What Shall I Answer?

“Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.” Job 40:1-5

Job and his friends had spent a considerable amount of time discussing what God would and would not do. They had exhausted their perspectives and had finally given up on the possibility of either side ever winning the argument. When they had finished their discourses, God began to question Job. God’s approach with Job was not to defend His actions or to answer Job’s questions, but rather to draw Job’s attention to His person. The line of questioning underlines the omnipotence and omniscience of God. God wanted Job and his friends to understand Who He is. Job and his friends may have been some of the most intelligent and experienced men on earth, and Job could have congratulated himself for withstanding their intellectual attacks on his spiritual condition; but he had no answers for the questions that God was asking of him. As the Creator, God was demonstrating to Job that His knowledge knew no boundaries. Job responded with total surrender. He said, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.” It is only when we get a glimpse of Who God really is that we can begin to understand His complete sufficiency and our absolute dependence on Him.