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The Book of Job gives us one of the greatest lessons on faith and the trails and tribulations that we may face that will try our faith. This book goes beyond that though and also teaches us more about God's creation and His wondrous power. In this study I will be pointing out select portions of the Book of Job in an aspect of study that is rarely if at all covered in any other study.

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

We start out the Book of Job with an explanation of who Job is. He was a man that lived in the land of Uz. It was named Uz after the son of Aram. Aram was the son of Shem who was the son of Noah. This is important to know as it gives us a more of an idea on when this took place and will then substantiate the point of this study. From this it is estimated that Job lived approximately 300 years after the flood of Noah.

During and just after the flood of Noah we know that the earth was in quite a turmoil. A flood of that magnitude can be expected to do nothing less. Even at the onset of the flood we see where "all the fountains of the great deep broken up". Underground water broke through the surface in fountains.

At the end of the flood we are told that "the waters were dried up from off the earth". The manner in which that much water receded from the surface of the earth is not mentioned in the Bible. The word in the KJV here is "the waters returned from off the earth continually". The Hebrew words forthat were translated as continually are descriptive words that means "to retreat in a whirl". It is believed that at this time there was an upheaval of the land where mountains and valleys were formed and the seas became deeper. This sort of activity would have continued on for a number of years. It would have more rapidly given land that would be above the water and low spots for the water to run off into. All of this moving water would also have formed canyons such as the Grand Canyon.

Job 6:15  My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
Job 6:16  Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

Here Job is giving us a simile in describing a situation with his brethren but in so doing he uses ice and snow giving us the first mention of it in the Bible. Snow did not exist prior to Noah's flood

Job 9:5  Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
Job 9:6  Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

In these verses he speaks of mountains being removed and of earthquakes.

Job 14:11  As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:

Here we see a reference to flood. More than likely the remnants of Noah's flood and how it had dried up.

Job 14:12  So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
Job 14:13  O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Job 14:14  If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Job 14:15  Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

We see in these verses that Job is supporting both the resurrection and the coming wrath of God on the earth in the end times. As some may think this is not a new teaching but one that men have known for many, many years and is mentioned in more than one place in the Old Testament.

Job 22:16  Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

Again he mentions a flood, one that is all consuming, covering the entire earth. Here he was reminding the person he was talking to, to remember that time and not to walk in the ways of those that were destroyed by that flood.


More to come.

This is great Pastor!  Thanks for taking the time to do it!  I will "stay tuned"!!  ;D

My pleasure. I'll probably pick it back up some more when I get back home with my son.

Careful. Just because there was no previous mention of ice or snow in the Tanahk, that does not make such a claim valid.

I am curious, what is the point of such a statement? How is that helpful?

I am quite careful on this subject just as I am to all things that are in the Bible. Prior to Noah's flood the earth was watered by a mist that came up from the ground not by rain or snow and prior to Noah's flood things lived longer and grew bigger which can not only be seen in the Bible but is also seen in the fossils of those things that were destroyed by the flood. These fossils also show plant and animal life of this nature over the entire earth including the poles.

Gen 2:6  But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

We can also see this in Genesis 7 in the description of how the flood came to be.

Gen 7:11  In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.



Those that put ice and snow prior to that time frame do so to support evolution and an old earth, the supposed "fact" that the earth was not made perfect but had to evolve into it's current state instead of degrading or devolving. It is scripture interpreting scripture, one portion supporting that of another.

That right!  You have a wedding coming up!  Have a wonderful time and I am axiously staying tuned.  This is great stuff!
In Christ,
Yvette

It won't be long now for the wedding. We will be leaving sometime this evening to go get the groom. Then things will be getting busy. The wedding, moving them into their own place, the holidays and everything that goes with all of this and now one of the twins has come down sick. Just a little damper on it all.

I'm glad that you are enjoying this study. I know that I am. I learn something new each and every time I delve into it.

There is no need to defend creation. Nor is there any need to debunk evolution. All that is but a distraction from the fact that we are sinners in need of a savior. Anyone who does not believe in the one true God of all creation is not going to be convinced by any proof-texts from the Bible. Anyone who does beleive in the one true God of all creation deosn't need need proof-texts from the Bible (as regards creation), for they have the mind of Christ (see 1 Cor 2: 6-16 (http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=1+Corinthians+2:6-16))

Grace and peace.

Distract from Salvation? The creation story is the basis of all in the Bible. It shows mankind being in need of a Saviour. It gives us the knowledge and understanding. The knowledge that we are not just animals but rather created above the animals and in the image of God. It gives us a reason and understanding of the rest of scriptures. The creation story is a part of the Bible and all of the Bible has been given to us "by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

We are also told to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." We are also told to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." If we but study portions of the Bible and ignore the rest we cannot truly "be ready to give an answer to all that asketh."

Evolution has invaded our society, it is being taught to our children and is in fact leading our children astray. It's purpose is to undermine the truth of the Bible and that includes salvation for if we cannot believe it all how can we believe any of it. It is important because of this that we teach the whole Bible and not just parts of it.

I will gladly, loudly, with joy and confidence "debunk" evolution.  It is a trick of Satan to mix truth and fiction for his evil purposes.  And I agree that, that is what is happening and more will follow.  If you don't get Genesis, you won't get the rest.  That is the foundation.

You have already contradicted yourself.  Your first argument was to question and then you have back tracked into "but a distraction from the fact that we are all sinners in need of a savior".  The fact that we are all sinners in need of a saviour is true and many need to hear it.  However, most on here already know that.
All who believe in evolution ARE distracted.

You could argue "adaption" as evolution but it's not the same thing.  All have adapted to the environment in which they live.  Hence some regions have developed tall people, some short, etc.  Without going into all of it here, I think you get where I'm going.  That is not evolution however.

I also suggest the resource by Ken Ham: Answers in Genesis / Genesis the Key as answer why Genesis is so important.  He does an excellent and convincing job of it and it's all biblical.


That's the reason the Bible never gets old.  Everytime you open it you find something new!  I call it "Treasure Hunting"!!  :D

Amen, sister and it is treasure worth finding.


Ken Ham has a series called "The Relevance of Creation—Why Does It All Matter?" it is excellent reading. It also comes in a dvd format for those wishing to get it. His web site: http://www.answersingenesis.org/    has a lot of wonderful information and it answers such questions as "If God is a loving God why is there so much pain, sickness and death in the world" all based on scripture and not just the obscure answer of "because there is sin in the world".

Many that are seeking God want such questions answered and we should be ready to answer them.

Job 28:1  Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
Job 28:2  Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.

Secular scientists have placed the production of Iron around the 12th century BC. The early Bronze age no earlier than 3500 BC and the manufacture of Brass at a much later time frame do the heat required to manufacture it and the supposed lack of availability of copper, tin and zinc that is required to make the brass. Recently archaeologist have been found smelting pots and ovens that are capable of sustaining such heat that are much older than they originally thought possible. Noah's flood is thought to have occurred around 4,200 BC and was said earlier Job's time was approximately 300 years later, approximate time frame of 3900 BC. Yet as we see in the verses above Job refers to these products at a much earlier date than originally thought they existed. Again we see mankind relying on their knowledge, which is not knowledge at all, instead of relying on God's word.

 
Job 28:9  He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
Job 28:10  He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.

Job 28:26  When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

Here again we see references to the catastrophes that were incurred during Noah's flood. The word decree, Hebrew word of chôq, is speaking of the time that the rain first started. Another mention that rain did not always exist on the earth.

Many of the verses speaking here are parables. Some say because of this that we cannot hold to them as meaning these things existed. Parables however are spoken in a manner of comparing a situation to things that are known by those speaking and hearing at that time so we can without a doubt understand that these things did happen and did exist at that time.


Job 30:29  I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.

The Hebrew word that was translated to dragon here is sometimes translated to whale. However in Ezekiel 29:3 it mentions this creature as one that is in a river. In other places it mentions it being in a sea. While a whale is definitely in the seas they are not normally in rivers. There are some that think this is describing a very large serpent or monster of some sort. In ancient non-Biblical sources this Hebrew word has been depicted in drawings as a very large scaly, snake like creature. We are left here just guessing.


Chapters 38 through 41 is God speaking to Job chastising Job. Here in these chapters is a lesson that all of mankind should heed. God presents Job with the question if he was here when the foundations of the earth were made, did Job know how the earth was made or was he able to stop up the gates of the seas when they broke forth (Noah's flood). Did Job have knowledge of these things first hand, did he have knowledge of all things or should he rely on God's word.

All too often mankind thinks that they are wise and knowledgable enough to know all there is to know, that we can figure it all out. God has told us what there is need for us to know and we need to heed that knowledge that he has provided for us.


In my next post I will continue with a little more in depth look at Chapters 38 - 41.

I can't wait for more!  I'm really enjoying this!  :D

I'm glad that you are, sister. More will be coming as soon as I find the time to sit here long enough. The knocks on my door seem to have increased this year so each time I sit down here I get interrupted.

Please don't sit there with abated breath though. I wouldn't want you to pass out from lack of air.  ;) :D :D

Okay!  I'm breathing!  I'm working today which is okay as I love it and there is nothing going on in my family until Friday when all the grandkids will be in town.
Have a very Merry Christmas Pastor Roger!

A Merry Christmas to you also, sister.

The first eleven verses of chapter 38 God is speaking to Job, humbling him. He is referencing the creation. Job had made the same mistake that we see many people making today, thinking that he had it all figured out and knew all there was to know without accepting or seeking God's knowledge. We are given the account of creation for several reasons in the Bible and one of those is for us to know the awesome and unlimited extent of God's power.

Job 38:30  The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

Here in this verse God is referring to the ocean being covered with ice. I believe that He is speaking of the ice age that secularists say did not exist at this time but at a much earlier date.

Chapters 39 and 40 mentions numerous animals such as the unicorn and ostrich. It is unknown for sure exactly which animal is being referred to that was translated into the word unicorn in the KJV. It is interesting to note that Job knew what an ostrich was yet most "experts" that, like Job, think they know it all when it comes to life on earth say that this is impossible as ostrich's have only existed in an area far from where Job was. Another message to mankind that is just like God is telling Job here, that they know very, very little.

Of all these animals mentioned the one that has caused the most controversy in Chapter 40 is the behemoth. This one even gives us a description of this beast. This has been deemed to mean a great bull by some, a hippopotamus by others and an elephant. Recently though there are a great number of people coming to believe that it may be a dinosaur that is being spoken of.

Whether this is a dinosaur or not we cannot be certain. Of this though we can be certain and that is dinosaurs and mankind did live together on earth. The Bible clearly states that all land animals and man were both created on the sixth day of creation.

In chapter 41 we see another creature that has caused as much controversy as the behemoth in chapter 40. It is called the leviathan. This creature used to be considered as speaking of a whale or a crocodile. Personally I do not see a correlation to either of these. I have seen many crocodiles and alligators myself and none of them fits this description except in the stretched out imagination of those that wish to explain it as such. The description of this creature is beyond anything that we see living today.

This creature is described as having scales which neither of these creatures have. When the creature sneezes a light shines forth. His breath set coals on fire. While we may not be too sure about the behemoth, I am convinced that this is speaking of an extinct sea creature that is considered a relative of the dinosaurs. It fits the many depictions that we see in ancient drawings of dragons and dinosaur like sea monsters.

The Trinity in Creation

The Scriptures teach us that God created all things both in the spiritual and physical realms. Moses informs us that “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). It is beyond doubt amongst Bible-believers that God was responsible for Creation for there are too many references to suggest otherwise. We find in Isaiah 40:28 that He is called the Creator, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding.” Clear statements confirming this fact are seen also in Isaiah 42:5, “Thus saith God the LORD, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein”; Isaiah 45:18, “For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else”; Mark 13:19, “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be”.

The word “created” (bara) is used to describe the activity of God’s exclusivity. As He said in Isaiah 45:18, “I am the LORD; and there is none else”, therefore it is true to say that He alone is the Author of Creation.

The method that God used to create the universe was the power of His spoken word. This can be seen in Genesis 1:3,6,9,11,14,20,24,26 - “And God said ...” Therefore God spoke the heavens and the earth into existence through the word of His mouth; “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6-9); “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for He commanded, and they were created” (Psalm 148:5); “Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13); “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3).

The evidence regarding the divine persons involved in Creation to this point reveals that God created everything through His Word. In the light of the fact that we accept that God is Trinity we should consider whether the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were united in the work of Creation. As we investigate this we find clear evidence that all three members of the Godhead are actively involved in Creation.

The Father’s work in Creation
It is never questioned amongst those who uphold Scripture (and to some extent this includes the cults) that God the Father is the Author of creation and that it is the work of His hands and word. The references seen above reveal this fact, yet there are others which confirm these, “Thus saith the LORD, Thy redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself” (Isaiah 44:24); “I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded” (Isaiah 45:12). These are clear statements of direct creation by God.

The Lord Jesus’ work in Creation
Jesus is described as The Word in John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” It is of great significance that John begins his Gospel account with the same words as Genesis, I.e. “In the beginning”. Since we understand that it was through God’s spoken word that all things were created it should not surprise us to see that Jesus is “the Word”. But John goes further and tells us that the Word is “God”. Therefore we see Jesus is seen as very much active in the work of creation. So as to emphasis what he intends his readers to understand the apostle John tells us that the Word - the Lord Jesus Christ created everything that it in the universe. In fact we are informed by Jesus Himself that He existed before the creative words were spoken, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). This is why Jesus is called “The Alpha and Omega I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” (Revelation 1:8 ).

The apostle Paul also reveals that Jesus was the Creator of the universe and all that is in it. We read in Colossians 1:16-17, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and He is before all things, and by him all things consist.” The “all things” must include heaven and earth, material and spiritual, visible and invisible. Since only God can create things out of nothing (ex nihilo) we have to agree that Jesus must be God. In Romans 11:36 we read, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever.” Such words can only be applied to the Creator. As Creator Jesus continues to sustain all created things by His power, for it is He that holds the created universe together.

Hebrews chapter one offers us further information regarding the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in Creation. In verses one to two we read, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds”. This reveals that there is nothing that Jesus Christ did not make. By combining this with what John said at the start of his Gospel, how that “without him was not any thing made that was made” we come to a clear conclusion to what Jesus’ role was in Creation.

We begin to see clearly that God created everything there is, and that He “created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:9). We learn from these verses that God the Father created everything, and that God the Son created everything. Not only are we presented with further evidence of Christ’s divinity, but also the existence of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit’s work in Creation
We have to not have to dig very far into God’s word before we come face to face with the activity of the Holy Spirit in Creation. Genesis 1:2 reads, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Everything was without form until the Holy Spirit began to move over the face of the waters. This is not an “active force” but the active presence of Almighty God. The word “Spirit” comes from the Hebrew “ruach” (sometimes translated ‘breath’). The Holy Spirit gives life to the otherwise lifeless creation. Job informs us, “The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” (33:4), therefore He is the Life-giver in relation to the total work of the six days of Creation.

What we see happening is that God created the universe through the power of His Holy Spirit. This is exactly what Psalm 104:30 tells us, “Thou sendest forth Thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth”, or as Job 26:13 says, “By His spirit He hath garnished the heavens”.

Now we see a fuller picture of what the Godhead’s work was during the six days of creation. They worked in unity. Each part of creation was a sovereign act of each member of the Trinity. None of it would have been produced without the co-operation of each one. Psalm 33:6 explains this in a nutshell, “By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth”. Nevertheless the first chapter of Genesis, when seen in the light of other Scriptures, reveal that God the Father spoke the Word (Jesus Christ is that Word) and the Holy Spirit moved. Creation was the will of God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

More on the Unicorn mentioned in Job 39:9-10.

The original Hebrew word for this is re'êm  re'êym  rêym  rêm. It is used six times in scripture. Num 23:22, Num 24:8, Psa 29:6, Psa 92:10, in addition to Job 39:9 and 10. We have very little information that fully describes this creature. We do get the idea that it is of great ferocity and strength (Num 23:22) and being wild is quite untameable and untrustworthy as a beast that would be usable for farming (Job39:9). In one place in scripture it is indicated that it has only one horn, (Psa_92:10) yet another place as having multiple horns  (Deu_33:17). It is said that the young have remarkable agility (Psa_29:6).

It is to be noted that this is not the same as the mythological unicorn that we picture today. This unicorn got it's origins in Syria in the approximate time of 600 BC. It is believed that it was mistakenly pictured in this manner by the Syrians from a poor description given to them of the Indian Rhinoceros.

There are some that think that this is an extinct wild ox, ox-antelope, bison, and others think it to be the white antelope known by the Arabs as rim, yet others think it is a rhinoceros.

So where does the word unicorn in the Bible have it's origins. The word unicorn gets it's origin from the Latin word unicornus (meaning having one horn) as it is found in the Vulgate. In Greek manuscripts it was monokeros (mono meaning one and keras meaning horn).