Job 24-39 - God pays a visit...

The readings - Days 159-163 - Job 24-39

Job is a pretty great book, but it just got a whole lot better once I hit chapter 38.

You know those scenes in movies/TV shows where somebody (usually an underling of either a major superhero or a major supervillain) is ranting on and on about their superior only to eventually be confronted by their incredible bad-assness and look utterly, miserably foolish? Well, when that superior is God, it's a good show.



That's basically what chapters 38 and 39 are - God reminding Job exactly who he's been complaining about for the preceding dozens-of-chapters in the book.

Just in case you don't read it, or haven't, here's how the whole thing starts:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me! "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? "Or who enclosed the sea with doors when, bursting forth, it went out from the womb; when I made a cloud its garment and thick darkness its swaddling band, and I placed boundaries on it and set a bolt and doors, and I said, 'Thus far you shall come, but no farther; and here shall your proud waves stop'?

Also, I dare you to try and not read that in the voice of Samuel L. Jackson. In fact, I take it back, I implore you to do that - it's amazing, although I'm sure that at least some of you already have. It's basically how I read it the first time as well.

It's just... it's incredible. The verbal smack-down that gets laid on Job is positively invigorating, and it suddenly puts everything into a much more imposing context.

Job's troubles are many, there's no denying that. However, to spend so much time (his friends and he sat for a whole week in silence before he even began his epic moaning fest) ragging on how nasty and petty God is, only to be confronted by the reality of God's impressive resume is... humbling.

I'm absolutely in awe of these two chapters, and now I'm genuinely excited to see how Job responds tomorrow. Good times.

This Bible stuff gets pretty rad.