Having shown Job his inability to comprehend the massive complexities, beauty, power, and interdependence of the natural world, the first part of chapter 40 (40:1-14) takes an interlude. God challenges Job to match him in extending his moral purpose into the world. God reprimands Job for the parts of his speeches in which he found fault with God for apparent injustices – e.g. 30:21 “You have become cruel to me; with the strength of your hand you oppose me; … You spoil my success” (NKJV). Despite all his previous bravado of being able to bring his case before God, he now simply recognizes his smallness and that he has nothing more to say. He can answer none of God’s questions, so why should he think that his questions will have any legitimate challenge to present to God? “I lay my hand upon my mouth, … and I will answer nothing more” (4, 5 NASB).
Now, instead of merely implying Job’s incompetence to the test for which he has been crying, God gives an immediate challenge for Job to govern the hearts of men. He repeats the earlier injunction, “Dress for action like a man (40:7 cf. 38:3). By his personal challenge, what does Job intend? Does he really think that God is unaware of his response, or his call for justice? Is Job seriously convinced that, if he just has the opportunity, he can convince God that his method of dealing with him has been misguided; that he has miscalculated what is best for him? Does Job think that he has a more effective and just idea of how he should be treated? “Will you really annul my judgment?” God asks; “Will you condemn me that you may be justified?” (8).
Job, cringing in a miserable condition, reeling under the events that have crushed him, and simmering in his emotion from the accusations of his friends, yet powerless to reverse anything about his condition or about their evaluation of his standing, now hears God say, “Adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty” (40:10 NKJV). These are completely stripped from him, and he can do nothing to alter the moment. Come now, Job, show the effectual power of your response to the events around you; let your anger seethe and bubble over, and by so doing bring the proud to humility. When God is angry, he fits the punishment perfectly to the crime; his dispensations of discipline humble the proud, deflate the arrogant, and scatter the wicked. So, “pour out the overflowings of your anger,” Job, and “look on everyone who is proud, and make him low” (11). Show that your judgments can halt the wicked in their destructive course. Show that you can judge and bring evildoers to naught in this world, bring them to death, and then bind them to eternal judgment. When you do this, Job, I will acknowledge that you have the wisdom and power to determine and perform the thing needed for your salvation (14).
Let us return to nature, and of a sort that shows the overwhelming power and mysterious strength that God has spoken into being in creatures. God continues the challenge to Job by pointing to two prodigies of creation, Behemoth and Leviathan (40:15-24 and 41). Various identities have been speculated for these two grand animals: hippopotamus, giant crocodile, or even a fire-breathing dragon that had been saved in the ark and would soon be extinct, but at this time was known. The point is that again, Job cannot cope with, or explain, the delicate balance of creative instincts in the animal kingdom or match its power. Lay your hand on Leviathan and “you will not do it again!” (8). How much less can he comprehend both the infinite rational wisdom and the inexhaustible power of the God that has made all these things and controls them from moment to moment.
The language used to describe these two amazing creatures provides a source for intense literary analysis. Metaphors, similes, startling images, rhetorical questions, analogies, and intense narrative can be set forth as models for elegance of style and variety of literary genre. Scripture not only is true propositionally, it is instructive in fitting communicative vehicles for the purpose of its content. The description of Leviathan, in addition to its pressing the power of images to the perimeter of perception, shows the moral purpose in a powerful lesser-to-greater comparison. “No one is so fierce that he dares to arouse him; Who then is he that can stand before Me? Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is Mine” (10, 11 NASB).
He shall return in power to reign
Heaven and earth will join to say
“O praise Him! Alleluia!”
Then who shall fall on bended knee?
All creatures of our God and King
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Dr. Tom Nettles is widely regarded as one of the foremost Baptist historians in America. He joined the faculty of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary after teaching at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he was professor of Church History and chairman of that department. Previously, he taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. He received a B.A. from Mississippi College and an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Southwestern. In addition to writing numerous journal articles and scholarly papers, Dr. Nettles has authored or edited nine books including By His Grace and For His Glory, Baptists and the Bible, and Why I Am a Baptist.
Courses taught: Historical Theology of the Baptists, Historical Theology Overview, Jonathan Edwards & Andrew Fuller.
