The Book of Job – Bible Lesson 40
*Just for your thoughts*
*The Book of Job – Bible Lesson 40*
God’s Questions to Job About the Animals
In one sense, this is not merely a zoology lesson given to Job; it is also a spiritual lesson that reveals the limits of human knowledge and the immeasurable extent of God’s wisdom and care.
The Lesson Taught by Creation
In Job 38:39–39:30, God asks Job questions about lions, ravens, wild donkeys, wild oxen, ostriches, horses, hawks, and eagles. This is not simply a collection of questions about animals; it is a lesson that reveals the limits of human knowledge and the immeasurable extent of God’s wisdom, power, and care.
Job had previously said:
“Ask the animals, and they will teach you; or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you.”
— Job 12:7
Now those words themselves become a lesson for Job. God places the animal world before Job and asks an important question:
“Do you know?”
But more importantly:
“Can you manage all this?”
Who provides prey for the lion? Who feeds the young ravens? Who gave the wild animals their dwelling places? Who gives the hawk the power to fly and the eagle the strength to soar high?
Behind these questions lies a great truth:
Creation does not function without God’s wisdom; no living creature exists outside God’s care.
Human beings may have knowledge, but they cannot know everything. We may be able to manage some things, but we cannot control everything. Just because we do not understand something does not mean that it has gone beyond God’s control.
This was the lesson Job also had to learn.
God asks Job, “Do you provide food for the lion? Do you feed the young ravens? Does your wisdom make the hawk fly? Does the eagle soar high at your command?”
Job could not answer.
Then he realized:
That it is not possible to understand everything about God.
What is the important truth we must learn here?
We do not need to know everything; it is enough to trust the One who knows everything.
There may be many questions in our lives.
Why this suffering?
Why this delay?
Why this situation?
Why has my prayer not been answered?
We may not receive immediate answers to all these questions. But just because we do not know the answer, we should not conclude that God does not care for us.
The God who feeds the young ravens also feeds us.
The God who guides the birds also knows the path of our lives.
The God who cares for countless living creatures has not forgotten us.
We may see confusion in the world. But God is not confused.
We may not be able to see the way. But God has not lost the way.
We may not know the future. But the future is not hidden from God’s sight.
Everything we do not understand is still within God’s control.
For Your Reflection
Is there a situation in your life that you cannot understand?
If so, let us look at creation.
The God who guides every creature according to its nature is also guiding us and our lives.
We may not have all the answers, but we must know who is guiding us.
That is enough.
We do not need to control everything; we must surrender ourselves to the God who controls everything.
We do not need to understand all of God’s works; but we must trust in His goodness and care.
The world and our lives have not slipped out of control. We are in the hands of God, who guides everything with His wisdom and care.
In God’s service
Ezekiel Shanmugavel