Monday, August 17, 2015

Job 12

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind?" vv.7-10


Read chapter 12
Sometimes I wish creation would speak up with a human voice that we could understand and probably be put to shame of how we know and honor our Creator.  "Job here begins his review of all creation, to show that God has the absolute direction of it.  Job maintains that, if appeal were made to the animal creation, and they were asked their position with respect to God, they would with one voice proclaim him their absolute Ruler and Director. The instincts of birds, their periodical migrations, their inherited habits, are as wonderful as anything in the Divine economy of the universe, and as much imply God's continually directing hand." (Pulpit Commentary).
This chapter is Job responding to Zophar's words and accusations toward him.  "Zophar had spoken with considerable parade of the wisdom of God. He had said (Job 11:7 ff) that the knowledge of God was higher than the heavens, and had professed Job 12:6 to have himself exalted views of the Most High. In reply to this, Job says that the views which Zophar had expressed, were the most commonplace imaginable. He need not pretend to be acquainted with the more exalted works of God, or appeal to them as if his knowledge corresponded with them. Even the lower creation - the brutes - the earth - the fishes - could teach him knowledge which he had not now. Even from their nature, properties, and modes of life, higher views might he obtained than Zophar had."  Hard to say if there is pride in Job's mind in his seemingly correct response of facts but even if he speaks in the tongues of angles and has not love he's only a resounding gong (1 Cor. 13).  

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