Are You As Strong As God?

Are you as strong as God? Can you thunder with a voice like his? [Job 40.9 ]

No and no.

Why would any man ever attempt to compete with God?

There is only one answer: pride.

There is a popular saying that is often quoted among people who purportedly believe in God. It goes like this: "God helps those who help themselves." Nothing however could be further from the truth: nothing could be further from faith in God alone; nothing could be more idolatrous; and consequently nothing could be more blasphemous.

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

In fact, "God helps those who help themselves" effectively violates all three of the first three Commandments above.

To argue this point is exactly where Job found himself, ultimately being confronted by God Himself with the question of the subject passage of this article:

Are you as strong as God? Can you thunder with a voice like his? [Job 40.9 ]

Ironically, Job did not answer a single question God asked him. Instead, Job went "full-reverse" on his tirade: 

“I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” [Job 42.2-6]

When Job finally shut up and saw God for Who and What He Is, he sheepishly (and rightfully so) retracted everything he previously said with such conviction and confidence. He didn't concede to say, "I will just do what I can with what I have..." (which, by the way sounds very religious and very familiar today) but instead Job said, "I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."

For all the justification we stand behind for our idols today (starting with the idol of "self"), when we truly encounter God - not a church, not a good preacher, not a good book, not religion - we, like Job will have no defense - no justification, but simply quiet repentance evidenced by what we do, not what we say.

If we miss the fact that it was from his "sitting in dust and ashes" that God restored Job, we have altogether missed the significance of Job's story. Job's intentional position of sitting (not standing) in dust and ashes (total depravity) shows us that Job's restoration was of zero effort of his own. In fact, God did not help Job until Job humbly acknowledged he had nothing to contribute in and of himself...

At best, God violently confronts those who help themselves.

At worst, God quietly says nothing to those who help themselves...

Is God speaking to you?

Father, Your Word tells me that You alone are God. It also tells me that, in Your jealousy, You will not tolerate any other god (including the popular god, "self"). But, most notably today, Your Word tells me that it is a misuse of Your name (blasphemy) to associate Your name with my own efforts. May I be found, like Job, intentionally positioning myself to reveal my complete trust in You and You alone. So be it.