January 19, 2022 -- Job 40:1-9 -- Awed to silence by Great Grace and Mercy

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And the Lord said to Job:

2 “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
    He who argues with God, let him answer it.”

Job Promises Silence

3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:

4 “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?
    I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
    twice, but I will proceed no further.”

The Lord Challenges Job

6 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:

7 “Dress for action like a man;
    I will question you, and you make it known to me.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
    Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
9 Have you an arm like God,
    and can you thunder with a voice like his?

Job 40:1-9 ESV

At the start of the book of Job, the reader is informed that Job is “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” Job 1:1. He loses his children and all his possessions in a sweeping, devastating time of loss. His friends comfort him, seven days sitting in righteous silence with him, mourning. When they speak, their attempts at comfort fall flat. They accuse Job of wrong. Job defends himself. He then steps over the line and accuses God, summoning Him, accusing Him, in these times when his friends falsely accuse him.

In great mercy, God, the Mighty, confronts Job. The LORD names Job’s charge against the Living God—Job is a faultfinder who contends with the Almighty. The majesty and might of God is so Glorious is so much that Job, who for many chapters was full of words, puts his hand over him mouth awestruck and silenced. He realized how insignificant he is before the Splendor, Glory, Presence, Holiness and Omnipotence of the Almighty.

The challenge before Job is simply summarized and then unfolds in two chapters. The Mighty One's two part challenge is revealed in verse 9: “Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like His”? The arm of God works mighty power. Think of that expression—the arm, that is the incomparable strength of the LORD. Just glance at His strength, and immediately one sees  all people are insignificant. A recent example. Sunday’s snow storm puts Toronto and Ottawa at a standstill. While people are digging out for days, totally focused on this, the LORD is upholding all the universe, and this is effortless for Him.

At a word, His voice, kings and princes are brought low and while their reign seems long to the people of earth, their life is not even as long as the duration of a breath before the timeless Almighty One. God tames wild beasts and laughs at the thrashings of creatures which threaten the lives all of the teams of hunters foolish enough to approach it. His voice sustains life. So small are the creatures of the earth, that God tests them with His eyelids, Psalm 11:5. In the blink of an eye their lives are done and all their existence is opened as a book before Him. Their greatest accomplishments are not even a grain of sand before the all the grand beaches of His perfections and power. Why does this matter?

The LORD speaks to Job. That is so extraordinary, it is easy to miss! He deigns to stoop down and speak with His irreverent creature. Called the most blameless and upright among men of his generation, still the reader knows Job is a sinner. Here is Gospel Good News: the LORD loves Job. In view of the seemingly insurmountable problem of God’s tremendous holiness and man’s inexcusable sin it is the LORD Who provides the most exquisite answer of all: Jesus Christ. Man, faultfinder and complainer though he is, can be brought to God the Father through the Comforter, the Spirit, Who breaks down man’s faultfinding and defenses in order to lead men to Jesus Christ—the final, perfect, Mediator between God and man.

With repentant Job, now confessing before You, LORD, we declare:

“I know that You can do all things,

and that no purposes of Yours is thwarted.”

Blessed are You, Father of Mercies for lifting up Your people, poor and despised though they are, and bringing them to Yourself in Jesus Christ—the Redeemer Who lives! Blessed are You, Father and Son, for the great gift of the Holy Spirit, Who guards and protects Your people in the great salvation which is beyond the grasp of all mortal man’s strivings, but is the extravagant gift of grace generously given in love. Yours, O LORD, is the arm of power, Yours is the voice that thunders down through every generation: just in the condemnation of the wicked and clothed with glorious mercy as you confer untold grace and mercy on those You have chosen. Great are You LORD and terrible in splendor are Your works. Amen.

https://youtu.be/3rT8Re1EIQc

Copyright © 2022 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.