Job 39
-The LORD speaks further of His natural order and the beings that He has created in this precise chapter. He continues His line of questioning as He makes His authoritative points to His servant Job in order to teach this man his place in the scheme of all things. God has seen the mountain goats give birth and the calving of deer in the remote parts of the earth. He orders their fulfillment of days in carrying their young and makes sure of the time of their birth. He raises up their young by His guidance and grace (Job 39:1-4).
-He sets the wild donkey free and looses the bond of the swift donkey. He gives them their home in the wilderness and salt land, far away from the bustle and tumult of the city. God observes these animals in their ways as they explore the mountains of their pasture searching for every green thing. God is their provider and sustainer, though no one thinks of these things. He holds the natural order together in harmony. Then, He speaks of the wild ox, who sometimes consents to serve mankind. God has put that thought in him, since man could never, in his own strength and power, harness such an animal otherwise. Because of the LORD, man can trust and have faith in this beast of burden to return the grain and gather it from the threshing floor. God, in His mercy, helps man out through the labor of the wild ox (Job 39:5-12).
-And now, the ostriches are discussed. Their wings flap joyously with the pinion and plumage of love (or this could mean a stork). This animal abandons her eggs to the earth leaving them to warm in the dust, totally forgetting about them and leaving them for any foot to crush. In fact, she treats her young cruelly as if they were not there. She is unconcerned even after vain labor. Why is this? God has made her forget wisdom. He has not, in His sovereignty, given her a share of understanding. But, she does have special gifts, as God relates, in lifting herself high so that she can laugh at those with no power of flight on the earth, like the horse and its rider (Job 39:13-18).
-So, at this point, the LORD chooses to talk about the horse. He is the One who gives the horse his might and mane so that he can leap like the locust and snort with a majestic foreboding. The horse paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength. By God’s wisdom, He knows this. This fearless beast goes out to meet the weapons of war and actually laughs at the conflict in obedience with no dismay. “He does not turn his back from the sword.” He is valiant as the quiver rattles against him along with the spear and javelin. “With shaking and rage he races over the ground, and he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet.” He senses the battle from afar along with the knowledge of the loud thunder of the captains and their war cry (Job 39:19-25).
-Finally in this chapter, the LORD questions Job as to his understanding of the hawk and his ways. What God is pointing out, in yet another way, is that He maintains the control of over the soaring of this animal as it stretches out its wings toward the south. He not only knows the hawk, but the eagle He also commands, as it mounts up and makes it nest on high. It goes to inaccessible places by man and other animals, but God is there with it with all His glory in the cliffs and lodges. God oversees his spying out of food from afar and all his actions, like the young sucking up the blood of the slain as scavengers (Job 39:26-30).
-*Application* Once again we are faced with the super-knowledge of God to ordain and oversee His creation in all its workings and wonders. The intelligence of the LORD so far surpasses us as we observe His case for greatness over our very limited understanding. We can trust Him because He really knows all things.
Verses to Memorize: Job 39:26-27
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