The Explanation

Job had asked God hard questions. He was suffering, and he wanted to know why. Instead of answering right away, God asks Job questions back, question after question, like a whirlwind of wonder.

"Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth?" God asks. Do you watch them in secret places, far up on the rocks? Job did not know. He had never seen it.

God keeps going. Who set the wild donkey free to run in the wilderness? Who told the wild ox he does not have to pull a plow for anyone? That animal is strong, but no rope holds him. He laughs at cities and drivers with whips.

Then comes the ostrich, running with her feathers waving, but leaving her eggs in the dust, almost forgetting them. Strange and a little foolish, and yet she still outruns the horse and rider when she stands up tall.

And oh, the horse! Picture him: mane shaking, legs like springs, nostrils wide. He is not scared of swords or arrows. When the trumpet blows for battle he snorts "Aha!" and charges straight toward the shouting and the spears. Fierce, alive, unafraid.

Last comes the hawk and the eagle, flying high above the cliffs, eyes sharp enough to see prey from far away. God made their nests on the highest rocks, places no man can climb.

What Does This Mean?

God is not scolding Job. He is showing him a parade of wild, wonderful creatures that Job cannot control, cannot tame, cannot even fully understand. Job could not make the goat give birth on time. He could not train the ox to obey or make the ostrich wise. He did not give the horse its courage or teach the eagle to fly.

God is saying: Job, look how much I know and do that you cannot even imagine. I run the whole wild world, every wing and hoof and claw, and I have not even told you why you suffer. Can you trust me anyway?

The Common Thread

Long before Job was born, God spoke the animals into being and called them good. He still feeds the wild donkey in the desert and watches over the eagle's nest on the cliff. Nothing wild is outside his care, not even the fiercest horse in battle.

Jesus later told people to look at ravens and lilies and see how God feeds and clothes even small things without being asked. The one who watches the mountain goats give birth is the same one who watched over Jesus, and who watches over you. He is bigger than every hard question, and he is not far away.

For You

When something feels too big, too confusing, or too scary, you can remember Job 39. You do not have to understand everything to trust the one who does. Next time you see a bird flying high, or a strong dog pulling at its leash, remember: God made that. He can be trusted with the things you do not understand either.

Talk About It

Which animal in this chapter would you most want to see with your own eyes, and why?

Is there something confusing in your life right now that you could trust God with, even without understanding it?

Praying Together

Dear God, you made the wild ox and the flying eagle and the horse that is not afraid. You know things I cannot even imagine. When I do not understand what is happening in my life, help me trust you anyway. Thank you that you see everything, even the smallest sparrow and the biggest storm. Amen.