Job 38:34–38

He had spoken of the rain in verses 25-28. Now He asks whether Job could order the clouds to drop their water whenever he wanted. We may see the clouds dark and heavy, and think at such a time that we could tell them to pour out their rain. Yet it may be that no rain falls at all. Lightning may trigger a rainfall, but who can send the lightning?

"Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, 'Here we are'? Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given understanding to the mind?" It comes down to man now. "Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens, when the dust runs into a mass and the clods stick fast together?" Well, all that is perfectly simple to God, and God has command in every bit of it.

And then the rain clouds, the lightnings and their control. What questions these are. They cover every field of what man calls "natural sciences" — geology, meteorology, geography, oceanography, astronomy, and the rest. Job had not a single answer to these questions, and if he had spoken his words would have been folly. And we, 3000 years or more later, are still unable to answer these questions in a satisfactory way. That is true for all our boasted progress and all our scientific discoveries of the great laws of nature. All the boasting of science about getting at the secrets of creation is nothing but foam. One breath of the Almighty scatters man's speculations to the winds, when they leave Him and His Word out. But what is the aim of the Lord in putting these questions? To show that God is greater than man and to humble man, to bring Job to the needed true knowledge of himself and to deliver him from the pride of his heart.

He is not satisfied with showing man's smallness by what is vast. He also takes up things we might think small. He has travelled through the immense heavens and the uncontrollable sea, then the treasures of the snow and the hail, of the lightning and the waters. He looks at the heavenly bodies one by one. Then, towards the end of the chapter, He comes down to the little things of nature, where man is just as much at a loss. So it matters little whether we look at the greatest of God's works or the least. Everywhere we meet what man cannot know at all. Job had even claimed to judge the depths of God morally. But he could not face, and had not the slightest real idea of, what God is in the least part of His universe.

The LORD ends this part of His speech with fresh questions about the clouds, storms, and rain. Can Job bring down rain, or speak to the lightning flash? Does he have the understanding heart that knows the reason for the clouds — whether clouds of rain or clouds of grief? Can that heart bring the refreshing showers upon the dusty earth? What food for reverent meditation we have in all this.

To Him all power in heaven and earth has been given. He has not given us power to change the order of nature, or to go up into those heavens. But He teaches us to give the true answer to His questions, and that answer is, "We see Jesus."

And then the rain clouds, the lightnings and their control. What questions these are. They cover every field of what man calls "natural sciences." That means geology, meteorology, geography, oceanography, astronomy, and more. Job had not a single answer to these questions, and if he had spoken, his words would have been folly... But what is the Lord's aim in putting these questions? To show that God is greater than man, and to humble man. It is to bring Job to the true knowledge of himself that he needs, and to free him from the pride of his heart.

He had spoken of the rain in verses 25-28. Now He adds a question (v.34): could Job give orders to the clouds to drop their water when Job wanted it? We may see the clouds dark and heavy, and think at such a time that we could tell them to pour out their rain. But it may be that no rain falls at all. Lightning may trigger a rainfall, but who can send the lightning? (v.35).

God speaks first about the lifeless things — the earth, sea, clouds, hail and rain. He shows three things about them. First, that He designed them; second, that He created them; and third, that He controls them. Consider the whole range of lifeless things that make up the world, and the whole range of living creatures. God commands them all... The lesson for Job was this. It was far too great for him to try to get to the bottom of things and look for explanations. God in His counsels and actions is altogether too big for us.

It is clear that God is here bringing to nothing all the proud talk of Job. But He does not stop at showing man's littleness by what is vast. He takes up what we might think are small things... So it matters little whether we look at the greatest works of God or at the least. Everywhere we meet what is completely beyond man's understanding... Job had even claimed to judge the depths of God morally. But he could not face what God is in the least part of His universe, and he had not the slightest idea of it.

Outward knowledge has advanced, and we have discovered great laws and principles of nature. But can the scientist of today give truer and more satisfying answers to these divine questions than Job could long ago? After all, what is human knowledge but a knowledge of our own ignorance, as Socrates said?... What is the key to all these questions? It is God, the true knowledge of Himself. Knowing Him, we know the Author and Source of all knowledge. Leave Him out of account, and the sum of all science is a blank wall, beyond which the truth still lies hidden.

But storms and storm-clouds are only the prelude to the rain. Here too God is seen, bringing refreshing after the storm. So with Job: the showers will follow his chastening. Who knows how to divide, to distribute, these refreshing showers? Man would distribute them unevenly, or at the wrong time. God knows when and how to send the welcome relief.

He is not satisfied with showing man's smallness by what is vast. He also takes up what we might think of as small things. He has travelled through the immense heavens and the uncontrollable sea, then the treasures of the snow and the hail, of the lightning and the waters. He notices various heavenly bodies in detail. But towards the end of the chapter He comes down to the little things of nature, where man fails just as badly. So it matters little whether we gaze at the greatest of God's works or look into the least. Everywhere we meet what is completely beyond man's understanding.

Lightning may trigger a rainfall, but who can send the lightning? If man does have any wisdom at all, who has put it in his mind? Is he to have the credit for this? Or does he manufacture his own understanding?

And modern science should not claim it can answer what Job could not. Outward knowledge has advanced. Men have discovered great laws and principles of nature. But can the scientist of today give truer and more satisfying replies to these questions from God than Job could long ago? What after all is human knowledge but a knowledge, as Socrates said, of our ignorance? What is the key to all these questions? It is God, the true knowledge of Himself. Knowing Him, we know the Author and Source of all knowledge. Leave Him out, and the sum of all science is a blank wall, with the hidden truth still lying beyond it.

Can Job bring down rain, or speak to the lightning flash? Does he have the understanding heart that knows the reason for the clouds — whether clouds of rain or of grief — and that can bring the refreshing showers on the dusty earth?

And then the rain clouds, the lightnings and their control. What questions these are! They cover every department of what man calls "natural sciences" — geology, meteorology, geography, oceanography, astronomy. Job had not a single answer to these questions. If he had spoken, his words would have been folly… But what is the Lord's aim in asking them? To show that God is greater than man, and to humble him. To bring Job to the true knowledge of himself that he needed, and to free him from the pride of his heart.

After all, what was God speaking about? Earthly things. Every one of them belongs to the natural world, and has to do with what is visible, with what is seen and temporary. Job is completely unable to answer even one of these questions. In fact no one has answered them to this day, for all the boasting of science. If that is how it stands with earthly things, what about the heavenly? What about the eternal things? There we depend on God entirely and completely. We know nothing except what He tells us.

And then the rain clouds, the lightnings and their control. What questions these are. They cover every department of what man calls "natural sciences." That includes geology, meteorology, geography, oceanography, astronomy and more. Job had not a single answer to these questions, and if he had spoken his words would have been folly. And we live 3000 years or more later. We boast of our progress and of our scientific discoveries of the great laws of nature. Yet we still cannot answer these questions in a satisfactory way. All the boasting of science about getting at the secrets of creation is nothing but foam. One breath of the Almighty, and man's speculations, apart from Him and His Word, are scattered to the winds. But what is the aim of the Lord in putting these questions? To show that God is greater than man and to humble man, to bring Job to the needed true knowledge of himself and to deliver him from the pride of his heart.

If man does have any wisdom at all, who has put it in his mind? Is he to have the credit for this? Or does he manufacture his own understanding? If one thinks he is wise, let him number the clouds! They are always changing and on the move, and often amazing in their magnificence. So we are wise to observe and marvel at the display they present, rather than to try to number them. May such lessons deeply impress us.

Who regulates the clouds by wisdom, / Or who inclines the pitchers of heaven, / When the dust is poured into hardness, / And the clods are compacted together?

Passing from the starry heavens to the sky nearer the earth, Job describes the clouds in beautiful and scientifically accurate language. They are the containing vessels for the waters above the earth. It is God who gathers the vapours of the sky and condenses them into the thick clouds. If these waters fell upon the earth without restraint, the result would be a destructive flood. So He binds these waters in the clouds. He sends them down in gentle showers, as He wills and as the thirsty earth needs.

He does not stop at showing man's littleness by what is vast. He also takes up what we might think are small things by comparison. He has gone over the immense heavens and the uncontrollable sea, and then the treasures of the snow and the hail, of the lightning and the waters. He notices various heavenly bodies in detail. But towards the end of the chapter He comes down to the little things of nature, where man is just as much at a loss. So it matters little whether we gaze at the greatest works of God or look into the least. Everywhere we meet what is completely beyond man's reach... What could better expose the futility of man's accusing God? Job had even claimed to judge the moral depths of God. But he could not face what God is in the least part of His universe, and he had not the slightest adequate idea of it.

The LORD closes this part of His address with fresh questions about the clouds, storms, and rain. Can Job bring down rain, or speak to the lightning flash? Does he have that understanding heart which knows the reason for the clouds, whether of rain or of grief? Is it a heart that can bring the refreshing showers upon the dusty earth? What food for reverent meditation we have in all this.

"Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? Or who has given understanding to the mind?" It comes down to man now. "Who can number the clouds by wisdom? Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens… when the dust runs into a mass and the clods stick fast together?" All that is perfectly simple to God, and God has command over every bit of it.

Jehovah concludes this portion of His address with fresh questions about the clouds, storms, and rain. Can Job bring down rain, or speak to the lightning flash? Does he have the understanding heart that knows the reason for the clouds — whether clouds of rain or of grief? Can he bring the refreshing showers upon the dusty earth?

He is not content to show man's littleness by what is vast. He also takes up what we might think are small things. He travels over the immense heavens and the uncontrollable sea, then the treasures of the snow and the hail, of the lightning and the waters. He notices heavenly bodies one by one. But toward the end of the chapter He comes down to the little things of nature, where man is just as much at a loss. So it matters little whether we gaze at the greatest of God's works or look into the least. Everywhere we meet what is entirely beyond man's understanding… Job had even claimed to judge the depths of God morally. He could not face what God is in the least part of His universe, and he had no adequate idea of it at all.

And then the rain clouds, the lightnings and their control. What questions these are! They cover every department of what man calls "natural sciences" — geology, meteorology, geography, oceanography, astronomy, and the rest. Job had not a single answer to these questions, and if he had spoken, his words would have been folly. And we live 3000 years or more later, with all our boasted progress and our scientific discoveries of the great laws of nature. We are still unable to answer these questions in a satisfactory way. But what is the Lord's aim in putting these questions? To show that God is greater than man, and to humble man. To bring Job to the true knowledge of himself that he needs, and to deliver him from the pride of his heart.

If in goodness He meets and supplies the needs of all His creatures by His skilful handling of the forces of nature, then it is easy to see how He may deal with the sins of men and nations. He has only to order the working of these forces so that the supplies are cut back. God makes this work out in such a way as to leave unbelieving men without excuse. For the living God made heaven and earth and sea and all things in them. He "did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:15-17).

Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind (Job 38, 39). He did not argue, and He did not even instruct. He displayed the witness of His majesty and power, until Job had to say, "Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further" (Job 40:3-5).