The Book of Job and the Sovereignty of God –
God owes no man explanation of any sort, for anything. Sometimes He graciously gives it, but he owes it to none.
Many times in my life, when afflictions, trials, or temptations were sent my direction, the book of Job was one of my most comforting reads. The onslaught of his perceived misfortunes seems almost incomprehensible…especially to me, an untouched, unpersecuted American Christian, nestled deep within the safe, suburban neighborhoods of the so-called ”Bible Belt”. Also worthy of note is Job’s faithful (but not perfect) perseverance beneath seemingly insurmountable odds.
His suffering was immense, no doubt. And yet, that’s not the primary theme of this holy account, nor is Job the star protagonist of this intriguing biography (from his perspective, anyway). No, the highlight of this book, the glory displayed from these scriptures, the majesty, splendor, and awe-inspiring focus of this portion of the Holy Writ is that of the Almighty Sovereign God, the Lord Himself, Who is alone worthy of praise.
The pious and venerable Matthew Henry writes:
Were ever the being of God, his glorious attributes and perfections, his unsearchable wisdom, his irresistible power, his inconceivable glory, his inflexible justice, and his incontestable sovereignty, discoursed of with more clearness, fulness, reverence, and divine eloquence, than in this book? The creation of the world, and the government of it, are here admirably described, not as matters of nice speculation, but as laying most powerful obligations upon us to fear and serve, to submit to and trust in, our Creator, owner, Lord, and ruler. Moral good and evil, virtue and vice, were never drawn more to the life (the beauty of the one and the deformity of the other) than in this book; nor the inviolable rule of God’s judgment more plainly laid down, That happy are the righteous, it shall be well with them; and Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with them.
As the days hurry along, I look forward to sharing some thoughts on the Sovereignty of God as displayed in the Book of Job. Blessings to each of you this Lord’s Day.