Job 9:10

Who performs wonders beyond man’s grasp,

   Miracles beyond numbering.

(Written June 21, Posted 6/24 – Job 181)

Today I typed up Job 19 The Amalgamation and got curious as to how many errors I had made in my numbering systems over the years after I saw a few blatant errors and needs for updates in the text of Chapter 19. As it turns out, I never posted a study 19 (nor one for 95-99). Since I am now on 166, I am sure I do not want to go back and renumber them all. (It’s not like each one doesn’t have a verse or chapter attached to help keep them in order.) In all, I have posted two introductory pieces on Job, 19 Amalgamations, and 159 studies; so 180 in all to date. To be square going forward, I am dropping the numbers and using the chapter in “Job X – The Amalgamation” and the chapter and verse in “Title – Study of Job x:y”.

Performs was selected over does or makes. Wonders was chosen over great things or deeds. Beyond man’s grasp was used rather than beyond understanding, that cannot be fathomed, past finding out, or without limit. Each was true, but I felt grasp was a little more fleeting.

Miracles was chosen over marvelous things and wonders. Wonders was actually used by six of my eight sources with one of the other two having it in the first stitch. Beyond numbering was used rather than without number or that cannot be counted. As a math guy, beyond seemed more logical.

This verse fits in my “God is bigger than any box” list and reminds me that any attempt to limit God is foolish. As an engineer, I recognize that sometimes science can only tell us so much about what is really happening in our universe, and sometimes, things work even if science cannot tell us why.

I sometimes have a hard time grasping things going on in the minds of those around me. Take gender and sex. Sex is science. It is a yes or no question and answer and works across most of the domain of biology. Gender is totally made up and has been aligned with sex for so long that people forget the two are different. God determined my sex, it was fixed at conception, and I learned what duty I had to those around me based on the basic physiological differences or similarities I had from and to others. I hold doors for little old ladies to make their life easier. I also hold doors for big strong men to make there lives easier. If my holding doors open for someone offends them, then their reaction is an offense to me.

There is an element in current society that offending others is not allowed. (I had to edit my follow up to that line.) God wanted the Jews to be different in order to point others to God. God wants Christians to be different to point others to Christ. The basic way to be different is to offend people by doing things according to God’s will and not the will of some person, culture, society, government or whatever might oppose the will of God. I believe that God is bigger than my peers, the culture around me, my government, and everything similar in all the world. I do not do things with the intent to offend others, but if my pursuit of Christ causes me to offend someone, then I’d rather that than me disappoint God again.