The Lord mentions twelve animals to Job in Job 38:39-41:34.  These are designed to serve as examples of God’s power, wisdom, and care of things on this planet.  The mentioning of these animals and his control over nature and the universe itself has a humbling effect on Job (Job 40:4; 42:6).  In this lesson, we will consider the first ten animals.  We will save Behemoth and Leviathan for another lesson. 

1.   The Lion (Job 38:39-40).  “Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lion…?”  Who feeds the animals?  Who set up the food-web which has sustained animals, such as lions, to this day?  God did this (cf. Psalm 104:21).  Did you know that lions are believed to ordinarily feed every three or four days, and need an average between 5-7 kilograms (11-15 pounds) of food per day? (Lions, Kruger Park Wildlife Facts, krugerpark.co.za).

2.  The Raven (Job 38:41).  “Who provides food for the raven…?”  Who feeds the birds?  God does (Psalm147:9; Luke 12:24).  Did you know that the Common Raven (Corvus Corax) is the largest of the perching birds?  It can reach a length of up to 26 inches and have a wingspan of up to 4 feet?  (Raven, Britannica.com).  A common raven can weigh over 3 pounds (Common Raven Diet and Size, binocularbase.com).  It needs a little over 300 calories per day (What Do Ravens Eat?  birdfacts.com).

The passage in Job also mentions that sometimes ravens “wander about for the lack of food.”  God’s design is amazing.  When birds wander from place to place, they help in seed distribution. 

3.  The Wild Mountain Goat (Job 39:1).  “Do you know the time when the wild mountain goats bear young?”  These animals live in hills and mountains (Psalm 104:18).  They live in remote areas away from where people ordinarily live.  They are shy and elusive.  Do you know when they give birth?  There were many things Job did not know.  God does.  He created them.  He cares for them.

4. The Deer (Job 39:1b-4).  “Can you mark when the deer [hinds (ASV); does (ESV)] give birth?  It is possible that this is synonymous parallelism (i.e. this may simply be a restating of the question asked in the first part of verse one).  Whether this is speaking of a different kind of animal, or not,  the point is much the same.  God knows.  Moreover, his voice can cause it to happen (Psalm 29:9). 

5.  The Wild Donkey (Job 39:5-8).  “Who set the wild donkey free?  Who loosed the bonds of onager whose home I have made the wilderness and barren land his dwelling?”  This is not a domesticated donkey (onager is a species of wild donkey).  This animal does not want to be in the city and it is not a servant of man (Job 39:7).  Who set this animal free?  (i.e. who placed this animal in the wilderness?)  Who provides for its needs?  God does.  He takes care of many things which escape our notice. 

6.  The Wild Ox (Job 39:9-12).  “Will the wild ox be willing to serve you?”  There are different views as to the exact identity of this animal.  Many believe that this refers to a wild cow (bovine), perhaps the Aurochs, or some species of buffalo.  Others have suggested the Rhinoceros.  Wherever the exact identity, this animal is strong, untamed, and does not depend on man.  Who created this powerful animal?  Who cares for it? 

7.  The Ostrich (Job 39:13-18).  “The wings of an ostrich wave proudly, but are her wings and pinions like the kindly storks?”  Most birds, like the stork, use their wings to fly.  The ostrich uses its wings for balance and maneuvering while running.  It can run.  It can outrun a horse (cf. Job 39:18).  It can reach speeds of up to 43 miles-per-hour in a short sprint and maintain speeds of 30-37 miles-per-hour over longer distances (How Fast Is An Ostrich? And More Fun Facts, nationalzoo.si.edu).  It can maintain this speed for about 30 miles (How Fast Can Ostriches Run?, birdwatchingdaily.com). 

 This is the world’s largest bird.  It stands between 6-9 feet tall and can weigh over 300 pounds.

In some way, this bird appears to be very unintelligent (Job 39:14-17).  While it may not be the most intelligent animal, it may also be misunderstood.  Wayne Jackson explains, “The ostrich lays thirty or more eggs in a nest of sand… The outer eggs are sometimes exposed and so ‘trampled.’  It appears that she ‘forgot’ to cover them but in the design of God, these serve as food for the chicks that subsequently hatch!… She will flee the nest when danger is imminent, though this is frequently a play to distract predators” (Wayne Jackson, The Book of Job, p. 83).  This seeming stupid bird has been able to survive for thousands of years on the earth.  God made this animal.

8.  The Horse (Job 39:19-25).  “Have you given the horse strength?  Have you clothed his neck with thunder?”  Horses are magnificent animals.  Humans have a long history of using the strength of this animal (horse power) for work, transportation, and war (e.g. Genesis 50:9; Exodus 14:17; 15:21; Psalm 20:7; Esther 6:11; Acts 23:23; James 3:3).  Who gave this creature its strength, and its mane that thunders when it shakes its neck?  God did.

9.  The Hawk (Job 39:26).  “Does the hawk fly by your wisdom…?  No, it is by God’s wisdom.

The ability of birds to fly has fascinated man.  However, it is only in recent years that man has gained the ability to fly.  (1) The first manned flight in a hot air balloon occurred on November 21, 1783 in Paris, France.  The passengers were Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent, Marquis d’ Arlandes.  The designers were Joseph-Michel and Jacques – Etienne Montgolfier (Celebrating 241 Years Since The First Balloon Flight, seattleballooning.com).  (2) The first successful airplane flight occurred on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  The airplane flew for 12 seconds, traveling 120 feet.  The pilot was Orville Wright.  The designers were Wilbur and Orville Wright (1903 Flyer, airandspace.si.edu).  It took intelligence to make these flights possible.  However, long before this God designed the bird and gave it the ability to fly. 

10.  The Eagle (Job 39:27-30).   “Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make its nest on high?”  Eagles can soar as high as 10,000 – 15,000 feet above sea-level (Discover Just How High Eagles Can Soar, a-z-animals.com).  They can nest in high places.

The text also mentions this birds great eye-sight for spotting prey (Job 39:29).  “A bald eagle can spot prey the size of a rabbit three miles away” (Nine Bald Eagle Facts That May Surprise You!, eaglewingtours.com).  God designed this.