At the start of chapter 3 Jonah is given a second chance to carry out the Lord’s command.  This he does, and we get the gist of the message in verse 3.  The message is a simple message of judgment. This is not surprising when we consider that the Lord had commanded Jonah to go and preach in Nineveh because: ‘their evil has come up before me’  (1:2) and historically we know the atrocities that the Assyrian nation was capable of.  Yet there is a subtle difference here as the verb that is used for the word: ‘call’ infers that he is to preach ‘to’ the people of Nineveh rather than: ‘against’ them as in chapter 1.  It could be argued that this subtle change is in the light of Jonah’s experience in chapter 2.  But it is also possible it is to prepare the reader for a change of emphasis from the judgement of God to his compassion that we see at the end of this chapter and in chapter 4.[1]  Some commentators feel that Jonah must have shared with the Ninevites his judgment and deliverance by the hand of God, and this is not unlikely as we have almost certainly only been given a summary of his message.[2]  In this sense, as Jesus makes clear, Jonah acted as: ‘a sign to the people of Nineveh’ (Luke 11:30).  The point maybe that now Jonah should have a new understanding of the depths of God’s compassion and forgiveness when it comes to those who rebel against him and then repent, and this should be reflected in his preaching!

The proclamation of Jonah’s message is very thorough.  Some scholars have tried to make the case that the book of Jonah is a parable rather than an actual historical account.  One of the reasons given for this is the: ‘three days’ (v3) mentioned in relation to the city being improbable as archaeological discoveries do not suggest a city of that size.  However, it is more likely that Nineveh was made up of a large central city and the many towns and villages that surrounded it.  That being the case the indication is that Jonah’s proclamation soon spreads around the region reaching everyone whether that is by first-hand or by people passing it on to others.

However, whatever the case, the Ninevites believe his message and the equivalent of ‘revival’ breaks out with mass repentance.  But what caused such a reaction?  The answer is clearly spelt out in verse 5: ‘And the people of Nineveh believed God.’  There’s nothing to make us doubt that this was genuine repentance and belief as their attitude exhibits the ‘Ancient Near East’s’ culture of mourning!  Their repentance is summed up by the words of the King of Nineveh which illustrate the Ninevities acceptance of their sinful attitude.  The phrase: ‘Let everyone turn from his evil ways and from the violence that is in his hands’ (v8) being particularly appropriate to them as a nation!  There’s an understanding that they are completely dependent on God’s mercy as there is no reason why he should forgive them (v9).  The chapter ends with the Lord relenting from the disaster that he had threatened to bring upon them.

Jonah must be in the running as possibly the most successful prophet’s of the Old Testament era in terms of his message being believed and people repenting, so his anger might surprise us!  But his dodgy theology (which we will take a look at in the next part) does give us an opportunity to explore and understand the character of God.  In verse 2 of chapter 4 Jonah gives us the summary of Exodus 34:6-7: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,  keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”  His summery of the Lord’s compassion is illustrated by the plant that God cause’s to grow and give him shade.  Much has been written about this, but essentially the lesson is very simple.  Jonah had benefited from the plant, but the point was the Lord had caused it to grow, not Jonah, so why was he so cut up about it when it died?  Likewise, if the Lord decided to spare Nineveh, then that was his business, not Jonah’s.  After all, it was his message that had caused them to repent not Jonah’s.  What he was doing now only illustrated his character and that being the case, Jonah really had no say in it as whether he approved or disapproved had no bearing on what the Lord did, or, as Jonah saw it, should do!

Yet in the unquestionable compassion and mercy of God there is a real sense that Jonah is as much a beneficiary as the Ninevites.  O. Palmer Robinson points out that in chapter 3 verses 1-2 it’s pretty much as if God says: “Let’s start from the first. – Let’s forget about the past and act as though it never happened.”[3]  If he has applied the same principle to the Ninevites then who was Jonah to question him as he too has been the beneficiary of this aspect of God’s nature?  The point, and it’s a very simple one, is that in God there is nothing remotely akin to our human temperament.  When true repentance is expressed, he, unlike us, feels no need to revisit the former misdemeanours of that person.  This is something that Jonah has only really understood on one level, and that is when it applied to him.

Secondly, it is worth noting that the phrase in verse 6: ‘the LORD God’.  This combination of the names of God (Yahweh, Elohim) is first found in reference to God placing Adam in the Garden of Eden.  ‘Yahweh’ is the covenant name for God whereas as ‘Elohim’ is a reference to his creative power.  So it demonstrates his special care for Adam by placing him in a special environment with the command that he is to serve God (the Hebrew verb illustrates this), as well as stipulations he is to follow and keep if he is to prosper (Genesis 2:15-17).  The use of this combination of names shows that the Lord will extend the same love and care towards Jonah, who has gone as far as to have to question the rightness of his actions towards the Ninevites!  The Ninevites had been ignorant of God’s Law, but repented, but Jonah, who could probably recite it perfectly, needed to be educated to understand that it was a reflection of God’s love and compassion.  So God continues to instruct Jonah despite his anger and stubbornness.

The book ends with the Lord questioning Jonah about the rightness of his compassion towards Nineveh.  We are left hanging as to how Jonah answered the question.  O. Palmer Robinson asks how we should answer it in the light of the Lord’s compassion towards us.  ‘Should not you have the compassion that reflects your Lord’s?  Considering how graciously he has had compassion on you and yours, should you not show the same compassion towards others?  Should not you have compassion even towards sinners that in some ways (but not in all ways) be worse than yourself?’[4]

Coming Soon: A Successful but very Bitter Prophet!   Another look at Jonah 3-4.

[1] T Desmond Alexander, Jonah (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1988). 118.  (As part of a commentary on Obadiah and Micah by David W.  Baker and Bruce K.  Waltke respectively).
[2] Hugh Martin, Jonah, The Geneva Series of Commentaries, (London, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1870), 221-2.
[3] O.  Palmer Robinson, Jonah, A Study in Compassion (Edinburgh, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1990), 41.
[4] Robinson, Jonah, 63-4.

 ‘It’s going to get worse, before it gets better’ is a phrase that Jonah would have probably nodded his head ruefully in agreement with as he would undoubtedly testify to the truth of that statement!  We very often think of the book of Jonah as the stuff children’s talks are made of, an absolute gift from heaven for the speaker to do their stuff and provide vivid and exciting illustrations!  After all, isn’t that the book that has all that stuff about the prophet being swallowed by a whale?  The problem with that kind of thinking is it really misses the point of the book.  Besides that, the Hebrew renders our precious whale as a ‘big fish’ ‘or sea monster.’  And I’m not going to get into debates over what the fish was anyway as to do so is to miss the point of what the book teaches![1]  Jonah has much more to teach us other than that!

Put yourself in Jonah’s shoes. You’re a successful and popular prophet, and believe you me that wasn’t usually the case where most prophets were concerned!  After all, you’ve made a prophecy that has come to pass and more to the point it was a good prophecy not one of those ones about war, famine and pestilence due to covenant curses (Deuteronomy 28:15-68) which was the usual run of things where the rebellious people of Israel were concerned.  Jonah’s only other mention in the Old Testament is as a prophet to the northern kingdom around about 793-753 BC and is concerning this prophecy.  The interesting thing is that when he makes his prophecy King Jeroboam the second is on the throne and he, to be honest, was a lousy King!  Yet it is at this time that the word of the Lord comes to Jonah concerning Jeroboam’s actions in restoring large areas of land to Israel.  Despite being a thoroughly wicked King this was: ‘according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath-helper’ (2 Kings 14:25).  Now let’s face it, that’s the kind of prophecy that people want to hear especially as it hasn’t required any great change in their devotion, or more to the point, their lack of it, to the Lord!  So before we encounter him here, Jonah is that unusual thing for a prophet, the flavour of the month or year in this case due to his prophecy.

But just when Jonah starts to think “I could get used to this” or “being a prophet isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be” his next assignment from the Lord is, to put it mildly, not as crowd-pleasing and certainly wasn’t going to make Jonah flavour of the month with the people who the prophecy concerns. We read in 1:1-2: ‘Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”’ Nineveh![2] How Jonah’s spirits must have sunk when he heard the location for his next prophecy.  These were Israel’s enemies (and just about everyone else’s) who were making life a misery for the surrounding nations.  Their atrocities that they carried out on those they captured would probably turn the stomach of those who produce R rated movies or photographers hardened by working in war zones!  I suppose the closest we could get to Jonah’s situation today would be a missionary receiving a call from the Lord to go to downtown Tehran in Iran and preach the Gospel there.  Surely no one in their right mind would go!  But there’s one major hitch where Jonah is concerned, the Lord has commanded him to go!

But Jonah is having none of it and promptly takes a ship heading in the other direction towards Spain! However, he has temporarily forgotten one thing.  The Lord is sovereign over all of creation, not just the nation of Israel.  To quote boxer Joe Louis: ‘you can run but you can’t hide’,  so if Jonah thinks one reluctant prophet can escape the Lord he’s got another thing coming!  The Lord sends a storm that is so bad that the pagan sailors turn to their gods in prayer and in a panic throw the cargo into the sea.  Jonah, in the meantime, having thought he’d given the Lord the slip and more than comfortable with his actions decides to take 40 winks down below until a panicking Captain comes down to wake him up and alert him to the danger that they face.  In desperation the sailors turn to casting lots and the lot falls on Jonah.  Finally Jonah owns up realising he can run but he can’t hide where God is concerned and, from what we can gather in chapter 1 verses 9-10, confesses to the sailors who he is and what he has done.  Not surprisingly this terrifies the sailors because they can see the proof of it all around them, so they ask him what they are to do.  Jonah tells them there is only one thing they can do and that is throw him into the sea as it’s his fault that the storm has come upon them and he basically thinks drowning is a lot better than going and preaching to Israel’s enemies.  Instead, showing a lot more consideration than he had shown them they try to row back to land, but the storm is so severe it gets them nowhere.  In the end they reluctantly do as Jonah has said, pleading with the Lord not to hold it against them (after all they are probably reasoning if the Lord is mad at his prophet for running away from him he might be even madder with them if they drown him by throwing him into the sea).  The storm ceases and ironically Jonah’s success as a prophet continues as the sailors turn to the Lord and offer sacrifices to him and, more significantly, make a vows to him (1:16).  But the Lord has provided for Jonah in a most surprising way!

And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.  And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights (v17).

To be continued….

[1] In my opinion speculation and about the kind of fish involved and if it is scientifically possible is a waste of time!   Although it is possible that a large sperm whale could swallow a man there would have to be an element of the miraculous for a man to survive three days and three nights as Jonah did.  But that shouldn’t be a problem when we believe in a God can do the miraculous!  As Wiersbe notes: ‘It was a “prepared” fish” (1:17) ‘designed by God for the occasion, and therefore quite adequate for the task.’ Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Amazed, Restoring an Attitude of Wonder and Worship, (Illinois, Victor Books, 1996) 81.

[2]‘A principle city, and the last capital of Assyria.’ J. D. Douglas, Editor, The illustrated Bible dictionary, part 2, Goliath – Papyri, (Leicester, Inter-Varsity-Press, 1980), 1089.

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.

Given Job’s delicate state the Lord’s approach when first speaking to Job might shock us. Firstly, the Lord answers him from: ‘out of the whirlwind’ (v1).  As it was a strong wind that destroyed the house his children were feasting in (1:19) this might strike us as unsympathetic!  Secondly, the Lord’s opening words properly didn’t fill Job with encouragement.  Verse 2 is a challenge to Job.  Rather than give him any answers, the Lord intends to question him!  Furthermore this is not going to be a gentle discussion.  The phrase in verse 3 comes from the ancient sport of ‘Belt Wrestling’ where the idea was to grab the opponent’s belt and try to throw him![1]  This might cause us to question the Lord’s pastoral manner, but there are a couple of things worth noting here.  Firstly, it’s the first time since the opening chapters where God’s covenant name ‘Yahweh’ is used.  In chapters 3-37 the name ‘El Shaddai’ has been used by Job and his friends.  David Atkinson notes: ‘In the book of Job this has become a way of speaking of God as detached and distant.’[2] Some good and wise things are said by Job and his friends, but it is the wisdom of man.  But now God is speaking: ‘the covenant Redeemer the I AM WHO I AM’ (Exodus 3:14).[3]  Secondly: ‘God does not come forward (as his friends did) with a list of Job sins’.[4]  So, in a strange way these opening verses could be taken as either encouraging or discouraging (depending on your point of view) in ascertaining the Lord’s approach as he now holds the centre stage in the text.

In verses 4-38 God takes Job on a tour of creation, a realm that is far beyond his imagining. Verses 4-11 highlight the Lord’s creative power in making of the cosmos.  Scientists’ often talk as if they have supreme knowledge of how the world came into being.  But, when pressed, they would have to admit all they have are theories.  The difference is the Lord is the Creator, so it is he that: ‘laid the foundation of the earth’ (v4) and, as John Hartley notes: ‘Since no human being was present at this occasion, the inner structure of the universe remains a secret hidden from mankind.’[5]  The examples he gives Job in these verses come from his intimate knowledge as the world had come into being by his creative power!  And that highlights the big difference between him and Job!  All Job can do is observe the results of the Lord’s handy work.  But that is where his knowledge stops as he has no idea what it took to create such a world or even how to sustain it, which is the focus of verses 12-38.  Quite what Job’s view of the stars was would be hard to say.  He probably had a good idea that they were very far away, but he would have had no idea of the concept of ‘Light-Years’.[6]  Yet with our modern knowledge we experience even more wonder than Job when he is asked: ‘Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion’ (v31).  Undoubtedly this was impressive to Job (he’d mentioned the same constellations in 9:9), but with our knowledge it is doubly so!

In verses 39-41 the Lord gives Job examples of creatures that he would have been reasonably familiar with. This again points out Job’s knowledge of them only goes so far.  The Lord now draws Job’s attention to what is a new theme, one that will continue through chapter 39, his care for the created.  He does this through: ‘the mystery of instinct (the Bible would more truthfully call this a wisdom of divine origin implanted in animals).’[7]  Job has knowledge of these animals, but they have a hidden life by which God has given them the instinct with which to survive!  The Lord’s approach to Job at this point is interesting: ‘Most readers and commentators think Yahweh is severe, and some would say condescending, sarcastic and bullying.’[8]  But as John Hartley points out: ‘he does not reprove Job for some wrong doing. Rather he addresses Job like a teacher instructing a student who fails to understand an important matter, for he wishes to open up for him new ways of understanding the created order and his wise care of that order.’[9]

Two examples are of particular interest. Firstly, in chapter 39:9-12 we encounter the wild ox or Auroch.  To understand these verses we need to realize that this was a huge ferocious beast belonging to the Bison family which is now extinct.  It was said to have been over six foot wide at the shoulders with long forward pointed horns and was an untameable beast!  The Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose reportedly once killed seventy five of these creatures during a hunt which no doubt gave him a really good after dinner story![10]  But this illustrates this is a creature Job has no control over as he cannot use it in any constructive way!  The second example is the Ostrich, nature’s joke!  The Lord’s description of its characteristics doesn’t shy away from that!  After all: ‘God has made her forget wisdom and has given her no share in understanding’ (v17).  Francis Andersen suggests that: ‘it is a silly bird, because God made it so’ he concludes: that amid the profusion of creatures some were made to be useful to men, but some are there just for God’s entertainment and ours.’[11]  But it is amazing in its own right as: ‘When she rouses herself to flee, she laughs at the horse and his rider’ (v18).  However bizarre the Ostrich is one cannot question its amazing speed.  The other examples pertain to the same purpose where Job is concerned.  He has knowledge of these animals, but he doesn’t see their daily life by which God has given them the instinct to survive by knowing how to hunt, find food and rear their young.  This is their hidden ‘secret’ life and it remains a mystery to Job, but it isn’t to God!

The Lord is not trying to humiliate Job, but is pointing out there are many questions which he doesn’t have answers to. That doesn’t mean these questions are unanswerable, but rather the Lord has knowledge of these things whereas mankind struggles to fully understand them or even understand them at all!  For example, the Lord can: ‘send forth lightening’s’ (38:35), but Job can’t and it’s not God’s purpose here to reveal how he does it!  Rather it is that there is nothing outside God’s control, even the wind that took the lives of Job’s children, which is maybe the point of the Lord speaking: ‘out of the whirlwind’ (38:1).  This is an important lesson that we need to understand when we go through tough times.  Robert Fyall points out that: ‘Our theology often is made up of what will make us feel good. That tends to be where we begin and we are inclined to fashion our idea of God very subjectively.  God is turning Job and turning us away from ourselves.’[12] There is more to the world than what affects us!  But these chapters highlight God’s sovereignty and that provides a comfort in a sinful damaged and messed up world.

To be continued…….!

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

[1] Meredith Kline, Trial by Ordeal, from Through Christ’s Word: A Festschrift for Dr Philip E Hughes, edited by W. R. Godfrey and Jesse L. Boyd III, (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1985), 88.

[2] David Atkinson, The Message of Job, Suffering and Grace, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1991), 139.

[3] Hywel R. Jones, Job, An EP Study Commentary (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 2007), 262.

[4] Francis I. Andersen, Job, An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1976), 269.

[5] John E. Hartley, The Book of Job, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), 495.

[6] Light Years is a term used for distance light takes to travel in one year and is used to express astronomical distances. It is about 5.9 trillion miles.

[7] Andersen, Job, 280.

[8] David J. A. Clines, Job 38-42, Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville, Thomas Nelson,2011), 1088.

[9] Hartley, Job, 487.

[10] Derek Thomas, The Storm Breaks, Job simply explained (Darlington, Evangelical Press 1995) 293.

[11] Andersen, Job, 281.

[12] Robert Fyall, How does God Treat His Friends (Fearn, Christian Focus Publications Ltd, 1995) 108.

Poor Job!  The phrase: ‘with friends like these who needs enemies’ has never applied to anyone as much as it did to him.  We first meet Job living a happy and prosperous life.  He’s a man who cares about the spiritual well-being of his family (1:1-5).  He’s even commended by God as: “a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil” (1:8).[1]  You could always rely on him as he would never let you down in any way and he would help you out if you needed it.

Yet suddenly disaster strikes, and from his point of view for no apparent reason. He loses all his possessions and, in the cruellest blow of all, his children! At the point where we think: ‘it can’t get any worse’ it does, and Job is afflicted with a terrible skin disease.  Even his wife, turns against him (1:13-2:10).  Now, we have the unique privilege of seeing behind-the-scenes.  We know Satan has made two statements concerning him: “Does Job fear God for no reason?” (1:9) and: “all that a man has he will give for his life” (2:4).  Satan has attacked the validity and integrity of Job’s worship.  His premise is: ‘when life gets tough for Job, let’s see if he feels like worshiping you (God) then’. You see Satan reckons he won’t!  The issue we’re left with in the book of Job is, is God really worthy of worship?

But just when things are look completely desperate three of Job’s friends turn up.  I’ve often felt that there’s a lot of value in their initial attitude.  They understand that Job is going through a hard time and they grieve with him by keeping silent (2:11-13).  The pity is it doesn’t stay like that.  Eventually Job speaks and not surprisingly his first words are along the lines of: ‘I wish I’d never been born’ (chapter 3).  His friends start to wade-in with their thoughts and it rapidly goes downhill from there.  The trouble is Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar think that they’ve got Job’s problems solved.  Relying on the wisdom of the age, they feel Job has committed some misdemeanour which has led to God’s punishment.  What he needs to do is repent and God will return him to his former state!   But Job doesn’t see it like that.  His reaction, when paraphrased, is: “even if I have committed some wrong, this punishment is too much and therefore really unfair.” So the tension escalates.  His friends become irritated with what they perceive as Job’s stubbornness and he with their accusations.  The arguments become more antagonistic and irrational.  Eliphaz is probably the best example of this as in chapters 4 and 5 he questions whether in some small way Job has sinned. Yet later in chapter 22 he seems to totally forget how he had formally noted Job’s many good and charitable acts. Job is now a ‘tyrant’ who has oppressed the poor and disadvantaged at every opportunity!  In the end, in this section of the book from chapters 3 to 31 (except for what are probably the author’s reflections on wisdom in chapter 28) we hear a lot about man’s wisdom, some of which is good and useful, but nothing comes close to answering Job’s questions.  We come away from this feeling sympathy for Job’s two assessments.  Firstly of his friend’s council: “No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you” (12:2) and secondly of them as: “miserable comforters” (16:2).

In chapters 32 to the end of 37 we get more human wisdom from a young man called Elihu.  He has kept quiet due to his youth and out of respect for the older men.  But now angry, at what he sees as Job self-righteousness and Job’s friend’s inability to refute his arguments, he speaks up.  He says some profound things.  Elihu’s approach, that suffering could be educative, something that has been hinted at in a previous speech, was critical to John Calvin’s teaching on the book this as: ‘It forms the basis upon which Calvin understands the entire book of Job and the lessons that are to be learned throughout the book.’[2]  He is right when he accuses Job of speaking without appropriate knowledge and insight where God is concerned (34:35).  But it could be argued he suffers from the arrogance of youth from his statement: “for truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you” (36:3).  Could have really been said with a straight face?[3]  His premise suffering is brought about by sin (36:7-12) is a furrow that Job’s three friends have ploughed thoroughly!  In the end perhaps Elihu can at least lay claim to the title of the original ‘Angry Young Man’.

Many years ago I heard a wonderful overview of Job.  The speaker referred to the speeches of Job’s friends and Elihu’s as ‘Dialogs in Darkness’.  The trouble is that even though some wise things are said, this is just Man’s thoughts as to how they think God should act.[4]  What Job really wants is his day in court with the Almighty to plead his case!  As the dust settles his friends no longer have anything to say, perhaps because they’re too annoyed or worn down by Job’s stubbornness.  But we desperately want what Job wants,  the voice of God and some clarity!  After all, ‘with friends like these…..’ that’s got to be preferable!

A major misconception is Job is a book all about suffering.  But, although that’s touched on, it’s not its main purpose as it’s actually a book all about God!  Derek Thomas surmises John Calvin preached on the book not because he believed it contained answers to suffering and trial.  But: ‘Rather he sought to turn the congregation in Geneva, and his own soul, to the reality of God’s sovereignty and power in the contingencies of seemingly disordered life.’[5]

But the question remains.  What can God say that speaks into the situation that Job finds himself in?  After all this is someone, who has just lost everything and is suffering horribly and, although not suicidal, has often mused that the grave would be a preferable place to be as he generally sees it as a place of rest and peace.[6]  We continue, like Job to feel that justice is yet to be done!  So the scene is set, what on earth can God say that might help satisfy Job and us?  But what the Lord says now completely undermines our assessment of the book, but ultimately it leads to what can be the only satisfactory answer!

More to follow…….!

We have four sermons that cover this introduction.  If you would like to listen just click the links below:

Job 1:1-2:20: The Storm Breaks: where’s God in a Troubled World?   

Job 2:11–3:36, 4:1-9 and 5:17-27: Dialogues in Darkness: So much for the Wisdom of Man.

Job28:1-28: True Wisdom. 

Job32:1-5, 33:1-24 and 36:1-15: Elihu the Original Angry Young Man! Do we Learn from Suffering?

[1]It’s important we understand the nature of the Old Testament righteousness to understand the context here.  This is not: ‘the righteousness of God’ (2 Corinthians 5:21) which is gifted to those who have sought to have their sins forgiven, but rather a visible moral righteousness.
[2] Derek Thomas, Calvin’s teaching on Job, Proclaiming the Incomprehensible God (Geanies House, Christian Focus Publications, 2004), 227.
[3] But we must concede that not all commentators see this statement as proof of Elihu’s arrogance as he has described God in this way back in 37:16.  ‘He could therefore mean that God was present with Job seeing that true words from and about him were being spoken.’ Hywel R. Jones, Job, An EP Study Commentary (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 2007), 253.
[4] When preaching on Job although John Calvin is very critical of the three friend’s position: ‘he nevertheless finds opportunity to formulate lessons as to the nature and character of the incomprehensible God.’ Thomas, Calvin’s teaching on Job, 154.
[5] Thomas, Calvin’s teaching on Job, 33.
[6] Job’s views on death are intriguing as generally he sees Sheol a place of rest where he will be free from the suffering of life.  Yet In 10:18-22 the themes of wishing he had never been born re-surface again and other aspects are mentioned.  Here Sheol is pictured differently.  Job uses words such as: ‘gloom’, ‘deep shadow’, ‘deepest night’ and talks of a place where ‘light is as thick darkness’.  This is very different from the peaceful rest that he spoke about in 3:21-22!