Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? (Job 38:12-13)
The book of Job opens with a moving testimony. He was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” (Job 1:1). This is praise worthy of a mere man. The Scripture continues with further details. “There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east” (vv. 2-3 ).
Unknown to Job, God was praising him to no other person than Satan. “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Satan–the accuser of the brethren— perhaps with a smirk on his face, responds ““Does Job fear God for no reason? “Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” (vv.6-12).
From here, Job’s tragedy began.The whole narrative changed and in a day, in the twinkle of an eye, Job lost all he had including his 7 children. What a tragedy. Who can bear? (Job 1:20-21). The Chapter closes with Job bowing to the Sovereignty of God (v.22). Still unconvinced about Job’s response in faith, Satan, again under the Sovereignty of God reaches for Job’s health (Job 2:1-9). The situation is dire. “Curse God and die”. Rants his wife. Job responds properly as a man of faith (Job 2:9-10). Job had three friends and upon hearing his predicaments, they visited to console him (Job 2:11-13). The rest of the chapters brings us into the consolation of the friends and the lamentation of Job.
In their consolation and in Job’s lamentation, the friends, together with Job uttered some presumptuous words .God showed up in Chapter 38 to query them. The Chapter opens with questions and like a crescendo, the questions get louder as the chapters proceeds
Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? (Job 38:1-5).
“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high? On the rock he dwells and makes his home, on the rocky crag and stronghold. From there he spies out the prey; his eyes behold it from far away. His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he.” (Job 39:26-30).
By the time we get to Chapter 40, Job’s nothingness is exposed and he is silenced: Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further.” (Job 4:3-5). You would have thought that these conversations are plain for every reader to understand. God questions Job to bring him to the point of understanding His Sovereignty over life. However, it appears the plainness of this conversation is lost on some preachers. A question is plucked out of Chapter 38 and a theology of positive confessions, declarations and decreeing popular with Charismatic/Pentecostal/Word of Faith Movement is splashed on the text
Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? (vv.12-13)
It is taught by these groups that a Christian can command their morning for the day to go in their favour. And their text is Job 38:12-13. Is that what is going on in the text? Is God telling Job to command his morning or Job is been asked to answer a question he has no clue. will go well in their favour. Cindy Trimm, popular among the Word of Faith movement in her devotional Commanding Your Morning Daily Devotional says
Every new day with God brings the dawn of new and better possibilities. Today could turn out to be the best day of your life—but how it ends largely depends on how you begin it. You are in charge of taking control of your day from its very beginning — as you command your morning — and as you do, know that whatever begins with God has to end right. No matter how good or bad your life is, every circumstance can change for the best if you learn how to command your morning before your day begins [1]
In Ghana, the concept of “Commanding Your Morning” has been popularised by Dr. Michael Boadi Nyamekye, who is the General Overseer of The Maker’s Chapel International in his morning devotional prayers where declarations and decrees are made into the day: “Start your day right”. Prophet Nanasei Sarkodie, in a video of his Potter’s hour, quotes Job 38:12 and goes on to spin the text and tell his audience “So if you have not commanded the morning, Job is asking you “have you commanded the morning?”
There is no justification for Job 38:12 to be handled in the way these preachers handle it. It is a blatant misinterpretation of Scripture and anything taught out of that misinterpretation is of no value. The Bible is God’s word and it is expected that anyone who interprets it will consider carefully first and foremost the context of the text. No where in Job 38 do we see God asking Job to command the morning.
There are many questions in Job 38 and the reason for picking on verse 12 is simply because it fits a certain warped theology. What will we for example do with the other questions in Job 38? “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.” (v.4), “Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this (v.18), Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’? (v.35).
If Job 38:12-13 means we can take control of our day by the words we speak, command, declare and decree, how will we answer to James saying in James 4:13-15 that “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13-15). Do you see the difference in biblical talk and the foolish talk of commanding your morning?
It’s is amazing how these preachers miss the Sovereignty of God in Job and makes it all about man having some powers to control their day. These people have no God-centred theology. Their theology is false and man-centred; tickling ears giving false hope. Paul says, mark them and avoid them (Romans 16:17). Job 38:12 doesn’t mean we can take charge of the day by commanding the morning. That’s warped theology. Rather, it points to God’s Sovereignty and our nothingness
Notes
- Cindy Trim, Command Your Morning Daily Devotional (House Publishers, Wheaton, 2014), 2
Grace and Truth 