Words from the Storm

Job 38:1–3 (ESV) Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: 2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

Why does God show up to Job "out of the whirlwind"? He could have come any number of ways. The NIV calls it a "storm" and the Message version says, "violent storm". What is the point here? I think it's pretty simple. We have a God in heaven that will embrace the storm for us and with us. And his storm was far more violent than Job's. 

No matter what you're facing today, I can guarantee this - Christ knows what it's like and has been through it already. The storm of the cross was agony and separation. The storm of Christ's cup of suffering endured the wrath of God for you and for me.

Second, the Lord speaks out of the "whirlwind" because the breath of God shaped the heavens. 

Psalm 33:6 (ESV) By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.

His breath is the cosmos-shaping agent through which His power is made manifest, forming all things according to His design. The voice of the Lord is creative and instructive. 

Psalm 29:3–9 (ESV) The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

When we are suffering, we need to be shaped by God's Word and not man's opinion. Job has been through the cycles of endless abuse at the voice of his well-intentioned yet uninformed and unhelpful friends. Now God speaks to him, blowing over his situation in the power and majesty necessary to bring Job the wisdom he needs by exposing the wisdom he lacks. 

For many chapters Job questioned God. Now God begins to question His servant, Job:

Job 38:4–7 (ESV) “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Remember that Job is wisdom literature. What do we need in suffering? Wisdom from God. And how does God reveal wisdom here to Job? By putting Job rightfully in his place - as a man who has far less wisdom than he realizes. That is our case in all situations. Whatever the challenge or circumstance - God's wisdom is the answer and our lack of wisdom is the problem. 

Perhaps this is why so many of us avoid scripture. We do not like to be told we don't know what we think we know. We do not appreciate being confronted with our lack of wisdom. Surely God is beholden to our image of Him, we suppose. But this is NOT the case and there's no truth to that. He is God and we are not. Even what we THINK we are is not what we are for He knows us better than ourselves. So when He speaks, we gain insight. And perhaps because we are dull of hearing or obstinate to truth, the voice can seem violent.