106. Where Wast Thou? (2)

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Hymns: RHC 41 Before Jehovah’s Awful Throne, 43 God Is Still On the Thone, 50 Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All

Job 38:4-11

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

Where Wast Thou? (2)

OUTLINE

  • Soberly Consider (v1-3)
  • God Created the Universe (v4-7)
  • God Created the Seas (v8-11)

Continued…

God speaks to Job in two messages, the first was from Job 30:1-40:5. The second begins in Job 40:6 and ends in Job 41:34. There would be 27 questions asked to Job. 

The first question was in verse 2 – Job 38:2 (KJV) Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 

That weak, foolish, despicable, creature – shall he pretend to prescribe to me what I must do or to quarrel with me for what I have done? [Matthew Henry]

It was meant to put Job in his place. As Swindoll observed well, “By now, Job has gotten a bit independent and arrogant. You get like that when you defend yourself too long.” 

We see God speaking singularly and directly to Job – Job 38:3 (KJV) Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

Job’s response will come in Job 40:3-5 (KJV) Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

It was in repentance and contrition of heart. He has no answer to God. The Lord humbled him.

This was what God said to Job in a series of questions concerning creation – “Can you explain or control My Creation?” (Swindoll)

Job has spoken these words out of ignorance, for he does not know as he has claimed to know. He has spoken as if he has cosmic knowledge, as if he really grasped how the universe is governed and could therefore be critical of the one who is governing it, but he does not have this cosmic knowledge. [Christopher Ash]

(2) God Created the Universe (v4-7)

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 

First, the universe is pictured as a great building project. This building project has a “foundation” that has been laid (v4a). It has “measurements” drawn out by a surveyor’s measuring “line” to ensure precision (v5). There are bases or secure footings, strong sockets for the pillars to rest in, and a “cornerstone” to ensure that the whole thing holds together firmly (v6). 

God is the architect who designed it, the surveyor who laid it all out in accordance with his design, and the builder who constructed it. Here is a building being built to last, a solid, secure, robust affair, replete with beauty and enduring majesty. [Christopher Ash]

How did all the cosmic bodies get fixed in their places in the universe? It is God! What a magnificence!

The punchline is in v7. At the creation, the “morning stars” sang with joy, the “sons of God shouted for joy.” [Christopber Ash]

Just as it was at the coming of Christ at His birth, the angels in heaven sang as the humble shepherds beheld the Son of God born in a manger, away from the haughty Jewish establishment in Jerusalem. 

Luke 2:1-18 (KJV) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

“Job,” says the Lord in essence, “if you had perfect knowledge of creation, you would understand that it not only was but remains a source of cosmic joy.” That is a strange and surprising thing to say to a man suffering as Job does, but it is true. [Christopher Ash]

(3)God Created the Seas (v8-11)

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

Matthew Henry observed well, “Concerning the limiting of the sea to the place appointed for it (v8). This refers to the third day’s work, when God said (Genesis 1:9), Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and it was so.

Out of the great deep or chaos, in which earth and water were intermixed, in obedience to the divine command the waters broke forth like a child out of the teeming womb (v8).”

The forming of the seas is likened to a newborn baby coming out of the womb and wrapped in swaddling bands of cloth. 

Psalm 104:6-7 (KJV) Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

The cloud is made the garment thereof, with which it is covered, and thick darkness (that is, shores vastly remote and distant from one another and quite in the dark one to another) is a swaddling-band for it.

See with what ease the great God manages the raging sea; notwithstanding the violence of its tides, and the strength of its billows, he manages it as the nurse does the child in swaddling clothes. [Matthew Henry]

Picture a wild ocean coastline, with huge waves crashing against the cliffs under dark brooding skies, with wild winds and storm clouds. How are we—how is Job—to think of this symbol of all that has made his life a misery? With a strange dark humour, we are invited to think of this sea as being like a baby! Picture the breaking of a mother’s waters at the end of pregnancy, and then her baby bursting out of the womb on its day of birth and causing havoc from that day on. (Some parents may identify with this imagery!) But here is a baby who is put in clothing and a “swaddling band” to restrain him (v9) and then put in some kind of playpen so that he cannot roam free and cause chaos everywhere (v10). Here is an unruly infant under discipline, with strict “bars” (v10; literally “statutes”) constraining his movements and action. “Thus far . . . and no farther,” say his firm parents (v11). [Christopher Ash]

This babe being made unruly and dangerous by the sin of man, which was the original of all unquietness and danger in this lower world, there is also a prison provided for it; bars and doors are set (v10). And it is said to it, by way of check to its insolence, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further. The sea is God’s for He made it, He restrains it; He says to it, Here shall thy proud waves be stayed (v11). This may be considered as an act of God’s power over the sea. Though it is so vast a body, and though its motion is sometimes extremely violent, yet God has it under check. Its waves rise no higher, its tides roll no further, than God permits; and this is mentioned as a reason why we should stand in awe of God (Jeremiah 5:22), and yet why we should encourage ourselves in Him, for He that stops the noise of the sea, even the noise of her waves, can, when he pleases, still the tumult of the people (Psalm 65:7). [Matthew Henry]

Jeremiah 5:22 (KJV) Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

Psalm 65:7 (KJV) Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

It is also to be looked upon as an act of God’s mercy to the world of mankind and an instance of His patience towards that provoking grace. Though Je could easily cover the earth again with the waters of the sea (and, methinks, every flowing tide twice a day threatens us, and shows what the sea could do, and would do, if God would give it leave), yet He restrains them, being not willing that any should perish, and having reserved the world that now is unto fire (2 Peter 3:7).

2 Peter 3:7 (KJV) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

CONCLUSION

Let there be a humbling silence in the presence of God amidst our afflictions. Amen.