“Who is this that darkens counsel [questioning my authority and wisdom]
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 know and have understanding.”— Job 38:2-4
Job 38 marks the beginning of God's response to Job, which continues through Chapters 39 to 41. Here, God does not answer Job's questions directly but challenges Job's understanding of the universe and his capacity to comprehend divine ways. The chapter opens with God speaking out of a whirlwind, questioning Job's authority to question divine wisdom.
Job 38:1-7: God questions Job about the creation of the earth, setting the foundation of understanding divine omnipotence and human limitations.
Job 38:8-38: God details the creation and maintenance of various natural phenomena—such as the sea, dawn, the underworld, light, snow, rain, stars, and lions—which Job has no control over or even full understanding of.
Job 38:39-41: Concludes with God's provision for wild animals, emphasizing that divine care and knowledge extend to all creation's aspects, areas far beyond human reach or comprehension.
Commentary:
The discourse of Job 38 challenges the presumption that human beings might rise to an understanding of divine realities through self-willed abstractions. God’s barrage of questions to Job about the foundations of the earth and the laws of nature (which Job cannot possibly answer) underscores the vast gulf between human and divine knowledge, aligning with Theological Theology’s rejection of natural theology as a means of truly knowing God.
Revelation Versus Speculation: In Job 38, the emphasis on phenomena that Job has never seen nor understood points to the necessity of divine action. God's questions illustrate that human beings do not even grasp the physical universe's full nature, let alone the spiritual realities. This aligns with the view that divine realities are known not through human speculation but only through God’s self-revelation and accommodation to humanity.
Rejection of Human Arrogance: The passage implicitly rebukes the arrogance underlying the theology of glory, which presumes that human beings, through their intellect or moral effort, can attain an understanding of God apart from God’s intervention. God’s rhetorical questions to Job underscore the insufficiency of human wisdom in the face of divine majesty.
Limitations of Human Wisdom: Job 38:2-4, in particular, criticizes the "darkening of counsel by words without knowledge." This rebuke serves as a metaphor for the entire “theology of glory” which misleads humanity into thinking they can achieve salvation or divine favor through understanding or merit.
Dependence on Divine Revelation: The interaction in Job 38 highlights the need for divine revelation as the basis for a true understanding of God. This aligns with a firm rejection of natural theology; knowledge of God comes not through human achievement but through God's free choosing to reveal Himself, emphasizing God’s accommodating grace over human endeavor to seek or “align” themselves with God more directly.
The Sovereignty of God: The vivid descriptions of God's creation and control over the natural order serve to highlight His sovereignty and the grace-dependent relationship humans must have with Him. This sovereignty is a fundamental aspect that the theology of glory often severely understates, leading instead to a human-centric, abstract perspective falling into idolatry.