The storm arrives. Whether literal or not, it surely must have felt all too real for Job. We can’t pretend to know how God speaks to others, so one reader’s imagination is as good as the next. Job got a message only God could send. In any language, the imagery here is too rich for mere minds, but strikes to some part of the soul much deeper than mere intellect.
Like a cheap perfume in the presence of sweet flowers, commentary on the text is almost embarrassing. We note that here and in the next chapter God’s message does follow the same order as Creation. There is first the mention of light and darkness, with the same moral implications for which darkness and light represent falsehood and truth. God’s moral character is infused throughout Creation. The heavens as the place earth rested are followed by separation of sea and land. God dwells on the issue of climate and weather as utterly beyond human control, completely in His hands. He mentions vegetation, the luminaries in the skies and animal life.
What we notice most at this point is that God is asking the question: To what could we compare Him with any hope of understanding? We could fancy that today we understand some of the mechanics of our world, but we cannot possibly nail down with any significant accuracy what will happen before it comes. God goes on to note we cannot reach out into space and adjust the movements of the stars. Nor can we create sentience. We cannot pretend to know which animals should be fed by what means and which should die from various causes. Even when we try, we only make things worse by meddling.
God is the Creator, and none of us is Him.
