Job 40, 41, and 42
After hearing the questions of the Lord, Job no longer thought himself to be wise or good, since he had thought so, wrongly of the Lord, instead he said, “Behold, I am vile.”
Yet the Lord spoke more to. job: “Behold now behemoth, which. made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
This animal was the “chief”, or strongest, of all the animals God had made. if you read the verses in Genesis about creation, you find the animals were all made the same day as man (Genesis 1:24-31).
The behemoth could walk and eat grass on the hills, and liked to be down in shady places: it could also live in rivers, and was not afraid of the rushing waters. No animal is now called behemoth, but it is thought to have been like, or the same as the big strong hippopotamus, which can walk and feed on land, and lives and swims in sonic of the warm rivers of Asia and Africa. It is very fierce when angry, and dangerous to capture, no one would dare to go near its huge mouth.
The Lord next asked Job about another fierce animal: “Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook?” This animal we do not know by this name, either, but it seems to be like what we call the crocodile, which lives in warm waters and is very dangerous to people. Its scales are so hard a spear cannot pierce, them, nor even a bullet from a gun. The leviathan “esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood ... he maketh the deep to boil like a pot of ointment ... Upon earth there is none like him, who is made without fear.” Yet when God divided the waters for Israel, He destroyed the leviathan for them to cross safely (Psa. 74:13,14). So this serpent-like animal, pictures evil which God alone can destroy.
When the Lord finished speaking, Job spoke humbly, saying he had a spoken of what he did not know, and said.
“I abhor myself, and repent in lust and ashes.”
He was truly sorry for his wrong thoughts and words.
The Lord told the three friends of Job, to offer a sacrifice because they had spoken falsely of Job. They did so and the Lord forgave them, when Job prayed.
So they all learned God’s mercy, as well as more of His power and wisdom, Afterward the friends and relatives who had not been kind to Job in his great troubles came to visit him, and Job became a great man again, living many, years more. If Job had not had the sorrows, he would have become more proud of his good deeds and could not have told others of God’s mercy and care.
What river did the Lord speak of—? Job 40:23.
What did Job’s friends bring him Job 42:11.
How many sheep, camels, oxen, and asses did Job, have in his last years? Job 42:12.
How many sons and daughters did Job again have? Job 42:13.
How long did Job live after the Lard spoke to him? Job 42:16.
ML 06/16/1940