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Job 40:19-24
19 He is the chief [re'shiyth] of the ways [derek] of God ['el]: he that made [`asah] him can make [nagash] his sword [chereb] to approach [nagash] unto him.
20 Surely the mountains [har] bring him forth [nasa'] food [buwl], where all the beasts [chay] of the field [sadeh] play [sachaq].
21 He lieth [shakab] under the shady trees [tse'el], in the covert [cether] of the reed [qaneh], and fens [bitstsah].
22 The shady trees [tse'el] cover [cakak] him with their shadow [tselel]; the willows [`arab] of the brook [nachal] compass him about [cabab].
23 Behold, he drinketh up [`ashaq] a river [nahar], and hasteth [chaphaz] not: he trusteth [batach] that he can draw up [giyach] Jordan [Yarden] into his mouth [peh].
24 He taketh [laqach] it with his eyes [`ayin]: his nose ['aph] pierceth through [naqab] snares [mowqesh]. KJV-Interlinear
19 'He is the first of the ways of God; Let his maker bring near his sword. 20 'Surely the mountains bring him food, And all the beasts of the field play there. 21 'Under the lotus plants he lies down, In the covert of the reeds and the marsh. 22 'The lotus plants cover him with shade; The willows of the brook surround him. 23 'If a river rages, he is not alarmed; He is confident, though the Jordan rushes to his mouth. 24 'Can anyone capture him when he is on watch, With barbs can anyone pierce his nose? NASB
The ways of God, refers to the actions of God in invention, design, creation, and support. So it should be vividly clear, that all of these matters come from the hand of the creator and not by chance or accident.
The first, refers to not the chronological order or numerical first in order of history, but to the initial steps that God has taken in order to bring life into this world.
And the sword is a reference to the tools of the animal which allow it to survive. This is not the weapon of God approaching that which he just created, in order to slay it or control it. The context here is that which God has been able to do, verses that which man has not been able to do.
The remainder of this chapter describes the entire eco-system, which was designed to support life.
The mountains, the food supply, the playing fields, the resting places, the marshes, the brooks and streams, the meadows and forests, the violence of the weather and floods, even the nature of man attempting to capture and domesticate wildlife, all of these things create an entire system of support, including various threats of life, for the animals that depend on it for their life and survival.
All of these things were likewise designed and created by God. The environment systems that surround us all, did not spring up accidentally. The description of the 'sword' eliminates the idea of evolutionary change wherein animals adapted or changed to their changing environment. Animals did not change to, or grow teeth, or wings, or develop more durable skin in order to acclimate to different environmental changes. Nature does not have an intellect by which it possesses reason or self-will. DNA does not possess the ability to study its circumstances and then split off in another direction of life.
We cannot speak to a pile of dust and ask it to make itself into a tulip. But then, some will try!
