I finished reading through the book of Job this morning. To be honest, Job has always been one of my least favorite books of the Bible. I don't quite understand why God allowed Job to be so victimized so that He could prove something to Satan. Why did God feel like He needed to prove something? If anyone is released from the personal obligation to prove who they are and that they have an impact on earth, it's God...right? So, I usually resist reading this book because it doesn't fit my perception of God's personality.
This time, as I read through God's response to Job, I realized that there is so much that I cannot comprehend about God. As He unpacks the overwhelming details of His sovereignty over earth, I feel ashamed that I ever considered myself capable of grasping the vastness of this being. God challenges Job by asking him, "Have you entered the storehouses of the hail...What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth? Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm?" I think if I were Job, I would have curled up in a corner, hoping that God would end His powerful speech with a hug. God is unpredictable and this interaction was certainly frightening. God says to Job, "brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me." It sounds like a father, grabbing his wayward son by the arm and demanding respect.
The part that really grabbed my attention was chapters 40-41. God describes two of His creatures, the behemoth and the leviathon. We don't know for sure what the creatures are...I think it sounds like an alligator and a snake. The behemoth has bones that are "tubes of bronze, his limbs like rods of iron." The leviathon, "when he rises up, the mighty are terrified; they retreat before his thrashing. The sword that reaches him has no effect, nor does the spear or the dart or the javelin. Iron he treats like straw and bronze like rotten wood. Arrows do not make him flee; slingstones are like chaff to him." If that doesn't give you the heebbie jeebies, I don't know what will! These creatures sound like evil monsters, created for a part in some mythological production. It is as if God is telling Job that even righteous people will have to face some terrifying realities on earth. He didn't create our world to be safe or comfortable. He created it with many frightening elements, all subject to HIS reign.
The fascinating thing is that God DESIGNED all these creatures. His mind conceived every intricate detail. He created the tiny raven, and provided food for it's crying young (38:41), but, He also designed the fiercest creatures, with sharp teeth and claws that threaten life. I'm amazed at the vastness of His knowledge and creativity. I'm in awe that this type of brilliance exists in one being.
I work in the architectural industry, and we heavily rely on engineers to complete our plans by adding structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical designs. Whenever I get plans from an engineer, I am reminded of how limited my knowledge is. I really have no idea how they decide what steel beam to place where, and how to wire for each electrical need...it is beyond my realm of understanding. I feel like Job was written so that man would be reminded of their position before God, and how limited our perceptions really are. It made me stop and take Him out of the box that I have put Him in, and acknowledge that He is beyond my comprehension. Today, I finished Job, and it brought me to my knees.
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