Previously, the Lord spoke of his divine power and wisdom in creating a world for man and beast to live in, but now he speaks out of irony, asking Job if all these things operate at his command or according to his wisdom. He begins by mentioning daybreak. Does the sun come up and go down over the earth’s horizons by Job’s command, and are the works of the wicked held in check, because he (Job) commands light to shine over the earth (Job 38:12-13)? Previously, Job claimed the works of the wicked were by and large done in darkness (Job 24:15-17). So, the Lord asks Job if the wicked cease their evil deeds because he, Job, had shed light upon them? Throughout his discussion with the friends, Job guarded his integrity at the expense of implying that the Lord wasn’t fair in his dealings with mankind. While he never literally accused the Lord of such things, Job left much unsaid that could be and, in fact, was misinterpreted by the friends.
Sight is as the clay of the earth, while in darkness, everything is seen as shadows, like clay that has no distinguishing features, but when the light of day shines forth, everything takes on a glorious sight, as if light puts its seal upon the objects it reveals to the human eye (Job 38:14). As for the wicked, their light, as Job has already said is darkness (Job 24:17). Darkness is the ‘light’ in which they do their evil deeds. The point is that the coming of the light causes the works of the wicked to cease, for the most part (Job 38:15), begging the question: ‘Job, have you done this? Do these mercies occur at your command? Moreover, have you explored the springs of the oceans? Are you able to walk on the ocean floor? If you are unable to do these things, which I have made, why ever do you believe you could measure the depth of my wisdom (Job 38:16; cp. Romans 11:33)?
Where is death? Is it a place, or is it more like a house that resides in a place of its own? Job had spoken of death as a land full of darkness, where light, itself, was nothing but darkness (Job 10:21-22). Where are the gates of death, Job, and do they open and close at your command (Job 38:17)? The Lord is asking Job what he really knows about life and death, and does he really think he is qualified to be God.
Today, even children are taught that the circumference of the earth at its equator is just under 25,000 miles. Its diameter is just under 8,000 miles at the equator and about 30 miles less measured from pole to pole. Did Job know this? Probably not, and he probably didn’t have the means to come to such knowledge in his day. Hence, the Lord’s question to Job, asking if he has measured the earth (Job 38:18).
Moreover, and remembering that the great body of the Book of Job is poetry, not science, the Lord asks if Job had discovered way to the place where light dwells. The idea expressed has to do with man’s own perception of light at that time. It appears in the morning and goes away at night. Where does it go to, and where does it come from? Can Job explain? Today, that might be expressed in asking someone to describe a color that is not nor is it a mixture of red, yellow or blue. Man has no perception of such a color, if it exists, but if it does exist, and if he saw it, could he describe it? No! Neither could Job answer the Lord. He couldn’t describe the place where light arose nor could he show anyone where darkness went, when light reappeared (Job 38:19-20). Of course, the Lord was speaking ironically (Job 38:21). Surely, if Job could place the Lord’s wisdom in question to preserve his own integrity, Job must have been present when light and darkness came into existence. Surely, he knows these things, so tell us, Job, what happens to the dark when light appears, and where does light go when darkness reappears?
If Job wants to be God and say what should and should not be done, then he must also know where the treasuries of snow and hail are kept, because they are used for the Lord’s judgment, when he decides to punish those who are in rebellion against him (Job 38:22-23). If one believes himself qualified to question why God does the things he does, because one is dissatisfied with the Lord’s Table, then one needs to be prepared to be his own god. How would Job judge the wicked and the righteous? Should that be done at his command? If so, then he (or anyone else who believes he is wiser than the Lord) ought to be able (almighty) and wise (omniscient) enough to take these matters into his hands. Who is qualified to take the place of God?
Smoodock's Blog 