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"THE BOOK OF JOB"
God Speaks To Job (38:1-42:6)
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS SECTION
1) To examine God's response to Job
2) To consider the charges God makes against Job, and Job's repentance
SUMMARY
At last, Job is finally given his desire to have an audience with God.
It is not what he expected. Speaking from a whirlwind, the Lord
charges Job with darkening counsel by words without knowledge. A
challenge is then made for Job to answer questions posed to him. A
series of questions follow in rapid succession regarding the creation
and nature that certainly contrast God's great power and wisdom with
Job's limited ability and understanding. God ends His first discourse
then with a repeated challenge for the one (i.e., Job) who contends
with the Almighty and who rebukes God to answer these questions.
Overwhelmed, Job admits his unworthiness and inability to answer. He
admits he has spoken before, but will do so no more (38:1-40:5).
The Lord is not through with Job, however. A second discourse begins
with another challenge for Job to answer God's questions. Job is asked
whether he truly thinks he can annul God's judgment, or condemn Him so
that he can be justified (cf. Elihu's charges, 32:2; 33:8-13). If Job
can thunder with a voice like God's, adorn himself with majesty,
splendor, glory and beauty, bring the proud down low, then God would
confess that Job could save himself. To once more illustrate the power
and wisdom of God, Job is asked to consider two great creatures, the
behemoth and Leviathan. If man is fearful before them, how then could
one stand against God (40:6-41:34)?
Job's final response is to humbly acknowledge God's ability to do
everything, and that no purpose of His can be withheld from Him. He
also confesses that he has spoken of things he did not understand, and
beyond his ability to comprehend. Having now heard and seen God, Job
abhors himself and repents (42:1-6).
OUTLINE
I. GOD'S FIRST DISCOURSE (38:1-40:5)
A. INTRODUCTORY REBUKE AND CHALLENGE (38:1-3)
1. The Lord answers Job (38:1)
a. Job finally gets his audience with God
b. The Lord speaks to Job out of the whirlwind
2. The Lord's rebuke and challenge (38:2-3)
a. Rebuking Job for darkening counsel by words without
knowledge
b. Challenging Job to answer the questions God will ask of him
B. QUESTIONS POSED TO JOB (38:4-39:30)
1. Questions concerning the Creation (38:4-15)
a. Related to the earth
b. Related to the sea
c. Related to the morning and dawn
2. Questions concerning inanimate nature (38:16-38)
a. Regarding the depths and expanses of the earth, and the
gates of death
b. Regarding the way of light, and the place of darkness
c. Regarding the weather, and the scattering of light and wind
d. Regarding the stars with their constellations
e. Regarding the floods
3. Questions concerning animate nature (38:39-39:30)
a. Respecting the nourishment for lions and ravens
b. Respecting the procreation of mountain goats and deer
c. Respecting the freedom of the wild donkey
d. Respecting the strength of the wild ox
d. Respecting the stupidity of the ostrich
e. Respecting the horse in battle
f. Respecting the flight of the hawk, and the nesting of the
eagle
C. GOD'S CHALLENGE, AND JOB'S RESPONSE (40:1-5)
1. The Lord challenges Job (40:1-2)
a. Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?
b. Let the one who rebukes God answer the questions posed thus
far
2. Job's response (40:3-5)
a. He considers himself vile
b. Unable to answer, he will speak no more
II. GOD'S SECOND DISCOURSE (40:6-42:6)
A. ANOTHER CHALLENGE TO JOB (40:6-7)
1. As the Lord continues to answer Job out of the whirlwind
2. Job challenged to answer the questions God will ask him
B. MORE QUESTIONS POSED TO JOB (40:8-41:34)
1. Concerning his effort to justify himself while condemning God
(40:8-14)
a. Will Job annul God's judgment?
b. Will he condemn God that he may be justified?
c. Does Job have the power of God?
d. Let Job adorn himself with majesty and glory, humble the
proud, and God will confess that Job can save himself
2. Concerning the behemoth (40:15-24)
a. Perhaps a hippopotamus, or some other animal now extinct
b. A creature of great strength, one of God's best creations,
and only God who made him can draw near with His sword
(40:19)
3. Concerning Leviathan (41:1-34)
a. Perhaps a crocodile, or other creature known for its
fierceness and strength
b. If one dare not to stir up Leviathan, then who can stand
against God?
C. JOB'S RESPONSE AND CONTRITION (42:1-6)
1. Job responds to God (42:1-3)
a. He acknowledges the power of God, Whose purpose cannot be
withheld
b. He admits that he had spoken of things he did not know and
understand
2. Job humbles himself before God in repentance (42:4-6)
a. In response to God's challenge to answer His questions, Job
can only acknowledge that he has now seen God
b. From what he has now seen and heard, he realizes his error
and repents
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION
1) How does the Lord speak to Job? (38:1)
- Out of the whirlwind
2) What is the Lord's first question directed toward Job? (38:2)
- "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?"
3) What challenge does God place before Job? (38:3)
- "I will question you, and you shall answer Me."
4) List the different things about which God asked Job in the first
discourse (38:8-39:30)
- The creation of the earth and sea
- The morning dawn
- The springs of the sea, the gates of death
- The way of light, and place of darkness
- The weather, and the scattering of light and wind
- The stars and their constellations
- The floods
- The nourishment for lions and ravens
- The procreation of mountain goats and dear
- The freedom of the wild donkey, the strength of the wild ox
- The stupidity of the ostrich, the horse in battle
- The flight of the hawk, and nesting of the eagle
5) As God ends His first discourse, what does He say to Job? (40:1-2)
- "Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him?"
- "He who rebukes God, let him answer it."
6) What is Job's response to these questions and God's challenge?
(40:3-5)
- He acknowledges his unworthiness, and inability to answer
- He has spoken before, but will proceed no further
7) As God continues with His second discourse, what challenge does He
repeat to Job? (40:6-7)
- "I will question you, and you shall answer Me."
8) What four questions does He then ask of Job? (40:8-9)
- "Would you indeed annul My judgment?"
- "Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?" (cf. 32:2)
- "Have you an arm like God?"
- "Can you thunder with a voice like His?"
9) What does God challenge Job to do, in order to prove he could save
himself? (40:10-14)
- Adorn himself with majesty, splendor, glory and beauty
- Humble those who are proud
10) What is the first of two great creatures described to illustrate
God's power? (40:15-24)
- The behemoth, which some think may be the hippopotamus
11) What statement concerning this creature emphasizes God's power and
strength? (40:19)
- He is the first of the ways of God; only He who made him can bring
near His sword
12) What is the second creature described to illustrate God's strength?
(41:1-34)
- Leviathan, which some think may be the crocodile
13) What key point does God make with Leviathan? (41:10)
- The animal is so fierce, none would dare stir him up; who then is
able to stand against God?
14) Having heard God, what does Job now admit? (42:1-3)
- That God can do everything, and no purpose of His can be withheld
from Him
- That he (Job) has uttered things he did not understand, concerning
things too wonderful for him to know
15) Now that Job has had his audience with God, how does he react?
(42:5-6)
- With contrition and repentance
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Executable Outlines, Copyright
© Mark A. Copeland, 2001
www.ChristianLibrary.org