JOB

Job’s story of struggling with life, with God and with questions of justice is well-known even among people who don’t read the Bible. Though it is a very difficult story and raises a multitude of questions, it has a universal appeal, probably because it deals with the reality of suffering so honestly.
It is difficult to set Job into a historic context, the events of the story itself as well as the writing down of the story are not easily dated. Some details can be gleaned: It is likely that Job is not of Abraham’s family, his country, ‘Uz’, though not of clear location, is a place outside of Israel. Also the friends who come to comfort Job have names and places of origins that indicate they were most likely Gentiles. Job is not only the leader of his family but acts he acts as priest, offering sacrifices for the family. This indicates that the story happens most likely in Abraham’s day, and definitely before Moses, tabernacle, priesthood and centralized sacrifices.
Another issue to consider is that this book is written in beautiful Hebrew poetry, which is not what one expects a suffering Job to speak when despairingly baring his soul. It is therefore likely that the actual events described in Job were later brought into the stylized format that we now have it in. But when? Again there is no clear answer. Did Job write it up after all was over? Or was Job’s story an oral tradition handed down for centuries? It is grouped with the wisdom literature written at Solomon’s time, so it is likely that it received its final form then.
The story itself is an intentional provocation of orthodox theology: Satan seems to pull the strings; God allows Job to be afflicted with admittedly unjustified suffering; the friends who try to defend God’s justice are ultimately rebuked and Job, who has been saying things that we would rather delete from the Bible, is in the end called the one who spoke rightly about God! This book of Job messes with its readers’ mind and sorely provokes a reaction. It also challenges the usual teaching of ‘the good will be blessed and the bad will suffer’.
This is what the counsel of his friends amounts to: If God is just and Job’s suffering is real, then Job must have sinned. Job denies this and the conversation turns increasingly emotional, self-defensive and finally downright abusive. The friends, though they have come with entirely good intentions, end up being stung by the unmitigated reality of Job’s suffering and – rather than acknowledging their own weakness and limitations, they end up sacrificing Job to their narrow theology, and so sin.
God sees Job with very gracious eyes, because he is the one in dire suffering. Job, though despairing, angry, self-defensive, defiant, suicidal, doubting God and blaming God, throughout this sore conflict, remains God-centered: He complains to God, yells at God, demands an answer from God. He is like the child that pummels his father’s chest in desperation, while yet still being held close by him.
When all Job’s emotion is spent, when he thinks things will never get better again and peace is a thing of the past, God personally meets with Job. God speaks to him, in direct speech over four chapters, a thing quite unparalleled in the Bible. The fact that God cares, comes close, meets him and speaks with him must have been like healing balm to Job. Interestingly God doesn’t actually answer any of Job’s questions, neither does he directly reveal the reason for his suffering to Job. Rather he asks him a long series of questions, all showing God’s infinite superiority of power, knowledge and goodness. God tells Job he is simply not in a position to judge God, the intense suffering has collapsed Job’s reality into a binary logic relation (If you do this, you must be unjust), but that does not reflect the complex nature of reality.
Job willingly bows before God’s greatness and sovereignty, and walks out of this time of suffering as a person with a far greater revelation of God than he could have ever had without it (Job 42:5). He willingly intercedes for his friends, who also have learned a thing or two. God reverses everything and restores Job’s fortunes. The only thing Satan achieved is greater depth of relationship with God of all people involved, hardly a victory. What does it reveal about God that he has words – as doubting and blaming as these – written down for generations to read? He surely is more committed to his humans’ understanding than to his apparent good name!

Job’s story of struggling with life, with God and with questions of justice is well-known even among people who don’t read the Bible. Though it is a very difficult story and raises a multitude of questions, it has a universal appeal, probably because it deals with the reality of suffering so honestly.

Historical Context

It is difficult to set Job into a historic context, the events of the story itself as well as the writing down of the story are not easily dated or even geographically placed. Following some details that can be gleaned from the text.
Concerning geography: Job is from a land called ‘Uz’ (Job 1:1), which can’t be placed with certainty. The other Bible verses mentioning Uz suggest it is roughly Southeast of Israel, near Edom of Midian. Job’s first friend Eliphaz has an Edomite name, and his place of origin in Teman, a city of Edom. Job’s second and third friend, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite both can’t be identified with certainty. The only friend with a Hebrew name is Elihu. The peoples attacking in chapter 1 are the Sabeans, a nomadic tribe from roughly the Arabian desert and the Chaldeans, a people from an area today called Iraq.
This raises issues: it seems Job is not necessarily an Israelite, and neither are some of his friends. But if this is a Gentile story, how do they get their basic understanding of God? And how does this story come to be in the Bible?
Concerning dating: The fact that Job is not only the leader of his family but acts as a sort-of family priest, offering sacrifices for its members, suggests that the story happens roughly in Abraham’s day, and not later, when sacrifices must be made by an Aaronitic priests at the central tabernacle (Lev 17:9). Generally the story seems to be set before Moses, there is no mention of the law, of a tabernacle or temple, of the priesthood, Levites, feasts nor centralized sacrifices. Also the name that is most frequently used for God in Job is ‘El Shaddai’, which is also God’s most commonly used name in Genesis.
Another issue to consider is that this book is written in beautiful Hebrew poetry, which is not what one expects a suffering Job to speak when despairingly baring his soul. It is therefore likely that the actual events described in Job were only afterward brought into the stylized format that we now have it in. The book of Job is written almost like a stage play, it could be performed as a drama without any changes necessary.
But when was the book written? Again there is no clear answer. Did Job write it up after all was over? Or was Job’s story an oral tradition handed down for centuries? In the Hebrew Scriptures it is grouped with the wisdom literature written at Solomon’s time, like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes (971-931 BC), so it could well be that the book received its final form then.
Yet for all these uncertainties the story of Job has a universal appeal, it addresses issues and questions that have haunted humans of many nations in many centuries. In this sense the story seems to be almost independent of its historical context.

A provocative story

Not only is the historical context uncertain, the story itself is an intentional provocation of orthodox theology and normal understanding of God. Many things are downright disturbing. In the first chapter we get a glimpse into the invisible realm, and Satan is seen conversing with God, which in itself raises questions. Wasn’t Satan thrown out of heaven? God brags about Job, which brings on Satan’s challenge that if God will remove his blessings, Job would surely curse God. God then allows Satan to withdraw all blessings. This also raises questions: Is Satan pulling the strings on God? Is Job the poor victim of this battle of the egos in the spiritual realm?
In a second round God allows Job be afflicted with what he himself calls unjustified suffering, suffering for no reason (Job 2:3). How does this match with the goodness and justice of God? Where are the Biblical principles of ‘the good will be blessed and the bad will suffer’’?
Then there are the three friends, who come with the express purpose to comfort Job. But as they keep talking the conversation gets more and more vicious. Job says many things that do not look good in print and definitely don’t seem to honor God, but at the end of the book God says that Job spoke rightly about him (Job 42:7). And the three friends, who definitely are trying to defend God’s justice and seem to speak roughly what we would consider correct theology, are ultimately rebuked by God for having spoken wrongly about God! God says the friends need to be prayed for and given sacrifices for by Job (Job 42:7-8).
After Job has ceased speaking in utter despair God finally answers him directly. But God doesn’t answer a single question Job asked. Instead God’s answer consists of four pages worth of questions!
The book of Job thus really messes with the readers’ mind and sorely provokes our thinking. It challenges what we would consider correct theology and overturns our simple answers.

The story frame

Job in a sense is a drama on two levels: Job, his family and his friends on earth, and God and Satan in the invisible realm. As readers we are given this additional perspective, we are given the knowledge that Job is not punished for any sin he might have committed, rather that he is blameless and upright, and that the calamity that befalls him has nothing to do with his actions. But those on the lower level do not know this perspective.
Did this part of Job’s story ever get revealed to the author? Did God tell Job afterward? Or is it a dramatic tool that reflects reality or a general truth?
The reader is left with no doubt about Job’s character: he is blameless, upright, one who fears God and turns away from evil (Job 1:1). God boasts about him (Job 1:8): ‘There is no one like him on the earth’. This boast is borne out in Job’s words about what he would consider sin (Job 31:5-33), revealing him to be a person highly responsive to conviction and very aware of just behavior to others. It is also borne out by his initial response to loosing his children and all his possessions in one moment: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there, the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD.’ What a stunning expression of faith and trust in God’s character and ways. The author sums it up: ‘In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing’ (Job 1:22). God boasts about him again in Job 2:3 ‘he still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason’. And Job’s response to falling sick severely and physical pain in Job 2:10 is: ‘Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’ The author comments again: ‘In all this Job did not sin with his lips’.
Job’s wife, on the other hand, is not much of an encouragement, maybe that is why Satan didn’t remove her from Job’s life: ‘Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God and die’. Her counsel is what Satan’s is trying to have Job do.
Then the three friends arrive. They have heard of Job’s calamity, have left everything and have traveled far to be with Job at this time and to comfort him (Job 1:11-12). When they arrive and see Job’s state, they are in awe and do not speak for seven full days, but rather weep with him and express their grief. A very good start. They only start responding once Job himself talks.
We know that in the end God will judge these friends and say (Job 42:7-8): ‘My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.’
How is it, that these three faithful friends, being there for Job, sharing his suffering, wanting to comfort him, defending the justice and goodness of God end up so wrong? And is it really wrong what they say? To us it seems they argue what we would call the biblical perspective far more often than Job does.
And how is it that Job, who has said so many things that reflect despair, anger, bitterness, doubt and blaming God – and most of it does not look good in print at all – suddenly is the one that spoke rightly?
One more factor that plays a big role in this drama is time. What happens between an obedient Job saying ‘The Lord gave, the Lord took away, blessed be the name of the Lord’ and him saying ‘O that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!’
This is quite a progression. What is happening in between? Technically speaking nothing, nothing except that time passes and God does not remedy things. Disaster strikes, Job responds well. Disaster strikes again, he responds well again. But then nothing happens. He accepts things and suffers quietly for days, but nothing happens. God does not lift the suffering. Time can turn things bitter.
When looking at Job’s life as a whole, the time of suffering is maybe a few months, and both before and after Job is doing very well for a very long time (Job 42:10-17). But for the person in the time of suffering, with no change in sight, suffering seems endless, seems to be the final reality. This greater perspective is very hard to have for humans. Job looses sight of it and hope for it and the friends also succumb to thinking that the fact that God has not remedied things means he never will.

The progression of the discussion

In summary, the discussion between Job and his friends progresses in the following way. Note that the words are increasingly extreme, emotional, self-defensive and finally downright abusive:

Job                                                                                                            Job is cursing his birth, wishing he was never born, wishing for death, expressing self-pity.

Eliphaz                                                                                                      He argues from observation and experience. His concept of God is that he is righteous, punishes the wicked, blesses the good. “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. … How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.’ (Job 4:8, 5:17). His advice to Job is to accept reprove, to seek God and to ask forgiveness for his sin. He expects Job to be offended and challenges Job that he taught others, but now that it touches himself, he is falling apart. He does express hope for Job, though, and admits that none is righteous.

Job                                                                                                            Job partially talks, partially prays. He wishes God would kill him, God’s arrows are in him, his spirit drinks their poison. He complains about his harsh, treacherous friends, who can’t prove he has done wrong. He has no hope and asks God ‘why do you make me your target?’

Bildad                                                                                                       He argues from tradition and the dogma of cause and effect. His concept of God is that he is an immovable lawgiver and righteous judge. “For inquire now of bygone generations, and consider what their ancestors have found: for we are but of yesterday, and we know nothing, for our days on earth are but a shadow” (Job 8:8).
He defends God’s justice vehemently, concluding that Job’s children must have died for their sin. He expresses hope that Job can be brought back, but indirectly blames him: ‘If you are upright, surely then he will restore to you your rightful place.’

Job                                                                                                            Job admits that no mortal is just before God. He describes his ‘months of emptiness, nights of misery’. He despairs: ‘My eye will never again see good’. He says things like: ‘What chance does a human have in a struggle with God? He is strong, can prove me wrong at will. He destroys the good and the bad, mocks at the calamity of the innocent. There is no judge between God and me … You made me, why do you now crush me? Leave me alone so I can die in peace.’

Zophar                                                                                                     He is a moralist and argues orthodox doctrine. His concept of God is that he is unbending, principled, merciless and powerful. He assumes Jobs’ guilt (Job 20:4-5): “Do you not know this from of old … that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?” He tells Job: ‘You mock, shall no-one shame you?’ God will not overlook Job’s iniquity of claiming blamelessness. Job is getting less than he deserves. He advises Job to repent or bear the consequences.

Job                                                                                                            After so much attack Job is now fully defensive. He is upset at his ‘wise friends’: ‘Now I am a laughing stock, though blameless. Before God answered me when I called. I know as much as you, I’m not inferior to you! You worthless physicians. Those at ease have contempt for misfortune. The sovereign God does what he wants… with nature, kings, priests’. He prays: ‘God, why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?’

Eliphaz                                                                                                     He is very negative now and charges Job: ‘You are doing away the fear of God, your sin teaches your mouth, you own mouth condemns you. What do you know that we don’t? God doesn’t trust angels, far less you who are corrupt. The wicked writhe in pain all their life, they will not escape, the godless are barren.”

Job                                                                                                           Job is hits back: ‘Miserable comforters you are! I also could talk like you if you were in my place. If I don’t speak, I’m in pain. If I do speak, I’m also in pain. God has torn me, hated me, given me up to the ungodly though my prayer is pure. My spirit is broken, there are mockers around me. If I die, where then is my hope?’

Bildad                                                                                                      Bildad is very offended, too, though at first slightly less abusive than Eliphaz: ‘Why are we stupid in your sight? You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken because of you? Surely the light of the wicked is put out. For the wicked no offspring remains’. This is a cruel thing to say to one who just lost all his children!

Job                                                                                                          Job in his desperation and misery hits back: ‘How long will you torment me? Cast reproach upon me? You make my humiliation an argument against me. God has put me in the wrong, he breaks me down. Have pity on me! Why do you, like God pursue me?’ Job cries for his case to be written down, for all to see the injustice done against him (Job 19:23). God does answer this prayer in full, the result is the book of Job.
Job expresses his faith: ‘For I know that my redeemer lives… then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side’. Job in all his conflict remains God-focused. God is his problem, but also his solution.

Zophar                                                                                                      He is insulted. He emphasizes that the exaltation of the wicked will be short, not to sound a note of hope but as a threat to Job. He rubs it in with highly graphic descriptions of what will befall the wicked.

Job                                                                                                             Job, feeling attacked, counter-attacks: The ‘if…then’ doesn’t always work. The wicked often go unpunished.

Eliphaz                                                                                                     Eliphaz discourages Job further: ‘Can a mortal be of use to God?’ He squarely charges Job with sin: ‘Is not your wickedness great?… You have exacted pledges, stripped the naked, sent widows away, crushed orphan’. Eliphaz actually makes up sins that Job never committed and blames him for them. The only positive in his speech is that he calls Job to repent one more time for ‘God saves the humble’.

Job                                                                                                             Job more prays than answers: ‘That I knew where I might find him. I would lay my case before him… I would understand what he would say to me. I am terrified at his presence. Why does God allow violence in the earth?’

Bildad                                                                                                       Bildad adds nothing new: ‘God is all-powerful. How can a mortal be righteous before God?’

Job                                                                                                          Job once more complains about his friends: ‘How you have helped, assisted and counseled!… They mock me, disdain me.’ He keeps asserting his innocence: ‘God has taken away my right and made my soul bitter.’ He mourns: ‘Happy old days, when God was my friend and everybody honored me. Now only days of affliction and pain. You have turned cruel to me, you will bring me to death’. He challenges God: ‘Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! … I’d give full account, like a prince I’d approach him’.

How is it possible that friends who came with such good intentions and say very orthodox things (like ‘God is greater than humans’, ‘all humans sin’, ‘God is just’) end up being so emotional, self-defensive and even downright abusive? And remember: God charges them with – for all their orthodoxy! – having misrepresented him (Job 42:7). This surely is a sore warning to do ‘truth bashing’ but also it is a warning against too closed theology. Their thinking amounts to: If God is just, and Job’s suffering is real, then Job must have sinned. Job denies this. Job does not deny having ever sinned, but he does deny that the current calamity is a consequence of his sin, which – according to God – is entirely correct (see Job 2:3). The friends, though they have come with entirely good intentions, are stung by the unmitigated reality of Job’s suffering and – rather than acknowledging their own weakness and limitations -, end up sacrificing Job to save their narrow theology. That is their sin.
Can something be true, but still be so wrong to say? It seems yes, especially when the speakers take themselves out of the equation. If they only once had acknowledge that they are no better than Job, that God would have grounds to make them suffer as well, that they don’t understand why this is happening, that they can’t believe (because God is just) that this can be the final state, it sure would have helped Job more.

A more open approach

There is one friend that seems to be a bit different. Elihu seems to be younger than the others and is the only one with a Jewish name. He arrives late and only speaks when all others stop speaking. He argues from logic, but with a more open theology. His concept of God is one of a disciplinarian and teacher, and quite beyond human intellectual capacity: “The Almighty – we cannot find him; he is great in power and justice, and abundant righteousness he will not violate.” (Job 37:23). His advice to Job is to humble himself and submit to God. He also defends God’s justice, but doesn’t blame Job. Rather he sides with Job and suggests that other reasons beyond their understanding might be at work.
Elihu does warn Job sorely, though, that he should not ‘turn to iniquity, rather than enduring suffering’ (Job 36:21). He warns Job that to draw ‘cold conclusions’ about God (like: ‘If this is how God is, I don’t want him!’), to inwardly withdraw from God may reduce tension and suffering for Job, but that will be sin indeed, even if nothing so far was sin.
This advice, and the fact that God says about Job ‘he spoke what is right about me’ (Job 42:7) sheds further light: God sees Job with very gracious eyes, because he is the one in dire suffering. Job, though despairing, angry, self-defensive, defiant, suicidal, doubting God and blaming God, in all this sore conflict remains God-centered: He complains to God, yells at God, demands an answer from God. He is like the child that pummels his father’s chest in desperation, while yet still being held close by him.
Though Job has said a lot of things that do not look nice in print (and frankly, we would delete them from the Bible if we were in charge), God does not count that as an offense or hold Job guilty for it. What an amazing revelation about the character of God.
But not only that, God has it all written down, the heart spills, the anger, the bitterness, the blaming (as Job requested!) and makes it available for all posterity to see. God surely is not into ‘beautifying his image’, otherwise the book of Job would surely not have made it into the Bible canon. What God is this, who cares more for the revelation his humans get in suffering, and the comforting potential this has, than about his own reputation?

God speaks up

When all Job’s emotion is spent, when he thinks things will never get better again and peace is a thing of the past, God personally meets with Job. God speaks to him, in direct speech over four chapters (Job 38-41), a thing quite unparalleled in the Bible.
The fact that God cares, comes close, meets him and speaks with him must have been like healing balm to Job. Job is entirely humbled. And his real need is met.
Interestingly God doesn’t actually answer any of Job’s questions, neither does he directly reveal to Job the reason for his suffering. Rather he asks him a long series of questions, all showing God’s infinite superiority of power, knowledge and goodness as revealed in creation. God challenges him to argue with him on that level. God’s self-revelation is overpowering, but it is also comforting. God tells Job that he simply is not in a position to judge God. The intense suffering has collapsed Job’s reality into a binary logic relation (‘If you do this, you must be unjust’), but that does not reflect the complex nature of reality.
Job responds with ‘See, I am of small account, what shall I answer you I lay my hand on my mouth… I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted… I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me,… I had heard of your by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you’ (Job 40:4-5, 42:1-6). Though at first glance the words seem to mainly express Job being crushed into submission by God’s superiority, it seems he is smiling by the time he says them: he has been met, God has shown up, his judge has turned out to be gracious, his questions have been engulfed by God’s care for him.

Satan as a major player?

Satan is mentioned in this book of Job more than in any other book of the Bible (14 times). In the beginning it was looking as if he was pulling the strings, as if he was tricking God into a dubious game, in which Job was the victim.
At the end things look very different. Satan is no longer even mentioned, and he is the one ultimately defeated: Job has walked out of this difficult time with an unparalleled experience of God and a much deepened revelation of him; his friends walk out of this with a rebuke, a new fear of God and also much revelation. There are some things that cannot be learned except by suffering. The readers are encouraged to have the wisdom to accept, even to embrace what God chooses for their lives.
We may be tempted to open a club of those who think poor Job was treated unjustly by God. We can do that, and we will likely find no lack of members, but we must understand that Job will not join our club. He once would have, but no longer.

Prophetic Words

Some words of Job are prophetic. He declares: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side’ (Job 19:25-27). Job has cried out for an umpire (Job 9:33), for a mediator (Job 33:23). Ultimately he will be given one: Jesus is that Umpire, Redeemer, Mediator and Advocate who identifies with human suffering because he fully joined it (Heb 4:15).

Introduction – Job, a special book

• Job is one of those books in the Bible everybody knows about. Even those who are not believers, or nominal believers, they think they know what Job is about. Also the Christians, though virtually nobody has read the whole of it, we know Job. You may not be able to remember what Hosea is about, but you do know Job.
• Even in secular German terms from Job are used till today. A “Job-message” means very bad news. Also the expression “in sackcloth and ashes”, expressing great grief and repentance.
• Among the books of the Bible Job is unique, there is none other that’s similar. It’s neither gospel story nor a letter nor a historical narration nor a prayer nor law nor a prophet’s message. It’s different.
• It is one of the most difficult to date of all the books in the Bible. When was it written? Who wrote it? Well, Job, I guess, but who is he? No lineage, no tribe, no nationality given? And where did he live? All geography and ethnic references given in the text are unknown or unclear or not very conclusive. Where is Uz (Job 1:1)? … Teman? Shuh? Naamath (Job 1:11)? … Who are the Sabeans (Job 1:15), a nomadic tribe SE of Israel … we do know the Chaldeans (Job 1:17), they are mentioned from Abraham all the way to Solomon, and give little indication as to time.
• When did the story happen? Maybe Co-Abraham (1900 BC) because Job is kind of a patriarch-family-priest (normal people are not meant to do sacrifices after Moses, or was he of Aaron’s family? But then he should offer sacrifices at the tabernacle). It’s placed in the Bible with the wisdom literature (together with Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) which would suggest as date Solomon’s court about 950 BC. Something about the story also suggest it is part of a nations’ mythology, story repertoire or oral tradition. Maybe it happened early on and was passed down orally for generations, and finally written at David or Solomon’s court?.
• It is telling a true story, yet there is something about it that gives it the character of a set story,  something that makes it comparable to a classic drama. One stage, 7 actors, 1 act with several scenes.
• Also it’s in smashing, excellent, eloquent Hebrew … would anybody spilling his guts write something as refined?
• No other book in the OT mentions Satan as often as Job, no other book gives us a “peek behind the scenes into the throne room of God” as Job does.
• How did Job ever know what went on in heaven? He clearly doesn’t know it while he among the ashes. Does God reveal it to him later? Is it a dramatic effect of a story teller or a screenwriter? Either way, it is a true expression of what is going on, not a “changing of the story”.
  
  • In the form we have it now as the “book of Job”, it surely suggests a drama-form, a teaching tool, possibly a God-fearing author at Solomon’s court arranging it as a classic drama?
  • Is this even a real story? A real happening? … it seems a bit far out, especially the beginning and end
  • Is this even inspired by God? Well, no human would come up with a story like this.
• Religiously motivated humans would never allow God to be shown in such a doubtful light. It’s simply too unorthodox. Today’s Bible review board would definitely have objections. We would have never come up with anything remotely like this, we are so busy defending God, we could even call it blasphemy.
• Not religiously motivated humans (trying to prove God a fraud), would not have ever come up with something like revelation of God being the reward which makes even gross suffering worth it.
• Think about it for a moment: How could God ever allow a writing like Job??? 28 chapters of ungodly, worse: mixed counsel. You can’t even safely quote Bible verses from Job … here we go 28 chapters of what God does NOT agree with! And not only that: but people misrepresenting God, people misunderstanding God, God shown as something like “playing with human lives in heaven”, God is co-operation with Satan, God being yelled at as unjust? … why in the world does God not only allow this, he writes it? He writes and inspires pages and pages of wrong and twisted statements about him! Why in the world? What is God after? What is so valuable that he doesn’t mind being misunderstood by most for?
• May books in the Bible record “God speaking” … the prophetic ‘thus says the Lord …” … But in no other book of the Bible is there God speaking in direct speech and for 4 solid pages! One big long speech by God. And: – it’s a solid succession of just questions, 4 pages of one question after the other.
• And then there is the fact that the book of Job somehow gets on our nerves, catches us, disturbs us, even confuses us … How many of you have started to read Job, and then gotten stuck somewhere between Eliphaz’ third speech and Job’s fifteenth defense? There is something about the middle part that drives you up the wall. And whose opinion anyway? Man’s? God’s? Everybody claims to speak for God … but are they?

Background Information

Who wrote?

• not mentioned, unknown
• Many suggestions:
  
  • Job himself, Elihu
  • Solomon – since Job is grouped with the wisdom books, Solomon wrote Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
  • Moses – Talmud says so. The book seems pre-tabernacle, pre-priesthood, though.
  • Isaiah, Hezekiah, Jeremiah … similarity of Jer 20:14-18 and Job 3:4
  • Ezra – because this type of drama (Greek?) / argumentative writing only then (?)
  • Job 1:1 the land of Uz is adjacent to Midian, not Israel at all! so Job may even have been a Gentile? … or is this a reference to the universality to the issue f suffering raised …

Geographical Information in Job

• Job 1:1 land of Uz location of Job East/South of Edom, adjacent to Midian, in Arabia, out of Israel
  
  • Gen 10:23, 1 Chr 1:17 Shem > Aram > Uz
  • Gen 36:28, 1 Chr 1:42 Clans of Edom / Esau … Seir the Horite > Dishan > Uz
  • Jer 25:20 God’s cup of wrath to many nations … among them: Pharaoh … all the mixed people; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of the Philistines; all the kings of
    Tyre … Sidon … Coastland …
  • Lam 4:21 Edom, you who live in the land of Uz no sure identification, Edom, Midian
• Job 2:11 Teman home of Eliphaz
  
  • Gen 36:11, Jer 49:7, Eze 25:13, Amo 1:12, Oba 9 Edomite city south of Dead Sea
• Job 2:11 Shuh/Shua/Shuah home of Bildad
  
  • Gen 25:2 youngest son of Abraham & Ketura, maybe same as
  • 1 Chr 2:3 Judah’s Canaanite wife is ‘daughter of Shua’
  • 1 Chr 7:32 Asher > Beriah > Heber > daughter Shua no sure identitication
• Job 2:11 Naamathite home of Zophar, no reference in the Bible … village in the Southern lowlands of Judah? no sure identification
• Job 1:15 Sabeans attacking Job a nomadic tribe SE of Israel
  
  • Isa 45:14 called men of tall stature, mentioned in context of Egypt & Ethiopia
  • Ezr 23:2 Judah in ‘adultery’ with many other nations, among them ‘Sabeans from the wilderness’
  • Joe 3:8 people from Tyre & Sidon sold by Judah as slaves to the Sabeans, a nation far off
    probably SE desert nomads
• Job 1:17 Chaldeans attacking Job Babylon, mentioned from Abraham to Solomon … no time indication. Chaldeans & Babylon used interchangeably in Isa 4x, in Jer 43x, Eze 4x, Hab 1x
  used for a group of officials at the court of Babylon in Dan 11x Babylon
• Job 32:1 Buz Elihu’s home a desert region in the South / East (Jer 25:23)
  
  • Gen 22:21 Terah > Nahor & Milcah > Buz
  • 1 Chr 5:14 Gad > > > Buz
  • Jer 25:23 God’s cup of wrath to many nations … Coastland across the Sea; Dedan, Tema, Buz, all who have shaven temples; all the kings of Arabia & mixed peoples that live in the desert
    no sure identification, SE desert

Meaning of names in Job

• • Job “persecuted one” …“one whom Yahweh treats as an enemy” … or from an arabic word ‘repentant one’
  • Eliphaz “God is gold” or “God dispenses (judgment)” … an Edomite name (Ge 36:11)
  • Bildad “Son of contention”
  • Zophar “Rough”, “Chirper”
  • Elihu “He is my God”
• The names seem stylized / artificially chosen / unreal … So is it a made-up story?
• In opposition to that Ezekiel 14:14, 20, James 5:11 speaks of Job as a real person. Also Job was a real name: in Ge 46:13 Job is a son of Issachar (though slightly different spelling)
• Many suggestions on the meaning of Job’s name … “persecuted one” …“one whom Yahweh treats as an enemy” … or from an arabic word ‘repentant one’
  Eliphaz “God is gold” or “God dispenses (judgment)” … an Edomite name (Ge 36:11). Temanite … Teman is a Edomite village south of the Dead Sea (Ge 36:11, Je 49:7, Ez 25:13, Am 1:12, Ob 9)
  Bildad “Son of contention”, Shuhite … descendant of Shuah, youngest son of Abraham & Keturah? Ge 25:2
  Zophar “Rough”, “Chirper”, the Naamathite, nowhere else in the Bible, a village in the Southern lowlands of Judah
  Elihu “He is my God”, of Buz, a desert region in the East (Je 25:23) Are they all Gentiles??

When written?
• unknown
• other wisdom literature was written or compiled (fully or partially) during the days of David (especially Psalms), and Solomon (Prov, Ecc, Song of Solomon)… (1011-) 971-931 BC … similarity of Prov 8 and Job 28
• Job is excellent, beautiful, high-class Hebrew poetry … doesn’t sound like Job spilling the conflicts of his heart
• Also the speeches are very long, it is unlikely that it was spoken exactly like that, without interruption
• Maybe the story happened, but the form in which we have it was written later, beautifully arranged?
• Some think that Job never happened as such, just because of all the stylization, the drama character, the beauty of poetry, the teaching wisdom nature …
• But against this: Ez 14:14, 20 and Je 5:11 speaks of Job as a real person, not as a stylized teaching story.
• So Job did live, this story did happen. But when?
• Some things point to an early happening of the story, possibly parallel to Abraham, or even before him:

Reasons for assuming an Abrahamic date
• Job sacrifices himself, like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob … later forbidden in the law, though Samuel also does sacrifices
• wealth is measured in herds & flocks, gold, servants, not land (Job 1:2, 42:12) … fitting a nomadic lifestyle
• Job’s long life span (140 y after suffering, possibly till 140 y after the suffering Job 42:16)
• if double blessing assumed: … 70+140 > about 210 years life span … Abraham lived 175 y (Ge 25:7)
• no mention of covenant, law, temple, priesthood, Levites …
• no genealogy given … no reference to family leaders, elders, judges, kings …
• extended family described sounds like a tribal clan
• In Job God is called 31x “El Shaddai” (Almighty), the typical patriarch’s name for God .
• In contrasts “El Shaddai” is used only 17x used in the remainder of the OT.
• In Job God is called “Yahweh” only once … pre-Moses?
• Job 42:11 … the word “piece of money’ / “gold coin” / “gold bar” (Hebrew: Qesita) is used only one more time in the Bible > Ge 33:19 during the story of Patriarch Jacob.
• 1:15 mentions Sabeans, 1:17 mentions Chaldeans, … these are not nations, rather tribes (?)
• Ezekiel quotes Job in Ez 14:14, 20 … > by the exile and return it was written and known

Reasons for assuming an exile or post-exile date
• Ezekiel quotes Job in Ez 14:14, 20 … > by the exile it was written and known
• wisdom discussions, eloquent argumentation and Greek style drama was only arising and known by this time … not a strong argument, and also: there is something perennial about Job

Conclusion?
• Undecided … usually: story happened around Abraham’s time (2000BC) but written during Solomon’s time (950BC)
• How could the story be passed down? Oral tradition … earlier versions?

Written to whom?
• Israel (since it’s in the OT), if dating is right > Israel at the time of Solomon
• wisdom seekers, God-fearing Jews wanting to understand God?
• probably to people in prosperity … David, Solomon’s time fits this well
• Some think written to Gentiles, a wisdom-outreach book? … because Job was one(?), therefore no lineage given?
• universal character & appeal, a study of human struggle with suffering … timeless truth sort of thing > any generation

Written from where?
• unknown
• if wisdom literature written at the time of Solomon, then Jerusalem most likely

Significance?
• universal appeal and impact to sufferers for its reality and honesty
• to challenge / show the limits of a too narrow “obedience > blessing / disobedience” > curse theology … especially to those in prosperity. So: vivid challenge to depth for those in prosperity / thinking they have ‘God in their pocket’
• some say: outreach to Gentile wisdom seekers … since Job could be a Gentile > a reminder to the Jews that Gentiles can be seeking & God-fearing > so they accept such Gentiles

Literary category?
• Short beginning and end of the story in prose Job 1-2, 42:7-17 > literal interpretation
• Long middle part of the story Job 3-42:6 > figurative interpretation
• the book is considered a poetry masterpiece, the best in Hebrew literature

Structure?
• Wisdom literature … nature of a stage drama … some say: court room

Composition?
• Interchange between speakers
• principality (Job’s words make up about half the book)
• argumentative, many rhetoric questions, much (negative!) emotion, irony

Main Ideas?
• Suffering can be from God, for the purpose of deeper revelation of God, more intimate relationship … it is not necessarily a sign of curse, or punishment, or chastisement … normal covenant theology widened out
• Charging God with wrong is sin, exalting one’s present, limited understanding of justice above God’s eternal wisdom in what he does / allows
• human wisdom / understanding / counseling is limited > stay humble, hold on to God’s faithfulness, trust God’s purposes even if you don’t understand
• God is incredibly gracious to the suffering, more critical of those who discourage them or judge them. God is great, exalted, sovereign, powerful, and good
• Satan is real, can attack, but his power is limited, and is totally defeated by God who redeems the worst suffering

Main Reasons?
• to teach the readers about God’s nature, character, goals, faithfulness, grace, justice, higher purposes
• challenge hearers on a selfish, narrow, self-righteous ‘prosperity-approach’ to God … very careful with counseling / judging / blaming … suffering may have many reasons
• teaching tool by wise men for wise men?
• if Job was a Gentile: to challenge Jewish readers to accept a seeking, God-fearing Gentile
• to encourage those in suffering to hold on to the goodness, justice and greatness of God … to keep making God their center, to trust his higher purposes, to stay humble, knowing our own limitations

SETTING UP THE DRAMA – CHAPTER ONE AND TWO

Drama on two levels
• Job is a drama on two levels, … the audience is given a perspective that Job and his friends do not have > creates tension
• How did this part of the Job story ever get revealed? Did God tell Job afterward? or is this a dramatic tool? but is so, it still reflects reality
• Often one would like to shout at Job (or at his friends) about that other reality, that perspective

Main character: Job
• Character description in 1:1 … blameless, upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil …
• God boasts about him 1:8 … There is no one like him on the earth
• His response to loosing all his property and his children in one moment in 1:21 … Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there, the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD… one of the most stunning expressions of faith and trust in God’s character and choices in the entire Bible. The writer rounds it up in 1:22 … In all this Job did not sind or charge God with wrongdoing.
• God boasts about him again in 2:3 … he still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason …
• His response to falling sick severely and physical pain in 1:10 … Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad? … and the comment of the writer: In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
• How would you like a recommendation like that? By God! How would you like faith like that?
• 31:5-33 … gives great insight into the character / righteousness of Job > long list of what Job considers wrong and did not do … it’s very impressive, I think. Let’s read it. Job is not just a bit religious, he is a man of integrity, obedience and faithfulness, both in what men see and in what man’s eyes cannot see.

Side character: Job’s wife
• Job 2:9 … his wife encourages with her wonderful counsel Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God and die. …
• Here is the reason why Satan took away his children but evidently not his wife … not sure this is a compliment
• I hate to say this, but she is not exactly a help nor an encouragement, as a matter of fact she speaks exactly from Satan’s perspective … This is what Satan wants Job to do: curse God and die. For Job to curse God = Satan’s victory

Main Character: Three friends: Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar
• Job 1:11-12 … They are friends. They come all the way to Job from far away upon hearing the news
• They come with the express goal to console and comfort him. They see that Job’s suffering is very great.
• They weep with him, express their grief, sit with Job, do not speak for 7 days seeing in what state Job is.
• They do not speak for 7 days … now that is amazing. How we are tempted, if we see somebody suffering, to rush in with our quick answers oh, it will turn out okay … I’m sure you’ll get better quickly … God will use it for your good … don’t worry, it’ll work out.
• Often these comments are not really a help or an encouragement for the sufferer, rather they often express our need for a relief. I want to feel better, so I’m saying something like that.
• The problem is, you may be hurting those who are already hurting. Do not relieve yourself on the cost of the sufferer.
• Also, there might be nothing ‘relieving’ to say. This came home to me when my mother was terminally ill with cancer. I knew it was not going to get any better. She knew it wasn’t going to get any better. No ‘nice encouragements’ worked any more, they were obviously wrong.
• In the last few days of my mother’s life the hardest thing for me was to be with her, remain with her, and to NOT say dumb platitudes. This is a real test of love, to not run away, to be with the person, even if there is nothing to say. To accept that tension, to not escape their presence, but to really just be with them, stick with them anyway.
• Back to our three friends: Before we are over-fast in judging the three friends for what they will say, let’s think about them. They are pretty impressive. They come. They sit silently. They take time out. They suffer with Job. They are with him to support him. Every motive is good.
• We know that in the end God will judge them and comment about them in Job 42:7-8 … My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has done.
• Now, this is a very clear statement: God is angry. God says they sinned, requiring intercession and sacrifice. They must humble themselves before Job and ask for his help. They have been fools & have not spoken of God rightly.
• Now a question: when you read their words and Job’s words, which ones did you think more right? More godly? More orthodox / biblical? Who is attacking God and who is defending God? Haven’t they spoken of God’s justice all along? Who has been more aggressive? More abusive? … Job, not?
• How is it, that these three faithful friends, being there for Job, sharing his suffering, wanting to comfort him, defending the good character of God end up sinning like this?

Main Character: Elihu
• Elihu is the fourth friend. He seems to be arriving late. He is the last one to speak, after all the friends have spoken and Job has defended himself.
• Job 32:1-6 … He is the youngest. He seems to be respectful to the older ones. He also gets angry. Both at Job as well as at the three friends. He speaks last. Chapter 32-37 are his speech. Right after him (?) God himself speaks.
• Very importantly in Job 42:7 we learn that even though God is angry at Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, he does not mention being angry at Elihu, no sacrifice or intercession seems needed … > we can assume that Elihu gives godly counsel.
• But just how is Elihu’s speech different from all the other friends’ words? How is it that he gets angry at Job yet God, who says Job spoke right, is not angry at him? … the answer is not that straightforward
• We need to think about this some more and look at his speech

Pseudo Main Character: Satan
• There is no other book in the Bible where Satan is as often mentioned as in Job, by far. 14x!!
• He is not only often mentioned, he seems to be one of the main actors … he seems to be a main character, the main mover of events.
• He seems to be the one who convinces God to go for this ‘risky game’ of testing Job. He seems to be the one who is getting his agenda done, his will accomplished, right? … we need to think about this some more.
• Satan also does in Job what he always does: he accuses. Satan means simply that ‘Accuser’.
• Satan says in Job 1:9-11 … Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has and he will curse you to your face.
• “Job just fears you because you have blessed him. If you withdraw your blessing, he’ll curse.”
• How does Satan see Job? Satan doubts Job’s motives. Job is just in it for the gain. No true love for God. No true faith. No true commitment to God. Just a hang-er-on-er, for his own selfish goals, a rice-Christian …
• also: reduction of motivation to one thing … “he only does that” a very negative and demeaning thing.
• Warning not to do so … you do not know people’s motives, to assume the worst one speaks about you, complex!
• Could Satan be right? Could. But then again prosperity can be the harder test for a man’s devotion to God than hard times … are all rich people grateful, righteous seekers of God?
• Because Satan always accuses. Always believes the worst. Always assigns bad motivation to others. Always speaks out his mistrust.
• So if I accuse somebody … oh, she must have done it … if I assign bad motivation to others … she only said that because she wants to look good … if I believe the worst … of course, that sounds just like her … if I speak out my mistrust … yeah, she’s always been mean to others … whose words am I speaking? … Satan’s.
• We need to stop lending our mouths to Satan, we need to stop speaking his words, we need to stop building his kingdom. … next time you hear an accusation, answer: … oh really, I must ask her what she really meant when she said that, there must have been a reason”
• We said that Satan could theoretically be right in his doubts and mistrust about Job. But typically of Satan, even when the proof is brought, he will not believe it >
• Job 2:4-6 … same story, another accusation, another doubt, another time mistrust … whatever Job will do, whatever test he may pass, Satan will never believe and never trust.
• It’s the same with us: if I choose to not like somebody, any amount of positive reports will not convince me, but each negative report, as doubtful as it may be, I will fully believe and add to my long list of proofs.
• One more comment: Why does Satan always accuse, always doubt, always mistrust? … He is a deceiver, he lies, he has bad motivation … and the reason why he can’t trust anybody is because he is not trustworthy himself. He would never love God for God’s sake. He would never obey God even against his interests. He would never do anything unless for selfish reasons. And so he naturally assumes that we all are the same.
• It’s those who are not worthy of trust that mistrust others. It’s those that have bad motives that doubt others’ motivation. It’s those that are bad that can’t believe anybody to be good.
• So next time you speak out mistrust and doubts, beware what it really says about you.
• But back to Satan, who seems to be moving the events, who seems to be convincing God, who seems to be the initiator, the schemer, the successful, the victorious. He seems to be pushing God into a corner.
• Job 2:3 … God says: “he still persists in his integrity, although you have incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason”
• What is God doing? Being led by Satan? Being responsive and not initiating? Is God here getting a kick or pat on the back or satisfaction out of Job’s misery? Is he not playing with Job’s life? … he even admits it … attacking Job for no reason whatsoever … this would be a very scary picture of God that the book of Job seems to be showing … is Job just a toy caught between the ego-struggle of two spiritual powers? Poor Job! Poor Job?
• Well, who initiates this whole deal? Satan? God? … who influences whom? Who plays with whom?
• And even more interesting: who wins? Satan? God? At what price? Job?
• Does Satan appear at the end? Is there anything said at the end about him?
• He simply is not there. Not mentioned. He is not triumphing. He is not changing his mind about Job. He is simply a non-event. He thinks he is a key actor, pushing God into a shady deal, but in the end it turns out he is not winning at all … it’s one of those deals like the cross! … if he had understood, he would have prevented it, not pushed it..

Real Main Character: God
• Who wins then? God? Job? Well, what did God want with this whole thing? Unless we understand that, we can’t understand whether he reaches his goal. What is God’s goal in letting Job suffer? Or let me ask first: What does Satan think, God’s goal is?
• And what do you think God’s goal is?
• Maybe at this time: read 42:5 … I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes have seen you.
• But before we go further into that, I want to look at one more key factor, one more key player, even though it’s not quite an obvious one

Time as a factor in Job
• It’s TIME. Time is playing a big, big role.
• In a sense, almost all events, all the drama happens in chapter 1 & 2. After that, nothing really happens any more, action-wise. All the drama is over by chapter 2. … or is it?
• What happens between an obedient Job saying … The Lord gave, the Lord took away, blessed be the name of the Lord … and him saying 30:16-21 … and 31:35 … o that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!
• Quite a progression! What is happening between chapter 3 and 31? Technically nothing. Job is still sitting in the ashes, he still has ulcers, he still lost his property and family. But that was already the case in chapter 2. So what then is the difference? … advice, yes, and … TIME.
• Disaster strikes, he responds well. Disaster strikes again, he responds well. He praises God anyway, nothing happens, he is still suffering. He passes the test with flying colors, he still has his sores. He accepts things and suffers quietly for days, nothing happens. God has not lifted the suffering. He does everything right, keeps a good attitude … and still no relief.
• TIME. Time turning long, time turning bitter, time giving rise to questions. Why is God still not answering? Why is he not saving? What else does he want? How long? Will this go on forever? Why am I in this situation? Why is God not answering? Why is God punishing me? What have I done? Why do I deserve this? Why do I suffer and not others? Why me?
• TIME is also a factor for the three friends. They came to help, came to comfort, came to show compassion … but eventually they end up speaking harsh words and sinning against Job all in best intentions.
• TIME. In the beginning we have a praising Job and well-meaning friends. By the middle we have a screaming Job and abusive friends. Why? What happened? Nothing, except time.
• I have experienced in my own life that time, or the not happening of anything, is hard to bare.
• Often my initial response to a difficulty is fairly positive, accepting, trusting … but as time goes by, as thoughts start turning, as God doesn’t change things around as I expected …. thoughts start to grind, questions start to rise, doubts put up their heads, bitterness quietly roots in my heart … and if provoked, I end up spewing out things I’m surprised at, and my fellow Christians are surprised at … God isn’t, though.
• How long do you think Job suffered? … how much time between disasters? 7 days with friends … now discussions … till God speaks …
• After God’s speaking and Job’s repentance, God restores him. Job 42:10-17 … Job seeing his children’s children.
• Reading the book, it’s short happiness (few verses), long suffering (41 chapters), short happiness (few verses).
• But in reality the ratio is very different: It’s long happiness (he has adult children when disaster strikes), short suffering (maybe a few weeks?), then long happiness (seeing his new children and children’s children).
• This period of conflict actually is very short, compared with the rest. While we are in the heat of a struggle, it seems to last an eternity, we literally feel like this will last forever and the solution will never come.
• But struggles do not last for ever, as a matter of fact in the view of eternity, they are just a drop in time.

What Questions does the book of Job raise?
Why do the innocent suffer?
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Why do you trust God? (the nature of faith)
What are the limitations of human understanding?
Will I trust him when I don’t understand him?

THE DISCUSSION / PROGRESSION – CHAPTERS 3-31

Job I wish I had never lived
3:1 cursing his own birth / birthday, better if I had been stillborn / dead
3:20 why is life given to the miserable, bitter in soul
3:23 God has fenced me in

Eliphaz 1

Characteristic Theologian, legalist
Relies on observation, experience
Personality considerate
Voice of Philosophy
Argument “If you sin you suffer”
Advice to Job only the wicked suffer
Key Verse Job 4:8, 5:17 “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. … How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”
Concept of God righteous, punishes the wicked, blesses the good

4:1 Will you be offended if one ventures a word with you? expecting Job to be offended at his words
4:5 you have instructed / strengthened / supported many, but now it come to you, you are impatient, dismayed
4:6 is not your fear of God your confidence? your integrity your hope?
4:7 innocent don’t perish, the evil will perish
4:12-16 ‘experience in the night’, spirit
4:17 mortals are never righteous, even angels he mistrust
5:8 advice: seek God. commit yourself to him. He does unsearchable things
5:10 good will be blessed, saved. He frustrates the crafty
5:17 happy if reproved by God, he will deliver you, save you, give fulness
Don’t fall apart! Trust God! Remember God is just so you will be okay. No one is righteous. God doesn’t even trust angels. Seek God. He does great and unsearchable things.
Negative
• expecting him to be offended
• you told others, now you can’t do it yourself.
Positive
• there is hope, you will be okay, things will come through
• no one is righteous – better if he included himself
• God does unsearchable things, we may not understand everything

Job to Eliphaz 1
6:1 much suffering, arrows of God in me, my spirit drinks their poison
6:8 I wish I’d die quickly, so though suffering I have not denied the words of God. What is my strength to be patient?
6:14 friends are harsh, treacherous
6:24 challenge: tell me what I’ve done wrong
7:1-6 suffering, days run, months of emptiness, nights of misery, no home
7:7 I will never again see hope
7:11 I will speak my anguish, I loathe my life
7:17 Why do you make so much of humans? Why am I your target? will you not pardon?
Negative:
• quite quickly negative comments on friends … but he is the one suffering, he has more reason to be lashing out … pressure should be on them to bear, not on him … also these are signals to the friends: “I am in trouble. What you are saying is not helping”
Positive:
• He speaks his suffering, expresses his misery
• he sees God as the ground, the reason, the cause, the true Doer
• he hopes to die quickly, without loosing it, still holding on to God, get over it and ‘die well’
• 2nd part, drowns in suffering, pours out his soul, speaks out his suffering, expresses misery
• He slips in an out of prayer … 7:12 he starts addressing God … God is his center, of life, now of complaint, he is the address of the praise, not of the suffering / doubts / anger / misery
• Job sees himself a singled out by God, pursue – both is true – he doesn’t understand the purpose, though still there is a relationship about that.
• 7:17 “leave me alone” … but also a truth here: God is after Job, he is after something for Job, and he seems this misery to be worth the price … What is it, that is so valuable in God’s eyes, that he is causing all this mess?

Bildad 1
Characteristic Historian, dogmatist
Relies on Tradition
Personality Argumentative
Voice of History
Argument “You must be sinning”
Advice to Job The wicked always suffer
Key verse Job 8:8 “For inquire now of bygone generations, and consider what their ancestors have found: for we are but of yesterday, and we know nothing, for our days on earth are but a shadow.”
Concept of God Judge, immovable, lawgiver

8:2 how long will you say these things?
8:3 God is just. He judges the evil, he given good to the righteous
8:8 quotes tradition
8:11 quotes cause & effect logic
8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
Negative:
• attacking Job for his words, defends God’s justice vehemently … does so by blaming Job’s children for sin, him indirectly also
• if you are pure he will restore you … if not not
Positive:
• tradition … experience … established truth … cause and effect … if then … > he will not reject the blameless … if you are blameless
• He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, your lips with joy … positive view … fully fulfilled in the end … which does come true, actually

Job to Bildad 1
9:1 I know this is so. No mortal is just before God. He is powerful, wise, Creator, doing great things, beyond 5 senses,
who has resisted him and succeeded?
9:13 Though I am innocent he would prove me perverse, he is the strong one!
9:27 if I will accept, be cheerful > he crushes that again. He is arbitrary
9:33 If umpire > then I’d speak without fear. I am being misjudged.
10:1 I will speak my complaint freely. You think oppression good? Judge like men? favor the wicked?
10:5 You are harsh, seek out my sin. If I am wicked > woe to me! If I am righteous > affliction. You hunt me. Let me
alone > little comfort, then death
Positive:
• Acknowledgment: I know that no moral is just before God. He is wise, powerful, Creator, beyond us … no chance
• Acknowledgment: he does great things beyond our understanding
Negative:
• fluid transition from good truths held in faith to being overwhelmed with grief again … 9:11 is the switch
• God will not take back his anger, I am at his mercy, I must appeal to my accuser, I don’t believe he would listen to me
• He will judge be, condemn me …
• calling for an umpire … but God is the umpire > stuck
• very emotional outcry: you seek out my sin, you leave me no options, let me alone so I find a little comfort before dying
• Child pummeling his father’s chest …

Zophar 1
Characteristic Moralist, legalist
Relies on Assumption
Personality Rude, blunt
Voice of Orthodoxy
Argument “You are sinning”
Advice to Job The wicked are short lived
Key verse Job 20:4-5 “Do you not know this from of old … that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?”
Concept of God Unbending, merciless

11:1 When you mock, shall no one shame you? God exacts less of you than your guilt deserves.
11:8 He is higher than heaven, what can you know? He knows those who are worthless. Surely when you call on him
as a blameless one, you will be secure. You will forget your misery, you will have peace, safety, hope, favor
Negative:
• after this emotional crying out … what would be appropriate: empathy, hugging Job, “I do not know why this is happening, but I know God will somehow come though”, stand with Job, without co-blaming God
• But now the friends are stung … why? are they offended for God? worried? appalled? fearing blasphemy?
• Or are they worried they will doubt God’s goodness like Job? don’t want to be infected by doubt? don’t want to think any further? … save their own theology and mind’s peace?
• Zophar is downright abusive: You mock, you need to be shamed, you deserve worse than you got … full blame
• How do I justify these harsh words? > defending God’s God-ness, he is higher … > bringing down our knowledge / understanding, what can you know? …. Closing down doubts: He knows the worthless. If you are blameless and call on him, you will have
Positive
• just the last part … you will have peace, safety, hope favor … if you are blameless
• maybe he feels bad about his own words, maybe he thinks he is saying the right things but it doesn’t feel right.

Job to Zophar 1
12:1 Upset at the “wise” friends. Now I am laughing stock, though blameless, before: God answered me when I called
12:5 those at ease look down on misery, but it is ready for the unstable, tents of robbers are at peace
12:13 with God are wisdom & strength … he does whatever he wants, He raises up nations and destroys them.
Contrasts. He is arbitrary- irresistible.
13:1 I know as much as you, I am not inferior, you whitewash with lies, you worthless physicians. be silent, listen
13:20 only two requests: withdraw your hand from me, why do you persecute me, chaff?
14:1 Look away and desist.
14:14 if mortals die, will they live again? You determine all bounds, God. Nothing after death
Negative
• Job is fully defensive (which shows that he really feels attacked) … I have understanding as well as you, I am not inferior to you … Trapez / elastic band Illustration
• Job attacks his friends, he is emotional and very negative
• Again: the pressure to put up with an inappropriate remark should be more on the friends than on the sufferer

Eliphaz 2
15:1 You are doing away the fear of God, you hinder meditation, your sin teaches your mouth, you own mouth
condemns you.
15:9 What do you know that we don’t? Why does your heart carry you away? Why do you let such words our of your
mouth?
15:15 God doesn’t trust angels (2nd time), far less you who are corrupt
15:20 the wicked writhe in pain all their life, they will not escape. Godless barren
Negative
• Eliphaz is not personally offended >
• he straight attacks and blames Job, your are sinning now (you must have sinned before)
• Why questions … well, why? suffering, of course! … does Eliphaz think he would do so much better if he were in Job’s place? He doesn’t identify anymore with Job, he doesn’t even ask this question
• He goes into a very long and condemning description of the wicked, the ruthless, and the horrible judgment coming on them … clearly he identifies Job with the wicked, deserving judgment … he really rubs it in.
• It’s not even a warning anymore, with a challenge or hope of repentance, is just a rubbing in.
• Also it’s not so much a defense of God’s justice anymore, it’s much more a negative emotional reaction, a self-defense, a self-righteous lashing.
• How does a friend who came with the express intention to comfort ends up so abusive?

Job to Eliphaz 2
16:1 miserable comforters you are! I also could talk like you if you were in my place.
16:6 if I don’t speak > pain. If I do speak > pain.
16:7 God has torn me, hated me, given me up to the ungodly though my prayer is pure
17:1 my spirit is broken, mockers around me. If I die, where then is my hope?
Negative
• Job picks us on the ‘would you do better in my place??’
• Job confesses to be completely stuck, whatever he does, it makes no difference
• Job accuses God, God is the problem, God is the doer, he is God-focused in his attack, blaming, in his bitterness
• Job sinks in misery, further pushed into misery by his friends
• Job sees to hope, not in this life, … and not after death.

Insert: Theme of Life after death & resurrection in Job
• A concept non-existent in Jewish thinking for most of their history
• Elijah & Elisha (and later Jesus’ resurrections), are miracles, but they do not principally full resurrections in the biblical sense, they are more up-to-now-normal-life-extensions, that are limited, and people die normal deaths thereafter.
• An idea of true actual resurrection sneaks in only by about Daniel’s time (Da 12:2), connected with God justifying martyrs / hope of restoration
• by NT times quite a few of the Jews (though not all, Sadducees) have accepted the idea of a bodily / physical resurrection, in the sense of judgment of oppressors, vindication of the saints, their bliss as reward for their sacrificial deaths and foregoing life on earth
• The idea of an immortal soul as the part of humans that will live on the other side of death is NOT Jewish / biblical, but rather pagan.
• Egypt had the concept of an after life > mummies, burial gifts, etc … same existence somehow, somewhat changed
• Greece had Hades, the concept of a place for the dead, a place of shadow, a physical place from which no one ever returned
• Some pagan (stoics?) had an immortal soul concept, that human souls turned into stars that keep shining
• What happens to Jesus after his death doesn’t fit ANY of these concepts fully, it’s a completely new thing.
• The closest is of course the Jewish resurrection hope, but that one was linked to the ‘final judgment’ at the end of the days, and had very nationalistic components (not victory over sin & evil and complete restoration of a Ge 1-2 reality, but Jews triumphing over their enemies)
• Jesus’ resurrection is not a this-life-extension, it’s not an immortal soul passing on into another realm, it’s not Jesus shining down from heaven with his light, it is a full-fledged, new amazing body including resurrection (1 Co 15) that will last forever and encompass both the physical and the spiritual forever (Co 1:20, Ro 8:17)
• This is the resurrection that we are promised ‘at the end of time’, ‘at Jesus’ coming’ and will include the restoration of all things, both physical and spiritual
• What happens to us after death until that full resurrection the Bible describes as ‘sleeping’, ‘being at rest’, ‘being with Jesus’, ‘being in heaven’ … but this is NOT fully resurrection and not the final goal. Resurrection with complete restoration is. Heaven and earth combined under God is.
• Job, like a good Jew of his time (and probably he was early), lives by ‘from dust you were taken, to dust you shall return’ (Ge 3:19)
• So do not get upset when Job is not expecting a resurrection, God has not told us that yet … his vindication in Job 42 is a good and full and long life here on earth.

Bildad 2
18:1 Why are we stupid in your sight? Surely the light of the wicked will be put out. A trap is set for them. their memory perishes
18:19 for the wicked no offspring remains
Negative
• Bildad is also offended, though not as outright abusive as Eliphaz.
• Yet he offers no new perspective, an no hope.
• Like Eliphaz he attacks Job for deriding his friends. Then he gives a description of the wicked … again rubbing it in more than an encouragement / hope to repent.
• The comment about the wicked having no offspring remaining is very harsh on somebody who just lost 10 children!

Insert: Closed theology
• God is good and just you are in misery it’s not God’s fault It must be your fault
• God is good and just I am in misery it is not my fault it must be God’s fault or he must do sth
• God is good and just you are in misery it’s not God’s fault, I don’t know why, there must be a higher
reason / good

Job to Bildad 2
19:1 How long will you cast reproach upon me, not ashamed to wrong me?
19:5 You magnify yourselves against me and make my humiliation an argument against me
19:6 Know that God has put me in the wrong. There is no justice.
19:13 Loss of family, relatives, intimate friends, loss of honor & respect
19:21 Have pity on me my friends! Why – like God – pursue me?
19:23 O that my words were written down! forever!
19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, then in my flesh I shall see God whom I shall see by my side
19:28 easily blaming me > judgment
Negative
• Job is emotional, attacking, blaming his friends, yet also letting them know his hurt, his desperation, his utter misery, his loneliness, feeling abandoned, wronged,
• Job catches their harsh judgments: your magnify yourselves against me … as if they would do any better if they really were in his situation … as if they had less sin, and therefore are not punished by God
• Job catches their closed theology: … you make my humiliation an argument against me
Positive
• Job cries for his case to be written down (for all to see the injustice done against him)
• This is self-pity, in another sense he believes in a greater framework, in which he will be vindicated
• This, of course, is a prayer answered … that’s why we have the book of Job 🙂 … though Job would not now repeat exactly what he said … I think it would take humility of him to write / share / have written the story like this
• His faith in a greater framework is also expressed in his faith in a Redeemer, this must be God, and God will be for him
• Again the picture of a child pummeling his father’s chest, and then crashing into his arms … he does not withdraw, does not give up, he keeps yelling … which is good!

Zophar 2
20:1 agitation, I hear censure that insults me
20:5 the exaltation of the wicked is short, they will perish forever, their children will beg of the poor
20:7-29 (end of the chapter) Zophar rubs it in: a highly graphic description of all that will befall the wicked. A warning to
Job? an attack on Job? a statement of what he thinks Job is deserving? … warning would be the most positive
Negative
• Again: no new perspective, taken up personal offense, rubbing in the judgment on the wicked

Job to Zophar 2
21:1 bear with me, I will speak, then mock on
21:7 wicked live on, grow mighty, reach old age, safe, children well, prosperity & peace. Say to God: Leave us alone!
21:17 How often does calamity come upon the wicked? they die wholly at ease & secure
21:27 I know your schemes to wrong me!
21:34 your comforts / answers are falsehood
Negative
• Job again feels attacked, reacts / blames / counter-attacks
• Job tries to prove that the “if then” does not always work (although he has spoken many confirmations of it as well, and probably would have argued it on a normal day) …
• One way it doesn’t always work is NOW, though in the long run it usually does … TIME again an an aggravating factor, or Job waiting for God do something on the positive side
• His ‘the wicked often go unpunished, go to the grave in peace’ almost calls for a ‘but judgment afterward’

Eliphaz 3
22:2 Can a mortal be of use to God? is it pleasure to God is you are righteous?
22:5 Is not your wickedness great? You have exacted pledges, stripped the naked, sent widows away, crushed orphan
22:10 therefore snares are around you. Wicked say: What can God do to us?
22:21 Agree with God and be at peace. If you repent, if you delight in God > good will come, restoration, success,
answer to prayer, deliverance
Negative
• He declares God to be so above us, we can’t touch his heart … true in the sense that God doesn’t have to be touched by us … this is utterly false, the whole Bible tells us that he has chosen to be touched by us … he does care, he is interested, he wants us to respond to him
• This is a gross misrepresentation of God. It seems to be almost said to hurt Job: “you can yell all you want, you can’t hurt him!”
• Job was much closer to the truth when he accused God of making him his target, pursuing him
• 5-9 Eliphaz lists all the sins Job committed, this is not even true (according to ch 1, 2, 31, 42)! Why in the world does he state them if he doesn’t even know that to be true? … he assumes this is true due to his closed theology.
• This is scary: we will claim things to be true, for which I have no proof, which I have no knowledge actually, just because I ‘want them to be true’, ‘need them to be true’ in order to save my own opinions
• Application: Careful! … and, even if you think you are ‘saving / defending God’ with it, God doesn’t want to be defended like that!
• God never ‘defends himself’ by untruth, if something is true, even if people will 5 times misunderstand it, then let it be known.
• Calls out once more for Job to repent … probably meant well, probably worried, possibly threatening, if baseless, definitely condemning

Job to Eliphaz 3
23:1 If I could find him > lay my case before him. I’d argue > he’d answer me > I’d be acquitted forever by my judge
23:8 I cannot see him, but he knows my ways, when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold. I have kept his way.
23:14 He will complete what he appoints for me
23:15 God has terrified me
24:1 The wicked do evil, continually … yet God pays no attention to the cry of their victims
24:22 God prolongs their life, they are exalted a little while, then gone
24:21 Is it not so? Or will you pove me a liar?
Negative:
• The if-then doesn’t work, why does God not maintain it?
Positive:
• God is absent, if I could get a hold of him, I would argue my case, he’d acquit me
• God is absent, yet he sees me, knows my ways, tests me … I shall come out like gold
• Waves of faith / assertion … despondent thoughts

Bildad 3
25:1 God is all-powerful, how can a moratl be righteous before God?
Negative:
• Describes God’s power & superiority, uses this to disprove Job’s claim of innocence
Positive:
• Again: if he would include himself, it would be much better … we all do sin, I am not more righteous than you, there must be another reason …

Job to Bildad 3
26:1 How you have helped, assisted, counseled, given good advice!
26:4 Whose spirit has come forth from you?
26:5 Sheol is naked before God, he is the powerful Creator
27:1 God has taken away my right, made my soul bitter. As long a s his breath is in me: I will not lie. I will hol dfast my
righteousness
27:8 for what is the hope of the godless? God cuts them off
27:13 protion for the wicked from God: misery, terror, destruction
28:1 Where is wisdom found? the fear of the Lord = wisdom. To depart from evil = understanding
29:1 the happy old days, when God was my friend and everybody honored me
30:1 Now they mock me, disdain me
30:16 days of affliction, pain, you have turned cruel to me, you will bring me to death
31:1 If I had sinned: sexually… slaves … poor … trusted in wealth … self-congratulation … vindictiveness … fearing men
31:35 Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me! … I’d give full account, like a prince I’d approach him
Negative:
• Job is hurt, feels attacked, reacts emotionally, lashes back with irony, … tries to hurt the friends showing them how NOT they have reached their goal
• Whose spirit has come forth from you? … good question. Accusing is Satan’s favorite job, and they have accused Job
• God does not commend their words according to 42:8
• What ever can be wrong / not true about statement like: “God is greater than humans”, “humans all sin”, “God is just”?
• Is the point of the book of Job that you shouldn’t speak truth, and that the sufferer is always right?
• Can something be true, but still be wrong? What exactly is wrong? … attitude, intention, self-defense

Application of the friends counseling?
• careful with ‘good advice’, with ‘well-meant’ comments, be careful to listen, ton understand, to identify
• Can I speak truth, but still be wrong / not be right?
• a statement can be true in itself, but used at the wrong time, giving it a wrong meaning
• What is truth? a system of correct thoughts? or a reality of a God-like character lived out?
• In a sense, the friends are much more orthodox in their arguments than Job
• truth in love, truth spoken needs to also represent God’s character
• Beware of closed theology! beware of airtight arguments! Beware of what it does to your attitude to humans!
• God may not at all be glorified by my attempts at defending / saving him … actually: God doesn’t need saving.
• careful with applying if-then to people and not applying it yourself
• God is very, very gracious to the suffering, but holds counselors accountable for their attitude
• Should one counsel at all? … first suffer with, identifying, graciously, leaving conviction to God, …
• Careful with closed theology, with sacrificing people to ‘saving my mind’s peace’
• Balance … principle vs closed theology

Elihu
Characteristic Young theologian, intellectual
Relies on Education
Personality Perceptive, some conceit
Voice of Logic
Argument “God purifies and teaches”
Advice to Job Humble yourself and submit to God
Key verse Job 37:23 “The Almighty – we cannot find him; he is great in power and justice, and abundant righteousness he will not violate.”
Concept of God Disciplinarian, teacher

32:1 angry at Job because he justified himself rather than God … wasn’t that the anger the others also had? angry at friends because they declare Job wrong but have no arguments … to save their opinions
32:6 I have uprightness in heart
33:6 before God I am as you are, my pressure will not be heavy on you. Don’t fear me … identification, no separation, no top-down judgment, including himself
33:12 God is greater, speaks to mortals in many ways … to convince them, turn them from pride, lets them suffer but saves them. Mediator speaking up > deliver him. I have found a ransom … that person then sings to others … many ways, not one way … maybe this is a speaking / revealing himself issue … maybe this will turn into a witness of deliverance (it does!)
33:32 I desire to justify you … siding with the sufferer, wishing him well, no joy or peace or superiority in finding fault
34:4 Let us choose what is right, let us determine among ourselves what is good … things are complex, answers are not easy, we need each other to see more truth
34:10 God does not do evil, he does not pervert justice
34:13 He is the Creator, first cause / Almighty … if he’s not just, who is?… holding on in faith to basic truth: God is powerful, just, good … if it doesn’t look like that right now, my sight is limited, not God’s character bad
34:35 Job speaks words without knowledge … he adds rebellion to his sin …
35:1 God not affected by your sin or your righteousness, thou people are. Humans cry to God because of misery, but not for seeking their Maker. Because God is gracious and not punishing you, you do not heed that you are sinning … God’s grace is on you even now
36:1 I have yet something to say on behalf of God: God is mighty and just. He judges the wicked, protects the righteous, give opportunity to repent, he opens the afflicted’s ear by their affliction
36:17 Beware, do not turn to iniquity because of affliction, do not scoff. Remember to extol God, we do not know him … do not choose iniquity rather than suffering, do not sin now (distance, cold conclusions) in order to terminate suffering / relieve suffering … it’s not that you suffer because you sinned, but don’t now sin in suffering
36:21 “Beware! Do not turn to iniquity; for this you have chosen rather than suffering.” Elihu warns Job against drawing ‘cold conclusion’ to reduce tension in our mind, suffering in out hearts. Job’s sin is not the struggle, the arguments in his mind, the bad thoughts he cries to God out for, the doubt, the bitterness, the pouring out of his soul, the anger, the hopelessness. But it would be sin to choose to end the suffering, to reduce the tension by inwardly withdrawing from God ‘If this is how God is, then I don’t want him’. In all his struggle and conflict Job remains God-centered: he talks to God, screams at God, demands answers of God, blames God, but he doesn’t walk away from God.
37:1 Have fear of God at his majesty, power, creation. Do you know? Can you accomplish xxx like him? God is awesome majesty, great in power and justice, his righteousness he will not violate… God is awesome, great, powerful, life-giving, greater than our understanding, accept your limitedness in judging

Ch 38-41 Meeting Your God
• Honest question: How many of you were irritated at reading God’s answer?
• In one sense God never answers any question. Rather he asks questions over questions.
• Again there is no thing quite like this anywhere else in the Bible: 4 solid pages of questions!!
• We feel that Job of all people, the most righteous of all humans, the most obedient in accepting, the most suffering of us all, for the most flimsy reasons, HE should have the right to an answer!
• Does he get his answer? Yes? No?
Nature descriptions
• Why these nature / creation / animal descriptions? How do you like them? How do you feel reading them? What is the answer in this?
• Showing the Creator, Life-giver God, so powerful, so sovereign, so above anything else, so not accountable to creatures, so all knowing, so caring for everything
• our utter dependence and limitations as creatures

Answering by questions
• What then does God do with his questions? What is he mentioning? What’s the message?
• God speaks, describing his absolute sovereignty as creator, his power, his superiority, his knowledge, his wisdom …
• Are these answers? How? How do they answer Job’s need?
• God comes & shows himself powerfully, in a whirlwind, miraculously, he wanted God to show up, God does show up;
• There is healing in the fact that God answers, he does care, he does face Job, he does show himself, Job has called, God is answering … to him, personally, specifically
• There is healing in what this speech means: God entering my arguments, God answering my heart’s cry, God caring enough about me and my mind’s battle to do the longest speech of God in the bible. God does care. He does see. He knew all along.
• God affirms his unrelenting love for Job, his pursuing interest, yes, I did test you, yes, I am after what you think and understand of me, I do care what you think of me, I will do almost anything to make you see more …
• C.S. Lewis: You wanted a loving God, you have one, not a senile benevolence, but flaming, passionate love himself. Who cares too much about you, to leave you as you are.
• I think God’s speech is a rebuke, but there are healing rebukes, God is a master of them, I think it’s a smiling rebuke, too … and I think Job is also smiling by halfway through these questions
• Maybe let’s look first at Job’s reaction to understand better what is happening.
• 40:3-5 … “See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth, I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but will proceed no further.”
• 42:1-6 … “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
• Job is satisfied. I think he is smiling. He is repenting … so did he sin? I thought God said he did speak rightly (42:7)?
• Maybe the question is not so much anymore whether he may have sinned. I think Job here repents partially of his ravings, but at least as much of his too limited his view of God and his purposes
• It’s was before, and how it has expanded.
• Repentance means to change one’s mind. And changing his mind he surely did: … I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you
• Well, if he sinned, he has repented, and learned so much more, experiences his God like never before, understood God like never before,
• And also his friends, they did their best, which wasn’t very good, getting their own need to save their theology and safe thinking tangled up and rather sacrificing Job. They sinned, they were humbled, now they are forgiven, and what a bigger view of God do they have! And with how many challenges to grow will they walk out of it.
• So where is Satan now? Where are his schemes? Where is his victory? … 🙂 … he always looses worst when he thought he really beat God. Like on the cross.
• You never cheat God, and you never force him to co-operate with your designs … but he will us anything, everything and anything to create something even more amazing.
• Sometimes we read the book and say: but there is no answer. Well, in one sense yes, there is no answer. Unless you are willing to see an even bigger God, you will not see an answer.
• Let us not underestimate the amazing-ness of what God does here for Job: he really meets him, in the whirlwind, personally, powerfully, specifically, experientially.
• We need to not only accept the suffering of Job as okay, we need to so desire what he got, that we are willing to put in a bit of suffering.
• We see suffering as negative. Often it’s the only handle God has on our stubborn self-concerned lives.
• And in the end: the suffering was a little price to pay for this one greater thing: Knowing God more.
• Parallel to Gethsemane … The Father letting Jesus go through the suffering he didn’t deserve (!) for a greater most valuable thing to be accomplished.
• Heb 12:2 … “Jesus … who, for the sake of the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising its shame …”
• There are things we humans do not learn except by suffering, suffering gives God handles in our life. There is nothing as tiring as a Christian whose every prayer was answered and every wish fulfilled.
• Let us learn to accept, even to embrace what God chooses for our lives

Christ in Job
Jb 19:25-27 Job acknowledges a Redeemer
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then i my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another …
Jb 9:33 Job cries out for an Umpire
“There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand on us both.”
Jb 33:23 Job cries out for a Mediator
Then, if there should be for one of them and angel, a mediator, one of a thousand, one who declares a person upright, and he is gracious to that person, and says ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit: I have found a ransom”
He 4:15 Christ identifies with our suffering. He is the believer’s Life, Redeemer, Mediator and Advocate
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.

Short Summary of the Book
3 J I wish I was never born. Death is better than this. Self-pity. I wish I wasn’t alive.
4 E You reap what you sow. God punishes the bad. Weak humans can never be righteous before God.
5 E As for me, I’d seek God. Don’t despise the discipline of the Almighty. God wounds and binds up. He delivers and saves from trouble
6 J O that God would kill me. Weigh my suffering > heavy. Attacks friends … those who withhold kindness from a friend forsake the Almighty. My companions are treacherous … You would even cast lots over the orphan, and bargain over your friend. Turn now, my vindication is at stake. Is there any wrong on my tongue?
7 J Job describes his suffering. I will speak the anguish of my spirit … I loathe my live. Let me alone. Why have you made me your target.
8 B Does God pervert justice? God punishes the ba, vindicates the food. Your latter days will be great. God will fill your mouth with laughter.
9 J What chance does a human have in a struggle with God? He is strong, can prove me wrong at will. He destroys the good and the bad, mocks at the calamity of the innocent. There is no judge between God and me. Totalitarian God.
10 J You made me, why do you now crush me? Leave me alone so I can die in peace.
11 Z You mock, shall no-one shame you? Job claims blamelessness. God will not overlook iniquity. Repent!
12 J I’m not inferior to you! Those at ease have contempt for misfortune. Sovereign God does what he wants … with nature, kings, priests.
13 J I’m not inferior to your. Will you speak deceitfully of God? Show partiality for him? Let me have silence. I will speak. God, why do you hide your face and count me as your enemy?
14 J O that you would hide me in Sheol until your wrath is past, … that you would appoint me a set time and remember me
15 E Your iniquity teaches your mouth. Your own lips testify against you. Are the consolations of God too small for you? Wicked men won’t last long.
16 J God gives me up to the ungodly. God slashes open my kidneys and shows no mercy … though there is no violence in hands and my prayer is pure.
17 J My eye has grown dim from grief. The upright are appalled at this. Where then is my hope?
18 B You who tear yourself in your anger, shall the earth be forsaken because you you? Surely the light of the wicked is put our.
19 J How long will you torment me? Cast reproach upon me? You make my humiliation and argument against me. God has put me in the wrong, he breaks me down. My intimate friends abhor me. Have pity on me! Why do you, like God pursue me? For I know that my redeemer lives … then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side.
20 Z I hear censure that insults me. Exulting of the wicked is short. God will punish the wicked.
21 J Why do the wicked live on? Often unpunished? Spend their days in prosperity.
22 E Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities. Agree with God and be at peace. If you return to the Almighty, he saves the humble.
23 J That I knew where I might find him. I would lay my case before him … arguments. I would understand what he would say to me. I am terrified at his presence.
24 J Why does God allow violence in the earth?
25 B How can a mortal be righteous before God?
26 J How you have assisted! Whose spirit has come forth from you? God is powerful. How small a whisper do we hear of him!
27 J I hold fast to my righteousness, and will not let go. As God lives who has taken away my right … God punishes the wicked.
28 J But where shall wisdom be found? God understands the way to it. Truly the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.
29 J O that I were as in the days … when the Almighty was still with me. I was a father to the needy.
30 J They mock me in song because God has humbled me. I cry to your and you do not answer. You have turned cruel to me, persecute me. But when I looked for good, evil came.
31 J Does he not see my ways and number all my steps. If I have walked with falsehood … if my heart has been enticed by a woman … if I have rejected the cause of my slaves … if I have withheld anything that the poor desired … if I have made gold my trust … if I have rejoiced at the ruin of those who hated me … O that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)