Job 26

Job’s three friends have stopped talking. They talked and talked and finally sputtered to a halt with no more words to say. My imagination runs a bit at this scene – does Job pause and take a moment to look at each friend, making eye contact one by one? I picture Job waiting for the really, truly, actual, final last word from one or another of them. Months of endless misery mixed with a barrage of empty words have worn Job thin. He is down to his skin and bones now. And yet his friends offer no real consolation or love. They have no mercy for Job’s suffering. Job speaks from a worn out heart when he says (this is, obviously, my paraphrase), “Thanks, guys. No, really. You’ve been a tremendous help. What would I have done without you? You’ve been so uplifting and motivating. I hardly know what to say.” Okay, I know Job didn’t actually say those words. What he really said was…

“How you have helped him who has no power! How you have saved the arm that has no strength! How you have counseled him who has no wisdom, and plentifully declared sound knowledge!”

Job 26:1-3

Lest we think we are above this accusation, consider the last time you offered “wisdom” to a hurting friend and that so called wisdom was two biscuits and a chicken short of a picnic lunch. You knew you missed the mark as soon as your words flew from your lips. You cringed inwardly, wishing you could gather your words back and stuff them down. We have all received unhelpful words during dark times, and we have all given. Guilty as charged. The mouth is impossible to control perfectly. God help us.

After his sarcastic thanks, Job directs his friends to the Source of each breath. Whose breath do we think allows us the ability to speak anyway? We have two lungs filled with breath provided by God alone. Our breath should power words of praise and wisdom. Yet, here we are, standing shoulder to shoulder with the three stooges, speaking blessing and cursing and emptiness from the same mouth.

“With whose help have you uttered words, and whose breath has come out from you?”

Job 26:4

Job then gives some details of the power and majesty of God. The One who gives us breath and life? Yeah. He’s also the one who created this world and the whole universe, and all created things. He’s the One who has earth hanging in space like an ornament, suspended by His very word and power. He’s the One who created the terminal line, that demarcation between night and day that circles the globe.

An aside: how did Job know about this line? Had he seen it? According to what I’ve read on the world wide spiderwebs, the terminal line is visible only in the far North and from space. Did Job see it with his own eyes? I’m assuming Job did not travel to space. Did he hear northern travelers talking about it? I’m so curious!

“Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

Job 26:14

Just the outskirts of the power of God…just the edges of it…just the hem of His garment. I’m drawn to the passage in Luke 8 where the woman afflicted with a menstrual disease reaches out her hand (she knows she is considered unclean, yet she dares in bold faith!), and touches the fringe of His garment, the outskirts of His mercy. And Jesus knows right away. He knew all about this woman already. She has dared to believe that His mercy could extend to even her. And it does extend to her. And she is healed.

We stand before the One Who made us, gave us breath, created our world and everything for His own glory, controls the moon, the seasons, the hours of the day, North and South, the turning of our planet, the dark and the light. We stand with Job. Sometimes we stand with Job’s friends. We stand with the faithful woman from Luke’s account. And we…what? Do we speak? Do we accuse? Do we stay silent, ashamed? Do we reach out our hands for mercy?

Be patient, reader. God is coming to speak to Job and to his friends, to set things in order once again with the power of His word. The comfort of God’s sovereignty is near. Have faith to reach your hand out to touch just the edge of His mercy. He already knows you are there, longing to do so.