In Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biography ‘Education of a Bodybuilder’ he recounts how he’d been looking for a sport that he could really excel at, yet nothing seemed to suit him. That was until he went to a gym for the first time.  The other bodybuilders warned him that he was training too hard for a novice but he felt ok.  But when he tried to cycle the back to the village he lived in he realised what they meant.  He cycled for a bit and then fell off his bike.  He tried again and fell off again.  Eventually he could only push his bike the rest of the way home.  The next morning he could hardly lift his coffee without spilling it because his hand was shaking.  But he was hooked, as he put it: ‘This was my first experience with weight training, and I was crazy for it.’[1]  The rest is history; he moved to America, won numerous bodybuilding titles, eventually become a movie star and then a politician!  Well as they say: ‘only in America!’  However, even though his life defining moment was fairly traumatic it was nothing compared to what Job’s been through!Job’s suffered a rollercoaster ride of emotions! He’s lost his children, his possessions and his health!  His friends comfort him, but, despite not knowing the background to his suffering, they try to address his suffering with the wisdom of the day.  Job’s then confronted by a young intellectual who’s just dropped in on the conversation.  But Job is too fed up or to worn out to answer him! But now Job has had what he wished for, a meeting with God!  But it’s not as he’d imagined.  He doesn’t get to question God; God questions him and this takes him to a place where only he has understanding and sovereignty.  So what will Job now say?

His reply is brief but filled with a new understanding. In verses 2-3 Job admits God has complete control over his universe with the words: ‘I know that you can do all things, and no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Who is this that hides council without knowledge?  Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things to wonderful from me which I did not know.’  Job admits there is much in God’s creation that he can’t fathom or control.  Francis Andersen surmises: ‘The world is beautiful and terrifying, and in it all God is everywhere, seen to be powerful and wise, and more mysterious when he is known than when he is but dimly discerned.’[2]  Many of the examples God has given Job remain a mystery to him.  But Job has a new understanding of who the Lord is, and is overwhelmed! In John Hartley’s words: ‘Yahweh’s words have reaffirmed Job’s conviction of his wise and judicious governance of the world.’[3]

 Job’s has had what he most desired, a meeting with God (v4), but it’s been completely on God’s terms!  Job longed for his ‘day in court’ where he could bring his complaint that if he was suffering for some hidden sin, the punishment was disproportionate. But whereas, after the Lord’s first speech, Job was pretty much saying: “I’ll tell you what, we’ll call it a draw”, he now admits he’s out of his depth!  Derek Thomas notes when John Calvin preached on Job his concern was not to accommodate God to our understanding, but rather he was: ‘urging his listeners to trust in the God who is beyond our grasp’[4]  just as Job is now doing.

When we first met Job we met a morally upright man, and that gives us a clue to what he means by: ‘I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you’ (v5).  Job’s knowledge of God was secondary knowledge.  Bill Cotton phrases it like this: ‘During all his previous life, a life so commendable that even God boasted about it (1:8), his religion had been one of hearsay, no doubt through the songs of his people and in the teaching of their elders and religious leaders. Now he recognises that through his sufferings and deprivations he has acquired something far more wonderful – a personal experience of God, an intimate encounter with the Lord.’[5] Job’s attitude has now changed, he realises questioning God would achieve nothing.

In chapter 40 verse 14 the Lord put it to Job that if he could take on the responsibility of running the universe in a just and fair way then he would acknowledge: ‘that your (Job’s) own right hand can save you.’ But now Job admits that his salvation is dependent on God and shows this by despising himself and repenting in great humility (v6).  He wanted to be vindicated; the problem was he had said some foolish things.  But now he will no longer harbour the thought expressed back in chapter 27 verse 2 that God’s treatment of him was unjust.  Instead he sees himself on trial and repents.

Although initially Job had accepted all that had happened without questioning God (1:21-22) he still felt that God owed him something! But now, despite still being in the same situation of suffering loss and illness William Henry Green points out: ‘the cloud is gone. He has lost all disposition to murmur or repine.  He is amazed at himself that he could ever have done so.’[6]  If we considered Job’s position before all that had happen we realise his religion cost him very little.  In chapters 29 through to chapter 30 verse 1 we might even detect a sense of pride in the important position  he once had in civic life.  But he only had it due to the Lord’s goodness towards him!

Unfortunately this is where many Christians are today as they expect only good things to come from their service to the Lord.  But that is not what Jesus taught.  In Mark 8:34 Jesus said: “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” The Christian faith is not about self-gratification.  Firstly, there is to be a denial of self.  Just as Jesus gave up an exalted position and humbled himself to do his father’s will (Philippians 2:6-8) we are to put his service first in all things.  Secondly, being a Christian won’t necessarily win you any popularity contests.  Condemned criminals took up a cross and the whole concept of the cross where Jews were concerned was of someone being cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23).  Our faith will not necessarily just cost us the kind of lifestyle we might like but also the chance of being well thought of by others!  But in Job we now see someone who understands the Lord’s love, justice and his moral ordinance of the world.  And this proves that God is a God worthy of worship in both good and bad times!

Job’s repentance accepted, the Lord now turns his attention to his friends (v7). He is angry with them because they had: ‘not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.’ Job’s last words gave God his rightful place but Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar believed the wisdom of the age was all that was needed to define how God should act. This is easily done today as we all have the tendency to try and put God in a box and enforce our morality on him!  The name for God that was used in the dialogues between Job and his friends was not ‘Yahweh’ the covenant name for God, but ‘El Shaddai’ which implies a less personal deity.  As Hywel Jones so points out Job’s friends had: ‘misrepresented God, and so were exposed to his holy displeasure. Job had also maligned God, but he had the acknowledged his ignorance and confessed his arrogance.’[7]

What the Lord requires of the friends seems to be the equivalent of a sin offering (Leviticus 4). But this does more than just rehabilitate them before God.  When Job repents things haven’t automatically got better.  The poor guy’s still sitting in the middle of a rubbish dump trying to get some form of relief from his sufferings. Due to the wisdom of the day, so eloquently expressed by Job’s friends, the gossip around the town would have been that Job’s condition was due to un-confessed sin.   There’s a danger that we treat the end of the story, with Job’s wealth and family being restored (vs10-16), as a sort of tacked on happy ending, but what better way to banish such thoughts of Job having committed some wrong than by having him act as an intercessor and praying for his friends!  With the sacrifice and Job’s intercessory prayer he is seen to be vindicated.  In the Old Testament God’s blessing was often shown through wealth, so Job’s restoration speaks volumes to those around him.  Bill Cotton even sees a form of vindication in the text where Job’s three daughters are concerned (v15) as he notes: ‘Above all it is emphasised that his three daughters were stunning beauties and one can imagine the young bachelors of the town vying with each other to be accepted by Job for their hand in marriage, with all the necessary humbling of their parents as they interceded on behalf of their sons, as was the custom.’[8]  But what more can be gained from the story of Job.

There’s a real sense that Job and his experiences present him as a ‘type’ of ‘Christ’. He’s not a perfect representation, no one can be, but aspects of his experience act as a signpost to Christ’s experience.  For example, he suffered and so did Christ.  In Hebrews 5:7 we read: ‘In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.’ If this isn’t a picture of Christ suffering opposition, friends that don’t understand him, slanderous accusations, hardship and physical and spiritual suffering I don’t know what is?

Another similarity that we should note is that Job is restored and is seen to be vindicated from the accusations that had been made about him. In Philippians 2:9-11 we see that after Christ had become: ‘a curse for us’ (Galatians 3:13) God exalted him: ‘and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.’ No one can doubt that Jesus Christ has pleased his father by his actions just as, in a similar way, Job by his initial reaction to the tragedy that befell him and his suffering, continued to honour God which made Satan slander null and void!  Therefore, the Lord restores him with even greater blessing!

Lastly, Job acted as a priestly intercessor, he prayed for his friends and God accepted his prayer. The priestly role of Christ is explained in the book of Hebrews.  Chapter 2 verse 17 is particularly useful. ‘Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.’   The difference between Christ and Job is that Jesus had the ultimate priestly and intercessory role in paying the price for our sin. The similarity is that he took on all it means to be human: ‘in every respect’. The sufferings of Christ on the cross in-part point us to a world where suffering is part of the deal because of the damage sin has caused.  But we have a saviour who has identified with us in every respect.  Job didn’t understand what was happening to him, but he came to understand it was part of the bigger picture in a world ruled by a just and righteous God.  In the end that more than satisfied him.  How much more satisfying it is for us to see that the cause of suffering, mankind’s sin has been, dealt with once for all in the person of Christ.  We don’t just have a saviour who’s suffered like us, we have something better.  One who has dealt with the root of all suffering, our sin!

But in the end the book records Job died (42:16). He may have lived an exceptionally long life, but he still died as a result of the curse sin has brought upon mankind (Genesis 3:17-19).  In Revelation 21:5 the Lord declares: “Behold I am making all things new.” How necessary that is when we live in a sin damage world where death reigns!  But because of Jesus’ death and resurrection those who know and love him and have sought forgiveness can be part of that.  Those who are the Lords can be in a place where the Lord will: ‘wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be any mourning nor crying nor pain any more for the former things are passed away’ (Revelation 21:4).  Job was satisfied with the Lord’s answer and was prepared to admit he was out of his depth.  How much more satisfaction and wonder will he and fellow believers feel when they experience the results of the of the Lord’s solution, the one who suffered to take our sin and make us a new creation so that one day we can experience God’s new creation (Revelation 21:3-5a)!

Would you like to listen to a sermon on this passage?  The Storm Subsides.

[1] Arnold Schwarzenegger and Douglas Kent Hall, Arnold the Education of a Bodybuilder (London, First Sphere Books, 1977), 15.

[2] Francis I. Andersen, Job, An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1976), 291.

[3] John E. Hartley, The Book of Job, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), 535.

[4] Derek Thomas, Calvin’s teaching on Job, Proclaiming the Incomprehensible God (Geanies House, Christian Focus Publications, 2004), 152.

[5] Bill Cotton, Job, Will you Torment a Windblown Leaf? (Fearn, Christian Focus Publications, 2001), 166.

[6] William Henry Green, Conflict and Triumph (Banner Truth Trust, 1999)  151.

[7] Hywel R. Jones, Job, An EP Study Commentary (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 2007), 293.

[8] Cotton, Job, 170.

When the final ‘Lord of the Rings’ film, ‘The Return of the King’, came out one of my friends noted that after the film had come to what he considered to be a natural end it went on a while longer. I mentioned that the book was the same.  J.R.R. Tolkien, the author, having served in the First World War, was aware war seldom left people unchanged.  Therefore, he wanted to show there was a cost to the main character, even when the main story was over.  So, where my friend felt the story had come to an end, Tolkien considered there was still unfinished business.At the start of chapter 40 the Lord concludes his speech with the words: ‘Shall the fault-finder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it’ (v1).  Job then answers God and it seems to be an admission that he will not bring any accusation against him.  But in verses 6-7 the Lord, again invokes the wrestling term he used in chapter 38 verse 3 and, before we know it, it’s ‘seconds out’ round 2 as the Lord clearly concludes that he has unfinished business with Job!  Much has been written about the nature of Job’s reply.  But Francis Andersen highlights the main issue ‘Job’s response is subdued, humble. He rates himself as ‘light’, but hardly “contemptible” but is it correct to say that Job ‘confessed and submitted?’[1]  And that is the question that needs to be addressed.  Job is backing off rather than backing down as he feels that he can’t win the argument.  This is what he means in verses 4-5 where he says: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.  I have spoken once, and I will not answer, twice, but I will proceed no further.”  But all Job is offering to do is shut up!  And that doesn’t necessarily mean he doesn’t feel that he has been wronged by God!

So the Lord drastically ups the stakes!  The language of Verses 8-14 alerts us that the Lord is taking Job into a completely new sphere. He is asking Job: “do you think you could run the universe like I can?”  If we are inclined to question the Lord’s pastoral manner towards someone who has suffered so much, then we’re missing the key phrase which is the central issue here.  Verse 8 is translated by the NIV as: ‘would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?’  The point is Job in his long debate with his friends has occasionally said some foolish things.  During the back-and-forth of argument Job had said something which summed up his thinking concerning his situation and God’s role in it.  The NIV is helpful with its translation: ‘As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice, the Almighty, who has made me taste bitterness of soul’ (27:2) and Job has not backed down from this statement!  So the Lord challenges Job as to how well would he do if he took his place (vs10-14)?  William Henry Green hits the nail on the head when he asks was Job: ‘prepared to assume the government of the world, and take it out of the hands of the Most High, whose administration he had ventured to arraign? God challenges him to show a power or exercise deeds the judgments which would warrant these bold pretensions.’[2]  A lot of people (Christians among them) spend time questioning God’s governance of the world and passing judgment on it!  But it raises a worthwhile question, because if he isn’t just and fair why worship him?  Hence, the metaphorical wrestling match must continue!

That leaves us thinking what the Lord says next has got to rate pretty highly on the impressive scale! And that is certainly the case with the Lord using the example of two animals which are the most impressive, other than man, among his created works.  The first is ‘Behemoth’.  The name: ‘seems to mean beast par excellence’.[3]  This has generally been taken to refer to the hippopotamus or elephant.  But there are huge difficulties in adopting this view and I find myself reluctantly agreeing with George Bernard Shaw as I can hardly comprehend that the answer to Job’s issues are solved by the Lord presenting the hippopotamus as one of his greatest works!  Although it might be controversial, I would suggest that this is a creature that has long become extinct probably a brontosaurus or a brachiosaurus.  That would count as being impressive where Job is concerned and would give credence to the Lord’s statement: “He is the first of the works of God” (v19a).

This brings us to the point being made in verses15-24. This creature is monumental among God’s works, which is made clear with the detailed descriptions of his strength and might of his anatomy (vs16-18).  This beast is so strong and mighty that when the River Jordan is in flood and everyone is running for cover this creature is in its element.  Verse 24 illustrates this creature is untameable.  Many of the other creatures used as examples in chapters 38-39 have been domesticated.  But no one would even think of trying that where Behemoth was concerned.  No, Job certainly couldn’t handle Behemoth, but God can as: ‘He is the first of the works of God; let him who made him bring near his sword!’ (v19).  But if Job thought Behemoth was impressive, the Lord’s next example would have almost certainly overwhelmed and terrified Job!

The Lord’s second example is a creature named ‘Leviathan’. Traditionally it is thought this refers to the crocodile, although some considered it refers to a whale.  However, despite being very dangerous, crocodiles can be quite easily hunted and killed.  Another objection to Leviathan being identified with the crocodile is: ‘that there is no reference in the OT to crocodiles in Palestine.’[4]  The ESV footnotes are helpful here as it is referred to as: ‘A large sea animal, exact identity unknown’.  This suggests a creature that is probably extinct in our day and age.  But the main thing we really need to note is that Leviathan is well beyond Job’s ability to handle.  The text takes on a darkly comic flavour.  What the Lord says in verses 1-5 could be paraphrased in the following way.  “Job do you think you could take your best fishing tackle and catch Leviathan?  Can you tame him; do you think he’d entered into a bit of polite conversation and make an agreement with you?  Would he be happy to let you play with him as one does with a pet bird?  Do you think he would make the ideal pet for your daughters?”  Reading on we realize this creature is a savage and unreasonable beast!  If Job made a present of Leviathan to his daughters, the screams wouldn’t be screams of delight at daddy’s new present and when Job went to investigate he’d have probably would have found Leviathan licking his lips and looking at  him as if he was ready for desert!  Job is told: ‘Lay your hands on him; remember the battle-you will not do it again!’ (v8).  It makes it clear that if you cared to have a physical try-out with Leviathan it is you who would suffer!

So if no one can stand before Leviathan and try and call him to account the Lord reasons: ‘Who then is he who can stand before me? Who has first given to me, that I should repay him?  Whatever is under the whole of heaven is mine’ (v10b-11).  What is inferred here is Job is completely out of his depth!  Verses 12-34 continue with not just a physical description of this powerful beast but also (as if we doubted it) how downright dangerous it is.  Verse 26 continues to build a picture of an animal that is impossible to tame and that you wouldn’t think of taking on even if you had weapons to hand as: ‘Even the mightiest hero’s on facing Leviathan are terrified by its majestic appearance.’[5]  Yet there’s a rather interesting illustration concerning Leviathan in Psalm 104 versus 25-26.  ‘Here is the sea, great and wide which teams with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great. There go the ships, and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.’  The Lord’s sovereignty doesn’t just extend over all creation including the sea, but even over this savage unreasonable beast!  The picture given in these verses is of Leviathan being like a small child happily playing in a play pen; the NIV actually uses the word ‘frolic’.  Leviathan maybe big and scary where Job is concerned, but where the Lord is concerned he is like a happy little child at play where the Lord has put him!

Yet as scary as Leviathan was, there’s a second level on which the Lord’s example works and this explains why it is the final example that’s given to Job. Rather interestingly the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) uses the word ‘dragon’ in place of Leviathan.[6]  When we also note that: ‘The name Leviathan was associated with a seven-headed sea dragon in ancient mythology’ and also: ‘the dragon which, according to popular ancient mythology, was supposed to cause eclipses by wrapping its coils around the sun’[7] we start to understand that there is more going on in Job’s mind concerning Leviathan.[8]  The whole concept of Leviathan is playing on the primeval fears (indeed, Job’s reference to Leviathan in chapter 3 verse 8 had sinister connotations).  An example today would be although we may not believe in ghosts and goblins, how many of us would be comfortable taking a walk through a graveyard on a pitch black and moonless night?  Our rational mind may tell us there’s nothing to be afraid of, but…… and that’s Job’s problem here.

But even if we are unaware of the mythological significance of Leviathan the text gives us a hint that there’s something more to this. After the Lord’s graphic and terrifying description of Leviathan he concludes: ‘He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride’ (v34).  Pride is always the root of disobedience to God.  Satan being cast out of heaven is associated with his pride.  Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:16-19, although prophecies concerning earthly Kings being proud, they work on a second level concerning Satan.  Yet this verse points to Leviathan being one those who the proud pay homage to!  It doesn’t take theological mathematics to see that Leviathan could also represent Satan, the one who, unbeknown to Job, has brought an accusation against him and caused him all his trouble due to his slanderous accusation against the Lord!

So in these speeches the Lord has shown himself to be in complete control over his creation. Even the fierce and mighty Leviathan is ‘his’ Leviathan and as surprising as it might seem the same applies where Satan is concerned!  His hatred for God’s creation and his people is checked and he cannot harm them unless the Lord’s divine plan allows it.  In a strange way that should encourage us.  Whatever happens, nothing is outside the Lord’s control.  He may allow us to face testing times but he controls our destiny.  Paul writing to the Church in Roman speaks of the Christian’s present difficulties (Romans 8:18-25) then assures them: ‘What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? (Romans 8:33).  The encouraging thing, in answer to Paul’s rhetorical question, is no one can as God will not allow any spiritual harm to come to his children!

But what will Job’s response be now…….?

Would you like to listen to a sermon on this passage? The Lord Speaks: a Magnificent Irrelevance or Totally Transcendent?

[1] Francis I. Andersen, Job, An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1976), 285.

[2] William Henry Green, Conflict and Triumph (Banner Truth Trust, 1999) 148-9.

[3] Derek Thomas, The Storm Breaks, Job simply explained (Darlington, Evangelical Press 1995), 302.

[4] J.D. Douglas, editor, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Part 2, Goliath-Papyri (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1980), 896.

[5] John E. Hartley, The Book of Job, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), 533

[6] Robert Fyall, How does God Treat His Friends (Fearn, Christian Focus Publications Ltd, 1995), 121.

[7] Douglas, Bible Dictionary, Part 2, 896.

[8] Thomas, The Storm Breaks, 304.