The One Who Contends

Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this. Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth? Who endowed the heart with wisdom or gave understanding to the mind? Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread his wings toward the south? Does the eagle soar at your command? Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” Job 38:1, 4–6, 18, 33, 36, 39:26-27, 40:2, NIV 1984).

My Musings – “The laws of nature are but the mathematical thoughts of God.” (Euclid, Euclid’s Elements).

The above verses are merely extractions from a very remarkable portion of Scripture. Read the rest of the passages and you cannot help but be humbled. “And [yet] these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” (Job 26:14, NIV 1984).

But there are those who are not humbled. Who do not find it remarkable. Those who were not even there but look to find their answers every place else but God. For example, “researchers from Rutgers and the City College of New York just announced that they may have a solid candidate for the title of “Substance that Kickstarted Life on Earth.” The group has isolated a peptide that they think was both simple and active enough to have spontaneously popped out of the primordial soup and gotten things going. And its name is… Nickelback. Yes. Nickelback may be part of the reason we have life on Earth. ” (Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, March 10, 2023).

“They think.” “May be.” “Part of the reason.” The Science of missing the point. Weird science. “Substance” that kickstarted life on earth. “Spontaneously” popped out of the primordial soup. “Solid candidate” of the reason we have life on earth. These would have you believe that what “spontaneously popped out of the primordial soup” was the “substance that kickstarted life on earth.” To which God might reply, “Where were you when this happened? Get your own primordial soup (“dust of the ground“). Your own Nickelback (“breath of life“). Those were my ingredients (created by Me), and my recipe. And I am the cook. I am “all” the reason, not part. Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? You cannot even begin to understand the thunder of [My] power. IAM!” Blinded by our own “wisdom.” But “the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom.” 1 Corinthians 1:25, NIV 1984).

Once again, “they think,” and “may be.” Words of speculation. Not “a well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can incorporate laws, hypotheses and facts (i.e., a scientific theory).” Certainly not proof. Or as Euclid also said, “what has been affirmed without proof can also be denied without proof.” But God does not need to prove Himself or be affirmed. For, “what may be known about God is plain…because God has made it plain. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19–20, NIV 1984).

My Advice – Do not be blind to what is “clearly seen.” Take it from the one who was there. “God said…and it was so.” “The mathematical thoughts of God.” Put your trust in Him. It will be “the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” (Rick Blaine, Casablanca). Otherwise, anyone who “contends with the Almighty [to] correct him…who accuses God [will] answer [to] him!” And they will be “ without excuse.”