Jehovah, speaking out of a whirlwind, asks Job about the wonders of creation and where he was when the foundations of the earth were laid, when the morning stars sang together, and when all the sons of God shouted for joy in the premortal world when God revealed the plan of salvation.
Job 38:1–7
1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Elder Neal A. Maxwell wrote:
“If God were to set up a world in which we would have no memories of our first estate; in which our faith and patience would be deliberately and regularly tried; in which we would be daily proved; in which we would walk by faith, not by sight; in which we would be individually tutored; in which we would be asked to endure well, while accepting that God loves us, even when we cannot always understand the meaning of all things—if He set up such a world, wouldn’t living in it be just about what we experience now?
“If we criticize God or are unduly miffed over sufferings and tribulation, we are really criticizing the Planner for implementing the very plan we once approved, premortally (see Job 38:4, 7). Granted, we don’t now remember the actual approval. But not remembering is actually part of the plan!
“In the midst of vexing difficulties, since we shouted ‘for joy’ in the premortal world, sometimes we may wonder now what all the shouting was about! However, our justified shouting for joy occurred in another place, in another time, and with another perspective. In our second estate we lack the memories of our first estate. We walk by faith here in the ‘muddled middle’—bereft of premortal memories. There—prospectively, at least—we saw the end from the beginning.
“In the muddled middle it is easy for some to decry the human circumstance or even to scoff at their Benefactor.”
(That Ye May Believe [1992], 10.)
