Job 12:17-25: a reflection

17He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools. 18He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt. 19He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty. 20He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders. 21He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong. 22He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death. 23He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive. 24He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. 25They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

In the midst of his suffering, Job affirms something about God's sovereignty over the great and wise of the world. God, he says, leads counselors away stripped and makes fools of judges; he looses the authority of kings; he pours contempt on princes; he takes away the discernment of the elders and the speech of the trusted. The people the world regards as wise, strong, and secure, the counselors, judges, kings, and princes, are all, before God, easily humbled, stripped of their wisdom and their standing.

Notice the sweep of God's sovereignty Job describes. No human wisdom, authority, or standing is secure before God. He can strip the wisest counselor of his wisdom, make a fool of the shrewdest judge, loose the authority of the strongest king, pour contempt on the proudest prince. The greatness the world so admires and fears is, in God's hands, fragile; he humbles it as easily as he pleases.

That is a humbling and steadying perspective. It humbles us against putting our ultimate trust or fear in human greatness, the wise, the strong, the impressive figures who seem to hold the world in their hands. Before God, all of them are easily brought low; their wisdom and strength are not secure. And it steadies us: when human wisdom and strength seem overwhelming, remember the God who strips counselors and humbles kings. Do not be overawed by human greatness, nor put your trust in it. It is fragile before God, who alone is truly wise and secure. Trust and fear him, not the great ones of the earth whom he humbles at will.

Lord, Job saw that you strip the wise of their wisdom and humble kings and princes at will; no human greatness is secure before you. Keep me from putting my ultimate trust or fear in the wise and impressive figures of this world. When human wisdom and strength seem overwhelming, remind me that before you they are fragile, easily brought low. You alone are truly wise and secure. Help me not to be overawed by human greatness, but to trust and fear you, who humble the great ones of the earth at will.