On the Job Reflections
On the Book of Job that is . . . Now this excellent but mysterious part of Scripture is considered by many to be the oldest part. And it deals with maybe the oldest problem in the world, “Why is this happening to me??” All ask this when tragedy strikes. The problem is we may not have a good answer, or anyone else. (Except God . . .) My mother mentioned Job early in my childhood – she had a serious handicap. I think she may have concluded that life has questions & problems that rattle us to the BONE.
The book in a nutshell – Job was at the top of his society & very rich & righteous. Had a wonderful family. We see a sovereign God in a heavenly council where “sons of god” (Angels) were present, and Satan comes in. Our adversary challenges God to strike Job as a test & God signs off on the plan. Then tragedy by surprise struck Job down. First all his possessions were destroyed or stolen, then all his children & workers killed. Then he comes down with a terrible skin problem & boils. Three comforters come to Job who only accuse Job of secret sins & don’t have real answers. Then a fourth comforter (Elihu) enters with a better argument/speech that Job was being cleansed by God. Unger- “Elihu adds a momentous truth that affliction of the righteous is disciplinary.” Then God answers “from the whirlwind” & gives His authoritative speech. Job is humbled & justified by God. Then God doubles Job’s blessing & gives him 10 more children & 140 more years.
Now Job’s ancient society was considered to be about 2100-1900 B.C. – the time of Abraham. Scofield gives this – “the patriarchal period is inferred from his great age, various geographical references . . . and no mention of the law & the Tabernacle . . . lofty Biblical concepts of God, man, Satan, righteousness, redemption and resurrection may show . . . the wide extent of revelation in that region even before Scripture.” And for the mystery, “there is no answer except the attitude of worship in which we humbly acknowledge that a Sovereign God cannot be required by men to give all the reasons for what He chooses to do.” (God has the Divine Counsels, we must have the FAITH.)
Some key refs in Job – there are plenty more, but I must be brief . . .
-- 1:7 KJV “The Lord said unto Satan, ‘Whence comest thou?’ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, ‘From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
-- 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”
-- 19:25-26 KJV “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:”
-- 23:10 KJV “But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
-- 42:5-6 KJV “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
-- Proverbs 18:24 “There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
-- John 10:10 KJV “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” (Jesus said that about 2000 years after Job’s life & trials.)
I would dare to say the first & last 2 chapters of the book of Job are so excellent that Scripture would not be complete w/o them. And it’s interesting that Job said a lot of harsh things in the chapters in between about God, but God seems to have taken it as a friend. Job argued with his friend God, who was big & noble enough to settle the problem and still be Job’s friend. God’s graceful nature & character is revealed. Now in the New Testament we have almost a parallel story of a “suffering victim” by the name of Lazarus. He was well off in a prominent family w/Christ as a personal friend. I believe this Gospel account goes a few levels above the Job account because Lazarus even dies, but Jesus went to his tomb & called him out. That is resurrection from the dead! John 11:1-44 And it’s a fabulous picture of OUR better day & age with complete Scripture & with Jesus Christ as personal friend & advocate. See John 15:13-17
Well, I finish this by saying the Book of Job and ALL Scripture is CHOICE because it shows IF God is involved in our life, we are Blessed & ultimately WIN BIG because He is good & He takes care of His friends. Are YOU on His team? Are YOU His friend?? Choose Jesus, He is Alive. See also “Comfort From Above” & “Divine Healing” links 136 & 132.
Many other Titles: www.gospelnotes.org * * F. J. Stone * * 190
