JOB LESSON 38

     We will begin this lesson in Job 39:1 "Knowest thou the time when
the wild goats of the rock bring forth? [or] canst thou mark when the
hinds do calve?"

     We see that this is an extension of the last lesson. All of these
Words from God are to show that the mysteries of nature are beyond the
comprehension of man. God in all His wisdom and understanding created
all things. Man is not intended to understand the mysteries of God.
The greatest mystery of all is the origin of life, itself. The
particular wild goat above, is unusually secluded. They live in the
very rockiest places, and far away from civilization. Of course, man
does not know when they will have their newborn. The hinds, above, are
speaking of the female goats.

     Job 39:2 "Canst thou number the months [that] they fulfil? or
knowest thou the time when they bring forth?"

     Animals do not carry their babies the same amount of time that a
human mother carries hers before birth. In the time of Job, people had
not gone to the trouble to find out how long a particular animal
carried their young before birth.

     Job 39:3 "They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones,
they cast out their sorrows."

     This is speaking of the manner of the birth. It is a natural
thing for an animal to give birth.

     Job 39:4 "Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with
corn; they go forth, and return not unto them."

     This is speaking of these animals being born in good health. They
do not stay with their mothers very long. The Lord provides for them.

     Job 39:5 "Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed
the bands of the wild ass?" Job 39:6 "Whose house I have made the
wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings."

     We saw in the last lesson, how God sent rain to the barren land
and to the wilderness, and made the vegetation to grow. Now, we see
that those things were provisions for the wild ass and other wild
animals like them. God provided for every living thing upon the earth.

     Job 39:7 "He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither
regardeth he the crying of the driver."

     This is speaking of the wild ass not wanting to be tamed by the
man who dwells in the city. The ass, many times, was used in the
manner of some horses. They were ridden by the princes of many lands.
The wild ass does not want to be driven and is hard to tame.

     Job 39:8 "The range of the mountains [is] his pasture, and he
searcheth after every green thing."

     He lives as far away from people as he can, and he eats the grass
of the fields.

     Job 39:9 "Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by
thy crib?"

     The word that was translated unicorn, here, just denotes an
animal with horns. This, again, is speaking of a wild animal that
would not easily be domesticated.

     Job 39:10 "Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the
furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?"

     Man might try to make him like an ox to plow the fields, but he
really was not created of God for such a task and would, probably, not
be very good at it.

     Job 39:11 " Wilt thou trust him, because his strength [is] great?
or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?"

     This is still speaking of the horned animal called a unicorn,
here. This animal seemed to be of tremendous strength. He would have
been unmanageable as a farm animal, however.

     Job 39:12 "Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy
seed, and gather [it into] thy barn?"

     This is saying that he would not have been trustworthy to pull
the wagon and bring in the harvest. An animal with great strength is
of no use to the farmer, if he cannot manage him. God made other
animals for this purpose.

     Job 39:13  "[Gavest thou] the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or
wings and feathers unto the ostrich?"

     An ostrich, or a peacock, does not soar away into the heavens
like an eagle does. They are fowl that stay very near the earth. In
fact, they move around by walking, and not by flying. God had made
each thing for the purpose He intended it, and He equipped it with
whatever it needed to fulfill His purpose.

     Job 39:14 "Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them
in dust,"

     This was speaking of the ostrich of that part of the country
where Job lived. The mother ostrich dug a hole in the sand and
deposited her eggs there. She covered the nest with sand, and the hot
sun kept the eggs warm for her.

     Job 39:15 "And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that
the wild beast may break them."

     Actually,  she separated herself from the eggs, as if he she was
no longer interested in them. One of the reference books says that the
ostrich might have as many as thirty eggs. She felt they were safe
from harm in the hole she built and covered them with sand.

     Job 39:16 "She is hardened against her young ones, as though
[they were] not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;"

     Actually, the mother and the father ostrich incubate the eggs at
night. The eggs get plenty of warmth from the sun in the desert sand
in the daytime.

     Job 39:17 "Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath
he imparted to her understanding."

     The mother ostrich does not worry at the loss of an egg, because
she is not very intelligent. She, probably, does not even realize an
egg is gone.

     Job 39:18 "What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth
the horse and his rider."

     The ostrich is large and when a horse and rider get near, the
ostrich stands upright {usually taller than a horse} and flaps her
wings, while she chases the horse.

     Job 39:19 "Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed
his neck with thunder?"

     Man did not give the horse strength, God did. This is the
beginning of a picture of a horse about to go to battle. His neck is
high and jutting forth in pride.

     Job 39:20 "Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory
of his nostrils [is] terrible."

     This is speaking of a horse flaring his nostrils and snorting.
This has been known to frighten the bravest of men. He is not afraid
at all.

     Job 39:21 "He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in [his]
strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men."

     This is, probably, the reason men use horses to ride in battle.
He is not aware of any danger in battle. They are not able to reason
that they might be going to their own death.

     Job 39:22 "He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither
turneth he back from the sword."

     This is speaking of the horse, and not the man on the horse. The
horse cannot reason, and therefore does not realize there is any
danger against drawn swords.

     Job 39:23 "The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear
and the shield."

     This was just explaining that the quiver was on the side of the
neck of the horse. The spear and shield were, also, touching the body
of the horse. He had no excitement from this. Horses trained for
battle were used to these things. Their owners had trained them with
these, as well as them riding them.

     Job 39:24 "He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage:
neither believeth he that [it is] the sound of the trumpet."

     This was speaking of the rushing of the horse to battle, as if he
were swallowing up the ground in front of him. When the trumpet
sounded he charged forward to battle.

     Job 39:25 "He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth
the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting."

     The horse seemed to sense the excitement of the captain who was
riding him. When the captain shouted it excited the horse even
further.

     Job 39:26 "Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, [and] stretch her
wings toward the south?"

     No, it does not. No man gave the hawk strength to fly. Man used
the hawk, but God empowered the hawk.

     Job 39:27 "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her
nest on high?"

     This explanation of the source of strength for all animals and
birds ends with the eagle. Many countries, including the United
States, use the eagle as a symbol of strength on their coinage. When
you think of an eagle, you automatically think of the king of the
birds. The eagle, nearly always makes its nest high in the rocks.

     Job 39:28 "She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of
the rock, and the strong place."

     This is a vantage point above anything else around. The rocks are
usually jagged and very high in the side of a mountain, or crag.

     Job 39:29 "From thence she seeketh the prey, [and] her eyes
behold afar off." Job 39:30 "Her young ones also suck up blood: and
where the slain [are], there [is] she."

     The eagle has eyes that can see at great distances. This elevated
area gives the eagle full view of the surrounding area, so it can spot
its prey at great distances. The blood speaks of a freshly dead animal
that the eagle had brought to its babies. It eats the blood with the
meat. Each animal and bird has its own purpose on the earth. Their
purpose is what God created them for.
                           Job 38 Questions


1.  What is the purpose of this chapter and the chapter just
    preceding this one?
2.  Man is not intended to understand the __________ of God.
3.  Quote Job chapter 39 verse 2.
4.  What do we learn from that verse?
5.  What is verse 3 speaking of?
6.  Who provides for the young goat?
7.  Why does God send rain to the barren land?
8.  The ______ was sometimes used as a horse.
9.  The wild ass does not want to be ridden and is ______ to tame.
10. What does he feed on?
11. What does "unicorn" in verse 9 mean?
12. Would he make a good plow animal?
13. An animal of great strength is of no use to a farmer, if he can't
    __________ him.
14. How does an ostrich, or a peacock, differ from other fowl?
15. What warmed the eggs she had left in the sand?
16. An ostrich might have as many as ________ eggs.
17. When do the mother and father ostrich incubate their eggs?
18. Why does the ostrich not act concerned, when something destroys
    one of her eggs?
19. How large is an ostrich?
20. Verse 19 says the horse's neck is clothed with _________.
21. What is verse 20 speaking of?
22. Why did men choose horses to ride on in battle?
23. What is meant by him "swallowing the ground"?
24. When the trumpet sounds, the horse ________ _________.
25. The explanation of the source of all strength ends with the
    _______.