Monday, January 8, 2018
Job 41:22 says, In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. God is still speaking of the leviathan, but the analogy applies to God Himself. We do not know of a creature that fits all these descriptions, nor can we really know everything about God. These last few verses speak of the power of the levitathan, and we can easily see how they apply to God as well. No matter how much people may attack God, His strength remains. Also, we know that God has the ability to turn what people see as sorrow into joy, if we simply put our faith in His strength. Verse twenty-three says, The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. We know, if we are true followers of Christ, that God cannot be moved by anyone or anything. There is no weak spot to attack and overcome God. Verse twenty four says, His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether millstone. I do not believe that this means that God is hard-hearted. Instead I believe that even if we attack the very heart of God, we cannot defeat Him. Usually in battle, if a person can stab an opponent in the heart, then the opponent will die. Even if we attack the very essence of God, or the heart, it is going to be the same as stabbing a rock. No matter our plan of attack, nor how strong we may feel, we are still helpless before God. Verse twenty-five says, When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves. I believe that when God acts in the world that people should stand in awe and purify themselves before Him. Of course, I also believe that the only way to purify ourselves is through accepting the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Verse twenty-six says, The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. Just as God said there was no weapon that Job and those around him had that would have any effect in a battle with the levitathan, there is likewise no weapon that we have that will in anyway affect God. The only way to find peace with God is to surrender. No matter how strong we may think we or our weapons may be, they will never impact God. Verse twenty-seven states, He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. Those things that we may view as strong in our battle with God are powerless against Him. We could say that we have much stronger weapons today, but no matter how strong they are they are as stubble before God. The next three verses continue to speak about how ineffective people's weapons are against the leviathan. Verse twenty-eight says, The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him into stubble. Then verse twenty-nine states, Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a spear. Verse thirty concludes, Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon the mire. Once more, God was really reminding Job that he was helpless before God. A battle with God is one that we will always lose. Verse thirty-one says, He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment. I believe that God was saying that there was no place deep enough that God was not only there, but that He could move the deepest waters. Verse thirty two states, He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary. God does indeed light the path for His followers, no matter how dark life may look around them. Verse thirty three says, Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. Though still speaking of the leviathan, this was still an analogy for God . There is none on earth like God, and He has no reason to fear anyone. Verse thirty-four concludes, He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride. God not only sees in the depths, but He also sees in all the high places. There is no place where we can go that God is not there. When we elevate ourselves in our own pride, which is what Job was doing by claiming that God had treated him unfairly, then God will be there to remind us that He is God. We must never allow self pride to come between God and us.
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