“Tell Me, if you know all this.”
“Then Job answered the LORD and said,
(The Book of Job 40: 3-5 NASB)
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;
Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to attend an appointment for a CT scan, and this was my first experience with a scan such as this. So, I asked some important questions, like—
- How is a CT scan different from other types of scans?
- How should I position my body on the table?
- Why is there such a long table if I must lay on the bottom half of the table and dangle my feet off the end?
- Have you ever seen such huge blue pants!
Yes, that last question was more of a statement as I placed the elastic-waisted blue, unfashionable shorts on my body. My, but these one-size fits all pants worn specifically at a medically imaging center were some REALLY BIG PANTS!
Sometimes, we humans can just get the “BIG PANTS” feeling, that what we know is GREATER than everyone else’s knowledge. We think we know it “all” whenever we have experienced something another person has experienced, or we think we are “experts” at some particular knowledge, when we only have seen or touched or heard something once.
- Who are we?
- What do we really know?
- Were we even here, in the beginning?
During our Wednesday night study of The Book of Job, I have learned so much about God. Before the study began, I thought I knew the events found within this Scripture passage, but always before, I found myself focused on the man Job. This time (maybe because I am older, you know more mature and all that), my focus has been centered on our heavenly Father, the Creator of the world—Jehovah Jireh.
Even before I attended the CT scan appointment, I wore the “BIG PANTS” when I strolled through this biblical reading named after the one experiencing the suffering. I just knew what I knew, or at least I thought I did. “BIG PANTS” was my thinking whenever I considered
the enormity of our Father God!
Needless to say, my metaphorical “pants” have become rather “small” as we have walked through the chapters of The Book of Job, and when reaching chapters 38-40, it was clearly apparent how much Almighty God cared for the man named Job and for each one of us!
Walk with me for a few verses, as we experience the “ENORMITY & LOVE” of the God we serve!
“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,” (Verses 1)
(The Book of Job 38: 1 & 4-8 & 12-13 & 16-18 NASB)
—————————————-
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;” (Verses 4-8)
—————————————-
“Have you ever in your life commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,
That it might take hold of the ends of the earth,
And the wicked be shaken out of it?” (Verses 12-13)
—————————————
“Have you entered into the springs of the sea
Or walked in the recesses of the deep?
Have the gates of death been revealed to you?
Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?
Have you understood the expanse of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.”
Yes, there are times when we humans believe we have knowledge and understanding, and we do obtain these earthly elements in the topics we study. However, truth be told, there is SO MUCH MORE ABOUT OUR GREAT GOD & HIS AMAZING POWER than we can ever fathom or understand this side of eternity.
The servant of God, the man named Job understood this after he heard God speak.
I think we would too, understand.
Cannot we see the man Job covering his mouth as he proclaimed to JEHOVAH, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY—
“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?
(The Book of Job 40: 4-5 NASB)
I lay my hand on my mouth.
Once I have spoken, and I will not answer;
Even twice, and I will add nothing more.”
Without a doubt, we have such limited understanding!
- How does God create life and place it inside a mother’s womb?
- How did God fashion the world and all things inside it?
- Why does God allow some to suffer through the terribleness of disease while others walk free of this terribleness?
- Why did God allow Satan to torment Job?
- Was it for our benefit, so that we could better understand the amazing love of God?
Deep pain is intense, and it can affect everything we see and experience. However, it is oftentimes during our deepest pain that we discover the depth of our faith.
- God provides us everything in this world that we enjoy.
- God grants evil in this world to exist, but God celebrates the goodness of His creation, even while maintaining and controlling the chaotic elements.
Sin causes chaos in our lives.
Satan causes chaos in our lives.
BUT GOD CONTROLS IT ALL & ALLOWS IT (FOR A TIME) TO EXIST!
AND GOD HAS APPOINTED A DAY WHEN THE SIN SATAN CREATES WILL NO LONGER EXIST!
We may never fully understand God’s amazing power & amazing love & amazing Grace He bestows to us, just as He reminded His servant Job.
However, that does not mean we cannot PRAISE & WORSHIP GOD!
We can!
“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,
(The Book of Job 38: 33-36 NASB)
Or fix their rule over the earth?
Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?
Can you send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?
Who has put wisdom in the innermost being
Or given understanding to the mind?”
God grants us limitless goodness.
- What we see as a storm, God sees as a raindrop.
- What we see as a lightning strike, God sees as a night-light.
- What we hear as rolling thunder, God hears as a small gurgling.
- What we hear as ‘mother nature,’ God knows it all occurs, or does not, because of His infinite power, goodness and love for us.
It is a truth—We need the Lord.
It is a fact—We need the Lord’s defense.
It is an amazing thought to know—We can seek God’s Amazing Grace.
It is an awesome privilege to remember—We can ask for God’s forgiveness.
Thank You Jehovah God for reminding us that we do not (in fact) wear the “Big Pants,”—even though we sometimes think we do.
“Then Job answered the LORD and said,
(The Book of Job 42: 1-6 NASB)
“I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
Hear, now, and I will speak;
I will ask You, and You instruct me.
I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees You;
Therefore I retract,
And I repent in dust and ashes.”