INTRODUCTION: As God continues to confront Job with His greatness, Job makes his first feeble answer: “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee?” (Job 40:4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
See All...). God then asks Job if he has the abilities and powers of God. God closes this chapter with a description of behemoth as the chief of the ways of God.

1. THE ANSWER OF JOB (Job 40:1-5 [1] Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, [2] Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. [3] Then Job answered the LORD, and said, [4] Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. [5] Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
   See All...)
1. The Answer of God (Job 40:1-2 [1] Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, [2] Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
   See All...)
1. The Lord answered Job (Job 40:1Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said,
   See All...; Job 23:5I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
   See All...; Job 31:35Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.
   See All...).
2. The Lord questioned Job (Job 40:2Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.
   See All...).
1. Can you instruct the Almighty? (Isaiah 45:9Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?
   See All...; Romans 11:33-34 [33] O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! [34] For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
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2. You feel capable of reproving God (Job 33:12-13 [12] Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. [13] Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
   See All...).
3. Now answer the question.
2. The Response of Job (Job 40:3-5 [3] Then Job answered the LORD, and said, [4] Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. [5] Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
   See All...)
1. I am vile (Job 40:4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
   See All...; Philippians 3:21
   See All...).
1. Abraham (Genesis 18:27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:
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2. Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
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3. Daniel (Daniel 10:8Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
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4. Peter (Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
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2. What shall I answer? (Job 40:4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
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3. I will not answer (Job 40:4-5 [4] Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. [5] Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
   See All...; Job 9:3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
   See All..., 14-15, 32; Job 23:1-5 [1] Then Job answered and said, [2] Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. [3] Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! [4] I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. [5] I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.
   See All...).
1. I will lay mine hand upon my mouth (Job 40:4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.
   See All...).
2. I have spoken, but will speak no more (Job 40:5Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
   See All...).
1. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer.
2. Yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
2. THE CHALLENGE TO JOB (Job 40:6-14 [6] Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, [7] Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. [8] Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? [9] Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? [10] Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. [11] Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. [12] Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. [13] Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. [14] Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
   See All...)
1. The Challenge of Job’s Righteousness (Job 40:6-8 [6] Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, [7] Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. [8] Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
   See All...)
1. The Lord spoke out of the whirlwind (Job 40:6Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
   See All...; Job 38:1Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
   See All...; Isaiah 66:15For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
   See All...; Jeremiah 23:19Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
   See All...; Jeremiah 30:23Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.
   See All...; Ezekiel 1:4And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
   See All...; Nahum 1:3The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
   See All...).
2. God told Job to gird up his loins like a man (Job 40:7Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
   See All...; Job 38:3Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
   See All...; Jeremiah 1:17Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
   See All...).
1. I will demand of thee.
2. Declare thou unto me.
3. God asked Job about His righteousness (Job 40:8Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
   See All...).
1. Will you disannul my judgment? (Isaiah 14:27For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
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2. Will you condemn me to be righteous? (Job 27:5-6 [5] God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. [6] My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.
   See All...; Job 32:2Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
   See All...; Job 35:2Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?
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2. The Challenge of Job’s Glory (Job 40:9-10 [9] Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? [10] Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
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1. Does he have an arm like God? (Job 40:9Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
   See All...; Psalm 89:13Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
   See All...); Note: Several places in scripture indicate that the arm of the Lord is none other than Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
   See All...; John 12:38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
   See All...). However, it is possible that every mention of God’s arm is not a direct reference to Christ.
2. Does he have a voice like God? (Job 40:9Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
   See All...; Psalm 18:13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
   See All...; Revelation 1:15And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
   See All...; Revelation 14:2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
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3. Does he demonstrate the glory and beauty of God? (Job 40:10Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.
   See All...); Note: The Lord challenged Job to deck and adorn himself as God is adorned.
1. The origin of appearance
1. God’s challenge to Job
1. Deck thyself.
2. Array thyself.
2. God challenged Job in this manner because God is able to deck and array Himself in this fashion.
2. The nature of appearance
1. God’s challenge to Job.
1. Majesty
2. Excellency
3. Glory
4. Beauty
2. God challenged Job in this manner because God is clothed in this fashion.
3. The Challenge of Job’s Ability in Judgment (Job 40:11-14 [11] Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. [12] Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. [13] Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret. [14] Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
   See All...)
1. God challenged Job’s authority and ability in judgment (Job 40:11-13 [11] Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. [12] Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. [13] Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
   See All...).
1. Cast abroad the rage of your wrath (Job 40:11Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
   See All...; Deuteronomy 32:22For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
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2. Behold every one that is proud (Job 40:11Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
   See All...; Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
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3. Abase those who are proud (Job 40:11Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
   See All...; Isaiah 2:11-12 [11] The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. [12] For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
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4. Put the proud and the wicked in their place (Job 40:12Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.
   See All...).
5. Hide them in the dust (Job 40:13Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
   See All...; Psalm 49:14Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
   See All...).
6. Bind their faces in secret (Job 40:13Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.
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2. God’s response if Job proved successful (Job 40:14Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.
   See All...).
1. Then will I confess unto thee
2. That thine own right hand can save thee
3. Note: The point of this challenge was to prove God’s ability and Job’s inability.
3. THE ILLUSTRATION OF BEHEMOTH (Job 40:15-24 [15] Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. [16] Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. [17] He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. [18] His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. [19] He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. [20] Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. [21] He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. [22] The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. [23] Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. [24] He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.
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1. His Diet (Job 40:15Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
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1. Made with man: indicates an earthly creature made on the sixth day of creation, or at least that he coexisted with man (Genesis 1:24-27 [24] And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. [25] And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. [26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
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2. Eats grass like the ox (Psalm 104:14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
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2. His Strength (Job 40:16-18 [16] Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. [17] He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. [18] His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
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1. His strength is in his loins (Job 40:16Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
   See All...).
2. His force is in the navel of his belly (Job 40:16Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.
   See All...).
3. He moves his tail like a cedar (Job 40:17He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
   See All...); this indicates a large tail, like that of a tree.
4. The sinews of his stones are wrapped together (Job 40:17He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.
   See All...); stones could be exterior plated armor.
5. His bones are as strong as (Job 40:18His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.
   See All...)
1. Pieces of brass
2. Bars of iron
6. Note: this describes a massive and powerful animal. Spiritually, it could refer to the temporal power of the antichrist (see Daniel 11:36-45 [36] And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. [37] Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. [38] But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. [39] Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. [40] And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. [41] He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. [42] He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. [43] But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. [44] But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. [45] And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
   See All...).
3. His Greatness (Job 40:19-20 [19] He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. [20] Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
   See All...)
1. The chief of the ways of God (Job 40:19He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
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2. Only his Creator is powerful enough to kill him (Job 40:19He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.
   See All...).
3. The mountains, where all the beasts of the field play, bring him food (Job 40:20Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.
   See All...).
4. His Rest (Job 40:21-22 [21] He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. [22] The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
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1. He lies under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens (Job 40:21He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.
   See All...).
2. He rests in the shadow of the trees (Job 40:22The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
   See All...).
5. His Thirst (Job 40:23Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
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1. He drinks as if he would drink a river.
2. He drinks slowly.
6. His Fierceness (Job 40:24He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.
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1. His fierce eyes attack his prey.
2. His nose breaks through traps laid for him.

CONCLUSION: Once again, Job has an opportunity to stand before God and give his complaint, but in the presence of God, Job determines to lay his hand upon his mouth. In Job’s silence, God expounds upon His own power and glory.