It’s hard to tell how long Job’s ordeal went on; it may have been months or even a year. He was a seventy-year-old man with a broken heart and ill health, but when God came to him, he treated him like a man made in God’s image. He challenged Job’s mind with questions.

At the initial encounter with God Job was humbled. He said, “I am unworthy – how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer – twice, but I will say no more.” Job 40:4-5

God Rules the Visible World

The first round of questions in Job 38 and 39 was about things that Job could see with his own eyes. God showed Job his lordship and absolute authority over the earth, seas, weather, and  constellations.

He talked about the wild animals and told Job how intimately involved he was with them. He described attending the births of fawns, and watching wild donkeys, ostriches and horses in all their untamed glory. He mentioned mighty eagles and hawks perched high on lofty crags and soaring down upon off prey.

God described things only God could see.

Before this maybe Job had viewed the earth and its beautiful abundance the way most of us do. We think we own it. We invade the animal world and use natural resources as if we were the masters of the earth. We even look at the heavens above and dream of visiting the stars and colonizing other planets . . . but we are not the lords of the universe.

There is only one Lord, and it all belongs to him.

A Different Realm

In today’s reading God took Job to another realm entirely. He named two creatures that were completely different from everything he described before. He moved Job from what is visible to what is invisible.

First God set things up. He invited Job to approach him as he would approach a king, and come into the throne room, where sinners face judgment. Job should see how divine justice was dispensed.

“Would you discredit my justice? Would condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his?

Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself with honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.” Job 40:8-14

The presence of God was where sinners met judgment. Job could only be silent in the face of the question, “Would you discredit my justice?” He had no authority or power to counsel God regarding what to do with sinners in the unseen realm where spiritual battles raged.

Two Beasts

In Job 40:15-24 God called Job’s attention to a creature called Behemoth. Behemoth is a Hebrew word that means “the beasts.” The implication is that this creature is made up of many beasts together. This creature comes from the earth.

In Job 41:1-34 God talked about a second creature called Leviathan. In Hebrew the word leviathan means “the folded one,” and it describes a huge creature that lives in the sea and undulates as it moves.

Scholars have tried to discover animals, living now or in pre-history, that match the description of these two creatures, but there has never been a satisfactory answer. Behemoth and Leviathan were not like the animals God mentioned to Job in chapters 38 and 39, animals that were common and familiar to people. These two creatures were the stuff of legends.

While some commentators believe these animals roamed the earth at some point, Ray Stedman and some other theologians have come to the conclusion that these two creatures were symbolic beings that God used to introduce Job to the unseen spiritual world. Stedman believes these creatures represent the power of sin — in  the flesh, the world, and the devil.

Behemoth, Sins of the Flesh

Behemoth represents the flesh and the power of our sinful nature. When God created people, he gave us the power to choose good or evil and when we chose evil, it became a monster within us. Sin is impossible for us to master by ourselves; it’s stronger than we are.

“Can anyone capture it by the eyes or trap it and pierce its nose?” Job 40:24

It disguises itself and hides in secret places in our lives. We may overlook it or minimize its menace.

“The hills bring [Behemoth] their produce, and all the wild animals play nearby. Under the lotus plants it lies, hidden among the reeds in the marsh.” Job 40:21-22

Only God can master the Behemoth of sin in us. God, who made us to rank first among his works, is the only one who can conquer the sin monster hidden inside us. Job struggled with the sinful pride and arrogance that lurked inside him. He couldn’t conquer it until God drew it out into the open and led him to repentance.

“It ranks first among the works of God, yet its Maker can approach it with his sword.” Job 40:19

Leviathan, Sin-Filled World Systems

Leviathan is the power of sin in the world around us. It represents the systems of this world that are under the control of Satan, systems that oppress and crush people. No government or other human institution can avoid hurting people because as soon as people form an institution pride, arrogance, lust for power, and greed begin to corrupt them. The temptation to get more, step on others, control power and satisfy voracious appetites turns human institutions into a roiling sea of sinful behavior. It’s only by participating in the grace and goodness of God that a human institution accomplishes anything good.

God asked Job if he was able to tame a monster like Leviathan, pull it in with a fishhook or lead it on a leash. Of course, Job couldn’t do that. Like Leviathan, the powers of this world are big enough to crush individuals.

“If you lay a hand on it, you will remember the struggle and never do it again! Any hope of subduing it is false; the mere sight of it is overpowering.” Job 41:8-9

Satan organizes the systems of this world to do his soul-destroying work, but someday God will overthrow the corrupt governments of this world and do away with Satan who controls them.

The Devil

Satan was the one who tempted people to sin, goaded them toward destruction and then accused them when they fell. He corrupted human systems so they served his purposes. He came to steal, kill and destroy what God had created and , like Leviathan, he was formidable, agile, with thick armor built up to deflect resistance to his wicked schemes. He was so hard to defeat that no human being could do it under his or her own power. People must turn to Job”s heavenly Advocate, Intercessor, Friend and Redeemer so they could be saved.

Job Replies to God

God finished his discourse and it was Job’s time to reply. He was humbled and overwhelmed by the greatness of his Creator and he got right to the point.

“Then Job replied to God, ‘I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know . . . My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.’” Job 42:1-3, 5-6

People who have only heard about God, but who seek him until they find him, will always  bow in repentance before him, just as Job did. It’s the only response to the all-powerful Lord of Creation who dwells in the heavenly realm.

Job didn’t really know God, and this led to a lot of errors on his part, but as soon as Job saw God, he reversed direction. He humbled himself in repentance, and God was very pleased with him.

God Deals with Job’s Friends

God was not pleased with Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, however. He rebuked them for misrepresenting him and for tormenting Job. He told them to repent, bring Job offerings for their sins and let him pray for them. They obeyed and Job interceded for them. God forgave them and thus returned Job to his priestly duties.

Comfort and Consolation

Then God healed and restored Job. His family came to comfort, console and celebrate with him, and they brought him gifts. Before long God blessed Job with twice as much wealth as he had before. There were double the number of sheep, camels, oxen and donkeys.

God also doubled the number of Job’s children. He added seven more sons and three more daughters to the ten children Job already had in Heaven.

Job’s three daughters are the only ones of his children who were named in Scripture. Jemimah’s name meant “dove” and it represented peace. Keziah’s name was taken from the word “cassia,” a fragrant spice. Keren-Happuch means “Horn of adornment”, a container that held cosmetics to make a woman beautiful.

The names of Job’s daughters celebrated the peace, fragrance and beauty of Job’s new life following his great suffering.

Job did one more thing for his daughters that honored God. He elevated his daughters to equality with his sons by giving them shares of his estate that matched what their brothers received. Job had learned about the worth of every individual in God’s eyes.

A Good Old Age

Job lived another 140 years and saw his descendants to the fourth generation. He must have been over 200 years old when he died . . . and when he was gone I’m sure that every one of his great-great-great grandchildren could recite the story of Job.

May we always remember the story of Job, too, and let God be God in our lives.