Les Calvery: The Whirlwind
One Year Bible (Aug. 31)
Job 37:1-39:30
LES CALVARY: THE WHIRLWIND
“You throw me into the WHIRLWIND and destroy me in the storm.” Job 30:22
Have you ever been talking “Smack” about God and realized that although HE seems to be silent, He is really listening?
Check out Job’s interesting complaint about God, “You throw me into the WHIRLWIND……”
And how does God choose to show himself to Job???
“Then the LORD answered Job from…. A WHIRLWIND!!”
Job asked for it! Just sayin’...
While Job is still choking on his tongue, God Almighty starts off with some light chit-chat such as, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Do you know where the gates of death are located? Where does light come from, and where does darkness go?”
God is just doing “small talk”. Right?
By the way, how many of God’s questions were you able to answer? Nada, Zilch, None!
Job is not winning in the game of Jeopardy. He seems to be in JEOPARDY…
His lips were no longer flapping with an abundance of words but from a healthy case of fear.
The Lord now shifts from talking about the heavens and the earth to talking about Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?” (40:2)
Then Job replied to the LORD, “I am nothing--how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.” (40:3-5)
Job is certainly “LOOKING UP” by now…
“I know that YOU can do ANYTHING, and no one can stop you., You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance? It is I-- and I was talking about things far too wonderful for me.”
(42: 2-3)
After God finishes speaking with Job, HE is now ready to “SCHOOL” the religious sidekicks… They had really been “dishing out” what they knew very little about…
“I am ANGRY with you (Eliphaz) and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has…” (42:7).
God asks them to offer a burnt offering and tells that that “MY SERVANT JOB” will pray FOR you boys! That, my friends, was a big piece of southern hospitality called “HUMBLE PIE!”
So, what changed in this encounter for Job?
Listen to Job’s astounding words spoken to the God who he perceived as distant and disciplining, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back EVERYTHING I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” (42:5-6)
Job sees, repents, and chooses to forgive his accusers. We are told that WHEN Job prayed for his friends, the LORD RESTORED and gave him TWICE as much as before.
When we suffer it is easy to become bitter. That is exactly what the enemy wants to do IN us and TO us. When Job lifted his eyes to see God and forgave his accusers he was RESTORED.
All of his brothers, sister, and former friends came and brought gifts to celebrate him.
The LORD blessed Job with animals and land. He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. We are told that in all the land there were no lovelier daughters than Job’s.
Job lived 140 years after this time seeing four generations of his children and grandchildren.
The people of UZ and throughout the nation of Israel learned about the sovereignty of God and the schemes of Satan. Rumors of a Redeemer spread like… Well… a WHIRLWIND!
What about Job’s lovely wife, “The Just curse God and die” leading lady?
Not one peep of her is ever mentioned again in the Bible. Jewish writers have commented and said that she died and Job remarried. According to God’s promise, he was TWICE blessed!
The God of the WHIRLWIND certainly brought everything full circle in the case of Job!
“I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” (42:5)
