Job 38-42 The Lord Replies....

Brief Summary of Job 38-42

38-40
The Lord begins by proclaiming his omnipotence. He uses all kinds of description of the amazing mysteries in nature. He describes how he is the master of the deep, light, darkness, snow, hail, lightning, constellations, clouds, and dew. He is also the Creator of all animals and their Protector. Job, is in awe of God's power. He confesses his sin in arguing with God and being presumptuous.

40-42
God's power is contrasted with man's frailty. God basically asks if Job thinks he can run the universe better than He can. Job is penitent with God. He apologizes for questioning the ways of God and doubting God's providence. Job sees that affliction is God-permitted, to refine man so that he may see God, in all His greatness and splendor, and to see himself in his dispicableness and sin to the intent that man may repent of his pride in dust and ashes. God rebukes Job's friends for allowing their conventional ways to force them into lying arguments. Job sacrifices and prays for his friends, and he is saved and restored by the grace of God for his sins.


Discussion/Comments:

Wow, what a powerful book!!
1. After finishing the book of Job, how do you feel about the cycles of speeches, in particular, the Lord's speech? Do you still feel like the book was a true account or more like a play. Here are a few things that came into my mind while I was reading this last part. To make sure you know I am not going off on a crazy tangent, I really believe that Job was loosely based on the life of a real man, but the way it is presented seems like it could have been like that of a play. I know that all Scripture "God Breathed" so this, whether based truly on true incidents or not, was a powerful story that God wanted us to know. And the way it is presented to me does not really matter in the overall message.

38:31-33 The reference to Pleiades and Orion and the Bear and cubs...which I am presuming are referring to constellations...which to me go along the lines of the culture of that time in a play.
Also, there are some references to what looks like what we may presume some mythological creatures in chapters 40-41, the Behemoth, and Leviathan. My concordances referred to this as a hippo and an alligator, but when I looked up the Hebrew, there was not a definition for Behemoth, but for Leviathan, it said a "sea-monster" . Isn't an alligator/crocodile a fresh water reptile? So from the Lord's description, and the Hebrew translation, we are either talking, mythological creature, like a dragon, or maybe a huge beast of that nature that once lived in that day and age.

These are just interesting facts that I thought would be a good discussion. If you can find the Hebrew translation for Behemoth, please let me know..I am just curious at this point!!

Thank you for doing this book with me!!! Job has been a great study! I am planning to start a study back up again. I am not sure what book it will be on yet, but I am leaving for vacation next week and would really love some input. I am planning to start posting again at the beginning of June. Please, please, please comment and leave some suggestions! I will try to post the book that we will be doing before the beginning of June. Have a great couple of weeks!!!
Carrie

References for today's post: Pocket Bible Commentary by William Neil, the New Unger's Bible Handbook revised by Gary N. Larson, Hebrew-Greek Translation Bible