Job 38:41

Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

(Luke 12:24.) Transition from the noble lioness to the croaking raven. Though man dislikes it, as of ill-omen, God cares for it, as for all His creatures. "He giveth (his food) to the young ravens which cry" (Psalms 147:9).

Remarks:

(1) When men in affliction wish to enter into controversy with God respecting His dealings, they little know how foolhardy is their desire. They could not answer one of a thousand questions which God might put to them. Their "words without knowledge" only "darken counsel," instead of shedding light on God's infinite wisdom in the ordering and governing of the world (Job 38:2).

(2) In order to have known the reason for things, man needed to have been present at their first origination (Job 38:4; Job 38:21). The angels were present when man's earthly habitation was being prepared for him, and sang thereupon joyful praises to God (Job 38:7): they do not presume to call in question God's dealings, but evermore thank and adore Him for His goodness and wisdom: yet shall man, the latest born of God's creatures, sit in judgment upon his Creator? Infinitely better it would be for him to praise God, like them, for all things, whether joyous or sorrowful, as all things alike are working together for good to them that love God.

(3) The earth is framed on a definite plan of consummate wisdom, which man knows but a very minute portion of. Since, then, he cannot explain, much less originate, the phenomena of the natural world, of which God alone is Creator, how then can he pretend to dispute with God as to the justice and goodness of His dealings in His government of the moral world? (Job 38:5.) Whosoever presumes to prescribe to God what He ought to have done, instead of meekly and believingly submitting to, and even justifying, God in what he hath done, betrays at once his own ignorance and impious folly.

(4) The phenomena of the natural world, combining unity with variety, law and order with free action, the alternations of light and darkness (Job 38:12; Job 38:19), the separation of land and sea by impassable barriers (Job 38:8), the marvels of the sky above us, the beautiful laws which regulate the snow, hail, ice, and rain, fulfilling God's purposes of love as well as of wrath (Job 38:22), may well silence the rebellious spirit, and fill our hearts with adoring humility. What we know of God's works is as nothing in comparison with what we know not.

(5) Our power is still less than our knowledge; little as we know, we can do still less (Job 38:31). With all our modern discoveries, no man ever yet has created a single particle of matter that was not in existence before. Though man has discovered some of the laws of electricity, and turned them to his purposes by the lightning conductor, the electric telegraph, etc., yet he is continually at the mercy of God, who alone can control the elements. In the case of the constellations and heavenly bodies, which exercise a controlling influence (Job 38:33) over our weather, tides, and atmosphere, it is most palpable how utterly impotent we are in exercising any command. And even in the case of things nearer us, the calling down, or else restraining, of lightnings and rains, is wholly at God's pleasure (Job 38:34). Also who, except God, can provide with food the dumb creatures around-beasts, birds, and fish? Not even the humblest is neglected by the common Father of all. All things on every side of us give endless scope for observing how exceedingly above all our powers of conception are the proofs of God's perfect justice, wisdom, and tender mercies toward all His creatures. So that, on every ground, our part is not to call in question with shallow reasonings, but patiently and lovingly to approve of all that God doeth, not because we see the reasons of God's doings, but simply because they are God's, 'submitting ourselves wholly to His holy will and pleasure, and studying to serve Him in true holiness and righteousness all the days of our life' ('Church of England Communion Service').