Job 38

Jehovah (the LORD) speaking from the whirlwind

Jehovah — the covenant name, 'I AM,' the eternal One

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Job 38:1–3

After all the human speeches, the LORD finally speaks to Job directly. Latter-day Saints understand the LORD (Jehovah) of the Old Testament to be Jesus Christ before His birth, so this is His voice answering a suffering man.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• the same event in Job 40:6 — The LORD speaks again to Job out of the whirlwind.
• interpreted by D&C 110:3-4 — Jehovah declares Himself to be the One who lives, was slain, and is the Advocate with the Father.

Creation by Christ

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Job 38:4–7

Jehovah says He laid the foundations of the earth while the premortal spirits, the 'sons of God,' shouted for joy. Latter-day Saints teach that Jesus Christ created the earth under the Father's direction, and that we were among those who rejoiced in the premortal world.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• interpreted by John 1:3 — All things were made by Him (the Word, Christ).
• interpreted by Moses 1:33 — Worlds without number were created by the Only Begotten.
• the same event in Abraham 3:24 — One like unto God says 'we will go down... and we will make an earth' in the premortal council.
• the same title in D&C 38:1-3 — Christ declares that He made the world.

The Corner Stone

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; Job 38:6

The earth's 'corner stone' is laid by the Creator. The same image is used later for Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone on whom everything is built; here it is a soft echo, not a direct title.

• alluded to by Ephesians 2:20 — Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.
• the same title in Psalms 118:22 — The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

Dayspring

Dayspring — the dawn, the first light of day

Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; Job 38:12

Here 'dayspring' means the sunrise that God commands each morning. Zacharias later calls Jesus 'the dayspring from on high' who gives light to those in darkness, so the word carries a gentle echo of Christ as the dawning Light.

• the same title in Luke 1:78-79 — The dayspring from on high visits to give light to them that sit in darkness.