A whisper ∙∙
These are just the fringes of all he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power? – Job 26:14
1 Kings 19:11-12
11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
How much of the vast knowledge present in the universe do we currently know and understand? How many books in the Library of Congress have we read? When it comes to the infinite, all-powerful, all-knowing, and ever-present Father God, know and understand?
The answer to all these questions is the same, extraordinarily little.
Despite significant advancements, our current knowledge only represents a nano fraction of the vast knowledge throughout the universe. Our understanding remains limited and incomplete, with countless galaxies, stars, and mysteries yet to be discovered.
The Father’s omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence are seen in what has been made. The unlimited power and authority of the Creator, who brought everything into existence and governs it, holds profound implications. However, attempting to fully comprehend the nature of the Father through His creation is limited at best and foolhardy at worst. It is akin to studying a solitary grain of sand and assuming that it grants us complete knowledge and understanding of all the sand in existence.
The vastness and complexity of creation, with its countless galaxies, stars, planets, and intricate ecosystems, are merely glimpses of the immense power and wisdom of the Creator. Our attempts to comprehend the divine through the limited lens of our human understanding fall short. Our observations and perceptions of the world around us can only offer glimpses of the grandeur and mysteries of the Creator.
We hear thunder, but how can we presume to understand thunder by merely hearing it?
Job 26:14 These are just the fringes of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?
The Hebrew word translated as fringes or outskirts is qatsah. It refers to the end or extremity of objects, border regions, or edge. It speaks of something which is only partially disclosed or revealed; the term can be translated as outline, glimpse, a small part of, only a fraction of, and hints of.
“In this context, refers not to a distant area such as outskirts suggests (as when referring to the distant outskirts of a city), but rather to something only partially disclosed or revealed; the term can be translated as ‘outline, glimpse, a small part of,’ which NJB renders ‘only a fraction of,’ and TEV ‘only hints of’” (UBS).
Job’s friends, observing the wonders of the Father’s creation in nature, mistakenly and arrogantly believed they had a comprehensive knowledge of Him. In their presumption, they audaciously thought they could explain the nature of the Father to Job.
Drawing from their observations of the natural world, Job’s friends saw glimpses of the Father’s handiwork and interpreted it according to their limited understanding. However, their confidence in their interpretation led them astray, as they failed to recognize the Father’s vastness and complexity.
Job’s view is diametrically opposed. How can you know the whole from the parts? How can you understand and comprehend an object by only observing its outline or shadow? How can we possibly reason from the lesser to the greater and fully apprehend when the greater is the Father Himself, who is infinite?
Observing the creation, we see only the fringes of His ways. We have only tidbits of Who and What He is. What we hear is but a whisper of His power! Knowing a few facts about God’s creation is not the same as knowing truths about the God of Creation (Wiersbe).
“He truly knows God perfectly that finds Him incomprehensible and unable to know him” (Richard Rolle). The more we learn about the Father and His Word, the more we realize how little we know and how much more there is to discover. They provide only a tiny hint of His greatness.
“Beware of people who claim to know all about God, for their claim is proof they know neither God nor themselves” (Wiersbe).
REFLECT & PRAY
Job’s friends misguided approach serves as a cautionary tale. It demonstrates the dangers of presuming to fully comprehend the Father based solely on limited observations of the natural world. The Father’s ways and intentions are far beyond our human comprehension, and attempting to reduce His nature to simplistic explanations is misguided.
Father help me to look beyond Your power and listen for Your gentle, soft whisper.
INSIGHT
When we contemplate the omnipotent Lord God, the Father of all, our thoughts naturally gravitate to immense things in space and time. The Father sees everything, made everything, and controls everything (Job 26:7-13).
We are filled with wonder when we contemplate the seemingly infinite immensity and complexity of the Father’s creation. We marvel at the intelligent design, precision, and absolute balance. Not to mention the harnessed control of the vast power and energy throughout the cosmos. Even seeming chaos and disarray have order and beauty.
Chaos theory suggests that the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems is not random at all. Instead, underlying patterns and laws govern the seeming disorder and irregularities.
The Father does not always act “big.” When the Father gets personal, very personal, He draws close and speaks in soft whispers. He uses His “inside voice.” Perhaps remembering the Exodus, Elijah set his expectations on the big, powerful, and dramatic. But the Father was not in the powerful wind, the rock-shattering earthquake, or the fire he witnessed.
Instead, the Father did something unexpected. Rather than speak in a great, potent, thunderous voice shaking the earth, He spoke in a gentle, quiet whisper, the “sound of sheer silence” (NRSV) (1 Kings 19:11-12).
The Father was tenderly beckoning Elijah to return to Him. Gripped by fear, Elijah had fled for his life and sought refuge in a cave, desperately attempting to keep himself safe and out of danger. Take a moment to envision Elijah concealed within the cave, trembling with fear.
In nearly hushed silence, the Father whispers. When someone whispers, you have to get close to hear and understand. The Father, with gentle insistence, coaxes Elijah to summon his courage. Only when Elijah discerns the soft whisper of the Father’s voice does he find the strength to venture out from the shelter of the cave. Once again, Elijah was safe in the Father’s presence.
When was the last time you heard His whisper, His still small voice?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 5-06-1
© Dr. H 2023
Dr H Reflections 