UNDERSTANDING JOB

Having just completed reading the book of Job, I am once again deeply impressed with this ancient man’s testimony.           

There are only seven main characters in his report:

   o   Job [his wife plays a minor role]

o   God

o   Satan

Distant living friends of Job:

o  
Eliphaz from Teman  

o  
Bildad from Shuhah             

o   Zophar from Naamath

o   Elihu – Job’s angry younger friend

The key to understanding this narrative that probably took place around the time of Abram [in Genesis], is recognizing that Job was a righteous man who loved and served God so thoroughly that God bragged about Job when Satan showed up one day in Heaven’s court. 

This set in motion Satan’s abuse of this man and the terrible things that occurred in quick succession to thoroughly upset his life!

I suggest that understanding this book is dependent on realizing two key points:

FIRST, it is essential to observe that at the end of chapter two, it is clearly declared that “Not once through all of this did Job sin. He said nothing against God.” [2:10]  All quotes from ™ unless otherwise noted.

SECOND, Job was confused because he KNEW that he had not sinned. In his confusion and having faced phenomenal loss, he became depressed! But depression is NOT a sin!

For the next thirty-five chapters, Job’s four friends [named above] confront him essentially with the same argument: that Job had either willfully or negligently sinned and was therefore experiencing the corrective wrath of God! 

HOWEVER, we know this cannot be true! [See the box above!]

Finally, in chapters 38-41, God confronts Job gently but directly! God craftfully explains His sovereignty and rulership over all of creation!

In the midst of this God-monologue, He turns to Job and says:

“Now what do you have to say for yourself?

Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?”

To which Job immediately answered:

“I’m speechless, in awe – words fail me.

I should never have opened my mouth!

I’ve talked too much, way too much.

I’m ready to shut up and listen.”

God then continues to make it clear to Job that He – and He alone runs this universe! ^{[see 41:11]}  In doing so, God references the awesomeness of His creation!

The final chapter reveals Job’s response to God:

“I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything.

Nothing and no one can upset Your plans.” [42:1]

Surprisingly, God then turns to Job’s friends and scolds them for their random babblings. He instructs them to go to Job for reconciliation so that they can be spiritually restored!  They did so!

Then God restored Job’s fortune – and doubled it!

I personally feel that these final verses of Job’s restoration are frequently exaggerated!  I will admit that there it can be cited as an example of God restoring what Satan has taken away from us. But to make this the major truth of the book is a travesty!

There is a final footnote that intrigues and delights me.  The author – who is unnamed – seems to want us to know in the final verses that Job had ten more children to match those he had lost earlier: seven sons and three daughters. But more important, we learn that Job treated his daughters as equal heirs with their brothers – providing the same inheritance. [42:15]  This stands in stark contrast to the limits placed on women as equals in many of our churches today!