Job 40:3-5: You Aren't God

"Then Job answered the LORD and said: 'Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.'"

Have you ever had an "I am not God" moment? Perhaps you were struggling significantly in life and just stopped to realize that you weren't in control of your life. Though you perhaps would have liked to be, you weren't, and you had to submit to the fact that God was sovereign over it all. A few thousand years ago, Job had one of these moments, and it's recorded for us in scripture.

In the chapters surrounding the specific verse we are looking at today in the book of Job, God gives a great monologue about his greatness. We looked at a portion of it last week when we considered God's question to Job of where he was when the foundations of the earth were created. From this question, God continued to ask Job many great questions that put him in his place. Through these questions, Job saw that he was unworthy to answer back to God. Although Job wanted God to answer him, God decided to question Job instead. However, this was exactly what Job needed in order to be put into his place.

In response to all of these questions, Job's only response was "I am of small account." Other translations have Job saying that he is "unworthy," "vile," or "insignificant." All of these terms carry the idea well, but it can be summarized as this: Job realized that he wasn't God. Although he contended with God as if he was his equal, God's questions to Job quickly showed him how he was not sovereign, yet the true God was sovereign. Job desired to contend with the Almighty, but God put him in his place by showing that he was a mere mortal. In the end, Job came to his senses and realized that his only logical response was to be silent before the Lord of the Universe (verses 4b-5).

So, what does this mean for us? Answer: the same thing it did for Job. So often, we believe that we are God. Although we don't admit it, we so often think that we have a right to argue with the Lord,* to set our own ways that we think the universe should go, and to plot our own course in life without following God. Is this not where all sin started in the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve both ate of the fruit because they wanted to "be like God." The very same temptation has been corrupting mankind ever since. Ultimately, we have four takeaways from these three short verses in scripture, which all can be summarized in realizing that we are not God:

1) Repent of your sin. Daily, you have desired to be God. Daily, you have usurped God from the throne of your heart. Repent of this, that you might submit to God that he might have his right place in your life.

2) Silence yourself before God. "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10a). Stop trying to figure your situation out. Rather, place your trust in the God who already has it figured out, and wait in silence. This is more easily said than done, yet once you realize that you aren't God, it makes it a lot easier.

3) Trust God's sovereign plan. God has promised us in Proverbs 3:5-6 that if we trust, lean on, and acknowledge God that he will straighten our paths. In other words, trust God, and leave the rest for him to take care of.

4) Realize your createdness. Once again, you are not God. You are not the creator, you are the created. Sinful man's everlasting battle is to try to overcome the fact that he was created,** yet he will never win this battle. Rather, we must submit to the God who created us, for it is the only way we will ever truly live. Amen.

*Through Christ, there is a completely acceptable way to argue (or perhaps petition would be a better word) with God. We see this in both the Psalms and in the commands of the New Testament. However, the question is where our heart is in the entire process. Job's heart was selfish, looking for his own comfort. When we petition to God, it ought to be truly for his own glory, and not our own selfish gain.

**Dr. Bryan Vickers originally said something like this in class, and he deserves the credit for this statement.