At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. (Job 5:22 ESV)
This sounds like an arrogant statement. Laugh at destruction and famine? Those are serious things! Not fear the beasts of the earth? What about a T-Rex? Or a Bengal Tiger? Or a snake???
But God is making an important point here. ALL of those things are physical things. ALL of those things are a part of creation. ALL of those things are visible, tangible, and cause our hearts to beat faster.
Our civilization, society, and neighbors tell us there is nothing more frightening than physical things that are known to be strong. Humans fear physics more than we fear metaphysics. (Hallowe’en antics aside.)
But God reigns both in the physical world AND the metaphysical world.
It’s not that destruction, famine, and beasts are not scary.
But God is more powerful, more in control, and higher on the chain of authority.
It’s not comfortable to think about this. But a few verses earlier God also tells us WHY something scary might be happening.
“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.” (Job 5:17)
Telling us to laugh at scary things does not mean we should take them lightly. Because their power is nothing compared to God’s. But don’t despise them, either. Don’t belittle them. Don’t ignore them.
They are God at work. Disciplining. Teaching? Reproving? Guiding? Yes… not punishing… but getting our attention.
Fear Not those things, God says… but listen.