Job: Tragedy, Repentance & Restoration – Part I

Last January, I did a brief study on the first chapter of Job called “Where Do You Place Your Faith?”

It seems like whenever you take a stand for something or start reading or doing a study on something in the Bible, you’re tested by it not long afterward.

So many things have come at me and my family since July (not to mention since January when I started this blog) that part of me is bracing for what may be around the corner and I go through Job more in depth. Still, God is on the throne. God is in control. God knows my beginning and my end. God’s will, will be done. So with that said, let’s get back into Job.

The Book of Job in History

Job is a very ancient book, dating during the time of the patriarchs. You could place the book of Job in Genesis, during the time of Jacob, after Abraham’s death and before the birth of Joseph. There are several reasons for this. First, Job is recorded as living to more than 140 years of age. That is not an uncommon age for that period of time. The economy of Job’s day was measured in terms of livestock. Like his forerunners Abraham and Isaac, and his contemporary Jacob, Job acted as priest for his family. Lastly, there is no mention of the nation of Israel nor the Mosaic law in the book. As such, this would suggest a pre-Mosaic date for the events, placing it before 1500 B.C.

Job is not merely an allegory either. Like Jonah, Job is considered a historical figure by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 14:14, 20) and James (James 5:11). Paul also quoted from the book of Job in 1 Corinthians 3:19.

The Theme of Job

For many years, I only thought that Job answered the question “why do the righteous suffer?” Although the book answers that question, I recently realized that Job is more than that.

The book of Job is also a story of repentance. I never truly realized this having read Job 1:8 many times and seeing what God thought of Job. But as we revisit the book, we’ll pick up on subtle clues that although Job was “a blameless and upright man,” he suffered from a malady that affects so many of us: self-righteousness.

The Book of Job – Part I: Tragedy

(Please note: The majority of the following is from a previous study on Job. However, I am revisiting it here and updating the commentary to keep the flow and make this a complete, sequential study.)

There are some that believe that as soon as you become a Christian the road should be smooth; that you don’t need to accept illness, poverty, calamity, etc. This isn’t what the Bible teaches. If you hold to those tenants, you need to somehow reconcile this with the book of Job.

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. –Job 1:1-3.

The first three verses tell us a few things about Job. He is described as “blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil.” A perfect description of what every believer should aspire to certainly. But, Job was not perfect in the sense of being sinless. This would go against the Biblical teaching that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). From a human point of view, he was without blame and could not be charged with any moral failure by his fellow men.

We also learn that by the standards of the day, he was very wealthy. We would consider this to be as a result of God’s blessing on his life. Yes, his greatness consisted not only in his earthly possessions, but also in his moral and spiritual standings. J. Vernon McGee says:

This man lived in the lap of luxury. The last part of verse 3 would indicate to us that he was Howard Hughes, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, and the oil men of Texas all rolled into one. –Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Volume II.

Uz, as strange a place as it sounds, is the ancient name for the region of Edom, southeast of the Dead Sea. The area was identified with Uz even by Ptolemy, the Greek general under Alexander the Great.

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. It came about, when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, that Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. –Job 1:4-5.

I used to read these two passages and think highly of Job. I used to see my own weaknesses in being a priest for my family and my sons. Not that I still don’t, but now when I read this something jumps out at me. Job offers burnt offerings for his children because “perhaps [they] have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” But nowhere does it say that Job included himself! This is the first sign of a problem.

A few key passages then occur.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came before them…The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” –Job 1:6, 8.

Stop and consider this statement for a moment. This is God, the Almighty, the Creator of the universe, describing Job! These are God’s words! Amazing! Though we just mentioned that Job isn’t offering burnt offerings on his behalf, it’s a wonderful testimony by God for Job’s faithfulness.

But watch what Satan says in response to God:

“Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about 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 put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” –Job 1:9-11.

Satan lives up to his reputation as described in Revelation 12:10: “the accuser of [the] brethren … he who accuses them before our God day and night.” First, Satan questions Job’s motives by asking if Job fears God for nothing. But then he explains that God has protected Job with a “hedge about him.” In fact, God has protected Job, his house, his possessions, and even his family. In other words, what we learn from this is that Satan is completely under God’s power and authority.

Moreover, never assume that Satan is on an equal footing with God. I used to be under the false presumption that it was always a war between God and Satan. There is no “war.” Satan is no where near being God’s equal and opposite. Yes, Satan opposes God, but he is no where equal to Him in power. Satan is a created being, created by the Creator of the Universe.

Satan then tells God that if He would remove the hedge and take away everything Job has, Job will curse God. It’s an accusation for false motives for Job.

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. –Job 1:12.

A simple but powerful verse that demonstrates that God is always in control of everything. It also demonstrates that Satan can only act within God’s control. What is implied is that God left it up to Satan to do his worst; he just could not kill job or take his life.

What happens next is that Satan arranges the following events in rapid succession:

1. The Sabeans (a nomadic Bedouin tribe) come and take all of Job’s oxen and donkeys and kill the servants tending to them.
2. A “rain of fire” comes down (possibly lightning) and burns up the sheep and the servants tending to them.
3. The Chaldeans (nomadic marauders) came and raided Job’s camels and killed the servants tending to them.
4. While Job’s children were at his oldest son’s house, a great wind came and blew the house down killing them all.

These events are outlined in Job 1:13-19.

What would you do? Put this in today’s terms. Let’s say your house was broken into and all of your possessions were stolen. Let’s say there was a lightning storm that struck your wood-shake roof and the house burned to the ground. Let’s say you were car-jacked and your car was stolen. Let’s say your kids were all at your eldest son’s house and there was an earthquake and the house collapsed killing them all. What would you do?

Speaking for myself, our house was burglarized several years ago and my favorite guitars were stolen along with some camera equipment. I remembered being really upset and may not have handled it well at the time. But I also remembered praying that God would put it on the heart of whoever did it to just return the items and “no harm, no foul.” I meant that. I wouldn’t have asked any questions, I just wanted our stuff back.

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. –Job 1:20.

What I found comforting in this simple reaction is that Job grieved. In other words, he didn’t remain stoic and strong. He remained human. But the part that we may find incredible is that he worshiped God in the midst of these terrible events. He placed his faith in God.

He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed by the name of the Lord.” Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. –Job 1:21-22.

This is the proper response. Job, in spite of his “greatness” in wealth, possessions, etc., he had a light touch on them. He acknowledged where those blessings came from, including his children. Everything belongs to God.

Next time we’ll look at Satan’s reaction and his persistence. We’ll look at God’s response, Job’s patience, and we’ll get introduced to a few of Job’s “friends.”

May He Increase!