After all of Job’s questions, and his friends weighing in, God answers their questions with some questions of His own. Do they sound familiar? We see the same pattern in the New Testament when Jesus is challenged by the teachers of the law. God focuses on two points that are consistent with His character.
1) Man cannot understand God’s ways2) The patient tenderness of God’s grace
God opens with the simple truth that He will back up with further questioning.
“Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?
Job 38:2 NASB
Basically, “Who are you, Job, to question me?” The personal God makes a personal appeal to Job. And here is the second part of it – He does it with grace and love. In case Job had forgotten, God highlights His vast power and sovereignty over all things. He uses natural things, that Job can see, feel and touch, in order to correct him. Even though God has every right to destroy Job, He sounds like a teacher who is carefully directing His student back to the truth of the situation.
There is so much grace here; it is unbelievable! The fact that God would even address Job is far beyond anything he deserved. If Job had convinced himself in his pain that God was far away, God answered loud and clear – I am in near to you and in complete control.
Where do you need to let this fact sink in today? As someone who has wrestled with God, where do you need to be reminded of His absolute power and authority over all things. Not only this, but we know by His words that He loves us and is patient in our wrestling. It is a truth we will probably never fully understand.