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The Book of Job

By Roy B. Blizzard

The book of Job is perhaps the best known book of the Bible and yet the one most frequently misunderstood. The Hebrew text contains some of the earliest forms of the language as well as some of the latest. Scholars have suggested that perhaps the story of Job dated form the time of Abraham or before and was transmitted orally from generation to generation until it was committed to writing during the post Exilic Period. The book is the earliest example of "Wisdom Literature" in the Bible.

The Theme of Job has often been misunderstood. While Job deals with the question of human tragedy and suffering, it is also an overriding story of the true measure of success and achievement that comes by fleeing evil and trusting God. There is a spiritual principle at the heart of the story that can be recognized only after we answer the principle question, "Did Job sin?"

In order to answer that question, we must ask another question, "What was the nature of sin circa 2000 BCE?" Sin was seen as a transgression of God's will; however, there were two principal categories of sin:

  1. The willful sin – sin so heinous that there are no provisions made for atonement. The person who commits the willful sin is simply cut off from God.
  2. The weakness of the flesh – for this category there were both the sins of omission and the sins of commission.

If sin was a transgression of God's will, then the question becomes, "Had God communicated His will?" From Job 22:22 and 23:11-12, the answer would seem to be "yes." The contention is that the Law which was later written was first communicated orally.

At the introduction, Job is righteous before God. At least he is not a willful sinner. Whatever else he was or was not, he was at least accounted by God as righteous (Job 1:8).

After the afflictions and before the visit of his three friends, he was still deemed righteous before God (Job 2:10). The visit of the friends indicates:

  1. The influence of Job (Job 4:3-4),
  2. The concern of his friends (Job 2:11-12),
  3. The wide spread knowledge of God.

Their speech indicates (1) a highly developed spiritual concept (Job 15:31 ff) and (2) their advice of repentance is basically sound although tactless at times (Job 42:6). Ultimately, this is what Job did.

Again, we consider the question, "Did Job sin?"

  1. He contends that he did not. No where does he admit his guilt. Job 7:20-21 and 9:1 ff are not admissions of guilt.
  2. Rather, he claims his up righteousness (Job 27:6) and justifies himself that he regards all Ten Commandments, again indicative of the oral communication of Law.
    1. No God before me (Job 31:26),
    2. No graven image (Job 31:24),
    3. Do not take the name of God in vain (Job 2:9-10),
    4. Remember the Sabbath – the sacrifices in Job 1:5 imply worship although this commandment is not specifically given until Exodus 20,
    5. Honor your Father and Mother (Job 31:18),
    6. Do not kill (Job 31:39),
    7. Do not commit adultery (Job 31:1 and 31:11),
    8. Do not steal (Job 31:39),
    9. Do not lie (Job 6:28, 27:4 and 31:5),
    10. Do not covet (Job 31:7).

His friends appear to be faintly aware of Job's problem or sin although vague in reality concerning his true nature of God. Obviously, they lack perfect insight as they themselves were chastised by God in Job 42:7:

  1. Sophar – Job 11:3
  2. Eliphaz – Job 15:2-6
  3. Bildad – Job 25:4

In Job's lengthy response in Job 26:31, we see the nature of his real sin revealed:

  1. In Job 27:6 – he declares his righteousness,
  2. In Job 19 – he uses the pronoun referring to himself fifty times,
  3. In Job 30:19-21 ff – he accuses God, and
  4. In Job 31 – he justifies himself.

In Job 32:1-2, his sin is revealed and correctly identified: Job has "I" trouble. His sin is PRIDE. This is indicated further in the nature and essence of Elihu's lengthy admonition (Job 32:4 ff). In Job 34:35-37 Elihu declares that Job has added rebellion to his sin. In Chapters 38, 39, 40 and 41, God both reproves and informs. His words speak volumes regarding His being and His nature. In Job 42:1-6, Job replies, "Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

The real lesson and/or theme of the book of Job is TRUST. Trust God even in the midst of suffering and prolonged anguish. In emphasizing the theme of trust, the story of Job serves as the foundation for all of the "Wisdom Literature" to come.

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