The Republican., 1947-07-10
BY HAROLD L. LUHDQUIsT. D. D.

BY HAROLD l.. LUNDQUfST, D.
or The Moody Bible Institute, Chicago.
CT HE earth is the Lords and the
fullness thereof; the world.
and they that dwell therein" (Ps.
24:D. The man Who knows ti'e Lord
recognizes that tie material and the
spiritual world are both Gods. and
that t re is in the final analysis no
dividing line between the secular
and the sacred.
To keep our thinking straight
about the story Of Job, we quote an
excellent summary by DR.. B. L.
Olmstead: "Our lesson today
stresses the works of God as seen
in nature The longer lesson of a
few chapters Dob 38-41) consists of
the whole of the Lords answer to
job out of a whirlWind after the
dialogue with the three friends is
completed, and after a youthful by
standar, Elihu, had undertaken to
give Job an answer (chs. 32-37).
"Whie Elihu was speaking. a
storm came up and Elihu used it
to portray the greatness, mystery
and u1searchableness Of God (ch.
80. Elihu uttered many truths,
but he did not rid himself of the
error that Job was suffering for
his sins. When he had finished, the
voice Of God was heard out of the
storm.
We find in the selected Scriptures
Of our printed lesson
1. The God Of Creation wv. ~.
Jobs friend Elihu had made a
y rather good speech, but he had
missed the real point of Jobs test
ings. So the Lord rebukes him as
one who darkens counsel ''by words
without knowledge"
How aptly that expresses much
that is going on in our day. Brilliant
men, leaders in science, economics
and government, but without the
true knowledge which comes from
a simple faith in God, are now fill
ing this already confused world with
millions Of words.
Yes, words, words, words, that
really darken the truth about God
and his plan for the world. They
flow from the radio, the press,
lIit pulpit. HUH tNCs WhSlCJ anu
only add to the confusion.
God now brings Job to his feet
". 81. He is to stand up like a man
and answer God. Where was he
when God laid the foundations of
the world? If he is so wise, perhaps
he knows how God suspended the
world in space? Perchance he
would like to get out his little meas
uring line and try to put the plans
Of the Almighty through the little
channel of his human brain!
These are questions that the
professed leaders of our day need
to answer, and they need also to
come Gf by any chance they could
humble tilemselves) to the place
that JOb did (40:D: 81 will lay
my hand upon my mouth"
Job is also reminded that the God
Of creation is also
II. The God of Life (vv 16-18).
HE God who put the springs in
4 the bottom of the sea, and who
has measured the breadth of the
earth, is also the God who controls
life and death.
Men have tried down through
the ages to search out the secret
of life, and at times they have
talked as though they had diSc0y-
cred it. Then one discovers that
they have Just wrapped up their
inability to fathom it in some new
Cniap4iEo dc StiII
not taken that matter in our own
hands.
That may well be a real blessing,
for only the infinite God has the
wisdom to determine the limits of
mans days, and the manner of his
entry into the gates of death. How
good it is to leave such matters in
his mighty but tender hands!
That leads us to our next point.
He is
III. The God of Order (vv %, %,
81, 4D.
IT E MAKES the millions of snow
flakes in thousands of intricate
patterns-no two alike, but all in
marvellous geometric patterns. Can
Job understand that-in fact, can
you and l understand how he does
it?
Who feeds the birds? Who keeps
the stars moving in such order
that man can calculate their
movements down TO the very min
ute? What about the rain, the
hail, the lightning? Look at the
animals and their marvellous
adaptability to their surround
ings.
The man who thinks all these
things are the results of chance,
or who talks about "the laws of
nature" only reveals the utter
smallness of his own mind, and
his complete lack Of comprehen-
sion of The Almighty God.
Released by Western NEWSPAPER Union.