God’s Exceeding Power

19 June 2022 PM – Job 40-41 – Job2022 – Scott Childs

Introduction: In Job 38-39, God questioned Job about his knowledge. God made it clear that Job’s knowledge about the physical world and about the animal world was very limited. God then asked Job if he was able to instruct the Almighty (Job 40:1-2).

Job then told the Lord that he would keep quiet (Job 40:3-5). However, God knew that Job was still not convinced of God’s superiority. Thus, God proceeded to question Job about his power.

Transition: God challenged Job with questions and illustrations that finally made Job humble and submissive in the midst of his suffering. These ought to do the same for you and me during our suffering.

God challenged Job’s power (Job 40:6-14)

a. God continued his talk from the whirlwind (40:6-8)

1) God demanded Job to gird up his loins. He must get ready for action. God told him that he had work to do. He said, “Job, I want you to give me some answers.”

2) God asked Job if he will disannul God’s judgment (40:8). The root of the word translated “disannul” means to throw something on the ground and break it by trampling. Farmers did this when threshing grain from the heads. ^AHLB God used the word in the OT of breaking covenants, commandments and leagues. God, in His almighty power and wisdom, made the judgment to allow Satan to torment Job. Thus, God asked, “Job, do you think you have the power to break up my judgment?”

3) Then God asked, “Will you condemn me, that you may be righteous?” To condemn God was to charge God with being wicked and guilty. Essentially, God was asking, “Will you condemn me as being wicked so that you will look righteous?” Pointing out the faults of another to make ourselves look better is a common human ploy that we learned as children and have used throughout life. We blame others to make ourselves look better. If we are not careful, we will do as Job and blame God to make ourselves look better.

b. God then demanded Job to compare his power with that of God (40:9-14)

1) Do you have an arm of strength like God’s?

2) Can you thunder orders authoritatively like God?

3) Roy Zuck states, “Pursuing this thought, God in piercing irony challenges Job to imagine himself in control of the universe, to ‘play God’ and see if he could do better.”

a) Deck yourself with majesty and excellency, if you are able (40:10).

b) Let me see you array yourself with glory and beauty.

c) Display your anger toward evil as I do (40:11).

d) Identify the proud and bring them down.

e) Inspect every one that is proud, and bring him low (40:12).

f) Trample the wicked in their place.

g) Hide them and bind them, probably speaking of taking their lives (40:13).

4) God said, “Then, I will know that you are powerful enough to save yourself” (40:14).

a) Job’s power was greatly lacking. He could not act as the Almighty. Therefore, he must learn to submit to the power and wisdom of God.

b) This is a rebuke and lesson to us as well. We are helpless compared to God.

5) Now, let’s sit down beside Job and listen as God illustrates His mighty power.

2. God proclaimed His power over behemoth (Job 40:15-24)

a. Behemoth was a creature made by God (40:15, 19).

1) This is a significant fact. Since God made this creature, He certainly is more powerful than that creature.

2) In verse 19, God told Job that behemoth is the chief of the ways of God. Because God made him, He also has the power to approach him with a sword. Job knew that only a foolish man would try such a task.

3) Behemoth, being the chief of God’s ways, was likely the first in size, the largest of all that God created. This description is not of a crocodile or elephant, as some have claimed. It must have been one of the gigantic dinosaurs.

b. God reminded Job of the power of behemoth (40:16-18)

1) He had powerful loins or hips.

2) He had powerful muscles in his belly.

3) His tail was long, like a tall straight cedar tree.

4) His bones were strong, like tubes of bronze and like bars of iron.

c. God described the habits of behemoth (40:20-24).

1) He ate grass in the mountains, where other beasts play.

2) He liked to lay in the shade of trees, in the shelter of the reeds and in the marshes (40:21). These trees cover him, and the willow trees surround him (40:22).

3) Verse 23 describes his fearlessness when a river rages and rushes into his mouth.

4) This brute has good eyesight and is able to tear through any snare or trap set for it (40:24).

5) Truly, Job knew that behemoth was a gigantic creature with tremendous power. God used this to illustrate His great power over even the mightiest creature on earth. This reminds us of Jeremiah’s words in (Jeremiah 32:17) “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:“

3. God further proclaimed His power over leviathan (Job 41:1-34).

a. God asked 20 questions about leviathan.

1) We find the first 14 questions in Job 41:1-8. (Read)

a) The answer to every question is “No!”

b) Leviathan was far too powerful for man. Any who tried to battle with him would never do it again (41:8).

2) We find the next six questions in Job 41:9-14.

a) It was hopeless to try to overcome that creature. Are you not cast down in fear at the very sight of him? (9)

b) Who is fierce enough to be able to stand before him? (10)

c) God then asks, “Who has preceded me, so that I owe him anything?” (11) God was before all things, including this fierce sea monster, and all things belong to Him.

d) God said He would not keep silent about the powerful body of leviathan. (12) Yet, what man is able to remove his skin? (13) Who will try to bridle him?

e) Who would dare to open the doors of his face (his mouth) full of terrible teeth? (14)

b. God then describes leviathan’s body (41:15-34)

1) He describes his scales (41:15-17).

2) God speaks of his sneezing that sounds like a fire breathing dragon (41:18-21)

3) He is extremely strong (41:22-24)

4) Weapons have no effect on him (41:25-29).

5) His tracks are unequalled (41:30-32)

6) He is the most fearless creature on earth (41:33).

7) He is the king over all the children of pride (41:34).

8) This mighty sea monster may have been a plesiosaur. According to an article in Answers in Genesis, A huge skull was recently found. “The eight-foot-long (2.4 m) skull belonged to a pliosaur, an aquatic reptile reminiscent of the dinosaurs but with four fins, powerful necks, and sharp teeth. And if the creature’s body is proportional to the size of its skull, it will be one of the largest pliosaur fossils ever found—perhaps some 54 feet (16 m) long, having originally weighed between 7 and 13 tons.”

Conclusion: God used these two huge, powerful creatures to get Job’s attention. Being the Creator of all, God is more powerful than any other creature. Job had no right to accuse or question God, and neither do we. God is the absolute Sovereign of the universe. He knows all and is all-powerful. Thankfully, He lovingly cares for all that He created, including you and me. We must trust our lives to His care!

Song: God will Take Care of You – 297 #1, 4

God’s Exceeding Power

19 June 2022 PM – Job 40-41 – Job2022 – Scott Childs

Introduction: In Job 38-39, God questioned Job about his knowledge. God made it clear that Job’s knowledge about the physical world and about the animal world was very limited. God then asked Job if he was able to instruct the Almighty (Job 40:1-2).

Job then told the Lord that he would keep quiet (Job 40:3-5). However, God knew that Job was still not convinced of God’s superiority. Thus, God proceeded to question Job about his power.

Transition: God challenged Job with questions and illustrations that finally made Job humble and submissive in the midst of his suffering. These ought to do the same for you and me during our suffering.

God challenged Job’s power (Job 40:6-14)

a. God continued his talk from the whirlwind (40:6-8)

1) God demanded Job to gird up his loins. He must get ready for action. God told him that he had work to do. He said, “Job, I want you to give me some answers.”

b. God then demanded Job to compare his power with that of God (40:9-14)

1) Do you have an arm of strength like God’s?

2) Can you thunder orders authoritatively like God?

3) Roy Zuck states, “Pursuing this thought, God in piercing irony challenges Job to imagine himself in control of the universe, to ‘play God’ and see if he could do better.”

a) Deck yourself with majesty and excellency, if you are able (40:10).

b) Let me see you array yourself with glory and beauty.

c) Display your anger toward evil as I do (40:11).

d) Identify the proud and bring them down.

e) Inspect every one that is proud, and bring him low (40:12).

f) Trample the wicked in their place.

g) Hide them and bind them, probably speaking of taking their lives (40:13).

4) God said, “Then, I will know that you are powerful enough to save yourself” (40:14).

a) Job’s power was greatly lacking. He could not act as the Almighty. Therefore, he must learn to submit to the power and wisdom of God.

b) This is a rebuke and lesson to us as well. We are helpless compared to God.

5) Now, let’s sit down beside Job and listen as God illustrates His mighty power.

2. God proclaimed His power over behemoth (Job 40:15-24)

a. Behemoth was a creature made by God (40:15, 19).

1) This is a significant fact. Since God made this creature, He certainly is more powerful than that creature.

2) In verse 19, God told Job that behemoth is the chief of the ways of God. Because God made him, He also has the power to approach him with a sword. Job knew that only a foolish man would try such a task.

3) Behemoth, being the chief of God’s ways, was likely the first in size, the largest of all that God created. This description is not of a crocodile or elephant, as some have claimed. It must have been one of the gigantic dinosaurs.

b. God reminded Job of the power of behemoth (40:16-18)

1) He had powerful loins or hips.

2) He had powerful muscles in his belly.

3) His tail was long, like a tall straight cedar tree.

4) His bones were strong, like tubes of bronze and like bars of iron.

c. God described the habits of behemoth (40:20-24).

1) He ate grass in the mountains, where other beasts play.

2) He liked to lay in the shade of trees, in the shelter of the reeds and in the marshes (40:21). These trees cover him, and the willow trees surround him (40:22).

3) Verse 23 describes his fearlessness when a river rages and rushes into his mouth.

4) This brute has good eyesight and is able to tear through any snare or trap set for it (40:24).

3. God further proclaimed His power over leviathan (Job 41:1-34).

a. God asked 20 questions about leviathan.

1) We find the first 14 questions in Job 41:1-8. (Read)

a) The answer to every question is “No!”

b) Leviathan was far too powerful for man. Any who tried to battle with him would never do it again (41:8).

2) We find the next six questions in Job 41:9-14.

a) It was hopeless to try to overcome that creature. Are you not cast down in fear at the very sight of him? (9)

b) Who is fierce enough to be able to stand before him? (10)

c) God then asks, “Who has preceded me, so that I owe him anything?” (11) God was before all things, including this fierce sea monster, and all things belong to Him.

d) God said He would not keep silent about the powerful body of leviathan. (12) Yet, what man is able to remove his skin? (13) Who will try to bridle him?

e) Who would dare to open the doors of his face (his mouth) full of terrible teeth? (14)

b. God then describes leviathan’s body (41:15-34)

1) He describes his scales (41:15-17).

2) God speaks of his sneezing that sounds like a fire breathing dragon (41:18-21)

3) He is extremely strong (41:22-24)

4) Weapons have no effect on him (41:25-29).

5) His tracks are unequalled (41:30-32)

6) He is the most fearless creature on earth (41:33).

7) He is the king over all the children of pride (41:34).

Song: God will Take Care of You – 297 #1, 4