God controls the weather

v22 You have not seen where I store the snow. You have not seen where I store the hail. (Hail is ice, which falls like rain.) v23 But the snow and the hail are ready for the days when there is great trouble. I will use snow and hail when there are battles. And I will use snow and hail when there are wars. v24 Show me the place where I prepare the lightning. Or, show me the place where the east winds begin. v25 You do not decide the places where the waters flood. And you do not decide the place where the storm goes. v26 But I send it to places where nobody lives. v27 I send it to dry places, so that grass will grow there. v28 Rain is not like a child that has a father. v29 And ice has no mother. v30 I cause the water to freeze. When the water becomes ice, as hard as rock, this is my work. Verses 22-23 God begins to discuss a new subject in these verses. That subject is war. Job was not sure that God would ever act as judge (Job 24:1). But later, Job remembered that every evil person will die (Job 24:18-24). An evil person cannot continue to cause trouble after his death. So his death is like Gods judgement. And the evil mans death has two effects. That evil man suffers the punishment that he deserves. And God makes life better for people who were suffering because of that man. In the Bible, God also used wars. In these wars, God did not belong to one side or the other (Joshua 5:13-14). Instead, God was carrying out his own plans. He was punishing evil people. And he was rescuing good people who trusted him. God did many wonderful things to win these battles. In Joshua 10:13-14, God delayed the end of the day. In the same battle, God caused large hailstones (ice) to fall from the sky (Joshua 10:11). These things happened to show that Gods people did not win the battle by their own strength. God won the battle. God was punishing evil people. And God was helping his own people. The Bible describes a future day when God will punish evil nations (Joel 3:2). On that day, there will be a terrible battle. God will use the sky as he fights to save his people (Joel 2:30-32; Joel 3:16). Afterwards, Gods people will not suffer again (Joel 3:17-21). Today, Gods people suffer like Job in this evil world (James 5:10-11). But we should be patient, like Job, because Gods day will come (James 5:7-9). Many people doubt this (2 Peter 3:3-4). But such people forget that God has already punished the world by a flood (Genesis 6:5-8). The Bible says that God will punish the world again by fire (2 Peter 3:5-7). Then he will create a new world, where we shall not suffer (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:1-4). God continued to discuss war in chapter 39. Verses 24-30 God controls the weather. And he uses the weather for his own purposes. He even waters the grass where nobody lives (verse 27). A man would not choose to water that grass. But God controls the whole world. He looks after all the plants and animals.

God controls the stars

v31 But the stars are also my work. You cannot move the stars from their positions in the sky. v32 I cause the various stars to appear in the correct seasons. I arrange their patterns in the sky. v33 But you do not know my rules about the sky. You do not even know the principles that control the earth.

Verses 31-33 Ancient people used to watch the stars for important reasons. The stars are like a calendar, because different stars appear in each season. And the stars also helped travellers to work out the correct direction for their journeys. So Job knew the patterns of stars. But he could not explain how God arranged these patterns. Today we know much more about the stars. Each star is powerful, like the sun. And there are millions of stars that we cannot even see. The distances between the stars are immense. The Bible teaches us that God created the stars. People study science. And they discover many things. They might think that they are very intelligent. But they are merely discovering things that God has already done. They are merely describing his work.

God controls the sky

v34 You do not direct the clouds. You do not control the rain. v35 And you do not order lightning. Lightning is not responsible to you. v36 But I gave wisdom and intelligence to your mind. v37 I know the number of clouds. And I pour water from the sky v38 when the dry ground becomes lumps of mud. Verses 34-38 Job and his friends had just watched a storm. And the storm impressed them. The lightning was very powerful. The rain changed the solid ground into mud. Job had said that Gods power was like the power of a storm (Job 26:14). But really, God is much more powerful than a storm. In fact, God directs the storm.

God provides food for every animal

v39 You do not send food for the lion to hunt. v40 The lion waits in a bush, or in its home. But I provide its food. v41 And I provide food for the raven (bird) when the young birds are hungry. But the raven wanders when it has no food. And its young birds cry to God. Verses 39-41 There is a difference between the behaviour of lions and ravens. Ravens are large birds. Lions are strong animals. But most of the time, they rest. They might wait under a bush. It is as if they are waiting for God to provide their food. Ravens are noisy birds. They do not wait for their food to come to them. So they are like poor people who wander to search for food. And their noises sound like people who call to God for help (Job 24:10-12). But God said that he provides for ravens as well as lions. We may be rich or poor. But we all depend on God to supply our food.