Job 38:1

_THEN THE LORD ANSWERED JOB OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND, AND SAID,_ Yahweh appears unexpectedly in a whirlwind (already gathering, Job 37:1), the symbol of "judgment" (Psalms 50:3, etc.), to which Job had challenged Him. He asks him now to get himself ready for the contest. Can he explain the phenomena of God's natural government? How can he, then, hope to understand the principles of His moral government? God thus confirms Elihu's sentiment, that submission to, not reasonings on, God's ways is man's part. This and the disciplinary design of trial to the godly is the great lesson of this book. He does not solve the difficulty by reference to future retribution; because this was not the immediate question: glimpses of that truth were already given in...

1-3 Job had silenced, but had not convinced his friends. Elihu had silenced Job, but had not brought him to admit his guilt before God. It pleased the Lord to interpose. The Lord, in this discourse, humbles Job, and brings him to repent of his passionate expressions concerning God's providential dealings with him; and this he does, by calling upon Job to compare God's being from everlasting to everlasting, with his own time; God's knowledge of all things, with his own ignorance; and God's almighty power, with his own weakness. Our darkening the counsels of God's wisdom with our folly, is a great provocation to God. Humble faith and sincere obedience see farthest and best into the will of the Lord....

CHAPTER XXXVIII _The Lord answers Job out of a whirlwind, and challenges him to_ _answer_, 1-3. _He convinces him of ignorance and weakness, by an enumeration_ _of some of his mighty works; particularly of the creation of_ _the earth_, 4-7. _The sea and the deeps_, 8-18. _The light_, 19-21. _Snow, hail, thunder, lightning, rain, dew, ice, and hoar-frost_, 22-30. _Different constellations, and the ordinances of heaven_ _influencing the earth_, 31-33....

THEN THE LORD ANSWERED JOB - This speech is addressed particularly to Job, not only because he is the principal personage referred to in the book, but particularly because he had indulged in language of murmuring and complaint. God designed to bring him to a proper state of mind before he appeared openly for his vindication. It is the purpose of God, in his dealings with his people, “to bring them to a proper state of mind” before he appears as their vindicator and friend, and hence, their trials are often prolonged, and when he appears, he seems at first to come only to rebuke them. Job had indulged in very improper feelings, and it was needful that those feelings should be subdued before God would manifest himself as his friend, and address him in words of consolation. OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND - The tempest; the storm - probably that which Elihu had seen approaching,...

CLOSE OF THE CONTROVERSY BY THE INTERFERENCE OF THE ALMIGHTY. EXPOSITION The discourse, by which the Almighty answers Job and rebukes his "friends," occupies four chapters (ch. 38-41.). It is broken into two parts by the interposition of a-short confession on Job's part (Job 40:3). Job 38:1 and Job 39:1 are closely connected, and form a single appeal—a sort of _argumentum ad verecundiam—_to_ _Job's profound ignorance of God's natural government, which incapacitates him from passing judgment upon what is far more incomprehensible and myste

THEN THE LORD ANSWERED JOB OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND,.... As soon as Elihu had done speaking, who saw the tempest rising, and gave hints of it, Job 37:2; and hastened to finish his discourse. This was raised to give notice of the Lord being about to appear, and to display his majesty, and to command reverence and attention. The Targum calls it the whirlwind of distress, as it might be to Job; and a representation of the distressed and disturbed state and condition in which he was. The person that spoke out of it is Jehovah the Son of God, the eternal Word, who very probably appeared in an human form; there was an object seen, Job 42:5; and spoke with an articulate voice to Job; AND SAID; in answer to his frequent wishes and desires that the Lord would appear and take his cause in hand....

THE LORD ANSWERED JOB The words of jehovah have the effect of bringing Job consciously into His presence. (Job 42:5). Hitherto the discussions have been about God, but He has been conceived as absent. Now Job and the Lord are face to face. It is noteworthy that Job does not answer Elihu. Despite his harsh judgment he has spoken so truly about God that Job remains silent. (Job 38:1) might be paraphrased, "Then Jehovah answered for or on behalf of Job....

V. THE LORD'S TESTIMONY TO JOB AND CONTROVERSY WITH HIM CHAPTER 38:1-38 _ 1. The Lord speaks to Job (Job 38:1)_ 2. The questions of the Lord (Job 38:4) Job 38:1. The voice of man is hushed; the voice of the Lord begins to speak. The Almighty, the Creator, the Lord of All comes now upon the scene. He too, like Elihu, had been the silent listener; He heard Job's complaint and wailing and the babblings of his friends. Elihu's wonderful utterance, inspired by the Lord, was ended. The thunderstorm is on, no doubt a literal storm, the dark clouds gather-- _ Then from the North there comes a golden light._ God appears in wondrous Majesty ...

Yahweh, speaking to Job out of the storm, challenges him to the contest, which he has so often demanded....

THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. ANSWERED. See note on Job 4:1. We now have Jehovah _'_. own ministry, and the theme is Himself. Elihu _'_. ministry furnishes the text: "God is greater than man "(Job 33:12). This leads up to "the end of the Lord" (James 5:11). "How should mortal man be just with God? "See Job 4:17; Job 9:2; Job 15:14; Job 33:9;...