God introduced this challenge much the same as He did His first, out of the whirlwind, and with a demand that Job refute Him if he could.
Job had claimed God was unjust. In answering this challenge God did not argue with Job. He simply asked Job questions that made it obvious to Job that he was unable to do what he had blamed God for not doing. In criticizing God Job had placed himself in a position over God. Therefore God now reminded Job that he was not superior or even equal to God (vv. 9, 11-13). If he were superior or equal, Job could deliver himself from his own misery, which he could not do (v. 14). Because Job was inferior to God, he had no right to criticize God for behaving as He did (cf. Rom. 9:20).
It may be that God used the Hebrew word translated "gird up your loins"in a forensic sense in 38:3 and 40:7 to heighten the irony of His interrogation.169
