The First War Recorded in the Bible

Continuing a Bible study of Abraham:

(Genesis 14:1) And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations, (2) That they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

As best as I can understand from reading historical accounts of this, the "kings" of Sodom and Gomorrah and other adjoining cities had been tributaries to the king of Elam and had combined to throw off his yoke.  The king of Elam, with the help of three allies, invaded the territories of the rebellious princes.  The king "of nations" ("goy" or "goyim") may refer to the leader of various other clans, or it might actually be the name of a place called Goim, so named because there were gathered together many out of various nations and places, and they set Tidal to reign over them.

(3) All these were joined together in the valley of Siddim, which is the salt sea. (4) Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled. (5) And in the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, (6) And the Horites in their mount Seir, as far as El Paran, which is by the wilderness. (7) And they returned, and came to En Mishpat, which is Kadesh, and attacked all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.

The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities served under the king of Elam for twelve years and then rebelled.  A year later, Chedorlaomer and his allies attacked.  We can only assume that the tribes attacked along the way were seen as allies of the five kings listed in verse 2.

(8) And the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out and joined together in battle in the valley of Siddim, (9) Against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five.

The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and the other cities, five kings in all, responded to the attack of Chedorlaomer and his three allies, in the valley of Siddim.

(10) And the valley of Siddim was full of slime pits, and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there, and they that remained fled to the mountain. (11) And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. (12) And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

The victors in this battle, Chedorlaomer and his allies, pillaged the cities of the kings they had defeated and took everything of value, including Lot and his goods.

(13) And there came one who had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner, and they were confederate with Abram.

Someone who had escaped from the battle or the pillaging, came and told Abram what had happened.  Mamre and his brothers joined together with Abram.

(14) And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and pursued them as far as Dan. (15) And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and attacked them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

Abram, his trained servants, and his allies, pursued Chedorlaomer and his allies.  It appears they divided their forces and attacked by night.

(16) And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, and also the women and the people. (17) And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's valley.

Abram and his allies were victorious and brought back all the goods that had been taken from Sodom and Gomorrah, including Lot and his goods, and also brought back the other women and people who had been taken.  The king of Sodom came to meet and obviously congratulate Abram on his victory.  This is probably not the same king who was defeated in the valley of Siddim.  Verse 10 said that the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fell there, so this was probably a successor.

(18) And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was the priest of the most high God. (19) And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth; (20) And blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him tithes of all.

So much has been written and speculated about Melchizedek and just who he is, but at this point in a chronological Bible study, I choose to accept only what has been written here.  Melchizedek is said to be the king of Salem, which may be Jerusalem, because David supposedly referred to Jerusalem as Salem.  However, I have also read that there was a town called Salem about this time near Scythopolis, a town that may be the same called Shalem elsewhere in the Bible.  There is also a Salim referenced in the New Testament.  So who really knows for certain?  We do know he was king of a city, and evidently a very pious and religious man of God.  He brought Abram bread and wine for refreshment after his battle, and then he blessed him.  Abram is the one who gave tithes to Melchizedek, not the other way around, and we know this for certain, as this account is retold in Hebrews.  Abram gave a tenth of the spoils, again knowing this as certain from the retelling in Hebrews.  It can only be assumed from this account that Abram gave a tenth of the spoils in gratitude to God for the victory, and Melchizedek accepted it as he was a priest of God.  Period.  Like I said, there has been much to-do about Melchizedek, some even claiming he was Christ Himself, with which I do not agree, and there is nothing in this account of Melchizedek to suggest any more than what I have written.  If there is more later, I'll explore it then.

(21) And the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods to yourself." (22) And Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lifted up my hand to the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, (23) That I will not take even a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich'; (24) Except only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion."

The king of Sodom, who had come to meet Abram and congratulate and thank him for the victory, told him he could take all the goods, as long as all the people were restored.  However, Abram said he would not take the smallest thing from the king of Sodom, for if he did, the king could later claim that he had made Abram rich. Lifting his hand to the Lord indicates he had vowed to the Lord he would not take anything, and he didn't, except what had already been eaten by the young men who went with him to battle.  However, Abram did not go so far as to deny Mamre and his brothers their portion of the goods recovered.

Abram Comes to the Promised Land

Continuing a chronological Bible study, we now begin a study of Abraham:

(Genesis 12:1) Now the LORD had said to Abram, "Get out of your country, and from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you."

Stephen told us in Acts 7:2, in the preface of the story of Abraham in the last post, that the God of glory appeared to Abram to give him this call.  It may also be of importance to note that the scripture says "the LORD had said...", indicating the appearance and call may have happened some time before this present time.  I say this because in verse 4 it says Abram left Haran, but Stephen made it a point to say that the Lord had appeared to Abram when he was in Mesopotamia, before he was in Haran. (Aha, maybe there was wisdom in the choice to put Stephen's speech before the call of Abraham in a chronological study, after all!)

(2) "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (3) And I will bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Here we have God's promise to Abram, which he had to accept on faith.  Of him would be made a great nation even though he had no child.  Note that all the families of the earth will be blessed in Abraham.  It has been God's plan since the beginning to save all the world.  Abraham became the patriarch of God's people, and Jesus Christ, being a descendant of Abraham, would be the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham in that all may come to God through the Messiah.

(4) So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (5) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went forth to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to the land of Canaan.

Abram, his wife, his nephew, and all their families and households, moved from Haran.  Again I will note that Stephen in the New Testament made it a point to tell us that Abram had received his vision from God when he was in Mesopotamia, before he was in Haran.

(6) And Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. (7) And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

This is obviously another time that the Lord appeared to Abram.  The first time He did not tell Abram where he should go, but that He would bring him to a land, and this is it.

(8) And he moved from there to a mountain east of Bethel, and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. (9) And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. (10) And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was grievous in the land.

Abram journeyed throughout the land of Canaan, but there was a severe famine in the land, so Abram went to Egypt for awhile.  Imagine the great faith it would have taken to leave his homeland where he had plenty of food and come to this land of severe famine.  He could have been tempted to go back toward home because of the famine, but he actually went further from his home to Egypt to spell there.  

(11) And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Behold now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look upon. (12) Therefore it will come to pass, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. (13) Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and my soul will live because of you."

It's very interesting to note that according to other scriptures that date Abram and Sarai at different times in their lives, Sarai would have been 65 at this time, and still considered a beautiful and desirable woman.  Sarai really was a half-sister to Abram, according to Biblical scholars, but he was obviously being deceitful in desiring to hide the whole truth that he was married to Sarai because he feared for his life.

(14) And it came to pass, that, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians beheld the woman, that she was very beautiful. (15) The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her before Pharaoh; and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. (16) And he treated Abram well for her sake; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

And so it was as Abram thought; the Egyptians did find Sarai beautiful.  Pharaoh desired to have Sarai as his wife and because he did, treated her "brother" well.

(17) But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. (18) And Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? (19) Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? so that I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, behold your wife; take her and go your way." (20) And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.

There are no details about the plagues, but it is interesting to note that through them Pharaoh seems to have figured out on his own that Sarai was Abram's wife.  Pharaoh is rightly upset with Abram who deceived him and allowed him to bring plagues on his household, but obviously knowing the source of the plagues, he sends Abram and his wife away with no harm or injury.

(Genesis 13:1) And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. (2) And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. (3) And he went on his journey from the south even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, (4) To the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

So Abram and Sarai left Egypt, and with his nephew Lot, returned to the place where they had been before going to Egypt because of the severe famine.  He returned to the altar he had previously made, and prayed to the Lord.

(5) And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. (6) And the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. (7) And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle; and the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt then in the land.

We were told previously in verse 2 that Abram was very rich in gold and silver, and in cattle.  It seems that Lot also possessed a lot, so much that there was not room for both households (not with the others who also dwelt in the land), at least not without a great deal of strife.

(8) And Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brethren. (9) Is not the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."

Because Abram wanted peace with Lot's household, he encouraged Lot to move away to another part of the land.  Even though Abram was patriarch of the family, and was the one to whom God was giving the new land, Abram gave Lot his choice of where he wanted to live, and Abram would go the opposite direction.

(10) And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you come to Zoar. (11) Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.

It seems that Lot had no hesitation in taking Abram up on his generous offer to allow him to take his pick of land.  "The garden of the Lord" may be the garden of Eden to which the plain of Jordan was being compared, or perhaps the meaning is that the plain of Jordan IS the garden of the Lord as it was a most excellent and well watered place, and it was being compared to Egypt.  "As you come to Zoar" refers to the plain of Jordan that is well watered everywhere till you come to Zoar; it does not refer to Egypt, as Zoar was not near Egypt.  Dr. John Gill says in his commentary that some think the plain of Jordan was the real garden of Eden, thinking the word "as" was not to be taken as a word comparing one phrase to another, but to be understood as reality.  I think that may be reading more into the verse than we can really know for certain.  We do know it was a very excellent well watered area that Lot chose for himself.

(12) Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom. (13) But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Lot chose the area of the plain near the cities, especially Sodom, and we see that he may have chosen unwisely.

(14) And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, "Lift up your eyes now and look from the place where you are, northward, southward, eastward, and westward; (15) For all the land which you see, I will give it to you and your descendants forever. (16) And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also shall be numbered. (17) Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the width of it, for I will give it to you."

After Lot had moved away from Abram, the Lord appeared to Abram again (or at least spoke to him), and had him look in all directions to see fully all the land the Lord was going to give to Abram and all his descendants that would be as numerous as the particles of dust on the earth.  The Lord encouraged Abram to walk through all the land that He would be giving him.

(18) Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Abram moved from the "mountain east of Bethel...with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east", to the plain of Mamre.  This word translated as "plain" is not the same as the word used for the plain of Jordan.  This word, "elon", meaning "an oak or other strong tree, plain", probably referred to an oak grove, undoubtedly, a shady and very pleasant place in which to dwell.  Once again Abram built an altar to his Lord, ever mindful of, and no doubt, thankful to, his Lord for all His blessings upon Abram.

The Result of Rejection of God

I was very saddened to see celebratory comments about Obama's support of "full marriage equality" on Facebook recently.  I was equally saddened and even sickened by the excitement over Hollywood "stars" and their financial support for Obama and his endorsement of same-sex marriage.  This is just one more step in a further rejection of God and His righteous laws in this country.  There are countless reasons why it is not good for a society to promote homosexuality, but I don't even care to debate that.  When I first started this blog, I was very concerned about the social issues and the destructive direction of our country's laws.  But as time goes on, I have come to realize that we are nearing the end times and the salvation of this country is not what is important, but rather a person's salvation in Christ.  Oftentimes a person is brought to salvation because things are so bad and he is at the end of what HE can do and turns to God.  So things being bad in this country can actually bring about good things.  But to celebrate the bad?  There are people who really believe they are being loving and respectful of others by supporting homosexuality and elevating it to the status of God-ordained marriage with no regard to what God said about it.  It makes me sad for the people who do not realize what it is they do, for God made it very clear that it is nothing to be celebrated.  He called homosexuality an abomination (Lev. 18:22 and Lev. 20:13) and the Bible said that Sodom and Gomorrah were to be used as examples to those who would afterward live ungodly (2 Peter 2:6 and Jude v. 7).

The apostle Paul described at length the progression of a people who reject God in Romans 1.  They know God, but reject Him, and professing to be wise, change the truth of God into a lie and serve God's creation more than Him (verses 20-25).  When they reject God, their hearts are darkened (v. 21), and God turns them over to their unnatural same-sex affections (v. 26-27).  Then they become a people filled with all sorts of wickedness, "fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful" (v. 29-31), and even though they know the judgment of God, they do it anyway and enjoy the company of others who do it, too. (v. 32)  The book of Jude speaks of these things similarly. Growing depravity is not something to celebrate!  But for the first time, I think I am really seeing that this growing acceptance and celebration of homosexuality is the result of rejection of God and not in itself a sin that brings the wrath and punishment of God.  Homosexuality is a sin like any other sin or abomination to God.  God hates divorce; God hates pride.  There are many things that are abominations to God.  What is happening in our country is the natural progression of depravity foretold by God because we have rejected Him.

I couldn't help but notice that "debate" was among the wickedness above, and boy, does that speak to me!  I do realize that we seem to be in so much strife these days. Although it pains me to sit idly by while the country is hell-bent on destruction, I am beginning to truly see that fighting the symptoms does no good.  The reason this country accepts a president who voted to kill innocent babies born alive after botched abortions and cheers when he announces that homosexuals should marry, and can dismiss his blasphemous comments about Jesus Christ as "frivolous", is because they have first rejected God and his amazing gift of grace through Christ. It's not Obama we should be fighting.  There will always be ungodly and corrupt leaders.  It's not even the mainstream media that gives him a free pass.  It's not homosexuality itself (or abortion, or pornography, or any single immoral issue).  We won't get anywhere attacking sinners or even their sins.  We are all sinners and are only accepted by the grace of God when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and are covered by His sacrificial blood.  While I am still deeply saddened by what I see happening, I can see that merely fighting the social issues battles will never solve the problems.  Changed hearts as a result of salvation in Christ is the only thing that will change this country.  Now that's real CHANGE in which we can all have hope and real faith!  Remember that long list of progressive wickedness above?  The apostle Paul gives a similar list in 1 Corinthians, chapter 6:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (v. 9-11)

"And such WERE some of you", but now they have been saved by Jesus Christ!  I also love this one from Deuteronomy, chapter 4, one of my scripture memory passages from the old KJV:

But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.(v. 29-31)

If you seek the Lord your God will all your heart and soul, and turn to Him and are obedient to Him, He will not forsake you....even in the latter days.  So it's not too late!  But there is one word of caution in another scripture:

Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

"WHILE He may be found" indicates there will come a time when He will no longer be found.  So we need to call on Him now!  And we don't have to be perfect and sinless before we call on Him.  Get our hearts fixed on Him and He will show us the way!

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Meanwhile, I will try to keep my debate to a minimum, and continue with my Bible study in this blog.  The Bible is the only source for truth and wisdom in this crazy mixed up world where right is called wrong and wrong is called right.  The Bible says there is NO wisdom apart from God, only foolishness, so I'd like to continue to study truth and wisdom, and share study notes from an in-depth word study and a few insights from some of the greatest Biblical scholars.

As part of my Bible study, I am using some great free resources I have found on the internet.  First, I decided to study the Bible chronologically, and am using a time-line created by Skip Andrews.  You can view that time-line here.  In addition, I use e-Sword, a wonderful software program by Rick Meyers, which allowed me to choose what Bible translations I wanted to study, even several for comparison if I so chose; it also has Biblical dictionaries and a variety of commentaries for insight.  It has a wonderful scripture memory tool that I have immensely enjoyed as I have never been very good at remembering scripture word for word.  I highly recommend both of these resources.

I spent so long in the book of Job, that I need to be reminded that this is a chronological Bible study. According to the last chapter of Job, he lived 140 years after his trial of patience, which means Job was alive during the time of Abraham and his family.

Stephen, speaking before a religious council, gives a synopsis of the lives of Abraham and his family, in Acts, chapter 7.

(Acts 7:1) Then the high priest said, "Are these things so?" (2) And he said, "Men, brethren and fathers, listen; the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, (3) And said to him, 'Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to the land that I will show you.' (4) Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. (5) And He gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on; yet He promised that He would give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him, when as yet he had no child.

I don't think I will do an in-depth word study on this recitation by Stephen of Abraham's life, but will wait until I begin the actual study of Abraham next time.  I would argue that Stephen talking about something that had already happened doesn't belong chronologically before it happened, but I have committed to this time-line, and wouldn't want to change now.  So far these verses are pretty self-explanatory. 

(6) And God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years. (7) 'And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage I will judge,' said God, 'and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.' (8) And He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. (9) And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him,

The "patriarchs, moved with envy", almost seems like it should be an oxymoronic phrase, but it is a marvelous reminder that the Bible greats were human as we are and made many mistakes.  We'll get into details when I get back to the in-depth study of Abraham next time beginning in Genesis, chapter 12.

(10) And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. (11) Now there came a famine over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction; and our fathers found no sustenance. (12) But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. (13) And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh. (14) Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. (15) So Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, he and our fathers. (16) And were carried over into Shechem and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

And now a word from Joshua:

(Joshua 24:1) And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. (2) And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the river in old times, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. (3) And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the river, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants, and gave him Isaac. (4) And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.

Like a whole episode flashback from a television movie or series, here ends the present, and next time we'll go back to study Abraham.

Job Repents and the Lord Blesses His Latter Days More Than His Beginning

Continuing a Bible study of Job:

(Job 42:1) Then Job answered the LORD, and said, (2) "I know that You can do everything, and that no thought can be withheld from You. (3) Who is he who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."

Job acknowledges that God is all-powerful and has unlimited dominion.  "No thought can be withheld from You" could mean there are no secret thoughts from God, or it might mean that there is no thought of God's that He can't bring to pass.  Job quotes what God had asked about him, and admits that he spoke about things he did not understand.

(4) "Hear, I beseech you, and I will speak; I will demand of you, and you will declare to me."

The NKJV translators added the words "you said" to the second part of verse 4.  I'm not a fan of the newer translations of the Bible and now might be a good time to link to my article on why I trust KJV to be the most accurate:  "Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?"

Job may very well be quoting God, as he seemed to do in verse 3.  As John Wesley put it, "The words which God had uttered to Job by way of challenge, Job returns to him in way of submission."  It is also possible, if anything is being quoted, that Job is referring to his own request to speak directly to God and have Him answer him.  Maybe it's not a quote at all, but Job requesting the Lord hear his humble confession.  "I beseech you" is a humble "I beg of you".  "Demand" is probably not the best sense of the original word, "shaal".  I believe the better sense is one of the word's other definitions, "to ask (as a favor), beg".  So again, "I beg of you to hear me and then You will set me straight."

(5) "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. (6) Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Up to now, Job only knew God through tradition and from what he had heard and had been taught, and it was therefore imperfect information, but now having this personal contact with God, he sees his Lord much more clearly, and humbles himself before Him and repents of his sins.  There is much discussion among Biblical scholars as to whether or not Job actually saw God with his eyes.  God told Moses in Exodus 33:20, "for there shall no man see me, and live."  I believe God could take on any form He wanted and could have been visible to Job, but we really only have Job's words that now his eyes saw God, and clearly that "seeing" could mean "understanding", as when Jesus later spoke of having eyes and not seeing.  The only thing we know for fact about Job's contact with God is that God spoke to him out of a whirlwind.

(7) And so it was, that after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has. (8) Therefore take unto you now seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly, in that you have not spoken of Me what is right, like My servant Job."

It is very interesting when you think about all that Job and his three friends had said about God.  The friends had said many right things about God, and Job had said many wrong things, but God accepted Job, and not his friends.  Only through sacrifice and Job's praying for them, would God accept them.  Two things come to mind.  God judges the heart of men which He saw clearly all along, even if we didn't.  Immediately after God spoke, Job was overwhelmed by the conviction of guilt and repented.  There is no indication that his friends felt any differently after hearing the words of God.  Albert Barnes points out that if the matter had been left at verse 6 with Job abhorring himself and repenting in dust and ashes, the impression would have been that it was Job totally in error, and his friends were justified.  The second and perhaps most important point is that Job's friends judged Job himself.  It may not be that they said anything terribly wrong about God, but they presumed to judge Job's heart, and that is something we are commanded not to do.  We may judge actions, and are in fact told to judge fruit, but there were no evil actions of Job's for his friends to condemn.  They just assumed that he must have acted evilly if all these afflictions had come upon him.  It must be noted that God did not mention Elihu because he dealt more mercifully and truthfully with Job, not condemning him personally, but only rebuking his sinful expressions.

(9) So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD commanded them, the LORD also accepted Job. (10) And the LORD turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. Indeed, also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

When they obeyed the Lord and sacrificed to Him and had Job pray for them, the Lord accepted Job's friends, as He did Job when Job also obeyed by praying over his friends and offering their sacrifice to the Lord.  The Lord then reversed Job's situation, giving him twice as much as he had before.

(11) Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came there to him and ate food with him in his house; and they bemoaned him and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him; every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. (12) So the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning, for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.

The Lord blessed Job with more possessions than he had had in his former days, using all the people in Job's circle and having them bring money and gold to him.

(13) He also had seven sons and three daughters. (14) And he called the name of the first Jemima, the name of the second Kezia, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. (15) In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

Job was also blessed with more children, and his daughters were the most beautiful women in the world.  In Job's day, it would have been uncommon for daughters to receive an inheritance when there were sons, but Job showed no partiality to his sons.  Dr. John Gill points out that this is a beautiful picture of Christ, with whom "there is neither male nor female, no difference between them, but being all children, they are heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and equally partake of the same inheritance with the saints in light."

(16) After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his sons and his sons' sons, even four generations. (17) So Job died, old and full of days.

Job lived an additional 140 years, seeing his children's children, and even his grandchildren's children, and so it was a full and blessed life.

Dinosaurs and Dragons in the Bible?

Continuing a Bible study of Job:

(Job 40:1) Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, (2) "Shall he who contends with the Almighty instruct Him? He who reproves God, let him answer it."

God gives Job an opportunity to answer Him.

(3) Then Job answered the LORD, and said, (4) "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer You? I will lay my hand on my mouth. (5) Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yes, twice, but I will proceed no further."

Job had argued boldly with his friends, and had supposed he would argue his case as boldly with God if given the chance, but when actually given the chance, he sees himself as guilty in the sight of God and will no longer attempt to justify himself.

(6) Then answered the LORD to Job out of the whirlwind, and said, (7) "Gird up your loins now like a man; I will demand of you, and you will answer Me."

Once again the Lord tells Job to prepare himself "like a man", and be prepared to answer Him.  Some scholars suggest that this is an accidental duplication of the verses in Job 38:1-3, but since it is not exactly the same, I think that takes too much speculation, and I'll just go with it as it is.

(8) "Will you also annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be righteous? (9) Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like Him? (10) Deck yourself now with majesty and excellency, and array yourself with glory and beauty."

John Wesley points out that every word in verse 8 is emphatical; the quotes are his.  Will (are you purposed upon it) you (you, Job, "whom I took to be one of a better mind") also (not only vindicate yourself, but also accuse Me) annul ("not only question, but even repeal and make void, as if it were unjust") my judgment?  Will Job condemn God so that he may be righteous?  So does Job have power like God, or a voice like God's?  The verse may refer to the actual thunder that is an expression of God's power, or as an illustration of an all-powerful creative voice that commands things out of nothing to action.  Either way, can Job do it?  If so, then come on and show himself as God.

(11) "Cast abroad the rage of your wrath; and behold everyone who is proud, and humble him. (12) Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. (13) Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. (14) Then will I also confess to you that your own right hand can save you."

If Job can show himself as God, then let him show his indignation on the world and humble the proud as only God can.  Taking down the wicked and bringing them to dust again sounds like killing them.  Binding their faces in secret may refer to the covering of the faces of the dead or those about to be executed.  If Job is able to perform these God-like actions, then God will admit that Job is as God and able to save himself.  As Albert Barnes put it, "If you can do all this, it will be full proof that you can save yourself, and that you do not need the divine interposition. If he could do all this, then it might be admitted that he was qualified to pronounce a judgment on the divine counsels and dealings. He would then show that he had qualifications for conducting the affairs of the universe."

(15) "Behold now behemoth, which I made with you; he eats grass like an ox."

The original word actually is "behemoth" and has not been translated, as the meaning is not clear.  Perhaps it was an animal that is now extinct.  Some scholars have speculated that it could even be a dinosaur.  We know that God created it "with (man)", and so far from the text we know that it was a grass-eater.  The only animals in our time that might come close to the description that follows are elephants or, more probably, hippopotamuses.  Whatever it was, it was a huge powerful beast.

(16) "Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly."

From this description, scholars have pointed out that "behemoth" seems more like a hippo than an elephant, as elephants are very tender in their belly region.

(17) "He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his stones are wrapped together."

Wow!  More speculation than you might realize has been made about this one small verse.  Once again, the hippo's tail might fit this description better than the elephant's as it is short and thick and stronger.  But is a short tail like that of a cedar?  I am imagining the tail of a dinosaur as a true cedar-like tail.  Some have speculated that the tail is not what is being described here, but the penis, and indeed, the rest of the verse complements that idea.  "Stones" indeed means "testicles" here.  Some scholars point out that the ancients used to call the penis the tail.  I have read that the elephant's is small in proportion to the size of its body; and not in sight, and therefore can hardly be thought to be described in the verse.  I am not sure about the hippo, but perhaps either animal's would be considered large and rigid and tree-like to any other species of animal.  Another speculation is that it might be the elephant's trunk that is referenced here, but why talk about the "stones" in the same sentence?  Of course, it could be a now extinct animal that is referenced.

(18) "His bones are as strong pieces of brass, his bones are like bars of iron. (19) He is the chief of the ways of God; He who made him can make His sword to approach him."

God is speaking about a very strong animal.  Once again I have read that the elephant may not live up to this description as his bones are porous, light, and spongy.  However, it could be his tusks that are referenced.  The hippo may have stronger bones.  The animal described is chief among the creations of God, probably because of his size and strength.  The second part of verse 19 sounds like only God can kill this animal.  Obviously, an elephant or a hippo could be killed by man, even if they are very large and strong.  So either a larger more formidable creature is meant, or perhaps the meaning of that part of the scripture is to be understood a little differently.  The KJV translators added the last word, "him"; actually it was "unto him" in the KJV text as written.  So we really just have "He who made him can make his sword to approach", so perhaps this refers to the sword-like feature that God created in the animal itself.  An elephant tusk might appear as a sword before the animal, or even more sword-like might be the huge teeth of the hippo.  How about the rhinoceros?  Now that looks like a sword!

(20) "Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. (21) He lies under the shady trees, in the cover of the reed and fens. (22) The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook surround him. (23) Behold, he drinks up a river, and does not hasten; he trusts that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. (24) He takes it with his eyes; his nose pierces through snares."

This description surely sounds more like the hippo than the elephant as the animal is found close to the water.  The picture of a hippo walking into a river with the greatest of ease and unconcern, opening his huge mouth and drinking in huge amounts of water, even going under and holding his breath for long periods of time, seems to fit very well.  I believe the meaning of verse 24 is that the animal sees the water, wants it, and saunters in, letting nothing stand in his way, his nose piercing through any snags or traps.  Now that sounds like the "nose" of an elephant or maybe a rhino.

It's no wonder there is so much speculation and disagreement on just what behemoth is!  I think I may agree with those who think it was an animal now extinct, probably the mastodon or the mammoth.

(Job 41:1) "Can you draw out leviathan with a hook, or his tongue with a cord which you let down?"

Chapter 41 begins with God talking about another of His impressive creations, another beast hard to identify with certainty.  Adam Clarke writes, "We come now to a subject...on which learned men are less agreed than on the preceding (behemoth). What is leviathan?"  Leviathan is mentioned in the Bible in a few places.  Strong's points out it is from the root word, "lavah", which means "to twine", so the assumption has always been that it is a type of coiling serpent.  Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs define "leviathan" as "a wreathed animal, that is, a serpent (especially the crocodile or some other large sea monster); figuratively the constellation of the dragon; also as a symbol of Babylon: - leviathan, mourning" (Strong's), and "leviathan, sea monster, dragon, large aquatic animal, perhaps the extinct dinosaur, plesiosaurus, exact meaning unknown" (BDB). Whatever this animal is, it is apparent it is large and impressive and not likely to be caught on a fishing line by man.

(2) "Can you put an hook into his nose? Or bore his jaw through with a thorn? (3) Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak soft words to you? (4) Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him for a servant forever? (5) Will you play with him as with a bird, or will you bind him for your maidens?"

Putting a hook in his nose or boring a hole into his jaw might have to do with putting him on a stringer like smaller fish.  Some scholars in the older commentaries believe that leviathan was a crocodile, as it is very strong with a huge fierce mouth and teeth, and is a fast swimmer and has "a coat of mail (that) cannot be pierced".  However, Albert Barnes points out that that the crocodile was led about by the Egyptians as a divinity.  The object of the passage above is to impress upon Job the strength and untameableness of the beast, so a crocodile doesn't fit well if it could be led around on a leash.  The leviathan cannot be tamed and kept as a pet for amusement.

(6) "Will the companions make a banquet of him? Will they part him among the merchants?"

The word that is translated as "banquet" is more often used as a form of the word "dig".  I believe the sense is that Job and his companions would not be able to open up the leviathan and divide it up.  The KJV translators thought of digging into the leviathan as having a banquet of him.  The leviathan cannot be parceled out for sale.

(7) "Can you fill his skin with barbed irons? Or his head with fish spears? (8) Lay your hand on him; remember the battle, do it no more. (9) Behold, the hope of him is in vain; will not one be cast down even at the sight of him?"

This creature's skin is thick and impenetrable, and it puts up a fight one will not soon forget.  The hope of conquering this creature is in vain, and his appearance is so formidable, that courage may wane in the presence of him.  Although a crocodile might fit this description as he has tough skin and is certainly a fighter, the fact that it is known that crocodiles were occasionally led around, makes me believe this has to be a larger and more ferocious creature, possibly a creature now extinct.  Could it be a dinosaur of some sort?  After all, God created all creatures, and there is conclusive evidence that dinosaurs were indeed on the earth, so God created them.  Our biggest question is when they inhabited the earth and were they here when man was here?  If you believe the creation description from Genesis is a literal six days, then it stands to reason that dinosaurs were created at the same time.  Scientists believe that dinosaurs were here hundreds of thousands of years before man, but they also believe stars were here then, too, and the Bible is clear about when God created the sun and moon and stars.  God is outside of time, and He is perfectly capable of creating something that appears to have been here a longer time than it has.  Man has his rules and measures, but God doesn't have to adhere to those rules.  People are always trying to put God into their little human box to "perfectly" explain Him, but it just doesn't work that way.

I suppose one other explanation for when dinosaurs inhabited the earth might be during a time when the earth was "void", perhaps before other creations, as described in Genesis 1:2.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

I don't really see how dinosaurs could have been here if there was no form to the earth, but then again, God is outside of time and space or any of those pesky things that confine us!

(10) "None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me? (11) Who has prevented Me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine."

Verse 10, paraphrased, "If one of My creatures is so formidable that man dare not attack it, how then can he contend with the creature's Creator?"  In verse 11, the word translated as "prevented" means "to project oneself" or "to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before", and the word translated as "repay" is "shalam", which is more often thought of as "peace"; the meaning here is "to make peace with" or "to make whole or good, restore, make compensation".  Again paraphrased, "Who has come before Me with whom I am obligated to make amends?"

(12) "I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely proportion."

Back to the leviathan, God begins a more detailed description of the creature.  The word transcribed as "comely" is "beauty" or "beauty and grace".  A crocodile certainly would never be accused of possessing beauty and grace.  However, the complete phrase is "comely proportion".  The word translated as "proportion" is most often translated something along the line of "estimation" or "value".  However, it can also mean "things that are set in order, layer, pile, order, row", which might be descriptive of its skin.   

(13) "Who can discover the face of his garment? Who can come to him with his double bridle? (14) Who can open the doors of his face; his teeth are terrible all around?"

This creature evidently has a tough outer covering, even on his head.  The "doors of his face" probably refers to his mouth.  Who dare open it, with his terrible teeth all around?  "His double bridle" might refer to the creature's double row of terrible teeth, rather than an actual bridle brought by a man trying to rein it.  The word can also mean "jaw".

(15) "His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal; (16) One is so near to another that no air can come between them. (17) They are joined one to another, they stick together that they cannot be separated."

The scales of this creature are strong and tight and impenetrable, leading many Biblical scholars to think the crocodile is what is meant here.  We shall see.  ;-)

(18) "By his sneezings a light does shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning. (19) Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out. (20) Out of his nostrils goes smoke, as out of a seething pot or cauldron. (21) His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth."

Wow!  That doesn't sound like any crocodile this Louisiana girl has ever seen!  Sounds like a fire-breathing dragon to me!  Some of the scholars go to great lengths to explain why this is descriptive of the crocodile, but I just don't buy it.  God is describing His most powerful and formidable creations, and we've already learned that the crocodile was subdued and led around on a leash.  I really believe this creature is something more impressive than a crocodile - a sea serpent or dragon, or some other such creature, now extinct.  By the way, Animal Planet gives this explanation for how dragons could breathe fire:  "A dragon chews on platinum with its grinding teeth. When combined with hydrogen, it combusts, producing fire."

(22) "In his neck remains strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him."

The strength of this creature is in its neck, and nothing is painful or difficult for it.

(23) "The flakes of his flesh are joined together; they are firm in themselves; they cannot be moved. (24) His heart is as firm as a stone; yes, as hard as a piece of the millstone. (25) When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; because of breakings they purify themselves."

The creature raises itself up and frightens the mighty; again the image of a crocodile doesn't fit to me.  Breaking, crashing, destruction - the terror of this creature makes men purge themselves by vomiting, urinating, or defecating, or because they so fear for their lives, they acknowledge their sins and beg for forgiveness from their Lord and Savior.

(26) "The sword of him that lays at him cannot hold; the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon."

The sword of the man who is able to get at this creature is either broken or cannot pierce it or stick in it.  A habergeon is a short, sleeveless coat of mail, and doesn't seem to apply here, and some scholars believe the "javelin" is meant.  Dr. John Gill writes that in the Arabic language a javelin or hand dart is expressed by the same word.  I will have to take his word for it.

(27) "He esteems iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood. (28) The arrow cannot make him flee; slingstones are turned into stubble with him. (29) Darts are counted as stubble; he laughs at the shaking of a spear. (30) Sharp stones are under him; he spreads sharp pointed things upon the mire."

The creature is so strong that iron and metal seem as straw and broken wood to it.  It is not afraid of arrows or spears, and darts and stones are like stubble or straw.  I think the sense of verse 30 is that the creature does not regard sharp stones as anything; he makes a bed of them.

(31) "He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment. (32) He makes a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary."

This is obviously a large sea creature that can make the water churn; it makes such a trail of foamy waters behind it that one would think the sea was filled with white hair.

(33) "On earth there is nothing like him, who is made without fear. (34) He beholds all high things; he is a king over all the children of pride."

There is not another creature on earth like this leviathan, and it is without fear.  All the other of the greatest creatures are inferior to this one; it is chief among the boldest and proudest of animals, and people, for that matter.

God has described to Job two awesome and powerful creatures that were untouchable by man, and yet He was the Creator of them both, in order to give Job a jolt of reality as to the infinite power and sovereignty of his Lord.

Unique Creations of God

Continuing a Bible study in Job, God is still speaking to Job in chapter 39:

(Job 39:1) "Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young? Or can you mark when the deer gives birth? (2) Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they bear young? (3) They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows."

Knowing the time alone that these animals take to deliver their young is nothing extraordinary in itself, but Adam Clarke points out something else is his "Commentary on the Bible".  There are some peculiarities surrounding the birth of especially "hinds", or deer.  "The hind with young is by instinct directed to a certain herb, named seselis, which facilitates the birth. Thunder, also, which looks like the more immediate hand of Providence, has the same effect."  Mr. Clarke then refers to Psalms 29:9, “The voice of the Lord makes the hinds to calve."  The word translated as "sorrows" is actually one meaning "cords, bands, or rope"; it was used to mean the placenta or umbilical cord.  "Sorrows" was a nice way of expressing the pangs of birth.

(4) "Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and do not return to them."

To be in good liking is to be plump or healthy.  The word translated as corn can actually mean any grain or even open field or country.  The fawns and the young goats leave their mothers early.  I believe the idea is that even though most baby animals need considerable attention and care from their mothers for a time, the young of the mountain goats and deer are protected by God alone.  These young animals are exposed to so many dangers and predators in their young lives that if it weren't for the protection of God, none would make it to adulthood.

(5) "Who has sent out the wild ass free? Or who has loosed the bands of the wild ass, (6) Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings? (7) He scorns the multitude of the city; neither does he regard the crying of the driver. (8) The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searches after every green thing."

There are two different words both translated as "wild ass' in verse 5.  The first, "pereh" refers to "running wild" or the "onager" or "wild ass".  The second, "arod" is said to mean "onager" or "wild ass", but is only used once in the Bible here.  Perhaps there are two different types of wild animals discussed here, but the point is that the wild ass is untamed and unsubdued, and who has made him that way?  He doesn't regard any man and the vast wilderness and desert are his home. 

(9) "Will the unicorn be willing to serve you? Or abide by your crib? (10) Can you bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? Or will he harrow the valleys after you? (11) Will you trust him because his strength is great? Or will you leave your labor to him? (12) Will you believe him, that he will bring home your seed, and gather it into your barn?"

The word translated as "unicorn" was used several times in the Bible, but no one knows exactly what animal to which the word refers.  It may have been a type of wild bull now extinct, or some even wonder if it was a rhinoceros.  The image of the unicorn works just fine here.  Is it possible to tame the wild unicorn and train him to work for you and that you trust him to do your work? 

(13) "Did you give the goodly wings to the peacocks, or wings and feathers to the ostrich?"

The word translated as "peacocks" is used only once in the Bible, so speculation was probably used.  Most scholars think it refers to the ostrich.  However, the word that is translated as "ostrich" is a different word.  It is only translated as "ostrich" in this one verse, and is translated as "feathers" in three other places in the Bible.  Some scholars think the word should be "storks", but the next verse seems to describe an ostrich.  The word translated as "feathers" here is another word.  AND the two words translated as "wings" above are two different words!  Whew!  This is a tough one to translate certainly, but let's take it one word at a time and see if we can come up with the right context.

To begin with, "Did you give" was added by the KJV translators; actually their words were "Gavest thou".  So taking that out, we begin with "goodly".  That word is said to mean "to rejoice, to exult, to leap for joy, to wave or flap joyously, to delight oneself, to solace oneself".  When the word was used in the only two other times it occurred in the Bible, it was translated as "rejoice" and "solace".  The original word for the first "wings" above does seem to mean "wings" as it is used frequently that way.  Then we come to the word that is only used once and is said to mean "peacocks", however Strong's and Brown-Driver-Briggs both define it as something with a piercing cry or wail.  The KJV translators obviously connected goodly feathers and wails to the peacock. The second word that was translated as "wings" is not used nearly so often as the first "wings", but it does seem to mean "feathers" or "wings".  Interestingly, the word translated as "feather(s)" is most often translated as "stork".  The only place in the Bible it was ever used as "feathers" was here.  Finally is the word translated as "ostrich", which is more often translated as "feathers" or "plumage"; it is only translated as "ostrich" here.  Whew!

So with the translations above, we have something along the order of, "rejoicing wailing bird, feathers or wings and a stork and feathers or plumage".  Considering the next verses do seem to describe an ostrich, perhaps God is asking if Job created the ostrich in such a unique way; she cries and seems to flap joyously and has the feathers of the stork, but....

(14) "Which leaves her eggs in the earth, and warms them in dust; (15) And forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. (16) She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers; her labor is in vain without fear; (17) Because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has He imparted to her understanding. (18) When she lifts herself on high, she scorns the horse and its rider."

I do believe the point is that the ostrich is such a unique creation of God with its appearance and flapping wings and stature that makes it appear as if it thinks it can rival the horse and rider.  Yet it doesn't have the wisdom, concern, or maternal instincts to care for its eggs or its young.

(19) "Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? (20) Can you make him afraid as a grasshopper? The glory of his nostrils is terrible. (21) He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; he goes on to meet the armed men. (22) He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; neither does he turn back from the sword. (23) The quiver rattles against him, the glittering spear and the shield. (24) He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage; neither does he believe that it is the sound of the trumpet. (25) He says among the trumpets, 'Ha ha!'; and he smells the battle from afar, the thunder of the captains and the shouting."

Here is another poetic description of a unique creation of God, the strong horse with its blazing mane, here pictured as a warhorse with no fear, snorting fiercely and pawing the earth, undeterred by the sounds of war, but ready to charge.  Did Job create him this way?

(26) "Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? (27) Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make her nest on high? (28) She dwells and abides on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place. (29) From there she seeks the prey, and her eyes behold from afar. (30) Her young ones also suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is she."

Here are two more awesome and unique creations of God, the hawk and the eagle.  Does Job manage them?

Where Were YOU When God Laid the Foundations of the Earth?

Continuing a Bible study of Job, we come to one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, when GOD appears on the scene!

(Job 38:1) Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, (2) "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? (3) Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and you answer Me."

These words of God are said to be directed to Job, not his friends.  Job wanted his chance to take his cause directly to God; now he has it!  

(4) "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding."

This has always been one of my favorite passages in the Bible.  How quick we are to question why God would do this or that or allow this or that, as if WE would do and know better!  God really makes us feel pretty small and insignificant when He asks, "Just where were you when..."

(5) "Who has determined its measurements, if you know? Or who has stretched the line upon it? (6) Upon what are its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, (7) When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Who created the earth and its foundations when it appears to hang on nothing, when the angels sang praise and shouted for joy?  The morning stars might even be interpreted as the actual early stars of the universe, since it might seem redundant to be speaking of angels again.  But then again, it is poetic to speak of the angels singing and then the angels shouting for joy with two different descriptive terms.  The point is, who was there from the very beginning and created the earth?

(8) "Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if it had issued out of the womb? (9) When I made the cloud its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band; (10) And broke up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, (11) And said, 'This far you shall come, but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed'?"

Who set the boundaries for the powerful oceans and created the clouds and set their limits?

(12) "Have you commanded the morning since your days, and caused the dayspring to know its place, (13) That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? (14) It is turned as clay to the seal, and they stand as a garment."

God asks Job if he has been commanding dawn to break since he was born, that it might spread light from one end of the earth to the other, exposing the darkness where wickedness often takes place.  The earth is changed in appearance by daybreak as a seal makes a beautiful impression on clay, with plants and trees and the like standing as a beautiful garment on the earth.

(15) "And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the raised arm will be broken."

Because the wicked prefer darkness that hides their wickedness, "their" light is darkness, and daylight holds back their preferred "light".  Or maybe their light being withheld just means they don't enjoy the light as the righteous do because they prefer darkness.  Their upraised arms of strength will be broken when they are exposed by the light.

(16) "Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in the search of the depths?"

I think the point here is that if Job has never even seen the depths of the seas, how much less could he see and understand God.

(17) "Have the gates of death been opened to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?"

Death is one of the great unknown mysteries to man.  Does Job understand death, when and where men go when they die?

(18) "Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? Declare if you know it all. (19) Where is the way where light dwells? And darkness, where is its place, (20) That you should take it to its bounds, and that you should know the paths to its home? (21) Do you know it, because you were born then, or because the number of your days is great?"

Does Job know the width of the entire earth?  Does he know the source of light because he was there at the beginning?  Do any of us really know?  After all, light was created BEFORE the sun and stars.  God created light (day) on the first day, but He didn't create the sun and stars until the fourth day:

And God said, "Let there be light", and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. - Genesis 1:3-5

And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years; And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth"; and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. - Genesis 1:14-19

(22) "Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? Or have you seen the treasures of the hail, (23) Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?"

Snow and hail are pictured as things God has stored up as treasures to use when He sees fit, such as at time of war when God often used especially hailstones to overwhelm the enemy.  It's not that God truly has the stuff piled high in storehouses, but it might as well be because it is so easily at his disposal.  Does Job really understand and know how to create and use snow and hailstones to have them at his disposal?

(24) "By what way is the light parted, which scatters the east wind upon the earth? (25) Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; (26) To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is, on the wilderness wherein there is no man; (27) To satisfy the desolate and waste ground, and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?"

So Job, just how is light diffused and distributed just so?  Who created channels for overflowing water or the path of a lightning bolt?  So just who causes it to rain on parts of the earth where there is no man, to water the ground for plant life; could it possibly be a man like you, Job?

(28) "Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? (29) Out of whose womb came the ice? And the hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it? (30) The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen."

Is there any man who has produced rain, dew, or frost?  What man has produced solid ice that hides the water?  

(31) "Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? (32) Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?"

God is speaking of the constellations here.  Can Job move them at will?  Interestingly, even by early commentators, "Mazzaroth" was generally understood to mean the twelve signs of the zodiac.  This is the only place the word was ever used, so some speculation is used.  It is defined by Strong's as "apparently from 'nazar' (to set apart) in the sense of distinction; some noted constellation (only in the plural), perhaps collectively the zodiac".  In early commentaries, there are various similar meanings attributed to it, "celestial signs", "zodiac", or "morning star".  It is sometimes considered to be "Mazzaloth", which is translated as "planets" or "constellation of planets".     

(33) "Do you know the ordinances of heaven? Can you set its dominion in the earth?"

Does Job understand the laws governing the heavenly bodies and can he set up their proper places or dominions as they relate to the earth?  Perhaps this referred to the effect that some heavenly bodies have on the earth and the weather, such as the moon that affects the tides.

(34) "Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you? (35) Can you send lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, 'Here we are!'?"

Can Job command the rain and lightning, that they answer him?

(36) "Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the heart?"

I found the interpretations of this scripture amusing.  Once again more recent translators of the NIV, NLT, and even NKJV, and others, decided that wisdom must be in the "mind".  But that is not what the original text said; it said, "inward parts".  Wisdom in the inward parts is what makes them function WITHOUT our minds or conscious effort!  That is the miraculous, awesome, God-only-created point of that question.  Did Job create the various parts of the body to function on their own?  THEN God asks if Job has given understanding to the mind.  The word translated as "heart" here is not the word that is generally used as "heart"; this word, "sekviy" means "observant" or "to look at, view", denoting the thinking mind, and indeed, is generally thought to mean the mind by most early commentaries.  This is a good place to mention an earlier fascinating study I did on translations of the Bible, and which ones are to be trusted, and which ones seek to diminish the word of God:  Which Version of the Truth Will You Use?

(37) "Who can number the clouds in wisdom? Or who can stay the bottles of heaven, (38) When the dust grows into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?"

The word translated as "clouds" here means more precisely the smaller particles that make up clouds, and in this case, the clouds being fine dust or powder clouds.  Who can number every particle of dust?  "The bottles of heaven" is an illustration of clouds as bottles holding all the smaller particles.  Who really understands how the tiny fine particles of dust become the solid ground, and the solid earth, for that matter?

(39) "Will you hunt the prey for the lion? Or fill the appetite of the young lions, (40) When they crouch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait? (41) Who provides food for the raven, when its young ones cry to God, they wander for lack of food?"

Does Job provide food and prey for all the animals and birds of the earth?

Whew!  It's already a very extensive list of things God alone does, but He is not yet finished speaking.  I'll continue the study in the next chapter in the next post.

"We Cannot Figure (Almighty God) Out"

Continuing a Bible study of Job, Elihu is still speaking:

(Job 37:1) "At this also my heart trembles, and is moved out of its place."

Referring back to the end of the last chapter, Elihu is moved by God’s majesty in the thunder and lightning.

(2) "Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the sound that goes out of His mouth. (3) He directs it under the whole heaven, and His lightning to the ends of the earth. (4) After it a voice roars; He thunders with the voice of His excellency, and He will not stay them when His voice is heard. (5) God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend."

John Wesley imagines that while Elihu was speaking, it began to thunder and lightning before the storm that would soon bring God on the scene. Elihu tells Job to really listen to the thunder of God's voice, which He alone directs like an arrow to the mark, that it may do the work for which He sends it (the lightning, too). After the lightning, the thunder roars, and God does not hold them back when He speaks. God thunders marvelously, an awesome exhibition of his majesty and power; He does great and wonderful things man cannot comprehend.

(6) "For He says to the snow, 'Be thou on the earth'; likewise to the small rain and the great rain of His strength."

Elihu continues describing other wonders of nature that come as a direct result of God's appointment.

(7) "He seals up the hand of every man, that all men may know His work."

The word translated as "seals" more completely means "closes up, locks up, or stops", so God stops men from their work with his snow and rains, and they in turn, may see and recognize the awesome work of God.

(8) "Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. (9) Out of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold out of the north. (10) By the breath of God frost is given, and the breadth of the waters is straitened."

The word translated as "breadth" (or "width") may mean more completely "expanse", and "straitened" is "constraint" or "distress". The thought being conveyed here is that water is made straight and hard and confined, not flowing. It is frozen by the breath of God.

(11) "Also by watering He wearies the thick cloud; He scatters His bright cloud. (12) And it is turned around by His counsels, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the world in the earth."

The clouds become wearied or overburdened with water and shower down the rain; God scatters bright white clouds on a sunny day. The clouds are subject to God's command. I found it interesting that the KJV translation says "the world in the earth". Newer translations use "the whole earth", but that is not what the original text said. After researching the original words, I believe it refers to the "land" or "habitable part" in the earth.

(13) "He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy."

All of nature is at the command of God, and He uses nature to feed and grow His land, but also for mercy and correction of the land's inhabitants.

(14) "Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. (15) Do you know when God dispatched them, and caused the light of His cloud to shine? (16) Do you understand the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?"

Elihu encourages Job to really consider the works of God. Can he really understand and know the wondrous works of an awesome God who is perfect?

(17) "How your garments are warm, when He quiets the earth by the south wind? (18) Have you, with Him, spread out the sky, which is strong, as a molten looking glass?"

With a little sarcasm, Elihu wonders if Job has helped God spread the vast sky and blow the wind.

(19) "Teach us what we shall say to Him, for we cannot order our speech because of darkness. (20) Will it be told to Him that I speak? If a man speaks, surely he will be swallowed up."

I believe this is still sarcasm, because Job considers himself so wise, Elihu asks him what the rest of them could possibly say to God because they are all in darkness. Most of the old commentaries don't attribute sarcasm with these statements, but feel they are statements filled with awe and rhetorical because God knows all. But because Elihu prefaced them by asking Job if he were with God when He created the sky and the wind, I have to believe he is still being facetious, asking Job to teach him what to say. The last sentence could have been uttered with more awe than sarcasm. Obviously there is no need to tell God when someone speaks, as He knows all, but if a man were to speak or argue his case with God, he is soon swallowed up by the magnificence and perfection that is God Almighty.

(21) "And now men do not see the bright light which is in the clouds, but the wind passes, and cleanses them. (22) Fair weather comes out of the north; with God is awesome majesty."

Elihu seems to return to his discussion of thunder and lightning and clouds. Whether the bright light is lightning hidden in the dark clouds, or the sun that is covered by clouds, men cannot see it until the wind brings fair skies. The word I translated as "awesome" is actually "terrible" in the KJV. "Terrible" has a terrible connotation these days, so I always like to think "awesome", but perhaps I need to review the original meaning of the word transcribed as "terrible". "Yare" means "to fear, to revere, to frighten, to be made afraid, dreadful, terrible, to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe, to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe". So I suppose "awesome" is okay, but I must remember it is God-fearing, understanding God holds my life and the earth and universe in His hands, kind of awe!

(23) "Regarding the Almighty, we cannot figure Him out; He is excellent in power, and in judgment and in abundant justice; He will not afflict. (24) Men do therefore fear Him; He respects not any who are wise of heart."

Once again Elihu returns to his sentiment that God's ways are higher (more complicated and harder to understand) than our ways. But He always judges righteously and is just and will not afflict or oppress. He will sometimes allow affliction and oppression, and certainly there are times when the Lord Himself is active in what may seem like affliction and oppression, but it is always about chastisement and correction and turning His people back to Him. And THAT is a most merciful thing because ONLY in Him is there life!

God is about His own plans and His will, and shows no partiality to those wise in their own eyes and in their own hearts. Wise in their own eyes is foolishness to the Lord. Wise in their own hearts takes it a step further to me. That speaks to me as pride, pride that we know better, that we can really know the mind of God! Even though Job's friends were godly and righteous men, and felt like they thoroughly understood scripture, none really knew the mind of God or what had taken place regarding Job. Oh, that is a lesson for me! It is wonderful to try to thoroughly know scripture, and indeed, it is there for the purpose of our learning and knowledge, and it is the ONLY source of wisdom, but even with it, we can never really know the complete workings of God. However, God does send us the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, but we must be careful to always be in tune to Him and not to deceiving spirits that cause us to judge the hearts of men unjustly and cause us to become prideful.

Next time in Job, God appears on the scene!