The book of Job is the record of one godly man's experience, but it has significance for all men. The realities of life that are illumined by the story are of such importance that it should be understood by all. The poetic style of the book, as well as the many metaphors employed by Job and his friends in their discourses, may make it difficult for many to follow the argument with sustained interest, but its basic truths are of easy comprehension.
Satan presented himself in a gathering of the sons of God, and when challenged by God as to why he should be there he made the claim that he was the king of the earth. It was his, and he had the run of it. This claim was refuted by God's pointing to Job. Job was His servant, and did not acknowledge Satan. How, then, could he be earth's sovereign? Satan countered by accusing God of interference, and Job of self-interest. If he appeared to be God's servant, it was only because God (unfairly) protected Job and all his possesions. Otherwise, he would not be God's servant.
God then informed Satan that He had withdrawn His protecting hedge from all of Job's possessions, but not from Job's person. Armed with this permission, Satan departed and immediately made a clean sweep of Job's family and wealth. Job felt that he had been stripped naked (Job I: 21). Satan used both men and nature as his agents in this destruction: The Sabeans from the south and the Chaldeans from the east raided Job's cattle, asses, and camels, killed his servants, and departed with their booty; a fire from heaven and a tornado from the desert destroyed his seven thousand sheep, with their shepherds, and killed his whole family. It was a most fearful series of disasters; enough to crush the spirit of any man. Nevertheless, Job remained steadfast in his allegiance to God.
Satan, not yet satisfied with the destruction he had wrought, returned and repeated his claims and charges, and God further withdrew His protecting hedge, reserving this time only Job's life. The enemy then afflicted Job's body with loathsome sores from head to foot, and Job sat among the ashes, the sign of extreme humiliation and distress.
It should be kept in mind that the story reveals Job's need of this experience. His righteousness, to which God Himself testified (Job 1:8), tended to become self-righteousness (chap. 32:1), and this endangered his eternal welfare (chap. 40:8). This treatment of him was not simply an exhibition that God was here putting on to demonstrate to Satan and the angels how much His servant could really bear. Not at all. Job's recorded speeches show that he gravely misunderstood God's true character, and he confesses at the end of the trial that his knowledge of God before these calamities was only hearsay (chap. 42:5). If Job had not been in need of discipline, God would never have permitted the enemy even to touch him. The story illustrates the character of God as well as the character of Job, and we must not allow the enemy to blind our, eyes to the fact that it shows God to be "very pitiful, and of tender mercy" (James 5: I I). God knows how to make His servants "a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men" (1 Cor. 4:9) without causing them unnecessary scourging and suffering.
Here, however, is a picture that cannot be painted too vividly, and should never be absent from the consciousness of God's people, especially the youth: God is the protector of all who trust in Him, while Satan, the cruel destroyer, is ever seeking opportunity to ruin man, and is never lacking in means and the will when God permits (1 Peter 5:8). "The history of Job had shown that suffering is inflicted by Satan, and is overruled by God for purposes of mercy." —The Desire of Ages, p. 471. Whom shall we love and serve—the Source of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), or the source of every evil (John 8:44)?
We do not know how long it was before Job's three friends heard of his calamities and came to comfort him. They made a rendezvous so that they might go to Job's home together (Job 2:11), and since they lived some distance apart from one another it may have taken considerable time to complete the arrangements. In the meanwhile, Job had become the object of wonder and execration to the whole neighborhood (chap. 30:1, 9-12). They would come to look at him, and spit, a common method of showing disdain. No wonder Job cursed the day he was born.
The three friends, his "miserable comforters" (chap. 16:1, 2), began to advise him to repent of his wickedness. They said many good things, but their words were entirely misplaced. They expatiated on the results of transgression, plainly indicating their conviction that Job was a great sinner (chap. 11:6); and they finally accused him of definite sins (chap. 22:5-10). They were plainly mistaken, and their attitudes reveal how possible it is to say good and wise things and yet be entirely in the wrong, because the truth is misapplied.
The implied and overt accusations of his friends led Job to justify himself, and in so doing, to accuse God of injustice. He was innocent and God knew it (chap. 10: 7), but God destroyed the innocent with the guilty (chap. 9:22). Job said it was in God's heart to torment him (chap. 10:13, 14), even when He created him and gave him life (verses 8-12). God had vexed his soul and taken away his right (chap. 27: 2). Then Job proceeds to specify every sin he might have committed and for which he would have deserved punishment, and declares himself innocent of all (chap. 31).
Job's friends had failed to convince Job that he was a sinner. Elihu, who had been listening silently to the whole discussion, now takes up the argument. He points out that God brings trials upon men as discipline, "That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword." "To bring back his soul from the pit" (chap. 33:17, 18, 30). "God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor. He withdraweth not his eye from the righteous; but with kings are they on the throne" (chap. 36:5-7). Therefore, Job's accusations of God and the imputations of injustice to Him were altogether out of place, and real wickedness (chap. 54:7-9).
Finally, God Himself answers Job. He does not explain to him just why the calamities were allowed to come upon him. That has been done by Elihu. But He directs Job's attention to the infinite greatness of the Creator, to His controlling power exercised continually, and to His sustaining power. He feeds the birds and the beasts. It was He who gave to each his special powers of speed, of freedom, of strength, of beauty, and it is He who controls such animals as are beyond the control of man, such as leviathan and behemoth. The implied truth in all this is that One of such majesty and power, of such constant care for all and control over the wicked, could not possibly mistreat Job. For that just would not agree with what we may learn of God in nature.
Job was overwhelmed, and now, seeing God in His true light, he repents humbly and sincerely. No sooner had he repented than his false accusations and bitter denunciations, his "words without knowledge," were forgiven, were as though they had not been. Job had spoken concerning God what was not right (chap. 42:8).
Now comes the final test. Could Job pray for the three friends who so cruelly accused him falsely? He could; and he did. "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends" (verse 10). How glorious is God!
Job's two faults were (1) that he completely misunderstood God, and (2) that he was self-righteous. The experience cured him of both. It was a glorious victory.
Job Summarized
1. Satan's claim to be the king of the earth is disproved by the existence of God's servants in it (Job. 1:8).
2. God put a hedge about Job and about his possessions so Satan could not touch him or them (verse 10).
3. Satan acted within the liberty given him of God. He could not exceed his limits (chaps. 1:12 to 2:6).
4. God testified to Job's righteousness (chap. 1:1, 8). Therefore the thesis of Eliphaz and his friends that the innocent never suffer (chap. 8:6, 11, 20) was false.
5. Job accused God of being unjust (chaps. 9:17; 27:2): (a) He knew Job was innocent (chap. 10:7), yet (b) He mobilized all His forces against him (verses 16, 17; chaps. 16:9-14; 19:6-12), and (c) paid no attention to Job's complaints (chap. 30:20, 21).
6. Elihu pointed out that God's dealings were disciplinary, designed to keep men from sinning (chap. 33:14-18). Job's accusations against God were therefore unjust, and deserving of punishment (chap. 34:34-37).
7. God accuses Job of darkening counsel by words without knowledge (chap. 38:2), of condemning God to justify himself (chap. 40:8). The wonders of creation, God's power over them; His care for the animals and birds; His giving to each its special qualities; and His restraint of leviathan and behemoth—all go to prove that God could not be unjust to Job.
8. Job repented, and God immediately forgot Job's speeches (chap. 42:5, 6, 8).
9. God was displeased with Eliphaz for misrepresenting Him. But Job interceded for him and his friends, and God restored to Job more than he had lost.
10. Conclusion: Job was righteous, but the loss of possessions and health, and the calamity of his friends' accusations brought out in him (a) a profound misunderstanding of God's character, and (b) a tendency to self-righteousness.
The experience cured him of these two faults, and saved him.
