Job

Job 40: Job cannot take God’s place

Begin in prayer

Before God presses His question about justice, please ask Him to lead us beyond silence into humble repentance.

Hannah prayed, and said: “My heart exults in Yahweh! My horn is exalted in Yahweh. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

1 Samuel 2:1

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Expose our attempts to defend ourselves by accusing You. Show us the Savior through whom You justify sinners without denying Your justice. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

God calls the one who argues with Him to answer, and Job says he is of small account. Job covers his mouth and refuses to proceed further. God then asks whether Job would condemn His judgment in order to justify himself. He challenges Job to display divine strength, humble every proud person and crush the wicked before claiming to save himself. God describes behemoth, which He made as well as Job. Its great strength, grass, marsh shelter and confidence before an overflowing river place another mighty creature beyond Job’s mastery.

As you read Job 40, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God made Job and mighty behemoth, and His majesty exposes Job’s inability to replace Him.

Job first answers that he is of small account and lays his hand over his mouth. God then presses the issue beyond silence by asking whether Job would condemn Him to justify himself. A creature cannot overturn the judgment of the One whose arm and voice exceed his own. The challenge to humble every proud person and crush the wicked exposes what Job cannot do. Only after doing that could he claim his own hand can save him. God then brings behemoth before Job, a mighty creature made by the same God. Its grass, powerful body and river setting show a creature Job cannot seize. God’s point directs Job toward his place before the Maker, not toward defending himself by charging God with injustice.

How does Job 40 show us that God made Job and mighty behemoth, and His majesty exposes Job’s inability to replace Him?

Silence must lead to humility before God’s judgment.

Job says he is of small account and will speak no further. God then asks whether Job will condemn Him in order to justify himself. The question exposes a wrong that silence alone has not answered.

Job cannot govern judgment or save himself.

God challenges him to put on majesty, humble every proud person and crush wickedness. The promised acknowledgment of self-rescue follows only after that impossible achievement. Job cannot replace God as righteous ruler.

The Maker rules strength that Job cannot master.

God made behemoth as well as Job. The creature eats grass, has great bodily strength and remains confident before a swelling river. Its power belongs within God’s creation, beyond Job’s easy command.

Memorise

Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified?

Job 40:8

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what accusation against God must I confess as I seek mercy through Jesus?

God asks whether Job will condemn Him to justify himself. Job cannot govern the proud or save himself by taking God’s place. Neither can we escape guilt by putting the righteous Judge on trial.

First Peter 3 verse 18 says Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring sinners to God. Jesus had no guilt to defend. He carried His people’s sins and died in their place beneath God’s righteous judgment. His finished work provides all they need for justification. He rose bodily from the dead.

Turn from sin and from accusing God, and trust Jesus for mercy. He grants forgiveness to those who come. His people are justified through the Savior’s work, so they can stop trying to make themselves right by calling God wrong.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God rebukes Job’s accusations without endorsing the friends’ invented crimes, and that we need mercy through Jesus. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for righteous judgment and the mercy provided through Jesus, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

We maintain therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Romans 3:28

Father, thank You that Your judgment is righteous and that Jesus gives guilty people mercy. Forgive our accusations against You and our attempts to justify ourselves. Please bring us to repentance and faith in the risen Savior. Help us receive Your correction and bow before Your wisdom this week. In Jesus' name, Amen.