Some conclude that Bildad claimed the Lord exercises dominion in the high places (Job 25:2), meaning heaven. However, I believe Bildad’s intent was to show God exercised dominion over the high places of the earth, meaning over the kings of the earth and all those in authority. In other words, God is King of kings, and Lord of lords! Whichever meaning is correct, Job adds that, not only does God exercise his dominion over what Bildad had concluded, but he also exercises dominion over the dead, particularly over the earth’s inhabitants, who had perished in the Genesis Flood (Job 26:5). In other words, the authority of God extends far beyond the claims of Bildad, and includes all who have ever lived on the face of the earth! The grave, itself, is naked before him, and abaddon (H11, translated destruction), meaning the grave or the bottomless pit, has no covering or veil. In other words, even the spirits of the dead are exposed to his sight (Job 26:6).[1]
Job then exalts the Lord’s power and wisdom by telling us that space, itself, is empty (Job 26:7); yet, the Lord is able to spread out the skies, implying with stars, and hangs the earth upon nothing at all – for, as Job says, space is an empty place! Moreover, God waters the earth with the water out of clouds that float in the atmosphere. Yet, unlike the waterskins of men, they don’t burst under the weight of the water they contain (Job 26:8)! Rather, the rain comes drop by drop instead of a steady stream, which might occur had their container burst like a waterskin.
We need to keep in mind that the Book of Job is poetry, not prose. Understanding this point, we will be able to see that Job 26:10 is not speaking of water on the earth. Rather, Job is still speaking of the heavens (Job 26:7-8). In Genesis we are told:
“God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament…” (Genesis 1:7)
The sky is the firmament that divides the waters. The heavens in space, where the stars are, is considered waters. Many of the constellations represent creatures that dwell in the seas upon the earth. Some of the constellations are represented as fish and sea monsters, and conflicts are understood to be taking place there among the stars.
Jerusalem is represented as the throne of God on earth (Psalm 48:2) and attacking Jerusalem is represented as attacking the throne of God (cp. Isaiah 14:13). Job tells us that the Lord holds back the face of his throne represented in the constellations, and spreads his cloud upon it (Job 26:9). That is, he hides himself, while seated on his throne, and encircles the “waters” with a boundary, which seems to be the point where the light of the sky reaches no further into the darkness of space (Job 26:10; cp. Exodus 20:21; Psalm 97:2). So, symbolically, the Lord resides in the heavens above the sky and covers himself in a cloud of darkness, represented in the nothingness of space.
The mountains are represented in the poem as pillars holding up the heavens or the waters above the sky, and they tremble, shaking at the voice of God, which is represented in the loud thunder that often makes the ground seem to shake (Job 26:11; cp. Psalm 18:7). The hills and mountains also represent kings and nations, which are often mentioned in scripture to serve the purposes of God (cp. Genesis 9:5-6; Isaiah 10:5; 5:25; 44:28; 45:1). Therefore, the kings and nations are represented as trembling before the voice of God, who judges in righteousness out of the darkness (Psalm 97:2)
God is seen as stirring up the waters with his power (cp. Daniel 7:2-8), and through his wisdom he cuts through Rahab, which is a sea monster or the dragon in the heavenly constellations (Job 26:12; cp. Psalm 87:4; 89:10; Isaiah 51:9).[2] Moreover, it is by the spirit of God that all these things are illuminated, even the fate of the crooked or swift serpent that his own hand had created (Job 26:13).[3] What Job is doing is expanding on the truth, which is revealed in the heavenly constellations, showing the work of God in the salvation of mankind. None of these things were mentioned by the friends, who don’t seem to believe in a resurrection, that would provide for rewarding the saints and the judgment of the wicked.
Job concludes by saying that these things are but the outskirts of his ways, mere whispers of his glory. Nevertheless, if all his glory were thundered out and revealed, who would be able to understand and comprehend it all (Job 26:14; cp. 2Corinthians 12:4).
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[1] Jesus tells us that God is not the God of the dead but of the living. In other words, although there is no consciousness in the grave (1Samuel 2:9; Psalm 6:5; 88:10-12; 115:17; Isaiah 38:18-19), the spirits of the dead are alive in the Lord’s presence (Psalm 139:7-8, 12), and he knows and recognizes each and every one of them (Job 26:6).
[2] See an earlier study of mine: The Sign of the Dragon.
[3] See footnote number one in my study The Sign of the Dragon, also see: There Was War in Heaven.
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