This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s
happening in a Biblical text,

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

God continues to interrogate Job by calling him
to study two creatures, Behemoth and Leviathan.

Most likely these are references to the mythological
chaos creatures of Job’s ancient world.

These powerful creatures supposedly roamed
the earth and caused death and suffering.

But in God’s final speech, he shows that
these chaotic forces are under his control.

And he uses them as illustrations of how
Job should act towards a God like him.

God says Job is like the
chaos monster, Behemoth.

Behemoth and Job are both God’s creatures.

Behemoth is preeminent among his kind,
just as Job is the most successful among his.

Behemoth is protected by lotus trees
like Job was protected by God’s hedge.

Behemoth’s strength and preeminent position means that he’s untroubled
by turbulent waters and he's confident in the middle of adversity.

This should be Job’s attitude as well.

God has given Job strength, power, and preeminence.

Even though Job now experiences turbulence, he should trust the God
who made him and also controls the chaos monster called Behemoth.

Besides God is like a different
mythological creature—Leviathan.

Leviathan is untamable and submits to no one.
Leviathan cannot be wounded.

Leviathan is unequaled on the earth.
And Leviathan dominates the proud.

Job should humble himself before God since
he has no hope of domesticating Leviathan—

and God is greater than Leviathan.

Most ancient minds thought chaos
and order were in constant battle.

Sometimes chaos would win,
other times order would win.

The best you could do was hedge your bets, worship
the right gods, and pray you make it out alive.

But the Bible understands that God is in charge of both
chaos and order. Both Behemoth and
Leviathan are on leashes.

So far, the book of Job tells us that neither justice nor
innocence can fully explain why we suffer or don’t suffer.

Not all suffering is because we’ve sinned.

And not all blessings come
because we deserve them.

And sometimes suffering
comes for no reason at all.

It can seem as if chaos is the only option left.

We think maybe God
doesn’t have a master plan.

Sometimes the forces of chaos just win.

But God’s last speech to Job reminds him that no
suffering is in his blind spot. There are no
chaotic monsters more powerful than him.

And God proves it by
becoming an innocent sufferer.

Jesus was at the mercy
of seemingly chaotic forces.

One of Jesus’ disciples betrayed him.

The rest ran away and one,
in a panic, ran away naked.

Jealous Pharisees present Jesus to a cowardly
Pilate who flogs him pointlessly, only to

have an angry mob lawlessly exonerate a murderer
so that an innocent man might be crucified.

Soldiers even rolled a dice to see who got
to strip Jesus naked in a game of chance.

There seemed to be no order in Jesus’ death, no master
plan—just chaotic evil vented on an innocent sufferer.

But God had the chaos of
Jesus’ death on a leash.

The Apostle Peter says that Jesus’ lawless crucifixion
was actually according to the  definite plan of God.

The most chaotic act in history, when the God of
Life suffers and innocently dies, was
part of his master plan.

Jesus proves that uncontrolled chaos can’t be the
reason why we suffer because God has  chaos on a leash.

Neither Pilate nor Leviathan
can break free from him.

Rather than blame God for our suffering, both
Job and Jesus invite us to humble ourselves

before a God whose Leviathan-like
power controls Behemoth-like chaos.

May the Holy Spirit open your eyes
to see the God who controls chaos.

And may you see Jesus as proof that no innocent
suffering is beyond the reach of God’s control.