This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Job 38:4-7
4 Where ['eyphoh] wast thou when I laid the foundations [yacad] of the earth ['erets]? declare [nagad], if thou hast [yada`] understanding [biynah].
5 Who hath laid [suwm] the measures [memad] thereof, if thou knowest [yada`]? or who hath stretched [natah] the line [qav] upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations ['eden] thereof fastened [taba`]? or who laid [yarah] the corner [pinnah] stone ['eben] thereof;
7 When the morning [boqer] stars [kowkab] sang [ranan] together [yachad], and all the sons [ben] of God ['elohiym] shouted [ruwa`] for joy? KJV-Interlinear
4 'Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, 5 Who set its measurements, since you know? Or who stretched the line on it? 6 'On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy? NASB
Several things here need to be defined. First, the 'morning stars' is a reference to the angels. And second, the foundation of the earth, is not simply the creation and construction of our planet earth, but of the universe.
In Genesis, we know that God created the heavens and the earth, or in other words, the universe. Here we are told that the angels sang together at its creation. Thus the angels were in existence when the universe was created.
This gives us a timeline for creation. God existed, and there was never a time when He did not exist. Then the angels were created and they existed with total happiness for some undefined timeframe.
Then, the universe was created and the angels were still in a state of happiness and bliss.
But we also know from Genesis that the earth became null and void. Something destroyed the earth. And when the earth was restored in the six-day restoration process, Satan already existed in his fallen state.
Therefore, after the universe was created, Satan fell. And after Satan fell, the earth was destroyed. That destruction was Satan's fault. Both Job 20:27 and Rom. 8:20, 22, teach us that it was Satan who brought about the distresses that this universe now suffers.
The word for foundation is a reference to the actual material used in creating a foundation. The words for 'bases sunk' means more than the footings and walls of a building, it is a reference to the fundamental principles of design and construction.
The setting of the measurements is a reference to an architects drawn plans. The stretching of a line is a reference to the carpenters actual construction in accordance with those plans.
Now, Job did not know of the suspension of the planet in space, nor of its orbit around the sun, nor of the principles of physics that rules over gravity, and such.
And even though we, today, are aware of these facts, remember that Gods truth is vast. Even our current knowledge of science and planetary relationships, of the atomic nature of creation, and so forth, there is far more too Gods design than man has yet to discover.
The plan and construction comments point to a design, an intelligent design. The universe did not accidentally happen, nor did it come into existence by means of the chaotic blast of material. In Genesis, we have already learned that the universe came into existence out of nothing, but was formed by means of a preexisting design.
There was order and planning poured into the creation that currently surrounds us all.
And, by the way, we also know that the angels were duly impressed at the creation of the universe. Something that even they did not remember when Lucifer (Satan) rebelled.
Being impressed by seemingly miraculous events is still not sufficient to keep creatures from sin. It did not work for the angels, and it does not work for humanity.
The more phenomenal and manifestation of God and His essence, the more phenomenal the stupidity of those who disregard it.
And one more thing here. When Adam was created, he was created as an adult. When he was but moments old, his age was that of an adult. Likewise, when the universe was but moments old, its age was most probably the same as though it were here for billions of years. If God can create a thirty-year-old man in an instant, then He can create a billion year old rock in an instant.
So the timeline is:
God who is infinite;
Angels created;
Universe created;
Perhaps plant/animal life on planet earth created, assuming a similar sequence of the six-day restoration;
Satan's rebellion;
Distress of the universe and the destruction of planet earth with its dinosaur life, etc.;
Satan's and fallen angels judgment;
Restoration of planet earth in six days;
Creation of man on the sixth day;
Human history until our current time (approximately 6000 years to date), as divided into dispensations;
The remainder of history will see the completion of human dispensations (Church Age, Tribulation, Millennium);
Destruction of the universe;
The recreation of a new universe and heaven combined;
The eternal state.
And so even though we still have 1007 years of history remaining in future dispensations (Tribulation -7, Millennium - 1000), plus the remainder of our current Church Age dispensation (timeframe unknown with the Rapture always imminent), can anyone list out, explain, give testimony as to any or all of Gods total plan of creation or history, from the timelines to the sub-atomic principles of all of existence?
And of course none of us can do that. None of us has complete and unconditional control over our own life let alone anything else. And yet arrogance seems to direct our thinking toward that ultimate condition of knowing it all.