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Introduction
The book of Job is a microcosm of human history and Job
is an archetypal man who believes in God. The theme of the book is how a person
continues to trust God in the face of seemingly irrational suffering and evil. Over
the centuries men have labored to explain evil. The question of the "problem of
evil" has arisen from pondering the questions, "how can God exist and allow
evil?" and "if there is a God, how can he be good and allow his creatures to
suffer?" In the book of Job, this problem is examined by Job and his
friends. The problem becomes painfully real to Job because of the personal suffering
he experiences. Job and his friends explore numerous explanations for evil.
These explanations are inadequate and unsatisfying. But we also have something more
than human viewpoint; we have an explanation of evil beyond human perception. God
draws back the curtain to reveal a normally unperceived spiritual dimension. This
revelation provides us with insight into God's dealings with evil far greater than is
possible with purely human or naturalistic explanations. Through this revelation we
began to understand the role God has for men and women to resolve the problem of evil and
the angelic conflict.
Date
No one knows when Job was written but biblical lifespans provide us with a clue to
its date. The antediluvian lifespans generally lasted over 900 years (Gen. 5.5-5.31). Noah, the last of the antediluvians died at age 930.
Following the Flood, the biblical record indicates that lifespans dropped precipitously.
Shem died at age 600 (Gen. 11.10-11), Arpachshad died at 438 (Gen. 11.12), and Abraham, at least nine generations later than Shem, died at 175 (Gen. 25.7). Isaac, the son of Abraham, died at 180 (Gen. 35.28). Moses died at 120 but the Bible says he was still strong at that
age. He died prior to Israel's entering the Promised Land because God had told him
that he could not enter that land because of disobedience (Dt. 34.7). Job lived 140 years after his trial and double blessing (Job. 42.10). If Job's double blessing included length of years then he was 70.
Thus, if we take the 140 years of the double blessing and add it to his age of 70 he
lived to be 210. Such a lifespan would be consistent with the lifespans of men
between Serug, who lived to be 230 (Gen. 11.22-23), and Moses.
Issachar, a son of Jacob, had four sons, one of whom was named Job (Gen. 46.13). This son, if he was the same man as the book by his name, would fit into the lifespans above. With regard to the three friends of Job--Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar--Eliphaz (Gen. 36.4, 10) was a son of Esau and Bildad the Shuhite was perhaps a descendent of Shuah, the youngest son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen. 25.2). These individuals would be contemporaneous to Job.
An early date (i.e. earlier than Moses) for Job is also supported by the fact that we have no references to historical events such as the Exodus, the Conquest, or the Exile. Nor is there mention of the monarchy, the tabernacle, the temple, the priesthood, sabbaths (or anything associated with the Mosaic Law), or the prophets. The references to God and the practice of religion also indicate a pre-Law date. For example, Job offers sacrifices as the head of his family (Job 1.5; 42.8) as the patriarchs did before the Law. These evidences indicate that Job lived in the time of the patriarchs before the Law of Moses.
Outline
A general outline of the book is the following:
A Introduction 1.1-5
B Satanic Assault 1.6-2.10
C Job's Friends' Arrival 2.11-13
D Job's Friends 3.1-31.40
E Elihu the Mediator 32.1-37.24
D Job and YHVH 38.1-42.6
C Job's Friends' Departure 42.7-9
B Satan's Defeat 42.10-13
A Conclusion 42.14-17
Purpose of Job
There is a parallelism between Job and the history of mankind. In many ways
the life of Job is a pattern of the story of all
mankind. We all share characteristics with Job as sons and daughters of Adam.
Righteous
Job is introduced as "blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil" (Job 1.1). While Job was a fallen man, such a description of Job establishes him as a kind of unfallen Adam. Adam, the prototypical man, was created perfect and without sin. This is how mankind began.Rich
Job was rich. He had "7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants" (Job 1.3). He was known as the greatest man of the east (Job. 1.3). Adam was the king of the world. As the first man the entire world belonged to him.Satanic Attack
The book of Job begins with a brief introduction of Job. Through it we learn that he was blessed with family and material wealth. But most importantly we learn that Job is a righteous, godly man. The author then shifts our focus from earth to a heaven. Here, the sons of God, i.e. fallen angels (Gen. 6.1-4; Job 1.6, 2.1, 38.7), accompanied by Satan, are seen presenting themselves before God to render an account of their activities. God questioned Satan about his activities and then asked him a question. Job records,"The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."Satan replied that Job only feared God because he had protected him and made him rich. He challenged God that if he were allowed to take away his possessions, Job would curse God (Job 1.11). God accepted Satan's challenge. Satan destroyed all of Job's possessions and killed all his children. Rather than cursing God, as Satan had predicted, Job remained faithful to him (Job 1.20-22). Satan, a second time, accompanied by the sons of God, came to give an account of themselves. God repeated his question to Satan regarding Job, that there was no one like him in all the earth and that he remained faithful even though he had lost everything. Satan answered that if Job's body were afflicted, he would curse God (Job 2.5). God permitted Satan this power and Job became afflicted with boils over his entire body.Adam, the first man, was also allowed by God to be attacked by Satan. He rejected God's word and sinned. By this act, he lost his kingship of the world and all his possessions to Satan. Satan boasted to Jesus in his temptation that all the kingdoms and their glory were his to give to whomever he wished (Lk. 4.6). Jesus did not dispute his claim; it was true. So mankind by the work of Satan and the failure of Adam lost all he had to Satan.Explanations For Evil
The introduction of Job's friends begins Job's discourse on his condition, his friends' attempted explanation for it, and Job's replies to them. Job bewailed his condition and lamented his birth (Job 3.11). Job's friends attempted to comfort him and explain why evil had come to Job. However, as the conversations continued, their initial words of comfort turned accusatory and reproachful. Their explanations for Job's condition reflected their limited perceptions that evil was a matter of reaping what was sown and that God was chastening Job for his own good. Job maintained he had done nothing to deserve his condition. They replied that Job was a hypocrite and advised him to seek God and repent. The discourses of Job's friends are replete with the knowledge and wisdom of men in the east during Job's day. They provide us with great insight into their world and thoughts. Job's friends words should be cautionary to us. Explanations for evil and suffering are often more complex than what might seem.Each of us, from Adam onwards, are pictures of Job. Evil befalls us and we don't understand why. Many attempts have been made to explain the nature and reason for evil but none have been wholly successful or satisfying.
God's Response to the Explanations For Evil
Following the discourses of Job's friends God spoke to Job. He told Job to "gird up his loins like a man and I will ask you, and you will instruct Me!" (Job 38.3). God answered Job by a series of humbling questions. He asked "where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" (Job 38.4), "have you understood the expanse of the earth?" (Job 38.18), and "can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?" (Job 38.31). These questions demonstrated the majesty, power, and knowledge of God. Compared to God, man is puny, weak, and ignorant. Job's response to God indicates that he has abandoned any self-conceit, indignation, or concept of himself as victim. His response is full surrender: "Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth" (Job 40.4). Job went on to say,"I know that Thou canst do all things and that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 'Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask thee and do Thou instruct me.' I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees Thee; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42.2-6)Following Job's acknowledgement, God vindicated Job to his friends and doubled all that he had before.
Conclusion and Lessons
Job's story is in a real sense the story of everyone.
The Bible says that each of us is "in Adam". All that he had we had.
As sons and daughters of Adam we were righteous so long as Adam obeyed God.
But Adam lost everything when he rebelled against God. He "fell".
His fall was orchestrated by Satan. Job also lost everything due to a
challenge by Satan. God accepted Satan's challenge that Job would curse him if he
took away his possessions and if he took away his health. Satan also used the
"comfort" of Job's friends against Job and against God. But Job remained
faithful to God despite his terrible misery and confusion.
The suffering of the innocent cannot be explained by mere
human reason or experience. In the story of Job, God reveals a supernatural reason
behind suffering. In Job, the the curtain is drawn open a bit for us to see other
players involved, spiritual beings, in this drama of good and evil. He shows us that
in ways that we do not yet fully understand that mankind is a participant in his plan to
resolve the problem of evil. It is instructive to note that just as in a stage drama
there is an audience, in God's universal drama an audience is present also. It
is composed not only of the human race but of all creation. The beings above man
both observe and participate in the drama. In the Job account it is clear when Satan
comes to report to God about his activities that he is aware of Job. It is further
clear from Satan's answer to God's question as to God's question about where he has been,
"From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it" (1.7) that he spends
time in this realm.
Perhaps as an aside it might now be well to dispel the popular notion that Satan
is in Hell. There is no biblical evidence that Satan is in Hell, has even been in
Hell or will ever be in Hell. These ideas have come from poets such as Dante and
Milton but they have no biblical foundation. What the Bible teaches is that Satan
has access to the throne of God in heaven when he is summoned, to other parts of the
heavens, and to the earth. God one day will cast him into the Lake of Fire where he
will remain imprisoned forever.
Back to our main point, in the whole drama of good and evil we see that man
plays a key role. Each of us has a part in the resolution of the problem of evil and
each of us stand like Job as examples of soldiers who will be either loyal to our Creator
or rebellious like Satan.
The Bible teaches that the perfect archetypal man, the second Adam, Jesus
Christ, has defeated Satan and evil at the cross. The strategic victory over sin and
death has been won. But until the curtain is drawn down we still have a role in the
production. Those of us who trust in him have the privilege of being heirs of
him. As believers in Christ we share his victory over Satan and evil for we are
"in him" just as we were "in Adam". Just as with Job, the
blessings for those who have trusted God will be far more than those that Adam lost.
All that Christ has will be ours. John wrote,
"Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is" (1 John 3.2).
God allowed the world to fall into sin. Had he desired,
he could have done otherwise. But God in his wisdom determined that a fallen and
redeemed world more glorious than a world that never fell. Does this make God
responsible for sin? No. Each of us has his own will and the ability to make
the choice to trust and obey God or to go our own way. We also must not forget that
it is God himself who is the chief victim of sin, suffering, and death. This is a
high mystery but the Bible teaches that Christ died for everyone. He suffered the
penalty of eternal death for each person to redeem us from the penalty and power of sin
and death.
Job was victorious because of faith. He trusted God
despite the apparent irrationality of his suffering and the limited human viewpoint of his
friends. In God's plan the end will be ineffably more glorious than the
beginning. We are not able to comprehend the glory that God has prepared for those
who love him. Satan and evil will be destroyed forever and all who have trusted
him--as Job--will be vindicated. The one essential thing, the sine qua non,
that God is looking for is men and women who will trust him--even when or perhaps
especially when circumstances militate against that trust. In Hebrews we read,
"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Heb. 9.6).
We can not please God without faith. The Bible says it
is impossible. There are a couple of famous verses in Job that reveal Job's mindset
through his suffering. He said,
"Though He slay me I will hope in Him" (Job 15.15a).
Jacob was far from perfect. He was a chiseler and we
would probably feel uncertain about doing business with him. But,
Jacob knew God and trusted him. When he wrestled with God he refused to turn him
loose until he blessed him. This is what Job did and what each of us is called to
do.
Job declared,
"And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God" (Job 19.25-26).
Job knew that God lived and would one day rule upon the earth
and set things right. He also looked forward in expectation to the day that God
would restore his tormented flesh. God is looking for Jobs. He is looking for
men and women who will trust him in spite of circumstances that challenge
appearances. Job is a model and an encouragement for all to remain faithful to God.
tw~| a)gapw~nti h(ma~j kai\ lu/santi h(ma~j e)k tw~n a(martiw~n h(mw~n e)n tw|~ a(i/mati au)tou~.
©2000 Don Samdahl. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.
Updated February 09, 2004