Job 41:12-34 (ESV)

“I will not keep silence concerning his limbs, or his mighty strength, or his goodly frame. Who can strip off his outer garment? Who would come near him with a bridle? Who can open the doors of his face? Around his teeth is terror. His back is made of rows of shields, shut up closely as with a seal. One is so near to another that no air can come between them. They are joined one to another; they clasp each other and cannot be separated. His sneezings flash forth light, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn. Out of his mouth go flaming torches; sparks of fire leap forth. Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame comes forth from his mouth. In his neck abides strength, and terror dances before him. The folds of his flesh stick together, firmly cast on him and immovable. His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the lower millstone. When he raises himself up the mighty are afraid; at the crashing they are beside themselves. Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin. He counts iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood. The arrow cannot make him flee; for him sling stones are turned to stubble. Clubs are counted as stubble; he laughs at the rattle of javelins. His underparts are like sharp potsherds; he spreads himself like a threshing sledge on the mire. He makes the deep boil like a pot; he makes the sea like a pot of ointment. Behind him he leaves a shining wake; one would think the deep to be white-haired. On earth there is not his like, a creature without fear. He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.”

This sounds like one of those indestructible sci-fi characters, like the alien in “Alien,” or Gort in “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

Though the sword reaches him, it does not avail, nor the spear, the dart, or the javelin.

God’s point is simply that He created a creature that can rule over Job.

He sees everything that is high; he is king over all the sons of pride.

The real problem is that we’re “sons of pride.”

We’re not the biggest, or the strongest, or the fastest of God’s creatures, but we are created in His image. That makes us precious in God’s eyes.

That’s important because, face it, lots of other creatures are prettier. They’re also less prone to make a mess of things. If you see a place that’s totally trashed, you can be pretty sure that people trashed it.

But if our worth is due to our being created in His image, then what of the way we think some people are better, or more valuable, than others?

It’s toast. The biggest loser in the world is created in God’s image too.

That’s why Jesus emphasized charity so much. Charity teaches us to value others.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies