Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful (James 5.11).
Introduction
The book of Job is a microcosm of human history with Job as the archetypal man who believes in God. The theme of the book is how a person continues to trust God in the face of seemingly irrational suffering and evil.
Over the centuries men have labored to explain evil. The question of the “problem of evil” has arisen from pondering the questions, “how can God exist and allow evil?” and “if there is a God, how can he be good and allow his creatures to suffer?” In the book of Job, this problem is examined by Job and his friends. The problem becomes painfully real to Job through his own sufferings. Job and his friends explore numerous explanations for evil but they all prove inadequate and unsatisfying. But the book steps outside human viewpoint; we have an explanation of evil beyond human perception. God draws back the curtain to reveal a normally unperceived spiritual dimension. This revelation provides us with insight into God’s dealings with evil far greater than is possible with human or naturalistic explanations. Through revelation, we began to understand the role mankind plays in God’s purposes to resolve the problem of evil and the angelic conflict.
The book of Job gives us insight into the cause and nature of evil beyond human explanation and viewpoint. God draws back the curtain to reveal an unperceived spiritual dimension. This revelation provides insight into God’s dealings with evil far greater than is possible with human or naturalistic explanations. Through revelation, we began to understand the nature and source of evil and the role mankind plays in God’s purposes to resolving it and the angelic conflict.
Date
No one knows when Job lived or when the book was written. We have some indicators, however. One is that Job lived after the Flood on the basis of a speech by Eliphaz (Job 22.15-16).
A date earlier than Moses is supported by the fact that we have no references in the book to historical events such as the Exodus, the Conquest, or the Exile. No mention is made of the monarchy, the tabernacle, the temple, the priesthood, sabbaths (or anything associated with the Mosaic Law), or the prophets. The references to God and the practice of religion also indicate a pre-Law date. For example, Job offered sacrifices as the head of his family (Job 1.5; 42.8) as the patriarchs did before the Law. Another fact is that according to Mosaic Law, inheritance was passed on to daughters only in the absence of sons (Numbers 27:1-11; 36:1-13), but Job gave his daughters “an inheritance among their brothers” (Job 42:15). Another factor is that Job’s wealth was measured by his livestock holdings (Job 1:3; 42:12), which was characteristic of patriarchal times.
Biblical lifespans provide us with probably our best clue as to when Job lived. Antediluvian lifespans generally lasted over 900 years (Genesis 5.5-31). Noah, the last of the antediluvians, died at age 930. The case of Enoch was anomalous. He did not die. The Scripture states that God “took him” (Genesis 5.24). After the Flood, the biblical record indicates that lifespans dropped precipitously.
Shem died at age 600 (Genesis 11.10-11), Arpachshad died at 438 (Genesis 11.12), and Abraham, at least nine generations later than Shem, died at 175 (Genesis 25.7). Isaac, the son of Abraham, died at 180 (Genesis 35.28). Moses died at 120 but the Bible says he was still strong at that age (Deuteronomy 34.7). He died prior to Israel’s entering the Promised Land because God had told him he could not enter because of disobedience .
That Job lived long before the time of Moses is supported by the fact that his lifespan was comparable to the lives of the patriarchs who lived around 2200 B.C. Job lived long enough to marry, become “the greatest of all the men of the east” (Job 1:3), witness his first 10 children reach at least the age of accountability (Job 1:5), and probably to much greater ages (cf. Job 1:13,18). After great physical suffering and losing his children and material wealth, God blessed him with 10 more children and doubled his wealth (Job 42:10-13). The Bible tells us that Job lived 140 years after his trial (Job. 42.16) and that God gave him a double blessing (Job. 42.10). This double blessing consisted of the following:
| Job’s Initial Blessing | Job’s Double Blessing |
| Seven Sons and Three Daughters | Seven Sons and Three Daughters1 |
| 7,000 Sheep | 14,000 Sheep |
| 3,000 Camels | 6,000 Camels |
| 500 Yoke of Oxen | 1,000 Yoke of Oxen |
| 500 Female Donkeys | 1,000 Female Donkeys |
Job restored to prosperity
As we can see, each item noted above doubled. Job lived 140 years after his trial. By the logic of the double blessing, it would seem Job was 140 years old when his trial began. This would mean Job lived to be 280. Such a lifespan would be consistent with the lifespans of men who lived between Eber, who lived to be 464 and Serug, who lived to be 230 (Genesis 11.22-23). Thus, it would appear Job lived well into his 200s or beyond. The Septuagint2 states Job died at the age of 240—an age comparable to the ancestors of Abraham (e.g., Serug, Abraham’s great-grandfather lived to be 230, Genesis 11:22-23).
A Job is mentioned as a son of Issachar, a son of Jacob, who had four sons (Genesis 46.13). This son does not accord with the lifespans above, however. Of the three friends of Job (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar), a person by the name of Eliphaz (Genesis 36.4, 10) was a son of Esau and Adah but there is no certainty they were the same person. Again, these individuals do not seem to be contemporaneous with Job due to the lifespans. The exception to this logic would be if God did something extraordinary to extend Job’s life far beyond what was normal. Such an explanation seems unlikely, however, since God did not employ extraordinary efforts with the other double blessings.
Chiastic Outline
A Introduction (Job 1.1-5)
B Satanic Assault (Job 1.6-2.10)
C Job’s Friends’ Arrival (Job 2.11-13)
D Job’s Friends (Job 3.1-31.40)
E Elihu the Mediator (Job 32.1-37.24)
D’ Job and YHVH (Job 38.1-42.6)
C’ Job’s Friends’ Departure (Job 42.7-9)
B’ Satan’s Defeat (Job 42.10-13)
A’ Conclusion (Job 42.14-17)
Purpose of Job
A parallelism exists in Job and the history of mankind. In many ways, the life of Job is a pattern of the story of mankind. All share characteristics with Job as sons and daughters of Adam.
Righteous
Job is introduced as “blameless, upright, fearing God, and turning away from evil” (Job 1.1). While Job was a fallen man, such a description of Job establishes him as a kind of unfallen Adam. Adam, the prototypical man, was created perfect and without sin. This is how mankind began.
Rich
Job was rich. He had “7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants” (Job 1.3). He was known as the greatest man of the east (Job. 1.3). Adam was the king of the world. The entire world belonged to him.
Satanic Attack
Like Adam, Job experienced direct Satanic attack. The book of Job begins with a brief introduction of Job. Through it, we learn he was blessed with family and material wealth. Most importantly, we learn Job was a righteous, godly man. The author then shifts focus from earth to a heaven. There, the sons of God, (בְּנֵי הָֽאֱלֹהִים), i.e. angels (Genesis 6.1-4; Job 1.6, 2.1, 38.7), came to present themselves before God–and Satan came also. God questioned Satan about his activities (Job 1.7-8) and then asked him a question concerning Job:
7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” 8 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.”
Satan replied Job feared God only because He had protected him and made him rich. He challenged God that if he were allowed to take away his possessions, Job would curse God (Job 1.9-11). God accepted Satan’s challenge. As a result, Satan destroyed all Job’s possessions and killed his children. But instead of cursing God, as Satan predicted, Job remained faithful to Him (Job 1.20-22). Satan, a second time, accompanied by the sons of God, came to give an account of themselves and God repeated his question to Satan regarding Job. God declared there was no one like him in all the earth and that he remained faithful even though he had lost everything. Satan answered that if Job’s body were afflicted, he would curse God (Job 2.5). God permitted Satan this power and Job was afflicted with boils over his entire body.
In the beginning chapters of Genesis, we read how God allowed Adam, the first man, to be attacked by Satan. Adam was defeated by Satan. He rejected God’s word and sinned. Because of this act, he lost his kingship of the world and all his possessions to Satan. Satan boasted to Jesus in his temptation that all the kingdoms and their glory were his. He told the Lord that he had the power to give them to whomever he wished (Luke 4.6). Jesus did not dispute his claim; it was true. So mankind, by the work of Satan, and the failure of Adam, lost his estate to Satan.
Explanations For Evil
The introduction of Job’s friends begins Job’s discourse on his condition and his friends’ attempted explanation for it. Job bewailed his condition and lamented his birth (Job 3.11). Job’s friends attempted to comfort him and to explain why evil had befallen Job. However, as the conversations continue, their initial words of comfort turned accusatory and reproachful. Their explanations for Job’s condition reflect a limited perception of evil. For them, evil was a matter of reaping what was sown. Thus, God was chastening Job for his own good. But Job knew better. He knew he had done nothing to deserve his condition and defended his life. Job’s friends were unsympathetic. They replied Job was a hypocrite and advised him to seek God and repent. The discourses of Job’s friends are replete with the knowledge and wisdom of men in the east of that time and provide us with valuable insight into their worldview. Their words should be cautionary to us. Explanations for evil and suffering are complex, beyond what might appear.
Each of us, from Adam onward, are types of Job. Evil befalls us and we don’t understand why. Many attempts have been made to explain the nature and reason for evil but none are wholly successful or satisfying.
God’s Response to the Explanations For Evil
After the discourses of Job’s friends, God spoke to Job. He told Job, “gird up his loins like a man and I will ask you, and you will instruct Me!” (Job 38.3). God answered Job a series of humbling questions: “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (Job 38.4), “have you understood the expanse of the earth?” (Job 38.18), and “can you bind the chains of the Pleiades or loose the cords of Orion?” (Job 38.31). These questions demonstrated God’s majesty, power, and knowledge. Compared to God, man is puny, weak, and ignorant. Job’s response to God indicated he had abandoned any conceit, indignation, or view of himself as a victim. His response was full surrender: “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth” (Job 40.4). Job went on to say,
2 “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 3‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
4 ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ 5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; 6 Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42.2-6)
Following Job’s acknowledgment, God vindicated Job to his friends and doubled all he had before.
Conclusion and Lessons
Job’s story is in a sense the story of everyone. The Bible says each of us is “in Adam.” All he had we had. As sons and daughters of Adam. we were righteous as long as Adam obeyed God. But Adam lost everything when he rebelled against God. He “fell.” His fall was orchestrated by Satan and he lost everything due to Satan’s attack. God accepted Satan’s challenge that Job would curse him if he took away his possessions and health. Satan also used the “comfort” of Job’s friends against Job and against God. But Job remained faithful to God despite his terrible misery and confusion.
The suffering of the innocent cannot be explained by mere human reason or experience. In the story of Job, God revealed a supernatural explanation for suffering. God drew aside the curtain to reveal that other players are involved, spiritual beings, in a universal drama of good and evil. God showed that in ways that we do not yet fully understand, that mankind is a participant in His plan to resolve the problem of evil. It is instructive to note that as a stage drama has an audience, God’s drama has an audience also. It is composed not only of the human race but of all creation. The beings above man observe and participate in the drama. In the Job account, we learn that when Satan reports to God about his activities, he is aware of Job. We also learn from Satan’s answer to God that he is active in our realm (Job 1.7).
As an aside, this is probably a good place to dispel the popular notion that Satan is in hell. The Bible provides no evidence that Satan is in hell, has even been in hell, or will ever be in hell. The idea Satan is in hell or rules hell comes from poets such as Dante, Milton, and Goethe. Such an idea is not the Bible. The Bible teaches Satan is presently in heaven and has access to the throne of God in heaven when he is summoned by God (Job 1.6, 12; 2.1). He also operates in the heavens (Revelation 12.7) and on earth (Job 1.7; 2.2, 7). One day God will remove him from heaven (Revelation 12.9-10, 13 cf. Luke 10.18) to the earth (during the Tribulation). Later, God will confine him for 1,000 years in a place called the “abyss” (ἄβυσσος, Revelation 20.1-3). Finally, he will be imprisoned permanently in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20.10). Once there, he will not be a ruler but a victim who will be mocked and ridiculed (Isaiah 14.15-21). His humiliation will be complete.
In the drama of good and evil, man plays a key role. Each of us has a part in resolving the problem of evil. Each of us stands, as Job, as soldiers who will be loyal to our Creator or rebellious.
The Bible teaches the perfect archetypal man, the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, was obedient. He defeated Satan and evil at the cross. He won the strategic victory over sin and death. But the curtain is not yet lowered, the play is not yet finished. We remain as players on the stage, acting out our given roles. Those who trust God have the privilege of being sons and heirs of Him (Romans 8.16-17). We have the encouraging words of Paul that the sufferings of this life are nothing to be compared to the glory that is our destiny (Romans 8.18-19). Paul words are not idle; he knew more of suffering than almost anyone, including Job (2 Corinthians 11 cf. Acts 9.15-16). As believers in Christ, we share Christ’s victory over Satan and evil for we are “in Him” just as we were “in Adam.” Just as with Job, the blessings for those who have trusted God will be far greater than those that Adam lost (1 Corinthians 2.9). All that is Christ’s will be ours (Romans 8.17, 28-39). John wrote,
“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is” (1 John 3.2).
God allowed the world to fall into sin (Romans 8.20). Had He desired, He could have done otherwise. But God in his wisdom determined a fallen, redeemed world was greater and more glorious than one that never fell (Romans 8.18-21). Does this make God responsible for sin? No. Each of us has his own will and the ability to make the choice to trust and obey God or to go our own way. We also must not forget that it is God himself who is the chief victim of sin, suffering, and death. This is a high mystery but the Bible teaches that Christ died for every person (Romans 5.7-8; 1 Timothy 4.10; Hebrews 2.9; 1 Peter 3.18; 2 Peter 2.1; 1 John 2.2). He suffered the penalty of eternal death for each person to redeem us from the penalty and power of sin and death.
Why did God allow the Fall? Here is a bit of speculation. Even of Christ, it is written, “He learned obedience by the things He suffered” (Hebrews 5.8). God knows all. But even God had to become human to understand suffering and obedience. To be human requires human experience. Through Adam’s Fall, we come to understand good and evil experientially. Adam was innocent and perfect. But he could sin. The new man, the new Adam, the resurrected Adam, will be perfect, clothed with knowing innocence, innocence born from costly experience. The new Adam will be unable to sin. The new Adam will be unable to sin, not because he does not understand good and evil or sin. On the contrary. He will be unable to sin because he understands good and evil all too well. Satan’s poisonous gift will have worked to man’s healing. For the New Man, the very thought of sin will be so horrific and so repugnant it will be unthinkable, much less doable. Sin cost God His own life. It also cost the lives of billions of human beings who refused God’s gift and suffer eternal torment. This hard lesson will be unforgettable. It will be a lesson unlearnable by any other way than the way God chose. At the end of that day, man will be exalted above the angels (1 Corinthians 6.3). God will have a creature that understands all of good and evil and yet chooses to love and obey God, not in mere “innocence” as great as that was, but through hard experience. We, like our Creator, will have learned obedience by suffering.
Job was victorious because of faith. He trusted God despite the apparent irrationality of his suffering and the limited viewpoint of his friends. In God’s plan, the end will be ineffably more glorious than the beginning. We are not able to comprehend the glory God has prepared for those who love him. Satan and evil will be destroyed forever and all who have trusted Him–as Job–will be vindicated. The essential thing God seeks is for men and women to trust him–even when circumstances might seem to militate against that trust. Hebrews reads,
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 9.6).
We can not please God without faith. The Bible says it is impossible. Job’s mind and will were revealed in his statement,
“Though He slay me I will hope in Him” (Job 15.15).
Another man, Jacob, was far from perfect. He was a chiseler and we would question doing business with him. But, Jacob knew God and trusted him. When he wrestled with God he refused to turn Him loose until he blessed him. Job was Jacob. We are to be the same.
Job declared,
25 “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. 26 “Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; (Job 19.25-26).
Job knew God lived. He knew He would one day rule the earth and set things right. He looked past his torment, in expectation of that day. God is looking for Jobs. He is looking for men and women who will trust him in spite of circumstances that belie appearances. Job is a model and an encouragement for all to trust God.
1 In this accounting, the sons and daughters do not double. This may be a subtle hint that Job’s children who died were believers.
2 Commentary on the Old Testament, “Job“, D. D. Whedon, editor, New York, 1881.
©2000 Don Samdahl. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.
Updated July 28, 2016
This one of the few religious/theological commentaries that I agree with not because of my religious background or training, but because of its consistency with scripture. Ironically, when I woke up this morning I contemplated whether the account of Job could in fact be a reflection of humanity as a whole. I don’t believe I ever considered the possibility before. In response to my pondering, your commentary was timely and enlightening.
Great article! Thank you for your work.
God bless!
John Gregory
John,
Thank you!
Hi Don,
May I make a comment regarding the double blessing of Job.
You note in your chart the initial blessing of Job then the double blessing.
Each of the lost were doubled as you have noted.
Yet concerning his children, Job 42:13 does not refer to 14 sons and 6 daughters – it refers only to 7 sons and 3 daughters. [I recognise that you get 14/6 when you double them up but this isn’t what the tally says].
I have wondered about this as it does not follow the doubling pattern & consider that perhaps unlike the animals that were lost and replaced – he never really lost his sons and daughters because they, like us, have an eternal spirit.
I accept that he physically lost them but this may be an early indicator of the writers understanding of eternal life.
Just a thought.
Steve,
A good thought. I’ve emended the article a bit to reflect your thought.
I have certainly not studied Job as much as you have, but just a thought…if Job was blessed twice as much in the end and God gave him another 140 years, does it make sense that Job was only 70 when the trials began?
Dan,
Well, if he was 140 when his trial began and God gave him 140 more years it would seem this would be double if he lived to be 280 which accords with the LXX.
Hi Don,
I’m still chewing away at your so well done expositions. Still, after nigh 11,000 pages of Les Feldick transcripts (this man has changed my spiritual understanding forever), I have yet to question or disagree with a word you’ve written.
I’ve immensely enjoyed the Job essay; I wish you’d gone into it even more deeply. I’ve always regarded:
25 “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. 26 “Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God; (Job 19.25-26).
as one of the all time great and much neglected prophetic utterances of Scripture.
Perhaps you can answer a longstanding question. Who was Elihu, son of Barachel the Buzite of the family of Ram? Where did he come from? When did he arrive? He’s just THERE as a 4th party with no apparent explanation.
Maranatha,
Bob
Bob,
Thank you. Information about Job is sketchy. We just don’t know much about him. Genesis 22.20-21 mentions Buz, a nephew of Abraham. Whether Elihu was a descendant of this line is not certain. Job clearly had a belief in bodily resurrection but we do no find this hope in the Scriptures elsewhere. This is surprising because in Jesus’ day Martha believed in it (John 11) as did the Pharisees.
Dear Bro. Thank you so much and this is another great article and greatly needed God Bless
Courtney,
Thanks so much.
Dear Doctrine,
Thank you for directing me to this essay. This is hand in glove with what has taken me so long to conclude from all the little things that I’ve picked up along the way.
The dating, the author, the doctrines presented…just peeks around the curtain. Just enough to know that we are a small part. The final performance will be spectacular.
I wonder if it was a spiritual death regarding Job’s children. I know scripture states they died but think about how it’s worded. A great wind from the wilderness came. Wilderness in scripture a lot of times means a dry place, which is opposite of the place of living waters which refers to the Spirit of God. Job mentions before their death, during his morning sacrifice for his children, that they had sinned. At the time of their death they were drinking. I can’t help but think it’s not a coincidence that he ended up with 7 sons and 3 daughters at the end of the book of Job. Not one of his 10 children were named in the beginning(Job 1) but after Job’s trial is over (Job 42) some of his children are named. I think about the prodical (the father said this is my son who was DEAD but now he lives) i dont know if it was a spiritual death or a physical death but either God resurrected Jobs same children or they were prodicals. There could never be total restoration with the death of 10 of your children. You can never replace a child no matter how many more children you have. Just a thought!!!
Brenda,
Everything in the context indicates they died physically. This included servants, animals, sons and daughters. Children are enjoyed in this life. If they are believers they can be enjoyed in the world to come. God does what He wishes with His creation. He does not guarantee physical life. He does not promise restoration in this life. He promises eternal life and blessing in the world to come to those who are faithfulness.
I do agree and again it’s just a thought. But, I do know of a man in our day that lost everything. His business, his house, his health, two of his kids walked away from God (prodicals) and moved 3000 miles away and wouldn’t have anything to do with their father. He stayed faithful to God thru it all. After years, God restored his health and blessed Him beyond measure far more than he started with. His boys came home, turned back to God and even dedicated their lives daily to the work of ministry. I wonder if God put this man’s story in His word how would it read. As I’m sure you know, God uses a lot of symbolic terms & idioms in His word. For example, Right hand in scripture means power & authority…not physically. Isaiah 41:10…”I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness” (God isn’t reaching from Heaven with a literal right hand) Isaiah 66:1…the earth is my footstool (God’s not literally propping His foot on the earth). Again, I don’t want to sound as thou I fully think Job’s children never died a physical death but sometimes we put limitations on God, not purposely. Our ways are not as high as His ways and our thoughts are not as great as His thoughts….remember He raised Lazarus from the dead. Blessings!!!
Brenda,
Thank you. One of the principal rules of interpretation is to accept a literal sense of a verse unless compelling evidence exists to take it otherwise. Almost all of Scripture is literal (99%) and what is not has a literal sense behind the figure (see my article, Hermeneutics). As the great Tyndale wrote, “God’s literal sense is spiritual.” If we do not do this we end up with a mess (e.g., most commentaries on Revelation).
By literal do you mean you believe all books of the bible are literally word for word meaning exactly what they are saying 99% of the time without any difference in theme?
Anonymous,
By literal, I mean normal as in what is the normal sense.
Very well thought out very well said
Roy,
Thank you.
I understand Satan is the god of this world and has power to deceive us, what I don’t understand is why he has the power to make humans sick . Some at birth some later
Theresa,
I cannot answer this adequately. Our challenge is to trust God and His goodness. God uses our lives to resolve the angelic conflict and end evil. Job was the archetype of this role.
Hello Theresa. There are so many questions we dont have answers to. We live in Satans back yard and we have to live here. To accept this and to know that God is still in control may comfort you. All things work together for good to them that Love the lord. Romans 8 verse 28. My 26 year old son died in a motor bike accident and I assimulated Romans 8 verse 28 for myself and moved on with my life. I had no wordly sorrow and my faith in what God was doing in my life carried me through my pain. You see for me God was in control of my life and I accepted it there and then. Life is cruel, hard and dark but the flame that burns in me keeps me happy till the day I am with the Lord, which will be soon. Take care. As Paul said “Just Believe”. The pain is far less when we “Just Believe.”
Thank you so much for your comforting words !
Friend…I Believe the Bible IS the literal word of God from Genesis 1:1 all the way to Revelation 22:21. However, God did not choose to speak to us entirely in the literal sense (definitely not 99%) Jesus is not literally a lamb nor is He literally a lion. The word of God is not literally a lamp. Saints are not literally sheep, sinners are not literally goats. Is God literally a chef corner stone? Is there really a literal beast with 7 heads and 10 horns? God spoke in parables. He used MANY earthly descriptions to teach us spiritual things.. Thru His divine wisdom He knows that we understand terminology such as marriage, bride, bridegroom, wedding feast, etc. Almost the entire book of revelation is not literal but symbolic. He speaks of the milk of the word and the meat of the word. The Bible is neither literal milk nor meat. We don’t see a fountain of milk flowing out of it. He wants us to mature spiritually from milk to meat.I value and embace every word of God, regardless whether He chooses to speak literally, figuratively, symbolically or in parables. Every word is for us to teach us His ways!
Brenda,
Figures are used throughout the Scriptures. Isaiah used the figure “all flesh is grass.” He did not mean flesh was literally grass but the literal truth is that humans die. The Bible is literally spiritual sustenance while expressed as milk or meat. That is the truth I am trying to express. Much confusion has been created by theologians who bypass the truth of taking things literally except when it is obvious they are a figure of speech. For example, many state the 1,000 year reign does not last 1,000 years but is simply a number that expresses a time of peace. The same may be said of the two witnesses in Revelation. For many, these are Church and the Bible. The straightforward meaning of the text is the two witnesses are literally two men who witness during the Tribulation. That is what I am combating.
A very good article making the case that Job lived during the days of Peleg, “when the earth was divided”: http://setterfield.org/Jobab.html
Don, hi, see Satanic Attack: paragraph 2
In the beginning chapters of gGod allowed Adam, the first man, to be attacked by Satan. He rejected God’s word and (?) Don, please see the last (incomplete) sentence of paragraph 2 …This revelation provides us with insight into God’s dealings with…
Great article. Thanks.
Cheers,
Kiki,
Thank you! Don’t know what happened; something got saved wrong because earlier edits have text.
Job is my favorite book in the Bible. God took a humble and blessed man and made him a more humble and blessed man, and in the process, put the devil to shame in front of all of His holy angels! I agree that we, as Christians, are like Job in that we can choose to hang on spiritually when we go through trials, but outside of Christ, I don’t believe this is possible. I’ve heard that when Christians go through trials, it means that God is bragging about us, and Job is a perfect picture of that, isn’t it? We never see it when we’re going through it, we only know it’s very hard and actually becomes impossible for some (suicide, loss of fellowship with the Father and the saints through returning to sinful lifestyles, for example), but if we hang in there spiritually, don’t let ourselves get discouraged, and if we continue to obey the Holy Spirit, God will be glorified at the end of it and we will receive a spiritual, and perhaps even a material reward, as Job did.
Job knew where his fortunes came from (supernaturally from God) as he had been unusually blessed as the richest man in the world. I think he must have been aware that when his fortunes were unusually taken away all at once, that there was also something unusual (supernatural, out-of-his-control) happening, and because of this, he trusted that God was somehow behind it all, and especially since he was confident that he had not sinned and had done nothing he could think of to deserve it, as his friends tried to convince him. But it is so true as you said that we, as humans, are players in this game between God and Satan and that is something we must always keep in mind when going through hard times. But I think we also must keep in mind that God has given us a greater weapon in this war, one that neither Job, nor the devil, nor anyone else had before the ascension of Christ: the precious gift of the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth, and enables us to stomp on serpents and scorpions! Remembering that we are seated with Christ in powerful places in heaven and that He has overcome the world (another name for ‘evil’), so can we.
I think that the words “good and evil” actually means “obedience and disobedience,” and is better understood in those terms. Adam was disobedient (became evil) and lost everything, then Chris obeyed through suffering and overcame the world and the devil for us and won our relationship with God back for us, and even perhaps material blessings. The game is actually over for Christians who have the Holy Spirit, if we really understand and appropriate these precious and holy gifts and fruit we have been given. The Game ended with Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection when everything turned around for humans and satan and his cohorts had their power taken away and were completely humiliated, again in front of the spiritual world, but Christians must appropriate these gifts if they are to be useful in this war. Satan’s final humiliation will be quite a spectacle, I would think, with a greater audience that the universe has ever witnessed!
What a great blessing Job received, not just his material rewards, but having the great honor of having a one-on-one conversation with God and to see Him face to face – WoW! That’s something you can tell your great-great-grandchildren about!
Job 19:25 must have been a prophetic utterance, don’t you think, how could he have possibly have said that otherwise? I had a question: I didn’t know Satan was currently operating in heaven. When Jesus said he saw Satan being thrown down in Luke 10:18, was that a future event?
Have you read the Book of Jubilees? It has blessed me and, as the Book of Job does, offers an explanation of the spiritual side of ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ I very much enjoyed your insightful article, thank you for your great work. – Sister Pam
Jesus replied, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.’” Matthew 13:11
What secrets ste Jesus taking about here? Are these secrets regarding the earthly kingdom or parts og the same secrets that Paul received?
Isaac,
Until Matthew 13, Jesus taught in a straightforward manner. He began to teach in parables to hide spiritual truths to those rejecting Him. In chapter 12, the Jews accused Him of using Satanic power to expel demons. Later in the chapter, Jesus told them the only sign He would give them was Jonah. The “secrets of the kingdom” concern the earthly kingdom. They were given to the 12 because Jesus explained them to them.
Hi Don,
I am kind of confuse as to what happened in Genesis 1:2
I have always thought that what made the earth became void and without form was as a result of God’s judgement on satan and him been cast down to the earth but in revelation Satan will be cast down at the midpoint of the tribulation
Pls help me understand
Thank you
Gideon,
Based on Ezekiel 28, it appears earth once belonged to Satan. He lost it due to sin and God destroyed the earth. God then restored it and gave it to Adam and Eve. When they sinned, Satan reclaimed earth and it is now in his power. Satan has access to both heaven and earth. At the midpoint of the Tribulation he will lose his heavenly access and be limited to earth.
Don, some charismatics/pentecostals have asserted that Job incurred his suffering because he was living in fear due to all of his paranoid induced sacrifices and God gave him over to satan because of this. They’ll cite Job 1:5 among other scriptures to support this assertion. Your thoughts?
Brian,
Job 1.5 shows Job was godly; he obeyed God in offering a blood sacrifice for sin.
Hi Don,
Pls help me with answers:
1 If God created the third heaven in genesis1 and he dwells in the third heaven, where was he before he created Heaven?
2 Heaven and earth will pass away, does this include the third heaven?
3 Who gave the law to Moses, angel or God?
Gideon,
1. God is Spirit, so He can exist without a physical environment.
2. Probably. Heaven has been corrupted by Satan and the fallen angels’ presence.
3. God gave it directly but it seems angels had a role in writing it.
Don, here’s a disturbing quote about Job: “The Book of Job appears to me unhistorical because it begins about a man quite unconnected with all history or even legend, with no genealogy, living in a country of which the Bible elsewhere has hardly anything to say; because, in fact, the author quite obviously writes as a story-teller not as a chronicler.” (C.S. Lewis, ‘Reflections on the Psalms,’ 1958, pg. 128) Overall, some of Lewis’ other leanings also bother me somewhat. He’s quite liberal when it comes to entertaining the notion of ‘theistic evolution’ and the existence of extra-terrestrial life, and a few other things.
Brian,
Lewis was a brilliant man whom God saved out of atheism. Lewis wrote with great insight in some areas but was weak in other areas. Lewis was right about extra-Biblical information about Job and the land of Uz. But that does not mean Job is not a true story. Lewis drew a conclusion based on negative information. Why assume it is unhistorical? With Lewis, take the good and set aside the bad. Lewis now knows what he got right and what he got wrong.
Beautiful penmanship. I truly enjoyed this one. I have 12 pain disorders of which 8 are above an 8 pain-wise. The story of Job, a true story has always stuck with me and in 2018, I could barely walk which began in 2009, but God blessed me beyond what I know how to express. HE gave so much back. I hope you continue to do these articles. God bless
David,
Thank you and God bless you. I am glad God blessed you in your pain. He works with each of us in His own unique way to conform us to the image of His Son.
Hello Don..I wanted to ask about your YouTube channel you started. You didn’t follow it through. Are there any plans in the future to continue?
Kingphantom,
Please see the channel at https://www.youtube.com/@doctrine9399.
Don, I apologize for all ‘The Unseem Realm’ quotes, but despite some of Dr. Heiser’s flawed assertions, I think that he, with the Lord’s help, produced a pivotal book nonetheless. This excerpt reads: “The satan in Job 1-2 is not a villian. He’s doing the job assigned to him by God. The book of Job does not identify the satan in this scene as the serpent of Genesis 3, the figure known in the New Testament as the devil. The Old Testament never uses the word satan of the serpent figure from Genesis 3. In fact, the word satan is not a proper noun in the Old Testament.” (Michael S. Heiser, ‘The Unseen Realm,’ 2015, pg. 57) Dr. Heiser does of course acknowledge satan as the chief evil adversary mentioned in the New Testament. Your thoughts?
Brian,
I agree Heiser did good work in highlighting the subject of the angelic conflict. I disagree with the Job quote. The Satan in Job is the Devil. I am amazed Heiser could miss this as Job is the preeminent book of the Bible highlighting the angelic conflict and man’s role in it.