Introduction
Why a message on Job? I was studying this book related to a project in December and found this passage to be deeply comforting and encouraging. My hope is that this comfort that I received would be multiplied to you this morning (2 Cor. 1:4). I must confess though that, perhaps like others, I find Job to be an intimidating book. There are several reasons for this: its subject material (intense suffering), the long and often confusing conversation between Job and his friends, and the Lord’s powerful speeches in Job 38–41, which could be taken as being intended primarily to shut down any further discussion (i.e., “be quiet, Job”). While these chapters certainly do emphasize the Lord’s surpassing power and wisdom, they also speak constructively to specific issues that can help us navigate our trials.

I. Job’s trial was a “storm”

A. Though Job was righteous, Satan accused him before the Lord of being a “fair-weather” saint and received divine permission to afflict Job (1:6-12 [possessions/children]; 2:1-8 [boils]):

- Whereas his cattle/donkeys were taken by the Sabeans (1:14-15) and his camels by the Chaldeans (v. 17), his sheep were struck by lightning (v. 16) and his children killed when the oldest brother’s house was struck by a strong wind and collapsed on them (vv. 18-19)

B. Job saw his afflictions as a “storm.”

- 9:17, “He crushes me with a storm and multiplies my wounds for no reason.” || Job compares himself to a windblown leaf (13:25) – as probably not a gentle breeze but a strong wind.

- 30:15, Job’s honor pursued “like the wind.” v. 22, “you toss me about in the storm.”

II. God is Present in the midst of the Storm and speaks from there (vv. 1-7)

A. When the Lord finally breaks His silence and speaks to Job, he does so twice “from out of the storm” (v. 1; 40:6).

- validates Job’s characterization of his trials as such (9:17)

- shows the Lord’s presence in it,[1] i.e., the fearsome, overwhelming, painful, out of control. Although Job believed that the Lord had become his enemy and was directly afflicting him (13:24; 16:9), the Lord thought highly of Job (“there is none like him on the earth” [1:8, 2:3]).

- shows his desire to communicate through it || “the Lord is in the whirlwind; and his way in the storm” (Nahum 1:3).[2] See below…

B. The Lord has something to say from out of the storm.

- Not right away but after Job and his friends are done talking and have nothing left to say (31:40-32:1), then He imparts wisdom to Job.[3]

- Elihu’s obs.: “For God speaks in one way, and in two but man does not notice it” (33:14).

- Luc, 111, “In the book of Job, the storm is where Job finds himself, where God comes and speaks from, and where wisdom hides.” (see 28:23-28)

C. The Lord’s opening words serve as a rebuke to Job (and a reminder to us) re: the incompleteness of human knowledge and its vast inferiority to the Lord’s (vv. 2-7).

- In his anguish, Job at points had called the Lord’s justice and rule into question (9:22; 19:6; 27:2; 40:8) and declared that he wanted to approach God contentiously to plead his own case (23:3-5; 31:35-37). The Lord granted Job’s wish (v. 3) but not before confronting him for his lack of knowledge (v. 2).

- Like Job (and others in Scr.), we may justifiably ask the Lord, “why?” (3:11-12,20; 7:20; 13:24). But in our desire to be rid of our pain, we can easily become so fixated on this that we practically forget that the Lord may have additional considerations and purposes also in mind à narrowing/distort. of persp.

- Compared to the Lord, we might as well have been born yesterday (v. 4; v. 21). We weren’t there at creation! Some things are unknown to us because of our finite existence and experience.

- Even if we had been there at creation, we would not have understood or have been able to assist w/ our finite minds and strength (vv. 8,12,17-20). What we are able to know is b/c God gives us the capacity to know and reveals wisdom to us (v. 36; 28:28; 39:17).

- Contra: the Lord has complete power over the universe and knows it thoroughly, having laid its foundation (vv. 4,6), measured it (v. 5). He knows what is in the depths of the sea and in every corner of the earth (vv. 16-18). He has power over snow, hail, light, wind, rain, lightning, and ice, all potential elements of a storm (vv. 22-35). He even knows the number of the clouds (v. 37) and the gestational patterns of mountain goats (39:1-3). As Creator of the universe, the Lord is uniquely capable of being its Sustainer and Ruler (vv. 12-15,31-33,39-41; 34:13,17-21; 40:9-14).

III. The Lord Limits the Sea (vv. 8-11), and likewise “storms”

A. The first powerful force of nature that the Lord declares His power over is the sea (e.g., tsunamis).[4]

- “sea” and “storm” together: Jonah 1:4, Ps 107:25-29 – sailors encounter while at sea.

- the Lord had ‘shut’ the sea behind doors when they burst forth at creation (vv. 8-10; 1:10; 3:23) = set limits for it,[5] “Up to here you shall come, and you shall not go beyond” (v. 11) = You shall not pass.

B. The sea and its waves retain their existence and power presently, but their domain is delimited by the Lord.

- || He has set the wild donkey “free” in his habitat (39:5-8).[6] à the Lord’s present rule includes the granting of power to forces/beings along w/ a degree of freedom within boundaries set by Him (not us).

- the sea represents not only a powerful force of nature but also things that are proud: “proud waves” (v. 11; Ps 89:9-10).[7] The Lord’s unique power is further shown through his ability to humble the “proud” (40:11-12).

C. As with the powerful and proud sea, the Lord had actively prescribed limits for Satan’s attacks on Job.

- As w/ the sea (v. 11), the Lord spoke directly to Satan regarding how far he could go. First, “you will not stretch out your hand against him” (1:12), and later, “spare his life” (2:6).[8] Satan could not do whatever he wanted, and Job’s suffering, though overwhelming and seemingly unlimited (6:2-3), had indeed been limited by God.

- Furthermore, the Lord who has power over storms (see II. C) and knows every detail about each one (e.g., the weight of the wind and the path of the thunderbolt in 28:25-26) therefore also knows the ‘weight’ of Job’s “storm” (6:2) – and ours, whatever their cause. He knows more about them than we do!

- like the sea/wild donkey, Satan has his “domain” now where he “roams” and “walks about” (1:7; 2:2).[9] The time has not yet come for him to be thrown into the lake of fire and the sea likewise to be no more (Rev 20:10, 21:1). But in the Lord’s wisdom, even these play a part in His glorious plan, as do our storms.

Conclusion
Contrary to Job’s belief that God had become his enemy and contrary to the despairing thought that God is disinterested in our suffering, this passage shows the Lord’s involvement in a more subtle fashion – through his direct limitation of affliction and of potentially harmful forces far beyond our ability to control. God allows such things to exist and operate within boundaries he determines, as he simultaneously works through them to achieve His good, wise plans. We should also be comforted by his complete knowledge of our storms, his complete power over them, and his presence and voice in the midst of them. Let us also avail ourselves of assurances of His love and favor that He has made plain to us in His word (cf. 1:8; 2:3).

[1] Luc, “Storm,” JSOT, 119, helpfully cites Ps 3:5, 20:7 and 1 Chron 21:26 as syntactical parallels. He also suggests that when Job’s eye “sees” God (42:5) that he had seen God in the storm: “it is possible that the impact of Job’s repentance comes not only from the fact that he appears but also from the fact that he appears in a storm. God does not crush Job with a whirlwind as he has feared; rather, he appears in it.” (120).

[2] Cf. Ex 19:16; Ps 77:16-19; Is 28:2. Though Luc (114) notes that such a manifestation “serves as God’s instrument to punish the wicked … but not to inflict suffering upon a person like Job.” Likewise, divine arrows in 6:4 (see Ps 38:1-4).

[3] Job “longs for death…and searches for it more than hidden treasures” (3:21) but wisdom is also more precious than these (28:15-19).

[4] In Indonesia (2004; ~228k died) and Japan (2011; 16k died). http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141226-tsunami-indonesia-catastrophe-banda-aceh-warning-science/ (accessed 29 Jan 2015). http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/17/world/asia/japan-earthquake---tsunami-fast-facts/ (accessed 29 Jan 2015).

[5] Likewise, Pro 8:29; Jer 5:22, Psa 104:9. However, these passages do not mention “proud waves” or contain a direct address such as is found in v. 11. In Job 14:5, Job uses similar language to describe the Lord’s determination of a person’s lifespan. The sea’s association with “cloud” and “deep darkness” may be intended to suggest something ominous but under the Lord’s control (see 3:4-6,9).

[6] Cf. Wild ox is powerful but will not listen to man (39:9-12).

[7] Also characterized as proud are certain animals (28:8), the wicked (35:12), and Leviathan (41:15,34).The Lord alone has such “majesty” (37:4; 40:10).

[8] Janzen, Job, Interpretation, 235. Noting that in both cases the Lord “addresses” Satan and the sea regarding their respective limits, he says that there is a “deep unity of conception” between these passages.

[9] Ironically, it is earth, whereas Leviathan’s is the sea. The Lord “walks about” in heaven (22:14).

God in the Storm

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