Some thoughts on Job

 Ok, So today some thoughts of a more religious nature.

Lately, i’ve been thinking about Job. now most people of my acquaintance think of Job when they are going through a particularly rough patch. and think to themselves. “at least i haven’t suffered as bad as that old guy.” but i’ve been thinking about this take on it, and i’m not sure that is all we can learn from Job. The book of Job has always bothered me, especially the ending; but it wasn’t until recently that i realized why. I think we are completely missing the point of Job.

Ok so a quick overview of the story of Job. Job was a ridiculously rich man, who had lots of awesome kids, an beautiful loving wife, and huge house, and more mustangs than he knew what to do with. Job, though, was special. unlike most rich people in scripture he thanked God for everything he had, and blessed his name. In the story Satan appears before God and tells him. “sure he worships you, you’ve given him everything he’s ever asked for. his life isn’t hard. he’s got it easy. If you were to take away his riches, he would curse you.” God Answers, “Well, you have yourself a bet, go ahead and take away everything he has.” So Satan ransacks Job’s like, takes away all his possessions, his money, and even kills all of his kids. eventually he is cursed with a disease and his wife leaves him.

and that is the part of the story that everyone concentrates on. all of the lessons of Job are pulled from that portion, (even though that tale is done by Chapter 2, and there are 42 Chapters in Job). I can understand that, that part is a story and stories are easy to grasp. The rest of the book of Job is an Epic poem in an ancient hebrew style (think Jewish Iliad) nobody bothers with homer now a days, and we have ever so much more in comment with the Greeks than we do the Hebrews, so this part of the tale gets skipped. But this is the important part of the tale, the crux of the poem, and the reason that it is included in the Old Testament.

Ok so what happens in the rest of the book of Job. Well, Job has three friends. and they decide to swing by Job’s place and see what’s happening. Each of his three friends takes turns trying to convince Job that he must have done something wrong, God wouldn’t punish him like this, unless he deserves it. however, Job responds that he is perfect, and he does not deserve the treatment he received.

The four friends sit around and argue over philosophy for a good chunk of the book, and there are a lot of good things in there. It talks about the Justness of God, the rightness of his acts, that he cannot sin. etc. In fact in these chapters of Job you get a much clearer picture of the attributes of God than you do in any other book of scripture. Through Job’s responses you get insight on the duties of man, and he continually expounds on the fact that sometimes wicked people prosper and righteous people suffer. he says, “Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power. Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. their houses are safe from fear neither is the rod of god upon them (Job 21: 7-9) Job uses this example to show that though they prosper on the Earth, they will pay in the afterlife. He insists that even though he is not prospering on Earth, because he is righteous he will prosper in Heaven.

This banter continues on until Chapter 32, when we learn that there is a fifth person present at this meeting. apparently he is a young man, as such is left entirely out of the conversation. Until it comes to a point, that Job’s friends have nothing more to say. Now at this point it says two interesting phrases. it says, “[his wrath was kindled] against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. (Job 32:3)” This young man, whose name is Elihu was peeved at Job’s three friends, because instead of attempting to understand Job, they condemned him as a sinner. He was angry because they couldn’t understand that something bad might just happen to a good person. They were full of pride, and self-righteousness. This is seen as a point for the good guys. Job is a righteous man, and he has been defended against his accusers.

But.

But then it says something else it says, “against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God (Job 32:2) This is the actual point of the story of Job. and this is what keeps getting missed. Later Elihu says, “I have heard the voice of thy words, saying. I am clean without transgression I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me ... Behold, in this thou art not just; i will answer thee, that God is greater than man. (Job 33: 8-12). Elihu is saying that the very act of Job claiming to be righteous is a sin, that that is in fact Job’s sin. Its important to note, that Elihu is not saying that Job deserves the things that happened to him, and he is not saying that they happened because of Job’s sin. He is saying. “Job, buddy. look. you are so close.but you have this one little problem. you still think you know better than God. You need to let it go.”

Eventually Elihu finishes teaching the men, and the Lord himself speaks to Job. This is the part that always bothered me. and i didn’t understand until recently. Growing up and hearing this story it was always understood one way. Job was good, God made a bet, Job went through Hell. God won his bet, God told Job that he had done well. However, that’s not how it happens at all. God comes to Job, and he doesn’t say, good job he says. who do you think you are? Ok, what he really says is, “ where was thou when i laid the foundations of the earth? (Job 38: 4) God comes to Job, after all of these horrible things happened to him, and instead of comforting him. he teaches him. He asks where Job was at the beginning. He expounds on the many works of His hands, and Job can barely even understand a portion of the glory and the works of God. He points to all of the things that he can do, the power, the righteousness, and the Glory. and he dares Job to do the same things he has. He even asks Job, “wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? (Job 40: 8)

At this Job repents, (read all of Job 42: 1-6 which is marvelous) and says, “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.” (Job 42: 5-6) This is the sin of Job, that in his suffering, he held his righteousness up, instead of looking to the lord. It isn’t until he sees and understands the nothingness of man, that he is able to finally repent.

So, what is the point of Job? I think Elihu says it best, “Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.” (Job 37: 14)