Job 38:1

VI. The Divine Speeches (38:1-42:6)

The Lord’s First Speech ¹ 

38:1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: ² 

Psalms 50:3-4

50:3 Our God approaches and is not silent; ³ 

consuming fire goes ahead of him

and all around him a storm rages. ⁴ 

50:4 He summons the heavens above,

as well as the earth, so that he might judge his people. ⁵ 

Hebrews 12:18-20

12:18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, ⁶  to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind 12:19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words ⁷  such that those who heard begged to hear no more. ⁸  12:20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ⁹ 

Hebrews 12:2

12:2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. ¹⁰ 

Hebrews 3:10-12

3:10 “Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, ‘Their hearts are always wandering ¹¹  and they have not known my ways.’

3:11 “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” ¹² 

3:12 See to it, ¹³  brothers and sisters, ¹⁴  that none of you has ¹⁵  an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes ¹⁶  the living God. ¹⁷ 

¹ sn This is the culmination of it all, the revelation of the Lord to Job. Most interpreters see here the style and content of the author of the book, a return to the beginning of the book. Here the Lord speaks to Job and displays his sovereign power and glory. Job has lived through the suffering – without cursing God. He has held to his integrity, and nowhere regretted it. But he was unaware of the real reason for the suffering, and will remain unaware throughout these speeches. God intervenes to resolve the spiritual issues that surfaced. Job was not punished for sin. And Job’s suffering had not cut him off from God. In the end the point is that Job cannot have the knowledge to make the assessments he made. It is wiser to bow in submission and adoration of God than to try to judge him. The first speech of God has these sections: the challenge (38:1-3), the surpassing mysteries of earth and sky beyond Job’s understanding (4-38), and the mysteries of animal and bird life that surpassed his understanding (38:39–39:30).

² sn This is not the storm described by Elihu – in fact, the Lord ignores Elihu. The storm is a common accompaniment for a theophany (see Ezek 1:4; Nah 1:3; Zech 9:14).

³ tn According to GKC 322 §109.e, the jussive (note the negative particle אַל, ’al) is used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.”

⁴ tn Heb “fire before him devours, and around him it is very stormy.”

⁵ tn Or perhaps “to testify against his people.”

⁶ tn This describes the nation of Israel approaching God on Mt. Sinai (Exod 19). There is a clear contrast with the reference to Mount Zion in v. 22, so this could be translated “a mountain that can be touched.” But the word “mountain” does not occur here and the more vague description seems to be deliberate.

⁷ tn Grk “a voice of words.”

⁸ tn Grk “a voice…from which those who heard begged that a word not be added to them.”

⁹ sn A quotation from Exod 19:12-13.

¹⁰ sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.

¹¹ tn Grk “they are wandering in the heart.”

¹² tn Grk “if they shall enter my rest,” a Hebrew idiom expressing an oath that something will certainly not happen.

¹³ tn Or “take care.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

¹⁵ tn Grk “that there not be in any of you.”

¹⁶ tn Or “deserts,” “rebels against.”

¹⁷ tn Grk “in forsaking the living God.”