PREFACE

The Book of Job is an excellent Book to study to get insight, comfort and spiritual strength to get through the rough days on the way to Heaven. Job's experience tells us how bad things can get on the journey. We are living on earth, not in heaven, and earth is a battleground. Job got through the days of suffering and the nights of sorrow - how ? This Book tells us how. We learn from it not only how to understand and help others, but also how to get help from God for ourselves. Perhaps the greatest lessons of the Book are to prove that Christians can have a ' disinterested faith ' ( contrary to Satan's sneer in ch.1:9) and that God's promise will be kept, the promise to keep them enduring to the end ( Heb. 7:25). - Someone prays for us, and His prayer never fails ( John 17:24).

My thanks again to my friend Harry Woods for all the technical aspects of putting this book together.

James Clark. MA MSc MEd MTh.

OCTOBER 1

" Should it be according to thy mind ? "  Job 34:33.

Should the world be ruled according to our mind or God's ? God rules the world as He pleases ( Ps.115:3) ; we cannot change how God rules, but we do choose our attitude to this fact. It is wisdom and safety to submit to this, and less stressful. To do otherwise is foolish ( vs.35). Prayer is designed to agree with His purpose and trust, not to contradict and distrust. The world still tries to rule over God ; ' ye shall be as god(s), ' said the devil ( Gen.3), and the world still believes it. It was a fatal temptation, and still is ( Ps.2:9-12). Much of the church has followed the world, and rules the church by its own wisdom ; the ecclesiastical mind can reject God's mind also. The church needs to return to God's mind as revealed - we do not appreciate the bible as much as we should  ( 2 Corinth.3:5). " The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him." ( A.W.Tozer)

" The will of man is as perverse as his understanding is blind. He would have his own mind to be the measure, both of all that he is to do for God and of all that God is to do for him ! " ( J.Caryl) There is no infallibility in us and we must pray that God's will and our will do not cross. God does not take orders from our mind, He consults no one outside Himself ( Rom.11:34,35).



OCTOBER 2

" For he adds rebellion to his sin."  Job 34:37.

Elihu is suggesting that Job's worst sin may not be something he said or did before his suffering came, but the rebellion he displays after the suffering has come. There can hardly be any greater trial for faith than to experience sudden deep suffering. If this inner rebellion is allowed to spread within it will grow worse and even affect people around us. ( Job's wife seems to have stayed away from him until he recovers later). Elihu thinks that Job has said too many things against God already, and ought to restrain his speech. It is often the case that someone who continues to foolishly question God's character ends up being hard, sceptical and cynical. To refuse to bow to God's chastisement can only make things worse ; there is no benefit in rebellion ( whether they call it ' freedom of speech ' or not ). There is nothing heroic in opposing God ; it is either the act of a madman or the petulance of a child. We cannot always get our own way ; to expect no changes, no disappointments in life, is an immature attitude. Sometimes it takes suffering to increase our knowledge of God and of ourselves. To be incorrigible is not a sign of progress. It is better to add humble repentance and patience than to add rebellion to our condition.

OCTOBER 3

" If thou sin...if thou be righteous..." Job 35:6,7.

" Thy sins do Him no hurt and thy righteousness brings him no benefit." ( M.Poole)

God is all-sufficient and ' without passions.' His ' Essential blessedness ' cannot be disturbed by anything outside Himself ; He is eternally and infinitely happy, and He never changes ( 1Tim.6:15,16. Ps.2:4. Ps.16:1). We can benefit other creatures (vs.8), but not the Creator. " We cannot put God under obligations." ( G.Rawlinson) In Scripture ' emotions are only attributed to God after the manner of men." ( J.Gill) This kind of description is called ' anthropomorphism ' , eg. God is said to ' repent ' when His manner of working changes from our point of view, whereas it was always His intention to do what He did. We must remember that ' God is a Spirit ' ( John 4:24). A human nature was united to the Person of the Son ( and not to the Father or the Holy Spirit) 2,000 years ago, but this did not ' humanize'  the Godhead ( Ps.50:21). God depends on no one, and therefore it is a foolish expression for people to say, ' I have let Him down.' " A man can neither hurt God by his sin, nor help God by his righteousness." ( J.Durham) " Your God is too human," said Luther to Erasmus.

We cannot add to God's glory, but it is our duty to declare it. When a man sins he hurts himself, not God ( Prov.13:15). God is self-sufficient and all sufficient. Job had already acknowledged God's transcendence ( ch.7:20) but this fact (and a few others ) had been ignored by the listeners. " Man makes a great mistake when he makes himself the centre of things instead of God." ( D.L.Moody)

OCTOBER 4

" But none says, where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night? "  Job 35.10.

Many suffering people just want relief, and only use God in a crisis, they do not want God for Himself ; which is probably why many prayers are ignored ( vs.11-13). They want the gift and not the Giver. But God does give songs of comfort and hope to those who sit in the darkness of their minds. Even in the darkest of times God gives us a reason for singing praise ( Ps.42:8). David had his own dark times, as we do, but David had hope in these times too cf. Psalms 3,4 & 17. Many can be too absorbed in their sufferings to seek God ; they are too busy talking about themselves to talk to God. Moreover, there are some people who just want over the pain so that they can get back to what caused the pain in the first place ( Hoseas 7:14).

Job, however, continued to worship God in the night seasons, as did Paul and Silas ( Acts 16:25). Faith goes on seeking Him as only the Creator can repair and restore the creature. Nighttime is a good time to remember and count our blessings ( Ps.103:2). God has given us songs, 150 of them, for all occasions ; far superior to anything man can produce. These songs focus on the God who can be trusted, and recognise the dark times of life. The Psalmists have been down there before us and left us with infallible lessons written down.

OCTOBER 5

" Songs in the night."   Job 35:10.

" To pray and sing to God in the dark hours has been the experience of God's pilgrims. Often we can sing when we struggle to pray ; this shows that the heart has been taught. Perhaps the lips cannot move but melody is in the heart, the song of a mercy that supports them under pain. such songs in the night relieve the suffering heart and strengthen it to bear that which would otherwise be intolerable." ( J.J.Van Oosterzee) To sing a song of joy at such a time is not natural. This is why such songs must come from God, they are not in man's power to produce. What are the themes of these songs in the night ? Spurgeon suggests they can be of the day that is past, of the temporariness of the darkness, and the bright Morning that is promised.

" Remember it was not always night with you...Remember that God who made you sing yesterday has not left you in the night. He is not a daylight God who cannot know His children in darkness ; He loves you now as much as ever. Although He has left you for a little, it is to prove you, to make you trust Him better and serve Him more." ( Spurgeon )

OCTOBER 6

" Therefore trust thou in Him."  Job 35:14.

" Forget not that thy times are in His hands, that thy name is in His Book of Life, that He has promised to be thy God, and that He is faithful to His Word. Every blessing we can need is promised, every promise is firm and sure, therefore trust thou in Him. Thy heart may discourage thee, thy way may perplex thee, thy fears may overcome thee, thy foes may insult thee ; but thy way is not hid from the Lord, therefore trust thou in Him. His Word is true from the beginning, His people in every age have proved it so, its verity is its crown...His faithful Word should calm thy fears, strengthen thy hopes, sweeten thy comforts, and lead thee to cheerful, filial obedience. His hand may seem to go out against thee, but His heart still beats with love for thee. He may appear to be armed against thee, but even then you should say with Job, ' Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him. ' He will yet honour your confidence. " ( James Smith )

" It is always a great temptation to think that God has no regard for us, when we see only darkness. When we see the 'confusion ' in our world, it is as if God has hidden His Face. Elihu tells Job we can only wait in patience until God fully reveals that which is today hidden ; during this life we can only ' know in part.' ( J.Calvin)

OCTOBER 7

" Although thou sayst thou shalt not see HIm, yet...trust thou in Him."  Job 35:14.

" Elihu here says that though it is true in fact that God is invisible, yet this ought not to be regarded as a reason why he should not confide in Him ; He still attends to the affairs of men. " ( A.Barnes) " Trust when you cannot trace." comments D.L.Moody. When God seems to ignore us when we are under affliction, we may be afraid that He will no longer hear our prayers, and that we may not see Him again as before. But God has promised that He is working for our good while unseen, and therefore it becomes a matter of trust. Elihu vindicates God's trustworthiness, and " encourages us to have right thoughts of God." ( J.Durham) Elihu differs from the 3 friends. " His 3 friends questioned his state, whereas Elihu questions his faith only in this particular trial." ( J.Durham) Sometimes when we are fighting ' the good fight of faith ' our faith becomes so constantly strained that it becomes, as it were, drained and lacking energy. It then becomes a temptation to think, ' Do I have faith ? ', as you feel so empty and numbed of sensitivity to spiritual matters. You struggle with the visible, the pain, and lose thoughts of the invisible. In this condition you must keep reading His Word, to give you fuel for thought.

OCTOBER 8

" I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker."  Job 36:3.

This is the main subject of Elihu's speech and also man's chief end, to glorify God ; we can only enjoy a relationship with God if we glorify Him. " When the Lord takes, as well as when He gives, we must ascribe righteousness to Him." ( J.Caryl) Sadly, God is more criticized than loved in this world. The believer is warned in Scripture not to judge according to how things appear nor to judge before the proper time. God is mighty but He does not despise the humble ( vs.5), and He is good as well as great ( Ps.138:2). " A Christian is not without his cordial, vs.24,26." ( J.Trapp) Without righteousness God could not be Judge( Rom.9:21), and Elihu is right - we must justify God in His dealings with those on earth. To criticize means that we are judging Him ; something we have no right to do, nor are we qualified to.

As God is infallible, anything that deviates from what He says is false ( Rom. 3:4). Many are hardened in heart when they see God's Providence in action 

( Heb. 3:8). Many complain about their troubles, but " a cross without Christ never did good to any man." ( J.Flavel) But affliction for following Christ can be profitable. Luther said, " I never knew the meaning of God's Word until I came into affliction. I have always found it one of my best schoolmasters." We live by faith and not by sight, and faith is not based on appearances but on God's Word. " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? " said Abraham, and he knew the answer !

OCTOBER 9

" He withdraws not His eyes from the righteous." Job 36:7.

God was not ignoring Job, as many thought, but God watches over His people ( 1 Peter 3:12). They are always under His care. " God always views His people as righteous in His Son, through His righteousness imputed, and looks upon them with delight and pleasure, always. They are ever before Him from one eternity to another, and His eyes are upon them in time ; from the time of their conversion onwards. His eyes continue upon them in all their afflictions, temptations and desertions.Nothing can separate them from the love of God."( J.Gill) The implication is that He knows who is righteous by faith in Christ, and those who seek righteousness in themselves. But it is impossible for a sinner to be righteous by keeping the law. 

Job's life was like being in the middle of a battlefield, a battle between God and Satan ; we are in a similar position. But God was watching Job's progress through the middle of it, reinforcing him with strength and encouragement when needed, and shielding him from the worst of the devil's blows ( 2 Tim.4:18). Soldiers do not always see their general in a battle but they know he is there somewhere, giving commands and overseeing all. Christ is God's Commander ( Joshua 5:13-15) , and is always on the field with His people.

OCTOBER 10

" If they be bound in fetters [chains]...He shows them their work...their transgressions...He opens also their ear to discipline and commands

thatthey return from iniquity. "  Job 36:8-10.

" Every affliction is a kind of captivity." ( J.Caryl) God does not permit backsliders to go beyond a certain point in their disobedience ( Ps.107:10. Ps.89:30-34) ; His love and His grace will always bring them back before they die. But who knows how far back we can go ? As far back as Samson, Solomon, David, Peter ? Only God knows our personal story. " God opens man's ears to discipline (ch.23:16) and speaks to them to return from iniquity - which is a piece of learning which people cannot pay too dear for." ( J.Trapp) God usually delivers them by means of their affliction (35:15). The remedy will be as severe as is needed to effect the cure ! Backsliding brings us into a kind of prison of the mind - who would choose to go away from God if they were in their right mind ? And yet it happens. Every sheep is prone to wander, which is why every sheep needs to be ' kept  'by the Shepherd.

Every backsliding is a presumption, an abuse of power and privilege, and David was right to be afraid of it ( Ps.19:13). The heart still has shades of deceitfulness in it ; few would intend to backslide if they realized the consequences, and so they must have been deceived into attempting it. " Sad stroked may follow the backslider, like Asa and those in 1 Corinth 11:30-32). But God also makes us conscious of sins we have hitherto failed to recognise. Are we experiencing chastisement ? " The meaning of suffering depends on the spirit in which it is received." ( F.Andersen)

OCTOBER 11

" But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath."   Job 36:13.

There are many who are only ' Sunday Christians.' " These sinners have turned repentance into an empty form and are the worse for God's hand upon them in affliction. ( Bad boys are more stubborn after a beating, they are the worse for it.) And by continuing in hypocrisy they are heaping up wrath for it, Rom.2:5. Let no goat in a sheepskin think that he shall sneak to Christ's right hand at the last Day." ( J.Trapp) These are the people mentioned in verse 12, who seem to be righteous and single-minded, but are not. The Pharisees were an example of this ; they boasted that they kept the law, but it was only their own version of the law. Lack of self-examination will support the defence of self-righteousness, as the Pharisees angrily demonstrated. 

If the Pharisee does ' cry out to God ' ( vs. 13),it is not for the Holy Spirit to enable him to discern himself and his pride. They, like Paul, resent being told that they need to turn from religion to Christ. God graciously enabled Paul to do so, but He put him on the ground first ! Affliction, in particular, reveals what is within us, whether we have ' the root of the matter ' ( and therefore growth) or not. Suffering sifts us all, including our prayers ( Isaiah 9:13). Was Elihu hinting at Job ?

OCTOBER 12

" Because there is wrath to come, beware lest He take thee away ; then a great ransom cannot deliver thee."  Job 36:18.

Because they are unrepentant, they are treasuring up wrath, and not merits by any supposed good works. Their lives are one long provocation. This wrath against sin and sinners has been revealed ( Rom.1:18), and we cannot buy our way out of it ( Ps.49:6-8. Matt.16:16:26). We cannot, but God can, and Christ is that " ransom for many "  ( Mark 10:45 ), not all. He died for great sinners, and all those for whom He died are great sinners in their own estimation. We must beware of despising the warning of the wrath to come, but must not despise the ransom either, the Lamb of God.

No one can bargain with God concerning personal salvation ( vs.19), He is sovereign and any sinner saved is saved ' freely by His grace. The sinner has resources, but not the right kind. " They go to hell having learned nothing in this life." ( F.Andersen) To die without a saving knowledge of Christ brings a fearful death. Elihu advises sinners not to die unreconciled to God, no matter how prosperous or peaceful they feel ( vs.20). No rest or light is found in their destination when death comes - they are found outside the Ark when the storm comes. And yet the door is still open...

OCTOBER 13

" For this thou hast chosen [ ie. iniquity] rather than affliction."  Job 36:21.

it is better to suffer than to sin, says Elihu. This is not a natural choice, it takes God-given faith ( Heb.11:35). There is always a temptation to take the sinful way out rather than continue to suffer. We are encouraged to patiently endure, to ' fight the good fight ' and not to compromise our faith. It is better to be a chastened child of God than to go back to the world for its relief ; whatever the world gives will not last. " It is not easy to wait upon God by faith and prayer for deliverance in His time and in His way." (M.Poole) Pliable took the easy way out and was even laughed at by the world for turning his back on the suffering Christian. They did not agree with the Pilgrim but they admired his consistent stand.

The temptation is to escape from one sin by fleeing to another, eg. escaping from drunkenness by turning to self-righteous legalism. Morality without faith is just another form of unbelief ( Heb.11:6) ; how subtle the devil is ! We must be careful about ' sinning our way out of something.' Job did not give on God, he suffered as he obeyed ( as Another did, Heb.5:8. Philipp.2:8). Elihu seems to be agreeing with the 3 friends, that Job has not continued faithful. But God said otherwise. " There is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest affliction." ( M.Henry)

OCTOBER 14

" Who teaches like Him ? "  Job 36:22.

We can teach, but we cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the teaching on the heart and mind, only He can. " He teaches by His Providence, adverse as well as prosperous, He teaches by His word and ordinances, He teaches by His Spirit and grace, and none teaches like Him." ( J.Trapp) Job is being admonished not to teach God how to govern His own world ; He did it very well without Job. We should rather be willing to learn from Him, and use the means of grace He has provided. Many have invented activities for the church which are not found in the Word of God. It is always a dangerous thing to add to God's teaching or to omit/ replace something He has taught or appointed. But man, even religious man, is very bold. The ministry of Jesus was a teaching ministry. He teaches us as He leads us through this world ( Isaiah 48:17), as He did with all His disciples. 

The greatest and best Teacher is the One who knows everything. " No one can by his teaching cause the learner to profit as he can." ( J.Durham ) he is superior in the means, manner and content of His teaching. Why would anyone want to replace it ? Why indeed ! " God is beyond human instruction, and beyond human understanding ( vs.26). He acts beyond the rigid categories and reasons of humans ( vs.30,31)." ( Ray Stedman) In the final analysis, God knows more than we do. Let us sit at His feet as Mary did ( Luke 10).

OCTOBER 15

" God is great...neither can the number of his years be searched out."  Job 36:26

Elihu refers to the eternity of God's Being, who has neither beginning or end. He is simply ' there ' when we come into this world, His world ( Ps.102:24). no one can define eternity. Usually we say it is the opposite of time, but we have difficulty in defining time ; except to say it had a beginning, was created ( Gen. 1:1 ) and shall have an end. The cause must be before the effect. When God's eternity is mentioned, it emphasizes His superiority and priority ; it is majestic, beyond our grasp. God shall endure forever, but the world shall end. Many do not want to exist at all, and the idea of His eternity is a threatening fact to them. They therefore assert that this concept is absurd - just because they cannot understand it, they think it is nonsense ! But conscience pricks their peace many times.God's eternity is a comfort to His people ; and eternal life is given to us, an eternal Rest and Refuge, an eternal love. Forgiveness and security is what we need, an unlimited promise of supply, and this we have in Christ. The covenant is eternal, the efficacy of the sacrifice, the blood, is eternal. Eternity is an unchangeable state, which is what we desire ; as everything in time is changeable, including the perfection of the original creation. But the promise to believers is that at death ' we shall be like Him,' ( 1 John 3:2). Hope and eternity are bound together for the believer, but the hopes of the unbeliever end when time ends. We know little, but we know enough to trust Him.

OCTOBER 16

" Great things does He, which we cannot comprehend."  Job 37:5.

" There is a state of mind, often enfeebling us in prayer, arising from the difficulty in forming proper views of the spiritual nature of God ( 36:26)." ( Octavius Winslow) God is a Spirit and by nature we do not understand the supernatural, the finite cannot grasp the Infinite. Nevertheless, we may still have communion with Him, because although we lack much understanding, He has made himself ' knowable ' to us. " It is no marvel then that, at periods a believer should be baffled in his endeavour to form some just conception of the nature of the God to Whom the soul addresses itself. The only remedy is to go to Scripture, because " no man has seen God at any time.' ( John 1:18). How am I to view God ? It is not only to contemplate the character of the Divine existence, but also to contemplate in what relation God stands to the creature. Let the mind view God in Christ ( John 14:9) if we are to find any comfort." ( O.Winslow) The cause of God's actions lie out of the reach of the human mind ( Rom.11:33), eg. His preserving of all creation until it fulfils its purpose ( Heb.1:3) or His regenerating of chosen souls by the Holy Spirit within them ( John 3:3-9). Many things which we can see with our eyes cannot be seen by our minds. We see only the surface ; incomprehension is a fact of life ( John 1:5). " God does things so great that when we have done our best we cannot know them fully." (J.Caryl)

OCTOBER 17

" He causes it to come, whether for correction...or for mercy."  Job 37:13.

Much depends on how we respond to what God sends into our lives. the effects on us will evidence its purpose. God often uses nature to directly affect us ; storms, ice, flood. In Amos ( 4:7) God sends the rain for mercy to some area, but in 1 Kings (17:1 ) He withholds the rain  in an act of judgement. " The same sun softens the wax but hardens the clay." This shows different effects from the same cause ; some hearts are hardened into rebellion under God's Providence, some are softened in submission. The Gospel also has these two effects on people ( 2 Corinth. 2:16). God uses natural forces in governing His world as well as spiritual ones. Many lives have been saved by a prosperous wind on the ocean, blowing them to a safe shore, and many lives have been lost in ' natural disasters.' Psalm 29 reminds us of God's power over nature, a power ' working for the good ' of His people, although this may not be perceived by His people ( Habak.3:6). One writer makes the interesting suggestion that our attitude to the weather is an indication of our attitude to God.

God is in control and, consciously or unconsciously, we shall all fit into His plan somewhere. People still find fault with God for His unrestrained rule, but all they can do is shake their fist at God ; which is neither wise nor safe for rhem  ( Rom. 9:20-23). " The earth is the Lord's," ( Ps.24:1) and no one can control God or the weather. God in His goodness sometimes gives us early warning that the storm is coming, including the final storm ( Matt.7 end), so that we will seek shelter in Christ ( Ps. 32:7. Isaiah 32:2). [ What Elihu says here prepares us for God's manifestation in ch.38]

OCTOBER 18

" Teach us what we shall say to Him."  Job 37:19.

This is a prayer for prayer. The disciples heard Jesus in prayer and perceived how different His prayer was from theirs, and so they asked Him to teach them how to pray ( Luke 11:1). " Their request implied a high estimation of true prayer and at the same time a deep sense of their own inability to pray aright." ( W.F. Adeney) It is a great matter to speak to God and to be aware of His greatness ; a childlike prayer is not childish. Elihu speaks of the majesty of God, but that this should not repel us but draw us to him in prayer. Where better to go with all our needs and weakness ? There is both a sense of God's holiness and a childlike confidence in true prayer. And the more our sense of need the more we will pray ; and vice versa. 

Prayer is worship ; or at least it ought to be. The spiritual nature of God requires spiritual worship. We do have some difficulties in ' ordering our speech ' ( Verse 19) because of our ignorance and indwelling sin, and we acknowledge that we do need to be taught. There are many prayers recorded in the Bible to help us,especially in the Psalms. To confess our difficulties in prayer is a prayer in itself, and it keeps us humble in our approach to Him. The lord was not displeased with His disciples when they asked Him to teach them. " When we see Jesus pray we learn how to pray." ( W.F. Adeney)

OCTOBER 19

" And now we see not the bright light which is in the clouds, but the wind passeth and cleanseth them."   Job 37:21.

The believer's experience on earth is often like living under a cloudy sky, the sun still shines but is hidden by thick cloud. There are times when the light of God's face is hidden from us ( Numbers 6:25). This is sometimes for our correction ( Is.54:8) but sometimes it is sovereign and mysterious ( Ps.10:1. Is. 50:10). This was Job's present experience, perhaps also Abraham's on the way to Mt. Moriah with Isaac, or Joseph's when he was sold into Egypt. Jeremiah seemed to live like this for years, under the dark clouds of church apostasy. Our experience is sometimes ' clouded in mystery,' ( John 13:7). But we believe the sun is still there, faith has this perception ( Heb.11:1,27. 2 Corinth.4:17,18) " Whatever clouds hide God from our sight or rest upon our path, a threefold light is still shining in its effects ; God's unchanging love, covenant and purpose for the believer. " ( T.Robinson ) Like the sun, the Son of God is the ' same yesterday, today and forever." ( Heb.13:8.) In heaven we shall know all that we need to know ( 1 Corinth.13:12). The clouds shall pass away !

" Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, The clouds ye so much dread

  Are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings on your head...

  Behind a frowning Providence He hides a smiling Face."  ( William Cowper)

OCTOBER 20

" He respecteth not any that are wise in heart."  Job 37:24.

' The world by wisdom knew not God ' and still doesn't ( 1 Corinth.2:7,8). They are wise in themselves ( Matt.11;25), and regard Christ's teaching as ' foolishness.' But Elihu is also hinting that Job should consider who is dealing with and leave off debating with God, that Job is forgetting how little any of us know about God. Our response should be, " Therefore fear Him." (vs.24) " To fear God rightly is neither to murmur at nor despise any of His doings, and neither curiously to pry into nor question Himabout what He does." ( J.Caryl )Job needed to reassess his attitude to his suffering ( Ps.111:10).

God will pursue His own plan, whether men think it wise or not. He does not accept our suggestions or opinions. Our prayers, taught by Himself, are " Thy Will be done," whether we comprehend what He is doing or not. All this sounds hard to man, and he may think that God is hard ( Matt.25:24 , but rather it is our hearts that are hard, else our thoughts would be in harmony with His. Even believers need to become more patient in this matter ; we still have a long way to go in sanctification.

OCTOBER 21

" Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge ? "  Job 38:2.

Instead of answering Job's questions, God gives Job a list of questions which no man can answer. This was not only to humble Job but also to remind him to trust in God instead of ' leaning upon his own understanding.' ( Prov.3:5). We can only know as much about God as He is willing to reveal about Himself, and what He does reveal, He reveals through the Mediator Christ Jesus ( John 1:18)." How solemn is that word, 'Who is this ?' Is it a poor ,weak, foolish man ? Is it Job ? Does he speak of what he does not understand ? Our wisdom is only wisdom when it admits its own folly. How foolish we are to think we can lay bare His mysterious secrets. We had better sing with angels ( vs.7) than doubt with devils. If the secrets of earth are too deep for us, how much more the mysteries of eternity. There is one consolation ; if we do not see the gates of death open ( vs.170, we know who it is that had opened the gates of heaven for us. Who among us can control the stars or change the seasons ( vs.32)? In this chapter the greatness of God and the nothingness of man are alike apparent. God forbid that a thought of pride should defile our spirit. The sublime language of Jehovah in addressing Job is far above all human eloquence." ( Spurgeon)

OCTOBER 22

" Answer thou Me. "  Job 38:3.

Job has been arguing from ignorance ; sometimes we ourselves are unaware of this. Job, as we are inclined to do, saw himself at the centre of God's Providence, and wanted immediate attention. Job's friends were concerned about his opinion of God, but what is more important is His opinion of us ( C.S. Lewis). Many put ' God in the Dock ,' but it is sinful man who is in the dock. Pilate, Herod, and many since then thought that they were judging Christ, but it was Christ who was judging them ! Nor shall we be acquitted from breaking His laws unless we have Christ as our Advocate. He has never lost a case, even when in our own eyes it seemed hopeless - this is the time to call upon Him ( Luke 18:13). God's questions display our ignorance and reminds us that He knows more than we do. We need His Word to understand some of His Providence, and where His providence and His Word seem to clash, we go by His Promise. God is in charge, and He calls for trust, faith. He is able to keep us, and who knows to what limits He shall enable us to endure - Job was finding that out !

OCTOBER 23

" The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy."   Job 38:7.

The angels rejoiced at the creation of the world. The stars have brightness and beauty, they reflect their Creator. The angels are called ' sons of God ' in the sense that God gave life to them. Unlike believers, they do not have the image of God nor are joined to Christ by the Holy Spirit ; those among the angels who rebelled were not spared, not given a second chance, not given mercy.At Creation they sang together, praising God for His mighty works ( Ps.103:20). They were in harmony at this point, but the rebellion soon followed, led by the devil. The devil did not rejoice at the creation of man, but envied the position of man, made in the image of God. The devil and his angels wanted a higher place in creation ( Jude vs.6) than God gave them. Discontent has led to many sins. The angels rejoiced again at the Incarnation ( Luke 2:9,13). Do we have that joy too ? God's ' new creations ' ( 2 Corinth.5:17) all rejoice at the birth of their Saviour ; that ' Christ came into the world to save sinners '. The joy God gives us when we contemplate His mighty works is greater than whatever the world can give us ( Ps.4:7. 89:15. 126:3). The angels were created with the heavens ( Gen.1:1), and the rejoicing in heaven continues, it never stopped. Heaven is a happy place, and believers shall have some foretastes of it here also.( Gal.5:22)

OCTOBER 24

" And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further ; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed [limited]. " Job 38:11

God has decreed limits to the ocean, and also to all other parts of his creation, especially proud man and the consequences of his sinfulness. Sin is not beyond God's control ( Ps.76:10), whether in the unbeliever or the believer. Sometimes we may feel that ' we have been left to sin,' ( Rutherford) as if sin is carrying us away like a mighty river. But God, if He does permit sin to occur, will limit the power and the direction of it. sin also will be overruled for the final good of His people ( Rom.8:28), as it was in Adam's sin. If Adam had not sinned, Christ would not have come. God does restrain sin in the lives of His people, or they would be a lot worse than they are. It is left in us to keep us humble and dependent upon Him ; it is a constant reminder that we are saved by grace and not by works. God did not prevent Adam's fall into sin, and we are to pray that Providence will not lead us into temptation, for we know our weakness ( we sin every day). David was much in prayer about this : Psalm 19:13. Psalm 119 :5, 10,29,35,36,116,133.The ocean is ' stayed ' by feeble sand, and God has often brought down the mighty with visibly weak means. Samson destroyed the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, David slew a giant with a sling and a stone. God destroyed the Armada with a few fireships and a wind. While we do not underestimate the power of sin, of satan, and of the world's enmity, we must remember how great God is and that " The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth," ( Rev.19:6) both now and forever.

OCTOBER 25

" Hast thou commanded the morning ? "  Job 38:12.

When God commands something to happen, it happens ( Ps.33:9). " His calling them to work makes them work." ( J.Caryl) " Job had lived to see many a morning, but it was not in his power to command one. He had been in such circumstances to wish it were morning ( ch.7:3,4); but he could not hasten it, he was obliged to wait for it." ( J.Gill) Light drives away darkness ( 2 Corinth. 4:6), and shines supremely in Christ, ' the bright and Morning Star ', the ' Sun of Righteousness.' We are thankful for the light of the morning, the light in the eye, but most of all for Light coming into the world, to scatter the darkness of sin, ignorance  and misery ( Matt.4: 16) and  "to cheer our souls with the sweet beams of His healing rays." ( J.Caryl)But there are also those who hide from the light, who prefer to do their deeds in darkness. But they cannot prevent the rise of the light - and there shall be a last morning for them on earth. The spotlight of God's judgement shall find them. God commands each day into existence, as He did the first day ( Gen.1), but soon He shall command the last day, the end of what we call ' time ', and this world with it. The believer cannot remain here, she has a place waiting for her. 

( Song of Sol.2:17. John 14:1-3).

OCTOBER 26

" And from the wicked their light is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken."  Job 38:15.

Sin acts like a cloud upon the soul, no light can penetrate there until God opens the heart and shines in. What they call light is darkness by God's definition ; Unbelievers fail to have the knowledge of God and ' grope about ' ( Acts 17:27) for some kind of other knowledge to satisfy them and make them happy. So long as they are busy doing this, they shall not seek Christ to give them understanding. They may prosper in this world, but not spiritually. They hate the true light and keep far from it ( John 3:19,20) ; it is a threat to the pleasures of darkness.And the high arm shall be broken - their power shall be weakened, broken and made useless, especially those who have used their power in a tyrannical manner. " This shall especially be their case at death, Isaiah 14:10,12." ( J.Gill)

" Do not try to convince God that your way is right. There is only one right way, and that is His way."  ( J.A.Blair)

Athens was a university town and attracted students from all over the world, but they denied the resurrection of Christ. They therefore had a false foundation for their learning and so whatever they built upon it was faulty. Many academics end up in despair at the end of their lives, for they realize that they were " ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." ( 2 Tim.3:7) But happy are they who have learned from Christ, who have the humility to sit at His feet and be taught ( Luke 10:39).

OCTOBER 27

" Have the gates of death been opened to thee ? "  Job 38:17.

We know nothing about death and what lies beyond except what Christ has revealed  to us. To reject the Biblical revelation is to engage in guesswork, no matter how learned the people are who are guessing. The atheist says, ' No one came back to tell us about it." Even if this were true, it would give them no comfort in their ignorance. But Christ has come back from death, He has conquered it for Himself and for His people. He has told us many things about death and beyond, but He also warned that unbelievers would not take heed to what He said ( Luke 16:31). The gates of death are the boundary between this world and the next ; they separate the living from the dead, time from eternity. There is another separation at death, between believer and unbeliever, between heaven and hell ; there to remain until the body joins them there at the resurrection. These gates are under the jurisdiction of Christ ; He has sovereign authority to open or close them ( Rev.1:18). The wise and foolish virgins experienced this authority ( Matt.25).

Life is a journey towards these gates, they only open one way ; there is no exit once inside ( Job.6:7-10). God in His goodness has told us in advance what happens, so that we should know to prepare. The justified by faith shall enter to be with Christ, for that is where heaven is - where Christ is now    ( Ps.118:19,20).

OCTOBER 28

" Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow ? "  Job 38:22.

" Do you know the causes of them and the way to produce them ? If you are unacquainted with these treasures, it is intolerable presumption in you to pretend that you know those treasures of wisdom which lie hid in My own breast." ( M.Poole) There is great power in snow and hailstones, as the Egyptians and Sisera's army experienced. ( And the armies of Napoleon and Hitler experienced the same power to defeat them) These little things, not made by man, God can use to overcome men proud in their knowledge and achievements. Although Job, like us, could speak of snow, waters, light, darkness etc., he had not yet learned to draw some good lessons out of them. God would have us learn to drink in the thoughts of His greatness from His works of day and night ; to get some lesson out of everything. and the great lesson is to exalt God and thereby abase the creature. This is a suitable frame for us to be in. " ( J. Durham) How pure and soft the snow is, and yet what silent power ! It protects the roots in winter and keeps in the moisture. There is a spiritual application here also if we look at Isaiah 1:18.

OCTOBER 29

" The hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it ? [ produced it] . Job 38:29.

As frost and cold kill the weeds and worms which hinder fruit, so afflictions kill our wrong desires, those worms and weeds that grow in our hearts, so that the Word may bring forth fruit. So when we are in the winter of affliction, let us not grow impatient. Let us not think that the past will ruin and undo us. Cold weather does good as well as hot. "  ( J.Caryl)  " Grace grows best in winter," said Rutherford. There may be little fruit showing above ground, but the life is safe in the root ; and Job had ' the root of the matter ' in him. In Matthew 24 the Lord said that the love of many would grow cold before He comes. This is happening today, a fearful frost ; a great indifference to what concerns the glory of God and a preoccupation with the mechanics of ecclesiastical systems. But this love is not lacking in the people of God, it is seen in actions which have a spiritual root. Job is asked many questions in this chapter to reveal his impotence and ignorance. " Where wast thou ? " ( vs.4), " Canst thou ? " ( vs.31), " Knowest thou ? " ( vs.33). By imperfect knowledge Job, and ourselves, may be led into wrong conclusions. But God will not forsake Job. In the end ( ch.42) he shall 'speak the thing that is right.'

OCTOBER 30

" Can thou...can thou...can thou...can thou ? "  Job 38:31-35.

The world was not made just so that we could explore it and comprehend it ; the world is an effect which should lead us to think of the cause ( Rom.1:20). Job cannot answer God's questions, and God has the final word. We give our own definitions to the forces of nature, but all have this in common - they all obey God. He governs how light affects the world (vs.12-15).  We know little about ocean depths, death, stars ( vs.16,17,31ff.), weather changes etc. The human mind is not up to it. This ought to produce humility and dependence, and not just PhDs of limited knowledge. We are qualified to teach others of how little we know without God.

Job's sufferings are part of God's mysterious, universal dominion over space and time, and eternity. None of us can fully answer the question, " Where do I fit in ?" Many ask,' Why do I suffer ? ' but few ask, ' How can I be at peace with God while I do suffer ? ' Peace can only begin, and begin to be maintained by trusting in Christ ( Rom.5:1 ff.). It is mysterious but there is actually an order in suffering, an effect which has a cause, and the First Cause is God ; as Job recognised in ch.1:21. All his trials and temptations have been designed to move him away from that confession of faith. There are limits to his suffering, and it is mysterious, but it is over now and Job can still say, ' Let God be God.'It is a mystery, but as one has said, ' It is a mystery you can trust,' and can trust Him through it.

OCTOBER 31

" Who has put wisdom in the inward parts ? Or who has givenunderstanding to the heart ?   Job 38:36.

The heart, in Scripture language, is the centre of the person, the centre of understanding. " Hitherto God has set forth His own admirable power, wisdom and Providence in making and governing His creatures. Man is His masterpiece. Who has given him wisdom in the inward parts ?...The Lord tries what is there ( Jerem.17:10). " ( J.Trapp ) Is there still true wisdom there, or a substitute ( Ps. 51:6) ? God can make fools wise and can make the wise foolish, especially when  the l' wise ' do not acknowledge where true wisdom is found. We cannot be proud of our wisdom. We should thank God for it, and ask Him to improve it. We are responsible to God for how it is used, and one thing we learn is that sin can still happen no matter how wie we are. Knowing what is good and practising it are two different things.Adam and his descendants, because of sin entering the heart, lost the rule of wisdom. Now emotions and false teaching influence the heart, and it is a battle to be in harmony with God and obey Him. We pray to Christ for power and enlightenment ( Ps.90:11,12. 1 Corinth. 1:30). What is inside the heart now ? If it is a new heart, we shall be  'wise unto salvation.' ( 2 Tim.3:15)