Job was a righteous and wealthy man who lived during the time of the patriarchs, likely between 2000 and 1700 BC. He is the central figure of the Old Testament book named after him. The Book of Job addresses the issue of why innocent people suffer, an issue as relevant today as it was when Job went through his trials.
Here is an overview of what the Bible reveals about Job:
Job’s Character
The Book of Job introduces Job as a man who “was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1). He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a large number of servants (Job 1:2-3). He was “the greatest of all the people of the east” (Job 1:3). Clearly, Job was a wealthy and influential man in his community.
More importantly, Job was a spiritual man who regularly prayed and offered sacrifices on behalf of his children, just in case they had sinned (Job 1:5). He had a close relationship with God and was consistently faithful in his worship and service to the Lord.
Job’s Testing
One day, divine beings including Satan presented themselves to God. Satan challenged Job’s faithfulness, claiming that Job only worshipped God because of the blessings God had given him. Satan asserted that if those blessings were taken away, Job would surely curse God. God allowed Satan to test Job’s faith by stripping him of all his possessions in a single day (Job 1:6-22).
Despite losing everything, Job did not sin or blame God. He worshipped the Lord, saying, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21).
Later, Satan came before God again, claiming that Job had protected his life during the first test. Satan said that if Job’s health was affected, Job would surely turn against God. So God allowed Satan to afflict Job with terrible sores all over his body (Job 2:1-8).
Even in agony and wishing for death, Job did not sin with his words. His wife told him to curse God and die, but Job maintained his integrity, asking her, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:9-10).
The Counsel of Job’s Friends
When three of Job’s friends – Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar – heard of Job’s suffering, they came to sympathize with him and comfort him (Job 2:11). However, when they saw Job’s condition, they barely recognized him. They sat with him in silence for seven days and nights (Job 2:12-13).
This is where the dialogues between Job and his three friends begin. His friends insisted that Job must have sinned greatly for God to allow such terrible things to happen. They applied their limited human understanding to make sense of Job’s situation. Over the next several chapters, they counsel Job to repent of whatever sins he was hiding.
Job, however, knew he was righteous before God. He grew frustrated with his friends’ bad advice. Job wished someone could arbitrate between himself and God so that he could state his case before the Almighty (Job 9:32-35).
Elihu’s Counsel
A young man named Elihu had been listening to the exchanges between Job and his three friends. Angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God, Elihu rebuked Job for challenging God’s justice (Job 32:1-22).
Elihu suggested that God uses suffering to discipline people so they might turn away from sin and draw closer to Him. He said that no one can fully comprehend God’s ways, as He is so much greater than humanity. Elihu stated that the righteous should trust God, even when they cannot explain what He is doing (Job 33-37).
God’s Response to Job
Finally, God Himself spoke to Job from a whirlwind. God challenged Job with a series of rhetorical questions intended to illustrate God’s divine wisdom, power and sovereignty over all creation.
Some examples include:
- “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” (Job 38:4)
- “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place?” (Job 38:12)
- “Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?” (Job 38:35)
Over four chapters, God emphasized how little Job knew about the inner workings of the universe compared to the Lord’s unlimited understanding. Job was humbled and admitted his lack of wisdom (Job 40:3-5). Job came to see that he should trust God no matter what happened in his life.
After Job repented, God rebuked Job’s three friends for falsely accusing Job. God told them to have Job pray for them, otherwise God would deal with them as their folly deserved (Job 42:7-9). Job prayed for his friends and God accepted Job’s prayer.
Job’s Restoration
God restored what Job had lost twofold. Job again had 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys, and he was blessed with 10 more children – seven sons and three daughters. He lived 140 more years and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation (Job 42:10-17).
The Book of Job closes by emphasizing the Lord’s sovereignty and wisdom. Through all Job’s trials, he recognized God’s power and maintained his integrity. In the end, God blessed Job greatly for his faithfulness.
Lessons from Job
The Book of Job teaches many important lessons, including:
- God allows suffering to refine the righteousness of humanity.
- Evil exists in the world, but God maintains control over it.
- God’s ways are higher than humanity’s ways.
- People should have an unwavering trust in God even when they cannot understand His actions.
- Righteous living brings blessings, while sinfulness leads to suffering.
Job models steadfast faith and endurance through sufferings. His attitude stands in contrast to his wife’s calls to curse God. Job’s story illustrates God’s ultimate faithfulness to those who love and obey Him.
Major Themes in Job
Here are some of the major themes and big questions addressed in the Book of Job:
The Cause of Suffering
The Book of Job examines why innocent people suffer. Job’s friends thought his suffering must be God’s punishment for some secret sin. However, Job knew he was righteous. His story proves that suffering is not always a consequence of a person’s sin.
The Sovereignty of God
A major theme in Job is God’s sovereignty over human affairs. God allowed Satan to bring suffering upon Job up to a set limit. Satan could not test Job without God’s permission. This shows how God maintains ultimate authority over evil.
The Inscrutability of God’s Ways
Job and his friends struggled to understand why God allowed Job’s suffering. Over 35 chapters they argue back and forth. Ultimately, when God finally speaks, He does not directly answer their questions about the cause of Job’s suffering. God’s ways are often mysterious and unfathomable to the human mind.
Faith in the Face of Suffering
Job’s steadfast faith in God despite his trials sets an important example for believers. No matter how difficult life gets or how incomprehensible God’s ways may seem, believers should maintain their trust in God’s wisdom, justice and goodness.
The Value of Righteousness
Job is portrayed as upright and blameless before God, unique in a world full of evil. God eventually blesses Job because of his righteousness. This affirms the eternal value of steadfast integrity. Sin always has consequences, while righteousness brings reward.
Prophetic Connections
Job is an important Old Testament figure. Several verses in the Bible connect Job with the coming Messiah.
Isaiah and James mention Job as an example of perseverance:
- “Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job…” (James 5:11)
- “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” (Job 23:10)
Ezekiel lists Job along with Noah and Daniel as men of great righteousness:
“even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 14:14)
Job’s intense suffering points forward to the suffering of Jesus Christ. Just as Job maintained faith through suffering, Jesus endured the cross “for the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2).
Arguments on the Historicity of Job
Some scholars question whether Job was a real historical figure or just a fictional character in a parable. There are good arguments on both sides of this issue.
Arguments that Job Was a Real Person
- The first verse introduces Job as a historical figure: “There was a man…” Similar to other biblical patriarchs.
- Job is mentioned along with Noah and Daniel in Ezekiel 14, suggesting he was a real person.
- James 5:11 refers to the perseverance of Job, indicating he endured real suffering.
- Details about Job like his homeland, his children, his livestock, etc. suggest a real biography.
Arguments that Job is an Allegory
- Job is not mentioned anywhere else in the Old Testament besides his own book.
- The speeches between Job and his friends read more like a philosophical debate than historical events.
- The dramatic poetic dialogue suggests this may be more of a theological story than literal history.
- The events like Satan appearing before God may be figurative rather than actual occurrences.
Ultimately, there are good reasons to see Job as either a literal figure or an allegorical character. Either way, the lessons and themes conveyed in the book remain valid and important.
Conclusion
The Book of Job gives important perspective on undeserved suffering and God’s sovereignty. Job models how believers should respond in times of trial – by blessing the Lord whether He gives or takes away. After Job’s period of testing, God blessed him with long life, wealth, and children. Job’s patient endurance during suffering makes him an exemplary model of faith.
The story raises difficult questions about suffering that still challenge believers today. While God’s ways can be inscrutable, Christians have confidence that God is just and merciful. Ultimately, God will bring justice and make all things right. Until then, believers can take courage from the example of faithful saints like Job who endured suffering without losing hope or faith in the goodness of God.