Introduction
Job’s tragedy, the resulting dialogue and exchanges and final restoration have powerful lessons for all of us. Life can dish out some grief even when we have done our best to live righteously but we can hope for a better end and outcome especially if we are believing Christians. This comforts every person that has been hit with tragedy, sorrow and misfortune. This is the purpose of this book. To answer the questions, Why do the righteous suffer? How should we deal with our suffering and what will the end of be?
What manner of a man?
16If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 18(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) 19If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; 20If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 21If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: Job 31:16-21 (KJV)
According to these verses Job was not only obviously a man of faith but also one through whom kindness flowed to others. He helped the poor and the widow (v.16) he had sheltered and shared his food with orphans (v. 17-18). He had helped and clothed the needy (V. 19). Jesus had also said, when you have a feast invite the poor and needy not the rich (Luke 14:3). James tells us such kindness is pure religion when combined with holiness (James 1:27) Job also describes his walk in the ‘holiness’ department as above reproach. No wonder The Lord had boasted about this man’s ways and his fear and reverential respect for him (Job 1:8).
9If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door; 10Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. 11For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. Job 31:9-11 (KJV)
In the above quoted chapter and especially in the verses indicated, we get a vivid picture of what Job was like. Job relates a mini-biography that would make the best of Christians look bad. These poetry portions are even more revealing than the prologue written in prose about Job’s character in understanding the type of man Job was.
It will not just do Job justice to say, Job was a really good man but a sinner like all of us. Why was Job called a good man without par in all the earth? ”Wow!?, In all the earth?” Only a few exceptional men have had the distinction of being called the most humble, most wise in all the earth and these were Moses and Solomon respectively. Job in his just dealings must have reached the highest bar that can possibly be attained by men, yet his problems were just about to start.
Spiritual Warfare
Job’s bafflement of the events that had overtaken him emanated from the impeccable life he had lived. Why me? That he was a good man was not just his own evaluation but also God’s and negatively Satan’s, although the latter attributes self interest to Job’s motivations. This perfect life, surprisingly enough seems to be the reason he gets caught in-between God and Satan (Job 1:8,9). Such warfare, it’s proven, no one will escape who lives, past, present and future including even our Lord Jesus. This single profound truth can become one of the great lessons from Job. Life in its spiritually bare form is a battle and a warfare that involves us with colossal spiritual forces. This parallels what the rest of the Bible says on the subject. See for example Jesus’ temptation or the verses in Ephesians that clearly depict this warfare[1]
12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.[2]
The Reasons For Suffering
Satan Challenges even The Lord’s testimony about Job and God permits a temporary trail period for Job by Satan with certain conditions. Why? Because God is sovereign and able to command anything and everything he wants concerning his creation. That was also the sum of The Lord’s answer to Job at the end[3]. One need not ask “Why?” one needs only to trust God. That seems to be one of the important lessons conveyed by this marvelous book. Another important lesson is that others who witness our suffering will more often than not misinterpret it as God’s wrath and fall into judgment themselves.
But the real reason for suffering is not as satisfactorily answered as in other New Testament portions concerning the subject of suffering. However, Job must have come to a realization of ‘the why’ himself and gives us the following hint.
10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.[4]
A fuller more satisfying explanation of suffering from the New Testament can be found in the apostle Peter’s epistles who also had a theology of suffering as a fellow Christian sufferer and one who had seen The Lord suffer.
4:1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;[5]
10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.[6]
Why God permits the temporary suffering of his own becomes one among many theological questions that posit themselves to the reader of Job’s story. According to Peter, Suffering works in us sanctification. Therefore, the questions Job posits for its reader gets its full answer in The New Testament in Christ. This is perhaps also an answer and a solution to the questions and riddles of our own lives.
A Blessed End For the Sufferer
God is the ultimate authority on the outcome of suffering and He must anticipate a good end for it. This we can believe and rejoice about knowing that the reality of suffering is inescapable for every soul but its end will always be beneficial to it. The end for Job was a theophany[7] and a blessing and a restoration that exceeded his initial state and ownings[8]. Job had the joy of seeing the lord which is the heart desire of all devout men yet granted to only a few like Moses, Daniel and Isaiah. “The pure in heart shall see God.”[9]
[1] (Matt. 4: 1-10. Eph 2:2).
[2] Ephes. 6:12 (KJV)
[3] (Job 401; 42:1
[4] Job 23:10 (KJV)
[5] 1 Peter 4:1 (KJV)
[6] 1 Peter 5:10 (KJV)
[7] (Job 42:5)
[8] Job 42:12,15
[9] Matthew Ch 5
Job’s tragedy, the resulting dialogue and exchanges and final restoration have powerful lessons for all of us. Life can dish out some grief even when we have done our best to live righteously but we can hope for a better end and outcome especially if we are believing Christians. This comforts every person that has been hit with tragedy, sorrow and misfortune. This is the purpose of this book. To answer the questions, Why do the righteous suffer? How should we deal with our suffering and what will the end of be?
What manner of a man?
16If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 18(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) 19If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; 20If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 21If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: Job 31:16-21 (KJV)
According to these verses Job was not only obviously a man of faith but also one through whom kindness flowed to others. He helped the poor and the widow (v.16) he had sheltered and shared his food with orphans (v. 17-18). He had helped and clothed the needy (V. 19). Jesus had also said, when you have a feast invite the poor and needy not the rich (Luke 14:3). James tells us such kindness is pure religion when combined with holiness (James 1:27) Job also describes his walk in the ‘holiness’ department as above reproach. No wonder The Lord had boasted about this man’s ways and his fear and reverential respect for him (Job 1:8).
9If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door; 10Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. 11For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. Job 31:9-11 (KJV)
In the above quoted chapter and especially in the verses indicated, we get a vivid picture of what Job was like. Job relates a mini-biography that would make the best of Christians look bad. These poetry portions are even more revealing than the prologue written in prose about Job’s character in understanding the type of man Job was.
It will not just do Job justice to say, Job was a really good man but a sinner like all of us. Why was Job called a good man without par in all the earth? ”Wow!?, In all the earth?” Only a few exceptional men have had the distinction of being called the most humble, most wise in all the earth and these were Moses and Solomon respectively. Job in his just dealings must have reached the highest bar that can possibly be attained by men, yet his problems were just about to start.
Spiritual Warfare
Job’s bafflement of the events that had overtaken him emanated from the impeccable life he had lived. Why me? That he was a good man was not just his own evaluation but also God’s and negatively Satan’s, although the latter attributes self interest to Job’s motivations. This perfect life, surprisingly enough seems to be the reason he gets caught in-between God and Satan (Job 1:8,9). Such warfare, it’s proven, no one will escape who lives, past, present and future including even our Lord Jesus. This single profound truth can become one of the great lessons from Job. Life in its spiritually bare form is a battle and a warfare that involves us with colossal spiritual forces. This parallels what the rest of the Bible says on the subject. See for example Jesus’ temptation or the verses in Ephesians that clearly depict this warfare[1]
12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.[2]
The Reasons For Suffering
Satan Challenges even The Lord’s testimony about Job and God permits a temporary trail period for Job by Satan with certain conditions. Why? Because God is sovereign and able to command anything and everything he wants concerning his creation. That was also the sum of The Lord’s answer to Job at the end[3]. One need not ask “Why?” one needs only to trust God. That seems to be one of the important lessons conveyed by this marvelous book. Another important lesson is that others who witness our suffering will more often than not misinterpret it as God’s wrath and fall into judgment themselves.
But the real reason for suffering is not as satisfactorily answered as in other New Testament portions concerning the subject of suffering. However, Job must have come to a realization of ‘the why’ himself and gives us the following hint.
10But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.[4]
A fuller more satisfying explanation of suffering from the New Testament can be found in the apostle Peter’s epistles who also had a theology of suffering as a fellow Christian sufferer and one who had seen The Lord suffer.
4:1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;[5]
10But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.[6]
Why God permits the temporary suffering of his own becomes one among many theological questions that posit themselves to the reader of Job’s story. According to Peter, Suffering works in us sanctification. Therefore, the questions Job posits for its reader gets its full answer in The New Testament in Christ. This is perhaps also an answer and a solution to the questions and riddles of our own lives.
A Blessed End For the Sufferer
God is the ultimate authority on the outcome of suffering and He must anticipate a good end for it. This we can believe and rejoice about knowing that the reality of suffering is inescapable for every soul but its end will always be beneficial to it. The end for Job was a theophany[7] and a blessing and a restoration that exceeded his initial state and ownings[8]. Job had the joy of seeing the lord which is the heart desire of all devout men yet granted to only a few like Moses, Daniel and Isaiah. “The pure in heart shall see God.”[9]
[1] (Matt. 4: 1-10. Eph 2:2).
[2] Ephes. 6:12 (KJV)
[3] (Job 401; 42:1
[4] Job 23:10 (KJV)
[5] 1 Peter 4:1 (KJV)
[6] 1 Peter 5:10 (KJV)
[7] (Job 42:5)
[8] Job 42:12,15
[9] Matthew Ch 5
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