Daily Devotional | How Great Is Our God

The Israelites were trapped between the Egyptian army and the Red Sea (Exodus 14–15). There seemed to be no way out, until God parted the waters. Then, the people walked through on dry ground, while their former enslavers drowned. Moses and Miriam led a spirited song of rejoicing: “Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”

Fear, praise, and worship are a fitting response to God’s greatness and power. Job responded to God’s first speech properly. He put his hand over his mouth, indicating that he would stop complaining and accusing God of wrongdoing (vv. 1–5). More was needed, however, so God made a second speech (vv. 6–14). Here we read of God’s greatness and power, framed as a challenge to Job. God hammers home the point that human beings are nowhere near qualified to hold an opinion on the activities of the Almighty. It’s like a six-year-old Little Leaguer critiquing Hank Aaron!

What can God do that Job cannot? He adorns Himself with glory, splendor, honor, and majesty that He richly and solely deserves (v. 10). He unleashes the fury of His righteous wrath against proud evildoers (vv. 11–12). He has the right, authority, and power to judge, indeed, He holds in His hands the power over life and death (vv. 13–14).

If Job can do any of these things, God will concede the point (v. 14). “Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” He demanded (v. 8). Job was not remotely qualified to critique God’s justice. How did he respond the second time around? Much more humbly and worshipfully (Job 42:1–6). One might say that he’d finally grasped the fear of the Lord.

Go Deeper

Do we take seriously the sin of grumbling or complaining? When is it legitimate venting or lamenting? At what point are we calling God into question? How might we tell the difference?

Pray with Us: Lord, generations of believers marveled at the mystery and depth of the book of Job! Help us learn from today’s passage in humility and insight. Help us trust Your love and justice in all circumstances, without doubting and complaining.

BY Brad Baurain

Dr. Bradley Baurain is Professor and Program Head of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Moody Bible Institute. Bradley has the unique privilege of holding a degree from four different universities (including Moody). He is the author of On Waiting Well. Bradley taught in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada. Bradley and his wife, Julia, have four children and reside in Northwest Indiana.