When Nephi prays to understand his father’s dream, an angel leads him on a guided tour through numerous future events. He sees the virgin Mary before Jesus is born, and the angel asks, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?” Nephi replies, “I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” And then the angel teaches him about the love of God, as manifest in the birth of His Son (1 Nephi 11:14-23).
At the end of the book of Job, God asks Job a series of similar questions: cosmic questions, which Job can’t possibly answer. Here are a few:
- “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38:4)
- “Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth?” (Job 38:18)
- “Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?” (Job 38:33)
Finally, He asks a more targeted question about the complaints that Job has raised. “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him?” (Job 40:2).
Job immediately acknowledges his error. “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further” (Job 40:4-5).
God continues to ask questions that simply highlight Job’s mortal limitations. Finally, Job answers, “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. … therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not” (Job 42:2-3).
Throughout the book, Job’s friends have taught him about God, and he has responded with truths that he understands. But listening to God now, he adopts a different posture. He recognizes the limitations of his knowledge. He knows that God has all power, but he is not in a position to explain what that means, and he realizes that he was overreaching in his prior statements, declaring things which he didn’t fully understand as if he did.
Nephi’s response to the angel was wise. Acknowledging the boundaries of his knowledge, he was teachable. The angel was able to give him further knowledge because he admitted what he didn’t know. Job got to the same place in the end. While debating with his friends, he may have gotten carried away, uttering things that he couldn’t really understand. But when he heard the voice of God, he recognized his error and humbled himself.
Today I will recognize the limitations of my knowledge. I will avoid the temptation to speak confidently about things I don’t fully understand. Like Nephi and like Job, I will testify to what I know while acknowledging how much I still have to learn.
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