How you have enlightened my stupidity!
    What wise advice you have offered!
Where have you gotten all these wise sayings?
    Whose spirit speaks through you? (Job 23:3-4)

Chapter 26 marks the beginning of the climax in Job. This is his final speech. If we think of this as a trial, Job is presenting his closing argument. His three friends have wrapped up their arguments and failed to prove that he deserves what has happened to him, and now Job will explain his conclusion before the judge (God) announces his judgment.

He begins with heavy sarcasm toward Bildad, whose feeble final attempt left much to be desired (see chapter 25). He poignantly questions Bildad’s source of information – “Where have you gotten all these wise sayings?” (vs. 4). There is biting sarcasm here as Job implies that Bildad’s source is certainly not wise, but underneath it is the implication that Job is only interested in one source, the TRUE source. I think it’s key to remember here that Job is going through a crisis of faith; his whole belief system is crashing down and his friends are accusing him of wrongdoing, but in the midst of the crisis and the criticism, he’s still looking for God. He’s actively rejecting the wisdom of humanity and seeking something higher – the Spirit of God, the source of real wisdom. This is what makes Job and his struggle so important. Embedded in the sarcasm at the beginning of this chapter is Job’s absolute commitment to seeking the truth from the source of all truth.

The rest of chapter 26 is a poetic establishing of God’s power and sovereignty over all the earth. It is the introduction, if you will, to the conclusion. This establishes God’s legal and natural right to do as he pleases. He made this place what it is, and he can do with it whatever he chooses. It is his right to do so, both by ownership and by superiority. He owns the place and no one exists who can stop him. Whatever he says goes. We’re starting at the bottom of the mountain again preparing to build our way to his ultimate spiritual conclusion.

His Spirit made the heavens beautiful,
    and his power pierced the gliding serpent.
These are just the beginning of all that he does,
    merely a whisper of his power.
    Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?” (Job 26:13-14)

As Job continues in the next five chapters, we’re going to see him argue that he knows who God is, has always appropriately feared him and respected his authority, and has acted in a way that was both wise and kind out of that fear and respect. Chapter 26 is the beginning of Job clarifying and establishing his own understanding of who God is and what he requires so that they could see he was not a wicked, godless man. He is aware of his own inferior position before a ultimately superior God, a direct contradiction to the accusations of his friends that he has acted arrogantly and has not feared God.

But this hefty monologue is only getting started. We break it into chapters for our own sakes, not because it was meant to be read in pieces, but because it can be overwhelming if it is not. So I guess this is a Biblical

to be continued…