Monday 20 August 2012

Jobbing post

God finally loses his temper with Job's whingeing:
'Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, and brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? [Job 38:4-13]
It's powerful stuff, but takes on an odd flavour when you think about it. Where was I when you laid the foundations of the earth? I was where you wanted me, God; inexistent. I was nothing because that's how you wanted it. This was not something I had any choice over, so it's a little hard to blame me for it. Also, the stuff about commanding the morning? Wasn't there a guy who tried doing that, instead of you, and didn't you banish him to Hell?

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