Thoughts on Job 38

“Job 38:3 GIRD UP NOW THY LOINS LIKE A MAN. God’s words to Job are remarkable both for what they say and do not say. (1) Amazingly, Job was never told why he suffered. He never learned that his suffering involved such grave matters as the integrity and vindication of God’s redemptive work among the fallen human race (1:8-9). God’s silence in this area indicates that the why of Job’s suffering was not the most important issue at stake. (2) Also God did not refer to the careless and extreme statements that Job uttered in his speeches. God did not severely rebuke him or hold his foolishness against him. He understood and sympathizes with Job’s suffering and weighed his words and feelings with compassion.

“Job 38:4 THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH. God’s speeches dealt entirely with the natural world of creation and nature. He described the mystery and complexity of the universe and revealed that His method of ruling the world is far beyond our ability to comprehend. God wanted Job to understand that His activity in the world of nature is analogous to His rule in the moral and spiritual order of the universe, and that complete understanding of God’s ways will never be found in this life. But the book of Job does reveal that when all truth is finally known, God’s ways and actions will be seen as just and righteous.”

“Job 38:4 DECLARE, IF THOU HAS UNDERSTANDING. God reproved Job for speaking without knowledge (v. 2) and humbled him by making his suffering servant realize that human reasoning is no match for the infinite and eternal God (cf. 40:1-5). Without rejecting Job’s claims to moral integrity, God called into question Job’s suggestion that He might not be ruling the world justly (e.g. chs. 21; 24). But God went on to assure Job that in his dialogues with the counselors, he had spoken rightly about God (42:7). In other words, God considered Job’s error in judgment as stemming from a lack of understanding, not a failure in faith or in sincere love for his Lord.”