In 40:2 Jehovah said to Job, "Shall one who finds fault contend with the Almighty?/Let him who argues with God answer it." Jehovah's question here indicates that He regarded Job as a fault finder, as one who was contending with the Almighty. Job had been arguing with God and even condemning him. Job could not deny that this was the very thing that he had been doing.
Would you like God to appear to you as the Almighty? I would prefer that He would come to me not as the Almighty but as the One who is full of mercy and lovingkindness.
In 40:8 Jehovah asked Job further questions: "Will you indeed annul My judgment?/Will you condemn Me so that you may be justified?" Job had condemned his friends for talking so much about God's judgment, but here God vindicates His judgment. If there were no divine judgment, the world would be in a state of anarchy.
In previous messages we have emphasized the fact that God's dealing with His people is not for judgment or for punishment. However, this does not mean that God is not for judgment. Concerning this matter of judgment, we should not be careless. Rather, we need to differentiate between God's government with His judgment and God's dealing with His people. Often the dealings of God are related to the governmental judgment of God. God does not allow anyone to annul His judgment.
Finally, Jehovah asked Job if he had an arm like God's and if he could thunder with a voice like His (v. 9).
The book of Job is a book of argument. In reading this book, we need to learn of Job, of his three friends, and of Elihu to be silent and let God be the only one to speak.
Job answered Jehovah, saying, "Behold, I am worthless. What shall I reply to You?/I lay my hand over my mouth./I have spoken once, and I will not answer;/And twice, and I will proceed no further" (40:4-5). This word indicates that Job had been trained, disciplined, by God to be restricted in his speaking.
Many of the problems in married life are the result of our speaking. If husbands and wives did not argue or exchange words, there would be no divorce or separation. Much of our speaking is fleshly. If we apply the cross to our flesh, this kind of speaking will be terminated.