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Who Can Understand God? We Only See the “Outer Fringe”

Who Can Understand God? We Only See the “Outer Fringe”

Last updated on: November 4, 2024 at 11:02 am by Rick Rice

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Who Can Understand God? We Only See the “Outer Fringe” 2024-11-04T11:02:54-05:00 Rick Rice

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Who can understand God? God is infinite, all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present? The things we see are “only the outer fringe of His ways” (Job 26:14).

Scripture:

Job, chapters 26-27; Mark, chapters 15-16

Job 26:5-14 (CEB):

The dead writhe, the inhabitants beneath the waters as well. The grave is naked before God; the underworld lacks covering. He stretched the North over chaos, hung earth over nothing; wrapped up water in his clouds, yet they didn’t burst out below; hid the face of the full moon, spreading his cloud over it; traced a circle on the water’s surface, at the limit of light and darkness. Heaven’s pillars shook, terrified by his blast. By his power he stilled the Sea; split Rahab with his cleverness. Due to his wind, heaven became clear; his hand split the fleeing serpent.

Look, these are only the outer fringe of his ways; we hear only a whispered word about him. Who can understand his thunderous power?

Observations: Who Can Understand God?

Today’s passage is part of Job’s ongoing dialogue (or debate?) with his “friends” about the nature of God. Job has consistently declared his innocence; his friends have just as consistently said, “You must have done something wrong.” His friends declared that God doesn’t punish the righteous, but only the wicked. Because Job was clearly being punished, he must have sinned.

Job, for his part, does not claim to fully comprehend God. Instead, he pushes back against the popular notion that God always blesses the righteous and always punishes the wicked. There must be more to it, Job seems to say. His last statement in this passage frames the issue: Who can understand his thunderous power? And, in the same sense, who can fully understand God?

Application: Who Can Understand God? The Outer Fringe of His Ways

Before Job comes to his question, he lists a number of God’s achievements to set the stage. In the CEB translation, this passage is entitled “Truth about God.”

He stretched the earth over chaos, hung the earth over nothing (7)
Wrapped up water in his clouds, yet they didn’t burst out below (8)
Hid the face of the full moon, spreading his cloud over it (9)
Traced a circle on the water’s surface, at the limit of light and darkness (10)
By his power he stilled the sea (12)
Due to his wind, heaven became clear (13)

Now, you may ask: what do all of those things mean? And what does it mean to say that God split Rahab with his cleverness (12) and split the fleeing serpent (13).

Here’s the answer: I’m not sure. I have an idea what it means to say he stretched the earth over chaos; that’s the creation story in Genesis 1. God wrapped up water in his clouds; eventually, that water falls as rain, but it doesn’t burst out below. I’ve seen the clouds cover the full moon. But what does Job mean when he says these things? It comes back to Job’s premise: that we don’t fully understand God and His ways. That’s why Job wants a hearing with God – to ask God why, to seek God’s explanation for what has happened to him.

Who Can Understand God? Those Who Seek Him

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV). God has chosen to reveal Himself to us – if we’re willing to listen. His Word doesn’t tell us everything about Him; how could it? But it tells us all that we need to know in order to live in a right relationship with Him. God created us to be in relationship with Him, and He offers us forgiveness and life through Jesus Christ. If we seek Him, we will come to know Him. But when we rest on our own knowledge and understanding, we’re just groping around in the darkness.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for reminding us today of Your great power and understanding. You created this world, and everything in it – including us. Thank you for offering reconciliation and life through the forgiveness that Jesus won for us on the cross. Help us to live as Your Word calls us to live: to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with You (Micah 6:8). Amen.

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