Job 38:1-3 comments: God shows up

1 ¶  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

God appeared to men and women in the Bible most often in an appearance or messenger, called an angel of the Lord. (Understand that, “of,” can signify from or by, as well. See Ephesians 2:8; Matthew 4:1.) An angel represents an individual (Matthew 18:10; Luke 1:11,19) or group of individuals (Revelation 1:20) and for all practical purposes is that person or persons. In our limited technology of today we might think of a three dimensional hologram, only one that can act on its surroundings, carrying the same authority and power of the original. There are no angels with wings in the Bible. That concept is a holdover from Persian mythology in paganized Christianity. Cherubims and Seraphims are specific creatures, not angels. The phrase, “angelic being,” is a construct of paganized Christianity and not Biblical.

Notice the phrase, “the angel of his presence,” here.

Isaiah 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Notice here that the angel carries the same authority as God because God’s name is in Him.

Exodus 23:20 ¶  Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21  Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. 22  But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

Judges 2:1  And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

Indeed, Jesus Christ, who is the body of God, the visible image of an invisible God, is the angel of God.

Hebrews 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Colossians 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

Note the use of, “even,” in the following to mark two things which are the same.

Galatians 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

This verse shows that Christ appeared to Paul in a time of trouble.

Acts 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

God spoke to men and women by this method face to face because no one can see God the Father, nor could they bear the glory that surrounds Him and some even thought they would die when they saw His angel (John 4:24; John 1:18; Exodus 33:20; Genesis 32:30; Judges 13:22; Judges 6:22,23).

Exodus 33:11  And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.

And directly from heaven;

Genesis 22:11 ¶  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Acts 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And from a cloud;

Exodus 24:16  And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

Matthew 17:5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Here God the Father speaks out of a whirlwind. This isn’t a dust devil. This is a storm.

Nahum 1:3  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

From this awesome and terrifying platform God speaks to Job and gives Job what he so desired, a direct audience, reinforcing, however, His glory and majesty.

Who is this that speaks without knowing what he is talking about? Come on, Job, stand up like a man. I will demand of YOU and YOU answer ME. Now things heat up.