JOB 36-42 Observations

CHAPTER 36

Elihu Speaks of God’s Dealings with Men

· Job 36:1 - 33 (NASB) ¹Then Elihu continued and said,

· ² “Wait for me a little, and I will show you That there is yet more to be said in God’s behalf.

o COMMENT: Elihu speaks as if God is not able to speak for Himself…and only Elihu can REALLY speak for Him. What arrogance!

· ³ “I will fetch my knowledge from afar, And I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

o COMMENT: Great Elihu, it’s a good thing you call God righteous…He is…good that you recognize that.

· ⁴ “For truly my words are not false;

o COMMENT: But they surely didn’t reflect an accurate picture of what is going on with Job,…not “false” but also not “accurate” either.

· One who is perfect in knowledge is with you. ⁵ “Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding. ⁶ “He does not keep the wicked alive, But gives justice to the afflicted.

o COMMENT: Actually He prefers to give “mercy” more than “justice”. What He gives often depends on you…and your response to Him.

· ⁷ “He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But with kings on the throne He has seated them forever, and they are exalted. ⁸ “And if they are bound in fetters, And are caught in the cords of affliction, ⁹ Then He declares to them their work And their transgressions, that they have magnified themselves. ¹⁰ “He opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they return from evil. ¹¹ “If they hear and serve Him, They will end their days in prosperity

o COMMENT: This sounds like the “prosperity gospel teachers of today”

· And their years in pleasures. ¹² “But if they do not hear, they shall perish by the sword And they will die without knowledge. ¹³ “But the godless in heart lay up anger; They do not cry for help when He binds them. ¹⁴ “They die in youth, And their life perishes among the cult prostitutes. ¹⁵ “He delivers the afflicted in their affliction, And opens their ear in time of oppression.

o COMMENT: But in Job’s case God was not delivering him…because of a bigger thing God was doing….showing Satan Job’s true and steadfast character.

· ¹⁶ “Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress, Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint; And that which was set on your table was full of fatness. ¹⁷ “But you were full of judgment on the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you. ¹⁸ “Beware that wrath does not entice you to scoffing; And do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside. ¹⁹ “Will your riches keep you from distress, Or all the forces of your strength? ²⁰ “Do not long for the night, When people vanish in their place. ²¹ “Be careful, do not turn to evil, For you have preferred this to affliction. ²² “Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him? ²³ “Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’? ²⁴ “Remember that you should exalt His work, Of which men have sung. ²⁵ “All men have seen it; Man beholds from afar. ²⁶ “Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable. ²⁷ “For He draws up the drops of water, They distill rain from the mist, ²⁸ Which the clouds pour down, They drip upon man abundantly. ²⁹ “Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,

o COMMENT: Here he describes the hydrologic cycle

· The thundering of His pavilion? ³⁰ “Behold, He spreads His lightning about Him, And He covers the depths of the sea. ³¹ “For by these He judges peoples; He gives food in abundance. ³² “He covers His hands with the lightning, And commands it to strike the mark. ³³ “Its noise declares His presence; The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.

CHAPTER 37

Elihu Says God Is Back of the Storm

· Job 37:1 - 24 (NASB) ¹ “At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place. ² “Listen closely to the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth. ³ “Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His lightning to the ends of the earth. ⁴ “After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain the lightnings when His voice is heard. ⁵ “God thunders with His voice wondrously, Doing great things which we cannot comprehend. ⁶ “For to the snow He says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ And to the downpour and the rain, ‘Be strong.’ ⁷ “He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work. ⁸ “Then the beast goes into its lair And remains in its den. ⁹ “Out of the south comes the storm, And out of the north the cold. ¹⁰ “From the breath of God ice is made, And the expanse of the waters is frozen. ¹¹ “Also with moisture He loads the thick cloud; He disperses the cloud of His lightning. ¹² “It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That it may do whatever He commands it On the face of the inhabited earth. ¹³ “Whether for correction, or for His world, Or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen. ¹⁴ “Listen to this, O Job, Stand and consider the wonders of God. ¹⁵ “Do you know how God establishes them, And makes the lightning of His cloud to shine? ¹⁶ “Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds, The wonders of one perfect in knowledge, ¹⁷ You whose garments are hot, When the land is still because of the south wind? ¹⁸ “Can you, with Him, spread out the skies, Strong as a molten mirror? ¹⁹ “Teach us what we shall say to Him; We cannot arrange our case because of darkness. ²⁰ “Shall it be told Him that I would speak? Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up? ²¹ “Now men do not see the light which is bright in the skies; But the wind has passed and cleared them. ²² “Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty. ²³ “The Almighty—we cannot find Him; He is exalted in power And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness. ²⁴ “Therefore men fear Him; He does not regard any who are wise of heart.”

CHAPTER 38

God Speaks Now to Job

· Job 38:1 - 11 (NASB) ¹Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

o COMMENT: Now it’s God’s turn to speak…and the tables are about to turn. God is going to use a series of questions to get his point across.

· Q. ² “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? ³ “Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

· Q. ⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding,

· Q. ⁵ Who set its measurements? Since you know.

· Q. Or who stretched the line on it?

· Q. ⁶ “On what were its bases sunk?

· Q. Or who laid its cornerstone, ⁷ When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

· Q. ⁸ “Or who enclosed the sea with doors When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; ⁹ When I made a cloud its garment And thick darkness its swaddling band, ¹⁰ And I placed boundaries on it And set a bolt and doors, ¹¹ And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop’?

God’s Mighty Power

· Job 38:12 - 41 (NASB)

· Q. ¹² “Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know its place, ¹³ That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, And the wicked be shaken out of it? ¹⁴ “It is changed like clay under the seal; And they stand forth like a garment. ¹⁵ “From the wicked their light is withheld, And the uplifted arm is broken.

· Q. ¹⁶ “Have you entered into the springs of the sea

· Q. Or walked in the recesses of the deep?

· Q. ¹⁷ “Have the gates of death been revealed to you,

· Q. Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

· Q. ¹⁸ “Have you understood the expanse of the earth? Tell Me, if you know all this.

· Q. ¹⁹ “Where is the way to the dwelling of light?

· Q. And darkness, where is its place, ²⁰ That you may take it to its territory And that you may discern the paths to its home? ²¹ “You know, for you were born then, And the number of your days is great!

· Q. ²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

· Q. Or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, ²³ Which I have reserved for the time of distress, For the day of war and battle?

· Q. ²⁴ “Where is the way that the light is divided,

· Q. Or the east wind scattered on the earth?

· Q. ²⁵ “Who has cleft a channel for the flood,

· Q. Or a way for the thunderbolt, ²⁶ To bring rain on a land without people, On a desert without a man in it, ²⁷ To satisfy the waste and desolate land And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?

· Q. ²⁸ “Has the rain a father?

· Q. Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

· Q. ²⁹ “From whose womb has come the ice?

· Q. And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth? ³⁰ “Water becomes hard like stone, And the surface of the deep is imprisoned.

· Q. ³¹ “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion? ³² “Can you lead forth a constellation in its season,

· Q. And guide the Bear with her satellites?

· Q. ³³ “Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,

· Q. Or fix their rule over the earth?

· Q. ³⁴ “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, So that an abundance of water will cover you?

· Q. ³⁵ “Can you send forth lightnings that they may go

· Q. And say to you, ‘Here we are’?

· Q. ³⁶ “Who has put wisdom in the innermost being

· Q. Or given understanding to the mind?

· Q. ³⁷ “Who can count the clouds by wisdom,

· Q. Or tip the water jars of the heavens, ³⁸ When the dust hardens into a mass And the clods stick together?

· Q. ³⁹ “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

· Q. Or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, ⁴⁰ When they crouch in their dens And lie in wait in their lair?

· Q. ⁴¹ “Who prepares for the raven its nourishment When its young cry to God And wander about without food?

CHAPTER 39

God Speaks of Nature and Its Beings

· Job 39:1 - 30 (NASB)

· Q. ¹ “Do you know the time the mountain goats give birth?

· Q. Do you observe the calving of the deer?

· Q. Or do you know the time they give birth? ³ “They kneel down, they bring forth their young, They get rid of their labor pains. ⁴ “Their offspring become strong, they grow up in the open field; They leave and do not return to them.

· Q. “Who sent out the wild donkey free?

· Q. And who loosed the bonds of the swift donkey, ⁶ To whom I gave the wilderness for a home And the salt land for his dwelling place? ⁷ “He scorns the tumult of the city, The shoutings of the driver he does not hear. ⁸ “He explores the mountains for his pasture And searches after every green thing.

· Q. ⁹ “Will the wild ox consent to serve you,

· Q. Or will he spend the night at your manger?

· Q. ¹⁰ “Can you bind the wild ox in a furrow with ropes,

· Q. Or will he harrow the valleys after you?

· Q. ¹¹ “Will you trust him because his strength is great

· Q. And leave your labor to him?

· Q. ¹² “Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain

· Q. And gather it from your threshing floor? ¹³ “The ostriches’ wings flap joyously With the pinion and plumage of ^£love, ¹⁴ For she abandons her eggs to the earth And warms them in the dust, ¹⁵ And she forgets that a foot may crush them, Or that a wild beast may trample them. ¹⁶ “She treats her young cruelly, as if they were not hers; Though her labor be in vain, she is unconcerned; ¹⁷ Because God has made her forget wisdom, And has not given her a share of understanding. ¹⁸ “When she lifts herself on high, She laughs at the horse and his rider.

· Q. ¹⁹ “Do you give the horse his might?

· Q. Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

· Q. ²⁰ “Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrible. ²¹ “He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He goes out to meet the weapons. ²² “He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; And he does not turn back from the sword. ²³ “The quiver rattles against him, The flashing spear and javelin. ²⁴ “With shaking and rage he races over the ground, And he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet. ²⁵ “As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’ And he scents the battle from afar, And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.

· Q. ²⁶ “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, Stretching his wings toward the south?

· Q. ²⁷ “Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up

· Q. And makes his nest on high? ²⁸ “On the cliff he dwells and lodges, Upon the rocky crag, an inaccessible place. ²⁹ “From there he spies out food; His eyes see it from afar. ³⁰ “His young ones also suck up blood; And where the slain are, there is he.”

CHAPTER 40

Job: What Can I Say?

· Job 40:1 - 5 (NASB) ¹Then the LORD said to Job,

· Q. ² “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.”

o COMMENT: God asks Job can he contend with the Almighty? Go ahead Job, give me answers to my questions…if you can.

· ³Then Job answered the LORD and said,

· ⁴ “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?

o COMMENT: Job begins to shrink at the prospect of dealing directly with God face to face…

· I lay my hand on my mouth.

· ⁵ “Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;

· Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”

God Questions Job

· Job 40:6 - 14 (NASB) ⁶Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said,

o COMMENT: Apparently God comes in a storm to talk to Job…

· ⁷ “Now gird up your loins like a man; I will ask you, and you instruct Me.

· Q. ⁸ “Will you really annul My judgment?

· Q. Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?

· Q. ⁹ “Or do you have an arm like God,

· Q. And can you thunder with a voice like His? ¹⁰ “Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity, And clothe yourself with honor and majesty. ¹¹ “Pour out the overflowings of your anger, And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low. ¹² “Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him, And tread down the wicked where they stand. ¹³ “Hide them in the dust together; Bind them in the hidden place. ¹⁴ “Then I will also confess to you, That your own right hand can save you.

God’s Power Shown in Creatures

· Job 40:15 - 24 (NASB) ¹⁵ “Behold now, ^£Behemoth, which I made as well as you; He eats grass like an ox. ¹⁶ “Behold now, his strength in his loins And his power in the muscles of his belly. ¹⁷ “He bends his tail like a cedar; The sinews of his thighs are knit together. ¹⁸ “His bones are tubes of bronze; His limbs are like bars of iron. ¹⁹ “He is the first of the ways of God; Let his maker bring near his sword. ²⁰ “Surely the mountains bring him food, And all the beasts of the field play there. ²¹ “Under the lotus plants he lies down, In the covert of the reeds and the marsh. ²² “The lotus plants cover him with shade; The willows of the brook surround him. ²³ “If a river rages, he is not alarmed; He is confident, though the Jordan rushes to his mouth. ²⁴ “Can anyone capture him when he is on watch, With barbs can anyone pierce his nose?

o COMMENT: This is a very detailed description of a “Behemoth” which must be some kind of a dinosaur.

CHAPTER 41

God’s Power Shown in Creatures

· Job 41:1 - 34 (NASB)

· Q. ¹ “Can you draw out ^£Leviathan with a fishhook? Or press down his tongue with a cord? ² “Can you put a rope in his nose Or pierce his jaw with a hook? ³ “Will he make many supplications to you, Or will he speak to you soft words? ⁴ “Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him for a servant forever? ⁵ “Will you play with him as with a bird, Or will you bind him for your maidens? ⁶ “Will the traders bargain over him? Will they divide him among the merchants? ⁷ “Can you fill his skin with harpoons, Or his head with fishing spears? ⁸ “Lay your hand on him; Remember the battle; you will not do it again! ⁹ “Behold, your expectation is false; Will you be laid low even at the sight of him? ¹⁰ “No one is so fierce that he dares to arouse him;

o COMMENT: Here God gives some detail about “Leviathan” which must be some other kind of dinosaur.

· Q. Who then is he that can stand before Me?

· Q. ¹¹ “Who has given to Me that I should repay him?

· Q. Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine. ¹² “I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, Or his mighty strength, or his orderly frame.

· Q. ¹³ “Who can strip off his outer armor?

· Q. Who can come within his double mail?

· Q. ¹⁴ “Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth there is terror. ¹⁵ “His strong scales are his pride, Shut up as with a tight seal. ¹⁶ “One is so near to another That no air can come between them. ¹⁷ “They are joined one to another; They clasp each other and cannot be separated. ¹⁸ “His sneezes flash forth light, And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. ¹⁹ “Out of his mouth go burning torches; Sparks of fire leap forth. ²⁰ “Out of his nostrils smoke goes forth As from a boiling pot and burning rushes. ²¹ “His breath kindles coals, And a flame goes forth from his mouth. ²² “In his neck lodges strength, And dismay leaps before him. ²³ “The folds of his flesh are joined together, Firm on him and immovable. ²⁴ “His heart is as hard as a stone, Even as hard as a lower millstone.

o COMMENT: This resembles the character of the 2^nd type of heart in the parable of the 4 soils…the second has seed that falls on stony soil…stones representing hardness of hearts. This is confirmed here.

· ²⁵ “When he raises himself up, the mighty fear; Because of the crashing they are bewildered. ²⁶ “The sword that reaches him cannot avail, Nor the spear, the dart or the javelin. ²⁷ “He regards iron as straw, Bronze as rotten wood. ²⁸ “The arrow cannot make him flee; Slingstones are turned into stubble for him. ²⁹ “Clubs are regarded as stubble; He laughs at the rattling of the javelin. ³⁰ “His underparts are like sharp potsherds; He spreads out like a threshing sledge on the mire. ³¹ “He makes the depths boil like a pot; He makes the sea like a jar of ointment. ³² “Behind him he makes a wake to shine;

o COMMENT: apparently this is some kind of creature that lives in the sea.

· One would think the deep to be gray-haired. ³³ “Nothing on earth is like him, One made without fear. ³⁴ “He looks on everything that is high; He is king over all the sons of pride.”

CHAPTER 42

Job’s Confession

· Job 42:1 - 6 (NASB) ¹Then Job answered the LORD and said,

o COMMENT: After all these deplorable counselors, and God questioning him, Job answers with recognition that God is all powerful, all knowing and recognizes that he (Job) does not understand the ways of God.

· ² “I know that You can do all things,

o COMMENT: God … You are all powerful.

· And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

o COMMENT: God Your will rules.

· ³ ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’

o COMMENT: God, you are full of knowledge…in fact all knowing.

· “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,

o COMMENT: Job: I have made statements about things I did not understand…now that You have questioned me.

· Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

o COMMENT: Job: I have talked lightly about things that turn out to really be heavy…wonderful…things which I did not fully know about.

· ⁴ ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ ⁵ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; ⁶ Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.”

COMMENT: I have heard about You (God) but now I have seen You with my own eyes…and my response is to retract the lightweight statements I made…moreover, I humbly repent of my presumptive statements