38:1ff Out of a whirlwind, God spoke. Surprisingly, he didn’t answer any of Job’s questions; Job’s questions were not at the heart of the issue. Instead, God used Job’s ignorance of the earth’s natural order to reveal his ignorance of God’s moral order. If Job did not understand the workings of God’s physical creation, how could he possibly understand God’s mind and character? There is no standard or criterion higher than God himself by which to judge. God himself is the standard. Our only option is to submit to his authority and rest in his care.
38:22, 23 God said he was reserving the storehouses of the snow and hail for times of trouble. God used hail to help Joshua and the Israelites win a battle (Joshua 10:11). Just as armies keep weapons in the armory, God has all the forces of nature in his control. Sometimes he uses them to confound those opposed to him or his people. Job couldn’t even begin to know all of God’s resources.
38:22-35 God stated that he has all the forces of nature at his command and that he can unleash or restrain them at will. No one completely understands such common occurrences as rain or snow, and no one can command them—only God who created them has that power. God’s point was that if Job could not explain such common events in nature, how could he possibly explain or question God? And if nature is beyond our grasp, God’s moral purposes may not be what we imagine either.
38:31, 32 These are star constellations, and they are all under God’s control.