You Alone Are God1
The majestic language of Jehovah in his speech to Job is far above all human eloquence. Let us read a second lesson from that divine sermon. We begin with the unequalled description of a warhorse.
Job 39:19-30
19 “Do you give the horse his might?
Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him leap like the locust?
His majestic snorting is terrifying.
21 He paws in the valley and exults in his strength;
he goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;
he does not turn back from the sword.
23 Upon him rattle the quiver,
the flashing spear and the javelin.
24 With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground;
he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.
25 When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’
He smells the battle from afar,
the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.”
He who created a creature so noble, powerful, and courageous, is not to be summoned to our courtroom or questioned about what he does.
26 “Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars
and spreads his wings toward the south?”
We often talk about instinct. What is instinct? It is God teaching his creation! He who has given so much wisdom to birds and beasts is full of wisdom himself. Let us bow before him and rest assured that what he does is always best.
27 “Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up
and makes his nest on high?
28 On the rock he dwells and makes his home,
on the rocky crag and stronghold.
29 From there he spies out the prey;
his eyes behold it afar off.
30 His young ones suck up blood,
and where the slain are, there is he.”
The noble eagle sees afar and inspires terror. It does not belong to the kings of the earth even though they adorn their flags and shields with its image. The eagle is another example of the wonderful mind of God and another illustration of his greatness.
Job 40:1-14
1And the LORD said to Job:
2 “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?
He who argues with God, let him answer it.”
3Then Job answered the LORD and said:
4 “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?
I lay my hand on my mouth.
5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer;
twice, but I will proceed no further.”
6Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
7 “Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.
8 Will you even put me in the wrong?
Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?
9 Have you an arm like God,
and can you thunder with a voice like his?”
If we think that we can compete with God about who is the most righteous, then God challenges us to first compete with him over who is the most powerful. All the attributes2 of God are equally great. If we cannot match him in one, then it will not be wise to call another one into question.
10 “Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity;
clothe yourself with glory and splendor.”
Come you poor little glowworm, show us your light. What are you compared to the sun?
11 “Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
and look on everyone who is proud and abase him.
12 Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low
and tread down the wicked where they stand.
13 Hide them all in the dust together;
bind their faces in the world below.
14 Then will I also acknowledge to you
that your own right hand can save you.”
The Lord can bring down tyrants and deliver the oppressed. Until we can control the world as he has, we should learn to submit to his divine will and stop our rebellious questioning.
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1 Psalm 86:10
2 attribute - A quality or characteristic that someone has.
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