IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Who then Can Understand?

Date: Apr. 9, 2015

Passage

Job 25:1-26:14  (ESV)

Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:

  “Dominion and fear are with God;
    he makes peace in his high heaven.
  Is there any number to his armies?
    Upon whom does his light not arise?
  How then can man be in the right before God?
    How can he who is born of woman be pure?
  Behold, even the moon is not bright,
    and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
  how much less man, who is a maggot,
    and the son of man, who is a worm!”

Then Job answered and said:

  “How you have helped him who has no power!
    How you have saved the arm that has no strength!
  How you have counseled him who has no wisdom,
    and plentifully declared sound knowledge!
  With whose help have you uttered words,
    and whose breath has come out from you?
  The dead tremble
    under the waters and their inhabitants.
  Sheol is naked before God,
    and Abaddon has no covering.
  He stretches out the north over the void
    and hangs the earth on nothing.
  He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,
    and the cloud is not split open under them.
  He covers the face of the full moon
    and spreads over it his cloud.
10   He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters
    at the boundary between light and darkness.
11   The pillars of heaven tremble
    and are astounded at his rebuke.
12   By his power he stilled the sea;
    by his understanding he shattered Rahab.
13   By his wind the heavens were made fair;
    his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
14   Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways,
    and how small a whisper do we hear of him!
    But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 26:14B

  Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways,
    and how small a whisper do we hear of him!
    But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

First, Bildad's claim (25:1-6). Bildad's third claim is shorter. He is right to say that the dominion and awe belong to the Lord God who establishes order with his mighty forces. Even the bright moon and the shining stars are not pure in his eyes. Therefore a mortal, who is only a worm, a maggot, can't be right before him. He kept condemning Job based on 'cause and effect'. He didn't understand God and Job deeply.

Second, Job's response (26:1-14). Job agreed with Bildad but with enriched reasons and wisdom he revealed God as the Sovereign Lord of all creation. Job deeply acknowledged and revered the Lord's power, wisdom and will revealed in the universe. He did not claim that he was right before God, rather he wanted to meet the Lord Almighty, the Creator, to be righteous before him.

Prayer: Lord, before the awesome God, it's true that no one can understand you and can be right. Yet, the Lord can make sinners who earnestly seek You right.

One Word: The awesome Lord's mysterious love

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Key Verse: 19:16

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