GOD’S WAYS ARE UNPREDICTABLE

Job 12:1-25 / Keywords 12:10

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

 

Job

12:1 Then Job replied:

2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,

    and wisdom will die with you!

3 But I have a mind as well as you;

    I am not inferior to you.

    Who does not know all these things?

4 “I have become a laughingstock to my friends,

    though I called on God and he answered—

    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!

5 Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune

    as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,

    and those who provoke God are secure—

    those God has in his hand.[a]

7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,

    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,

    or let the fish in the sea inform you.

9 Which of all these does not know

    that the hand of the Lord has done this?

10 In his hand is the life of every creature

    and the breath of all mankind.

11 Does not the ear test words

    as the tongue tastes food?

12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?

    Does not long life bring understanding?

13 “To God belong wisdom and power;

    counsel and understanding are his.

14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;

    those he imprisons cannot be released.

15 If he holds back the waters, there is drought;

    if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.

16 To him belong strength and insight;

    both deceived and deceiver are his.

17 He leads rulers away stripped

    and makes fools of judges.

18 He takes off the shackles put on by kings

    and ties a loincloth[b] around their waist.

19 He leads priests away stripped

    and overthrows officials long established.

20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers

    and takes away the discernment of elders.

21 He pours contempt on nobles

    and disarms the mighty.

22 He reveals the deep things of darkness

    and brings utter darkness into the light.

23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;

    he enlarges nations, and disperses them.

24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;

    he makes them wander in a trackless waste.

25 They grope in darkness with no light;

    he makes them stagger like drunkards.

Footnotes

a. Job 12:6 Or those whose god is in their own hand

b. Job 12:18 Or shackles of kings / and ties a belt

1. Tell me something I don’t already know! Job’s friends didn’t provide any wisdom or insight that he didn’t already have. Although Job was a righteous and blameless man, he had become a laughingstock to his friends. Job observes that it is easy to look down on the misfortunate. When we see someone struggling in life, we often attribute it to poor decisions, effort, or upbringing. We shouldn’t do that. Job realizes that the arguments of his friends are faulty. Sometimes the righteous do suffer and the wicked actually prosper in this world. Look at the marauders. They are living in peace! Look at those who provoke God. They are secure! Even the animals are wise enough to know that our lives are in God’s hands, and he does with them whatever he pleases.

 

2. Job credits God with all wisdom and power. Who can undo anything he does? He brings low the mighty and robs the elders of their wisdom. He humbles the kings and pours contempt on the nobles. He causes nations to rise and fall. He enlarges them and scatters them. His wisdom and ways are unfathomable to us. They are unpredictable and beyond our comprehension. Job knows that God has sovereignly allowed all the calamities in his life to happen. It was not due to sin, however. God had other reasons.

 

Prayer Father, help us to always trust in your ways.

One Word Our lives are in God’s hands