bodacious for the Clay to challenge the potter about what he is doing. By God sharing these things with Job, Job  gets a better idea of who God is and what God would like from us as his children.

Then God says I am angry with your friends because they did not speak the truth about me like Job did. So they have to bring seven bulls and sacrifice them on the altar. Then God wanted Job to pray for his friends. He did and they were forgiven. Everything that was taken from Job was given back in double portion. He had 10 more children, seven boys and three girls. The Bible mentions that they were pretty ladies and Job gave them share of his inheritance. He lived to a ripe-old age and died 140 years later. And that's the end of this book and the story.

I wish I could say more about the purpose but for now my understanding is limited. Perhaps if I investigate further, I could gather more from this old book of the Bible. 

My thoughts

Job is a very interesting book that teaches us about the characteristics that God would like each of us to have.  It is about suffering and pain and the unfairness of it all. It is about how God is represented in the mind of man. It is about how God straightens it out. It also becomes a place where we can study and get a better idea of who God is and who God is not. And he can help us on our journey in spite of pitfalls and all sorts of ditches along the way. 

Although I do not understand everything thoroughly in this book, it holds  a Golden cord that will keep us connected to who God really is and is not; it holds a promise that God listens and recognizes who is right and who isn't. I also think that it says that life is unfair. 

By studying this book, I am concluding that it is not so much about pain and suffering; although suffering part seems to carry the message. I'm sure there is so much more for me to learn in this book. I must seek to understand more.

That's it for today.