Day 11: Job Part 7

This is an extraordinary book. It reminds me in a strange way of Herman Melville's Moby Dick, where Melville keeps the reader waiting and waiting for an encounter with the giant whale, padding out the story with great big chunks of encyclopedic information about whales and whaling. The storm clouds are gathering, getting more and more oppressive, and you know there must be a terrible denouement. But when will it come?

Elihu observes the power of God
Job 37:1-13
Job required to explain the forces of nature, and reminded to fear God
Job 37:14-24
Discourse with Yahweh
God Questions Job
Job 38:1-41, Job 39:1-30
Job humbles himself before God
Job 40:1-5
God reasons with Job and shows his power
Job 40:6-24, 41:1-34
Job humbly submits to God
Job 42:1-6
He intercedes for his friends
Job 42:7-10a
His renewed prosperity
Job 42:10b-17

In chapter 37 Elihu sounds reasonable, extolling God's greatness, and saying how inappropriate it is for us to think we can call him to account. Then suddenly out of the blue, in chapter 38, God himself speaks, and takes up the same theme. He questions Job, saying can you do the wonders I can? For two chapters he bombards Job with unanswerable questions, without continuing to the conclusion that Job's friends all did: that we have no right to challenge God.
Then in chapter 40 he says, “Come on, Job. Speak up!” Job is cowed. He will not speak. God continues, outlining his greatness, saying who are you, to challenge my justice. Job's final answer is this: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” And yet I cannot help feeling that God would have listened to Job's complaint, he would not have punished him for daring to question.
What sublime poetry in these ancient words! Try going outside on a starry night and reciting 38:31-33.
You know, I'm slightly disappointed that Job doesn't ask his questions. God's willingness to be challenged is perhaps shown in the fact that he rebukes Job's friends, saying “you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”
There's a happily ever after ending, Job is restored with more wealth, children and honour than he had before. God is acknowledged as supreme, but our questions? They are still to be answered.