Day 31

We’ve all made a month and we’ve finished our second book of the Bible today. In chapters 40-42 God speaks more and Job responds. God lays out his relationship with Behemoth and Leviathan - two massive beasts that we aren’t sure what they refer to, but it’s clear they are impressive creatures.

God has continued to assert that he is God, not Job or his friends (cf. Job 41:11). Thankfully we also know him through our acquaintance with all of Scripture as holy, just, righteous, merciful, gracious, compassionate, good, and so much more.

But we come to Job’s response in chapter 42:

Then Job answered the Lord and said::

2 “I know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

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

Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

4 ‘Hear, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you make it known to me.’

5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,

but now my eye sees you;

6 therefore I despise myself,

and repent in dust and ashes.” (ESV)

Job does not seek to justify himself - he repents. This is not a repentance that agrees with his “comforters” that he is evil, but one that repents of his guilt of demanding God provide him with everything he wanted (with an explanation of all that happened). That is God’s prerogative and Job sees that.

We must learn to see ourselves as we are - creatures. God is God and we are not. We must stop trying to run the universe and learn to rest in God’s wisdom and ways.