IN verses 25-28 God passes on to I speak of the rain and puts the question to Job: “Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder; to cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; to satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?” Man has learned perhaps a great deal more about the rain and snow than they knew in Job’s time, but there is still a lot they do not know about how it is controlled. We know that it is God Himself who causes the rain to fall even on uninhabited parts of the earth for He ever thinks of all those things He has created.
In modern times men have even attempted to produce rain with the use of the airplane. In one of our large Southern cities, during a time of drought, they engaged the services of a rainmaker, but after two hours of futile attempts he was let go. Then after a few weeks they had a greater rain than they had had for a long time.
In verse 31 God looks at the stars in the heavens. “Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiades, or loose the cords of Orion? Dost thou bring forth the constellations each in its season? or dolt thou guide the Bear with her sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? dolt thou determine their rule over the earth?” J.N.D. Translation. There are things in the heavens which exert a great influence on the earth, either for good or ill, and God says to Job, as it were, what have you to do with that? “Who numbereth the clouds with wisdom? or who poureth out the bottles of the heavens?” It is God who controls all.
In verse 39 the Lord turns to the animate creation, “Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions?... Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God.” Whether it is the great lion or the small raven and its young, God hears their cry and provides for them.
Then we have the wild goats which live high up on the cliffs of the great mountains which as a rule are inaccessible to man, and next the wild ass which also shuns mankind. And now speaks of the unicorn or rather the wild buffalo, an animal of great strength. “Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labor to him?”
Verse 13 should read, “The wing of the ostrich beats joyously—But is it the stork’s pinion and plumage?” Here God contrasts the stork, a most affectionate bird with its young, to the ostrich “Which leaveth her eggs in the earth,” and is hardened against her young. God gives the power of affection, to one bird and withholds wisdom from another, yet who is to say to Him about what He does. Then God gives a wonderful description of the war horse. Finally He speaks of the hawk and the eagle. “Doth the hawk fly by thine intelligence?... Doth the eagle mount up at thy command?” It is marvelous how the birds fly long distances, and how they can fly in a certain definite course by day or night. Men would like to know how it is they do so, for it is only by very elaborate instruments that he himself can imitate them in any way. We know that God Himself has given these animals and birds such wonderful powers, but He would overwhelm Job with a sense of his foolishness in attempting to talk about Him.
ML-09/11/1960