Job 39

“Did you give the horse its strength? Did you clothe its neck with a mane? Did you make him able to leap like a locust? Its majestic snorting is frightening! It paws with force and exults with vigor, then charges into battle; mocking at fear, unafraid, it does not shy away from the sword. But the rider’s quiver rattles over it, his gleaming spear and javelin.  Frenzied and eager, it devours the ground, scarcely believing the trumpet has sounded. At the sound of the shofar it whinnies: as from afar it scents battle, the roar of the chiefs and the shouting.” Job 39:19-25 (CJB)

In today’s chapter, the Lord asks for Job’s knowledge and understanding of eight of His creatures. Job is given a pop quiz concerning the birth of mountain goats & deer that live among treacherous cliffs. He speaks of the impossibility of taming wild donkeys and oxen. The Lord asks if Job has knowledge of the ostrich, which has wings but no wisdom, compassion, or understanding. He points out the wisdom of the hawk and eagles, and in today’s passage, the Lord describes the horse.

Speaking of horses, I grew up in Arkansas and Louisiana horse country. I appreciate the beauty of a horse. In the words of American orator Will Rogers, “There is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse.” That being said, I also know how dangerous horses can be. A college friend of mine was killed when the horse he was riding was startled and bucked him off.

Horses under submission are very useful, but an un-submissive horse is dangerously unreliable, useful for nothing. The term horse trainers use for taming a horse is “making him meek.” Meekness is power under submission. When considering God’s description of the horse in today’s passage, I am reminded of myself as a young believer. I had a lot of energy and zealous passion, but I had to learn to submit to Jesus.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 (NIV)

Jesus’s words were a quote from the Psalms and were intended to contrast those Israelites who made themselves meek to the Lord against those who rejected submission and pursued evil. If you remember, it was Israel’s refusal to submit to God that led to their being conquered and deported. God promised that if Israel repented, they would be restored to the land.

“For evildoers will be cut off, but those hoping in the Lord will inherit the land. Soon, the wicked will be no more; you will look for his place, and he won’t be there. But the meek will inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” Psalm 37:9-11 (CJB)

Have you made yourself “meek” by placing yourself under submission to the Lord’s Word? Or are you still trying to do something big for God in your own way by your own power? When we submit and seek to do the Lord’s work the Lord’s way, we find ourselves resting in the Lord’s peace. God is teaching Job to be meek, surrendering himself to the Lord’s gracious “bridle” so he could be led and not try to seize the reigns.