redravin40

I think Job has much to offer in the way of looking at the nature of suffering and destruction that touches us all.
How many of us have looked at the sky and said "What the hell did I do to deserve this?'
Here is a short essay I did on the Book of Job.

I have to admit that the idea of Satan hanging out in Heaven and making bets with God is an interesting image all by itself but be that as it may the story of Job has some amazing imagery and ideas.

I also found it interesting that God was the one responsible for taking his 'riches' (camels, goats, horses, family and servants) while it was Satan who inflicted the boils and scabs.

Perhaps even then the writers recognized a difference in the things we have no control over (physics, disease, natural disasters) and the forces that make for a comfortable life.

The neighbors were not the first to offer him advice though.

His wife tells him to curse God and he dismisses her right off.

Considering that she just lost all her children in one fell stroke I can understand her feelings.

When his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar drop by, Job curses the day rather then God.

Eliphaz says that wraith at god kill fools and envy kills the silly, accept the will of God and all will be well.

Kind of the 'don’t worry, be happy approach'.

Job asks, “Is there not an appointed time to man on earth? I will not refrain my mouth: I will speak the anguish of my spirit.”

I have always said there is a difference between ranting and whining.

When you rant you don’t expect anyone to do anything about your problem.

Job felt he had a right to rant and I agree.

Bildad had another approach, “God will not cast away a perfect man, and neither will he help an evil doers.”

He asks if Job should take a look at his actions that might have caused these problems.

Job asks of his friend, “If I am wicked, why then should I labor in vain? And if I am good, why has God done this to me?”

Then Zophar chimes in saying, “The eyes of the wicked shall fail. All men have such eyes.”

He seems to feel that we were born evil and deserve what we get.

Job asks, “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind?”

If man is so evil Job wonders, how could God possibly be part of us?

Then there is Elihu the younger man who jumps in after all the elders have spoken.

Like most young folks he is pretty sure he has all the answers saying, “Job will be tried to unto the end because of his answers to wicked men.”

He also spends a lot of time telling people to listen to him and darnnit maybe they will learn something.

Here Job replies with, “Who shall declare Gods way to Gods face?” and “God forbade that I should justify to you.”

At this point God has had enough.

From the whirlwind he asks “Where were you when I created the heavens and the earth?”

What right or sense is there in questioning God?

He tells Job to make sacrifices for his friends because their advice was seriously flawed.

And then God gives everything back that he took away.

It might have been an even more effective story if Job hadn’t been returned to his comfortable life but still refused to turn away from God.

I see people who have been paralyzed from something like falling out of a tree having to deal with the challenges that everyday brings.

Some probably take Jobs wife’s advice right from the start but slowly turn around as time brings awareness and understanding.



I have always skimmed over Job in the past without studying it in depth and I appreciate the insight it has offered.