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Introduction
The ancient Greeks are famous for writing incredible stories to illustrate various principles about the human condition.
One such story is that of Prometheus, which in its earliest forms was likely circulated around the same time that the story of Job was written down and circulated among the Hebrew people.
The ancient people believed that the gods had the knowledge of how things worked and the means to accomplish them, but they did not share their knowledge or their power with humanity.
They were neither generous nor fair. They held all the significant cards in their own hands.
In the story of Prometheus, humanity is given the ability to make fire and along with it technology and power. Prometheus looks down upon humanity and sees the hopelessness with which they live their lives.
In an attempt to improve the human condition, he freed humanity from their limitations by giving them the power of the gods. It sounds like a noble act, doesn’t it?
Prometheus is the bold gift-giver who gives humanity what they lacked so that they could have more control over their own lives.
The problem is, while humanity is given the power of the gods by means of fire, we still lack the understanding of how to properly handle that power.
In this ancient myth is a portrait of humanity unanchored from its limitations. We are blinded by ambition, empowered by technology but without the wisdom to wield it properly.
We know how to split atoms but we seem to not know how to prevent the devastating effects of this power. And yet we continue in our relentless pursuit of technology, believing that the next advancement will set us free.
The book of Job, particularly the section we are looking at today, is meant to correct our perspective about how the world works.
It is not the power of the gods that will set us free, but trusting in the power of an infinitely wise God.
Job’s speeches and complaints demonstrate his disorientation and suffering, but also his limited understanding of why this has happened to him and who God is in the midst of his suffering.
And in God’s speeches (chs. 38–41) Job is being reminded that divine power is never reckless or blind, but it is held and executed with wisdom.
God rules the chaos, represented in our passage today by Behemoth and Leviathan. He rules over them not by crushing them, but by containing and integrating them into creation.
Job’s response is to admit his limited understanding and trust in God’s power and wisdom.
Today we will learn about the two mysterious creatures and how they relate to Job’s situation. And then the rest of our time will be spent on the topic of repentance.
So let’s first look at these two creatures Behemoth and Leviathan as an illustration of God’s control over chaos.
Wisdom and Chaos
The two creatures described in God’s speech represent the most dominant land and sea creatures. God describes them as untameable and too powerful for humans to control.
These creatures also represent chaos, which was a very common and familiar concept to the ancient people.
And for the ancients, chaos was conquered not by power alone, but with power guided by wisdom.
For the Hebrew people, this power and wisdom belong to God alone and the wisest thing humanity can do is to trust God.
Let’s start by reading Job 40:6-16.
Behemoth has a hearty appetite. The huge beast cuts great swaths through fields, and can devour an entire field on its own, which would be devastating to communities.1
Job 40:19 “It ranks first among the works of God, yet its Maker can approach it with his sword.”
This solidly constructed beast is the crown of the land animals. Because God is its Maker, its power and greatness do not exist in opposition to God.
In contrast to ancient mythical thought, God did not have to defeat Behemoth to gain control over the forces of chaos. Rather Behemoth obeyed him from the first moment of its origin.
Unafraid, God can approach Behemoth with his sword. Such an act symbolizes his complete mastery of this beast.2
Next, let’s look at Leviathan, the most dominant of the sea creatures.
Job 41:1–3 “Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook or tie down its tongue with a rope? Can you put a cord through its nose or pierce its jaw with a hook? Will it keep begging you for mercy? Will it speak to you with gentle words?”
Job 41:9–11 “Any hope of subduing it is false; the mere sight of it is overpowering. No one is fierce enough to rouse it. Who then is able to stand against me? Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me.”
God addresses the central issue in this speech. If Job is not brave enough to engage Leviathan in battle, how can he stand before God?
It is impossible for anyone to win a judgment against God, for everything under heaven is subject to him.
Job 41:18–21 “Its snorting throws out flashes of light; its eyes are like the rays of dawn. Flames stream from its mouth; sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke pours from its nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds. Its breath sets coals ablaze, and flames dart from its mouth.”
Job 41:33–34 “Nothing on earth is its equal— a creature without fear. It looks down on all that are haughty; it is king over all that are proud.”
No creature on earth is equal to Leviathan. This fearless creature cannot be intimidated.
In Genesis 9:2, God says to Noah, “The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands.”
The fact that Leviathan is without fear indicates that it is a unique creature, unlike any other. Even all that are haughty and proud fear it, namely the great rulers of the world.
God’s point is this: since no human being can control Leviathan, then no person can ever be so mighty or exalted as to successfully challenge God’s rule.
If Job cannot subdue them, he is in no position to discredit God, his Creator and Master, for treating him unjustly. The only conclusion he can come to is that God is supreme over all creation.
The only way for Job to once again enjoy God’s favour is to submit to God as his Lord and end his complaints against God’s justice.3
This brings us to Job’s repentance.
Job’s Repentance
To set up this section, let’s first be reminded of Job’s innocence.
Job 1:1 “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.”
Job 1:22 “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”
Job 2:10 “He replied, ‘You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.”
Let’s keep this in mind as we consider Job’s response to God’s speech:
Job 42:1–6 “Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
In this response, Job admits his limitations. He now sees that he can trust God. Therefore, he despises himself and repents in dust and ashes.
A common question related to Job 42:6 is, if Job was righteous, then why did he need to repent?
The Hebrew word translated “repent” here is not the usual word for turning away from sin and toward God, but rather a word which can mean regret, be consoled, or change one’s posture.
Job is not saying “I was wicked and now I turn from my sin,” but rather, “I now see differently—I was speaking from ignorance.”
Job isn’t repenting like someone caught in wrongdoing. He’s stepping back, laying down his argument, and letting go of his assumptions. He sees God, and in that light, everything else shifts.
This is different than the most common word for repentance, which implies a total change of perspective, identity, and direction in life.
Away from sin and toward righteousness. Away from self-centred living and toward God-centred living. Away from an identity wrapped up in temporary things and toward an eternal identity as citizens of God’s kingdom.
There were certainly times in his life when Job would have needed to repent in this way. But in this situation, Job is not turning away from sin and back to God. In all his lamenting and complaining, he never turned away from God.
The concept of repentance here is that of ending his complaints and taking consolation in the fact that God’s power and wisdom can be trusted.
He is doing what his friends were trying to get him to do from the beginning. Early in the series, I mentioned the distinction between sympathy and comfort.
Sympathy is being present with someone in the midst of their pain and grief. No words are needed, only loving presence. Job’s friends did this for seven days.
Comfort, on the other hand, means to help the grieving person shift their focus from the hopelessness of their situation toward accepting their new reality.
Comforting someone is difficult and delicate because it can go terribly wrong. This is what happened with Job’s friends. Their problem was that they wrongly judged the source of Job’s grief and what Job was truly longing for.
Yes, he grieved the loss of his children and his prosperity. But, most of all, he grieved the loss of, and longed most for, God’s favour and acceptance of him.
He felt as though God turned away from him. So, what he really needed was to know why. He wanted to stand before God and get an explanation.
And this is now what he has received. He is standing before God. But God does not give him an explanation for his suffering.
Rather, he reminds Job who he is. This is what he truly needed. And now he can finally accept his new reality.
And along with this acceptance comes an act of humility. He admits he was focused wrongly on himself. He will now trust the power and wisdom of God.
While Job had the right to complain to God about his undeserved suffering, he was facing the danger of not submitting himself to God’s purpose for him.
His self-confidence compelled him to defend his innocence. And in doing so, he moved dangerously close to being certain that he was able to judge God.
On becoming aware of the danger of continuing to charge God with injustice, he humbled himself before God, admitting that he wrongly spoke about things beyond his understanding.
In taking this path Job confirms that humility is essential for a vital relationship with God.
Job demonstrates that he serves God for the sake of relationship with God alone and not for any personal gain or benefit, not even his own justification.
And finally, God’s confidence in his servant has been completely vindicated.
Job 1:8–11 “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?”
Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
In the midst of his grief, Job never cursed God. He longed for God to restore their fellowship.
But in order for this to happen, Job had to let go of control over the relationship. He had to give up the idea that his own righteousness was the basis for God’s love and favour.
Our Repentance
This leads us to our response. Going back to the story of Prometheus, examine the power you hold and how you are hanging on to control.
In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis writes,
We all want to progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turn, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case [the person] who turns back soonest is the most progressive [person].4
Perhaps you are in a season in which you need to repent in this way. You need to make a u-turn. You are heading in the wrong direction and the fastest way to your destination is to turn around.
Maybe you need repentance in the same way Job did. You need a change of heart, a reorientation of your vision of God.
You may not have turned away from God, but you have been limited in your understanding of what he’s doing in your life.
You think your suffering, difficulties, or even your blessings are a result of your own actions. But consider that God may be doing something different than you realize and you just need to trust him.
This sort of repentance doesn’t necessarily mean your situation will change, only your perspective and posture. Like the serenity prayer Krista shared.
Throughout God’s speeches, he never made the same sort of promises that Job’s friends made if Job repented.
His friends told him to admit his wrongdoing and turn back to God so that his prosperity could be restored. God never mentions this.
Unlike his friends, God confronts Job not with answers but with questions. He does not demand repentance for wrongdoing.
He calls for humility and surrender in the face of mystery. This is not the only place God calls people to take on this posture. It is a common command from
Isaiah 66:2 “Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”
Micah 6:8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Luke 18:14 “All those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
God’s concern is not Job’s guilt, but Job’s posture. Job doesn’t just need to turn from sin. He needs to turn from certainty and confidence in his own understanding and righteousness.
God’s call to Job is also his call to us. Our repentance is not only a continuous turning away from sin and toward righteousness, but also an adjustment of our posture, to be reoriented in our view of ourselves and of God.
The call is to humility, to seeing God for who he is and myself for who I am. God is powerful and wise. I am limited in both my power and my wisdom.
God is perfectly righteous in all he does. I am unable to maintain righteousness and need to constantly depend on God’s forgiveness of me, which he readily offers through Christ.
Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is let go of our need to understand our situation and simply entrust ourselves to God’s wisdom.
The word for this process is surrender. Let’s sing together, I Surrender All.se who don’t is whether or not you are willing to admit your unworthiness and trust God to make you worthy.