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JOB
CHAPTER 38
God asks Job where he was when the foundations of the earth were laid, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy—The phenomena of nature show greatness of God and weakness of man.
1 THEN the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. [ The Lord is asking Job if he understands who and how the earth was created. ]
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? [ Or Job do you know how the earth was laid out and measured? ] or who hath stretched the line upon it? [ Suggesting that everything done in the creation of the earth was exactly according to Gods measurement. Which refers to a very important ancient Egyptian temple building ritual where a line or a rope was stretched out to lay out the temple’s foundation and to plot its axis. In ancient Egypt, the stretching of the line ceremony was directly associated with Ma’at, which represented truth and righteousness and order. ]
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; [ Here is symbolic relations hip between the creation of the cosmos, the earth and the creation of a temple as God(Yahweh) directly links the creation of the world with building a building with brick and mortar(a temple). ]
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? [ Having the plan of salvation ( happiness) introduced to us in the premortal world, we were so happy at what the Father was telling us, you and I shouted for joy. We often quote the book of Job, which reads: “The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” ]
Or who shut up the sea with doors, [ Brought organization to the great deep(chaos). ] when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
When I [ Jehovah is tell Job that it was he who did the work of the creation. The first day of the first month in the Assyrian and Babylonian calendars, the month of Nisan. New Year’s Day. The ancient Mesopotamians celebrated It was the birth of the world out of the primordial waters on the very first day of the year, like a cosmic birthday. And they celebrated it every year, cosmogonically renewing the creation each time. This New Year’s Day festival was known as the Akitu Festival. In fact, our modern day New Year’s Day celebration comes directly from the New Year’s Day rites that we find in the ancient world. However our current version is a secularized version of the ancient tradition. To the ancients it was a rite which originally celebrated the high gods beloved sons triumph over the dragon. And the day he initiated the creation of his kingdom and the very first mound of land appeared out of the chaos. in ancient Mesopotamia, the month of Nisan, the first month of the ancient Mesopotamian calendar corresponds roughly with our modern day month of March. The ancient Mesopotamian calendar, New Year’s Day, started on the spring equinox. ] made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?
12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.
19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?
22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?
25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? [ solar systems light years away from our own. Pleiades is a constellation as is Orion. So the Lord is asking Job does he have any influence on these constellations that are light years away from him? ]
32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?
35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.