Job 40

Jesus instructs us in the Sermon on Mount, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” There are certain limits to that instruction. In particular, it is the duty of a superior to find fault with one beneath him in order to protect that subordinate through some necessary correction. Therefore a father will need to help his son this way, and a teacher certainly must find fault with a student in order to correct her work. This is certainly the case in the community of worship as well. That is why the apostle Paul advises the church in Corinth to make necessary judgments in the church in order to protect the community of faith. He even goes so far as to say, “The spiritual person judges all things.”

Judgment becomes problematic when it is done without love, when it is accompanied by hypocrisy, or when an inferior presumes to sit in judgment his superior. This third offense is called insubordination, and it has surely always been a popular past-time since the day that Satan convinced Eve that God was not giving commands that were in her best interest to obey. The inappropriate finding of fault in a superior is an important theme in the book of Job. Not only have Job's friends done this to Job, but Job himself has done this to God. The Lord now brings attention to this grave error. He calls Job a faultfinder, and so he is. It was right for Job to find fault with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. They needed correction. It is never right for anyone to find fault with God. Job has desired to bring a lawsuit against the Almighty. This is a staggering act of insubordination.

God has been questioning Job in order to further redirect his attention appropriately to the difference between a creature and the Creator. So far Job has had no answer to give. Now God insists that Job answer. Job's response speaks for itself: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.”

This is astounding transformation. It has come about through a brutal trial that began in the heavenlies before the throne of God. It continued with great loss and sickness on earth, but then especially with the vague and unsubstantiated accusations of friends. These earlier developments, especially the final one, gave birth to Job's error. But this was not the end of God's work with Job. He only wounds his beloved servants for the purpose of granting a far better healing. Therefore He sent His prophet Elihu to begin the redirection of beloved Job. After Elihu spoke Job had nothing more to say. Yet God finished this work of discipline in person. Job wanted to speak with God. Here is His chance.

God continues. Will Job accuse God of being in the wrong and that for the purpose of maintaining his own righteousness? Of course Job cannot win a fight against God. He always knew that. But there is something else for us to consider in the New Testament era. We know more clearly and plainly how the Lord's plan of righteousness truly works. If we aim to prove our right at God's expense then all will be lost. Our only hope of being declared holy is through the perfect righteousness of God credited to us. What if we were able to prove ourselves right in our own merit, but only at the cost of God being proven wrong? Absurd? Yes, but it would also entirely undermine all our hope of eternal peace.

This is more of a gospel message than the Lord chooses to give at this point. He reveals the beauty of the righteousness of Christ and the power of His cross little by little and in various ways. The book of Job is early in that process. God does give an answer here. It is true, basic, and good for every era in the Lord's dealings with His elect: “Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” (See Romans 9:20.)

Job's right hand could never have saved Job, but God's right hand has saved Him. Christ, who is at the right hand of the Almighty, both saves us and keeps us. We are no position to find fault with God.

This trial that Job has experienced started in heaven. The Lord brought up the name of Job to God's adversary, Satan. That being is one amazing Behemoth. Imagine any large beast that has every walked the face of the earth and know that you have a better chance of fighting such a monster that you could see than you do in your present warfare against the devil. Satan has been at work in Job's trials, but only as far as God's sovereignty would allow. That same Satan many years later desired to sift Peter as wheat, yet the Lord Jesus had prayed for Him. Though Peter denied Christ three times his faith would not fail. Jesus instructed him that when he had turned again that he should strengthen his brothers.

It is in the strength of Christ that God will soon crush Satan under your feet. Do not judge the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Do not settle into a pattern of finding fault with the Almighty on account of the trials that He has given you. He has His purposes. You will never fully understand the depths of His wisdom. Surely He intends to hold you through it all, for not one of His children will be lost.