The Book of Job, Background
Quick Rundown
The Book of Job is an account of a good man who
suffers total disaster – at the request of Satan. Job loses all his children
and property and is afflicted with a nasty disease. Then in three series of
poetic dialogues the author shows how Job’s friends and Job himself react to
these calamities. In the end, God Himself, whose dealings with the human race
have been a prominent part of the discussions, appears to Job for their own
intimate discussion.
The friends of Job explain his suffering from traditional
religious perspective. Since the assumption is that God always rewards good and
punishes evil, the sufferings of Job can only mean that he has sinned. But for
Job this is too simple since Job has done nothing wrong on record, and thus is
not deserving of such cruel punishment. In fact, Job is an unusually good and
righteous man and even he himself cannot understand how God can let so much
evil happen to someone like himself. So, he boldly challenges God. While he
does not lose his faith, he does long to be justified before God to regain his
honor as a good man.
God does not give an answer to Job’s inquiry of
vindication, but he does respond by overwhelming Job with a poetic picture of
His divine power and wisdom. Job then humbly acknowledges God as all-wise and
great, and repents of the wild and angry words he used. The conclusion is
captured by how Job has really sensed that God is greater than traditional
religion has depicted Him.
Title
As with other books of the Bible, Job bears the name of
the narrative’s primary character. This name might have been derived from the
Hebrew word for “persecution,” thus meaning “persecuted one,” or from an Arabic
word meaning “repent,” thus bearing the name “repentant one.” The author
recounts an era in the life of Job, in which he was tested and the character of
God was revealed. New Testament writers directly quote Job two times (Ro 11:35;
1Co 3:19), plus Ezekiel 14:14,20 and James 5:11 show Job was a real person.
Author and Date
The date of the book’s writing may be much later than the
events recorded therein. This conclusion is based on: 1) Job’s age (42:16; 2)
his life span of nearly 200 years (42:16) which fits the patriarchal period
(Abraham lived 175 years; Genesis 25:7); 3) the social unit being the
patriarchal family; 4) the Chaldeans who murdered Job’s servants (1:17) were
nomads and had not yet become city dwellers; 5) Job’s wealth being measured in
livestock rather than gold and silver (1:3; 42:12); 6) Job’s priestly functions
within his family of Moses. The events of Job’s odyssey appear to be
patriarchal. Job, on the other hand, seemed to know about Adam (31:33) and the
Noahic flood (12:15). These cultural/historical features found in the book
appear to place the events chronologically at a time probably after Babel (Ge
11:1-9) but before or contemporaneous with Abraham (Genesis 11:27…).
Background and Settings
This book begins with a scene in heaven that explains
everything to the reader (1:6-2:10). Job was suffering because God was
contesting with Satan. Job never knew that, nor did any of his friends, so thy
all struggled to explain suffering from the perspective of their ignorance, until
finally Job rested in nothing but faith in God’s goodness and the hope of His
redemption. That God vindicated his trust is the culminating message of the
book. When there are no rational theological explanations for disaster and
pain, trust God.
Historical and Theological Themes
The occasion and events that follow Job’s sufferings present
significant questions for the faith of believers in all ages. Why does Job
serve God? Job is heralded for his righteousness, being compared with Noah and
Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14-20), and for his spiritual endurance (James 5:11).
Several other questions are alluded to throughout Job’s ordeal, for instance, “Why
do the righteous suffer?” Though an answer to that question may seem important,
the book does not set forth such an answer. Job never knew the reasons for his
suffering and neither did his friends. The righteous sufferer does not appear
to learn about any of the heavenly court debates between God and Satan that
precipitated his pain. In fact, when finally confronted by the Lord of the
universe, Job put his hand over his mouth and said nothing. Job’s silent
response in no way trivialized the intense pain and loss he had endured. It
merely underscored the importance of trusting God’s purposes during suffering because
suffering, like all other human experiences, is directed by perfect divine
wisdom. In the end, the lesson learned was that one may never know the specific
reason for his suffering; but one must trust in Sovereign God. That is the real
answer to suffering.
The book treats two major themes and many other minor
ones, both in the narrative framework of the prologue (chapter 1 and 2) and
epilogue (42:7-17), and in the poetic account of Job’s torment that lies in-between
(31-42:6). A key to understanding the first theme of the book is to notice the
debate between God and Satan in heaven and how it connects with 3 cycles of
earthly debates between Job and his friends. God wanted to prove the character
of believers to Satan and to all demons, angels, and people. The accusations
are by Satan, who indicated God’s claims of Job’s righteousness as being untested,
if not questionable. Satan’s confidence that he could turn Job against God
came, no doubt, from the fact that he had led the holy angels to rebel with
him. Satan thought he could destroy Job’s faith in God by inflicting suffering on
him, thus showing in principle that saving faith could be shattered. God
released Satan to make his point if he could, but he failed, as true faith in
God proved unbreakable. Even Job’s wife told him to curse God (2:9), but he
refused; his faith in God never failed (13:15). Satan tried to do the same to
Peter (Luke 22:31-34) and was unsuccessful in destroying Peter’s faith (John
21:15-19). When Satan has unleased all that he can to destroy saving faith, it
stands firm (Romans 8:31-39). In the end, God proved His point with Satan that
saving faith can’t be destroyed no matter how much trouble a saint suffers, or
how incomprehensible and undeserved it seems.
A second and related theme concerns proving the character
of God to men. Does this sort of ordeal, in which God and His opponent Satan
square off, with righteous Job as the test case, suggest that God is lacking in
compassion and mercy toward Job? Not at all. As James says, “You have heard of
the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the
Lord is full of compassion and is merciful” (James 5:11). It was to prove the
very opposite (42:10-17). Job says, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and
not accept adversity?” (2:10). God’s servant does not deny that he has suffered.
He does not deny his suffering is a result of sin. Nor does he understand why
he suffers, however. Job simply commits his ordeal with a devout heart of
worship and humility (42:5,6) to a sovereign and perfectly wise Creator – and that
was what God wanted him to learn in this conflict with Satan. In the end, God
flooded Job with more blessings than he had ever known.
The major reality of the book is the inscrutable mystery
of innocent suffering. God ordains that His children walk in sorrow and pain,
sometimes because of sin (reference Numbers 12:10-12), sometimes for chastening
(reference Hebrews 12:5-12), sometimes for strengthening (reference 2
Corinthians 12:7-10; 1 Peter 5:10), and sometimes to give opportunity to reveal
His comfort and grace (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). But there are times when the
compelling issue in the suffering of the saints is unknowable because it is for
a heavenly purpose that those on earth can’t discern (reference Exodus 4:11;
John 9:1-3).
Job and his friends wanted to analyze the suffering and
look for causes and solutions. Using all of their sound theology and insight
into the situation, they searched for answers, but found only useless and wrong
ideas, for which God and Satan was unknown to them. They thought they knew all
the answers, but they only intensified the dilemma by their insistent
ignorance.
By spreading out some of the elements of this great
theme, we can see the following truths in Job’s experience:
1) There are
matters going on in heaven with God that believers know nothing about; yet,
they affect their lives;
2) Even the best
effort at explaining the issues of life can be useless;
3) God’s people
do suffer. Bad things happen all the time to good people, so one cannot judge a
person’s spirituality by his painful circumstances or successes;
4) Even though
God seems far away, perseverance in faith is a most notable virtue since God is
good and one can safely leave his life in His hands;
5) The believer
in the midst of suffering should not abandon God, but draw near to Him, so out
of the fellowship can come the comfort – without the explanation; and
6) Suffering may
be intense, but it will ultimately end for the righteous and God will bless
abundantly.
Interpretive Challenges
The most critical interpretive challenge involves the
book’s primary message. Although often thought to be the pressing issue of the
book, the question of why Job suffers is never revealed to Job, thought the reader
knows that it involves God’s proving a point to Satan – a matter which
completely transcends Job’s ability to understand. James’ commentary on Job’s
case (James 5:11) draws the conclusion that it was to show God’s compassion and
mercy, but without apology, offers no explanation for Job’s specific ordeal.
Readers find themselves, putting their proverbial hands over their mouths, with
no right to question or accuse the all-wise and all-powerful Creator, who will
do as He pleases, and in so doing both proves His points in the spiritual realm
to angels and demons while defining His compassion and mercy. Engaging in “theodicy,”
i.e. man’s attempt to defend God’s involvement in calamity and suffering, is
shown to be appropriate in these circumstances, though in the end, it is apparent
that God does not need nor want a human advocate. The book of Job poignantly
illustrates Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God…”
The nature of Job’s guilt and innocence raises perplexing
questions. God declared Job perfect, upright, fearing God, and shunning evil
(1:1). But Job’s comforters raised a critical question based on Job’s ordeal:
Had not Job sinned? On several occasions, Job readily admitted to having sinned
(7:21; 13:26). But Job questioned the extent of his sin as compared to the
severity of his suffering. God rebuked Job in the end for his demands to be
vindicated of the comforter’s accusations (38-41). But He also declared that
what Job said was correct and what the comforters said was wrong (42:7).
Another challenge comes in keeping separate the
pre-understandings that Job and his comforters brought to Job’s ordeal. At the
outset, all agreed that God punishes evil, rewards obedience, and no exceptions
are possible. Job, due to his suffering innocently, was forced to conclude that
exceptions are possible in that the righteous suffer also. He also observed
that the wicked prosper. These are more than small exceptions to the rule, thus
forcing Job to rethink his simple understanding about God’s sovereign
interaction with His people. The type of wisdom Job come to embrace was not
dependent merely on the promise of reward or punishment. The long, peevish, disputes
between Job and his accusers were attempts to reconcile the perceived inequities
of God’s retribution in Job’s experiences. Such an empirical method is
dangerous. In the end, God offered no explanation to Job, but rather called all
parties to a deeper level of trust in the Creator, who rules over a
sin-confused world with power and authority directed by perfect wisdom and
mercy.
Understanding this book requires 1) understanding the
nature of wisdom, particularly the difference between man’s wisdom and God’s
and 2) admitting that Job and his friends lacked the divine wisdom to interpret
Job’s circumstance accurately, though his friends kept trying while Job learned
to be content in God’s sovereignty and mercy. The turning point or resolution
for this matter is found in Job 28 where the character of divine wisdom is
explained: divine wisdom rare and priceless; man cannot hope to purchase it;
and God possesses it all. We may not know what is going on in heaven or what
God’s purposes are, but we must trust Him. Because of this, the matter of
believers suffering takes a back seat to the matter of divine wisdom.Outline
I. The Dilemma
(1:1-2:13)
A.
Introduction
to Job (1:1-5)
B.
Divine Debates
with Satan (1:6-2:10)
C.
Arrival of
Friends (2:11-13)
II. The Debates
(3:1-37:24)
A.
The First
Cycle (3:-14:22)
1.
Job’s first
speech expresses despair (3:1-26)
2.
Eliphaz’s
first speech kindly protests and urges humility and repentance (4:1-5:27)
3.
Job’s reply to
Eliphaz expresses anguish and questions the trials, asking for sympathy in his
pain (6:1-7:21)
4.
Bildad’s first
speech accuses Job of impugning God (8:1-22)
5.
Job’s response
to Bildad admits he is not perfect, but may protest what seems unfair
(9:1-10:22)
6.
Zophar’s first
speech tells Job to get right with God (11:1-20)
7.
Job’s response
to Zophar tells his friends they are wrong and only God knows and will,
hopefully, speak to him (12:1-14:22)
B.
The Second
Cycle (15:1-21:34)
1.
Eliphaz’s
second speech accuses Job of presumption and disregarding the wisdom of the
ancients (15:1-35)
2.
Job’s response
to Eliphaz appeals to God against his unjust accusers (16:1-17:16)
3.
Bildad’s
second speech tells Job he is suffering just what he deserves (18:1-21)
4.
Job’s response
to Bildad cries out to God for pity (19:1-29)
5.
Zophar’s second
speech accuses Job of rejecting God by questioning His justice (20:1-29)
6.
Job’s response
to Zophar says he is out of touch with reality (21:1-34)
C.
The Third
Cycle (22:1-26:14)
1.
Eliphaz’s
third speech denounces Job’s criticism of God’s justice (22:1-30)
2.
Job’s response
to Eliphaz is that God knows he is without guilt, and yet in His providence and
refining purpose He permits temporary success for the wicked (23:1-24:25)
3.
Bildad’s third
speech scoffs at Job’s direct appeal to God (25:1-6)
4.
Job’s response
to Bildad is that God is indeed perfectly wise and absolutely sovereign, but
not simplistic as they thought (26:1-14)
D.
The Final
Defense of Job (27:1-31:40)
1.
Job’s first
monologue affirms his righteousness and that man can’t discover God’s wisdom
(27:1-28:28)
2.
Job’s second
monologue remembers his past, describes his present, defends his innocence, and
asks for God to defend him (29:1-31:40)
E.
The Speeches
of Elihu (32:1-37:24)
1.
Elihu enters
into the debate to break the impasse (32:1-22)
2.
Elihu charges
Job with presumption in criticizing God, not recognizing that God may have a
loving purpose, even in allowing Job to suffer (33:1-33)
3.
Elihu declares
that Job has impugned God’s integrity by claiming that it does not pay to lead
a godly life (34:1-37)
4.
Elihu urges
Job to wait patiently for the Lord (35:1-16)
5.
Elihu believes
that God is disciplining Job (36:1-21)
6.
Elihu urges that
human observers can hardly expect to understand adequately God’s dealings in
administering justice and mercy (36:22-37:24)
III.
The
Deliverance (38:1-42:17)
A.
God
interrogates Job (38:1-41:34)
1.
God’s first
response to Job (38:1-40:2)
2.
Job’s answer
to God (40:3-5)
3.
God’s second
response to Job (406-41:34)
B.
Job Confesses,
Worships, and is Vindicated (42:1-17)
1.
Job passes
judgment upon himself (42:1-6)
2.
God rebukes
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (42:7-9)
3.
God restores
Job’s family, wealth, and long life (42:10-17)
MacArthur Study Bible, NASB, Updated Edition. 2006. Nelson Bibles,
Thomas Nelson. La Habra, CA.
