God is bigger than you think.

With whose help have you uttered words,

and whose breath has come out from you?

Job 26:4

This two part question is a response from Job to Bildad’s contention that since it is impossible for sinful humans to match the majesty of a holy God, Job must be in the wrong and thus he is suffering under God’s retributive judgment. Bildad’s words are lean and direct: man is just a maggot... a disgusting worm in comparison to the majestic God (Job 25:6).

Job’s reply to Bildad’s observation is filled with strong sarcasm as it begins, thanking his friend for the great “help” such an observation is for the humiliated sufferer (Job 26:2-3). But then Job transitions to agreeing that God is majestic and powerful, but not without reminding Bildad that God is the source of the very breath by which men utter their words. God is sovereign and gracious to even allow Job and his friends to be having this strange theological free-for-all in the midst of Job’s staggering pain. Job recognizes the very breath that allows them speech to debate as coming from the Lord.

Then Job begins to preach about the power of God. God controls the fate of those now living, and relates to souls of those now dead who are in their eternity. Hell and death are open to His control and knowledge. He hangs all the stars and planets in space and controls everything about the earth. He sends weather, both pleasant and stormy at His will and command. All the natural forces that can make men tremble are under God’s direct control, and these are just the bare edge of what God does and Who He is (Job 26:14). Job’s reply to Bildad’s is summed up with this vivid reminder: God is bigger than you think!

Since that is true, we should be very careful what we attribute to Him and how we do so. We are only looking at the outskirts of His ways, and there is so much we do not know about an infinite, holy God. It is better to keep our theology humble and our submission to understanding God’s words and His works in check. He is bigger than we think. I’m in trouble once I’m sure I have God figured out! He is bigger than I can know.