One day, a long time ago, the Lord called Satan's attention to a man named Job. "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil" (Job 1:8). What an evaluation! God called Job blameless and upright, and said no one else on earth measured up to him.
Notice that God drew Satan's attention to Job, essentially provoking Satan's attack on Job. We will see later that God had a reason for doing so.
In the Old Testament, men showed their dedication to God by what they did — offering sacrifices, performing certain deeds, abstaining from others and so on. In return, God blessed them physically with profitable crops and herds, material wealth and a large family. In that covenant, Job was blameless and upright in serving God. But God chose to do a more significant work in Job and allowed Satan to assault him.
You know the story. Satan replied, "Yeah, of course, he serves you. You bless everything he does, so he'd be an idiot not to serve you. But if you destroy all of his possessions, he will curse you to your face" (paraphrased). So God allowed Satan to destroy Job's wealth and kill his children. Then the Bible makes a revealing statement: "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing" (1:22). Job justified the Lord's evaluation of him.
Some time later, the Lord called Satan's attention back to Job. "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason" (2:3). Notice that God accepted responsibility for Satan's attack on Job: "you incited me against him." Notice also that his evaluation of Job remains the same.
Again, Satan replied, "A man's possessions aren't as important to him as his own life. If you attack his body, he will curse you to your face" (paraphrased). The Lord allowed Satan to afflict Job physically, but prevented him from killing him. Even after having painful sores all over his body, "Job did not sin in what he said" (1:10). Again, the Lord was justified in his appraisal of Job.
Unfortunately, many people do not go beyond this part of Job's story. However, the actual tests take less than two of the forty-two chapters of the Book of Job, less than five percent. I am firmly convinced that God does not waste words, so if he spent forty chapters to reveal something, it is worth our time to examine some of it. If we read all the chapters, we get a very different understanding of Job's experience than if we read only the first two.
Every covenant God made with men in the Old Testament was very clear about what God required of them. Those covenants emphasized action and behavior, and had relatively little to say about men's attitudes.
As far back as Adam and Eve, God required animal sacrifices for sin. When Cain and Abel brought their sacrifices to God, Cain brought a harvest from his crops and Abel brought portions from his flocks. God did not arbitrarily look down on their offerings and say, "It's too bad you chose to bring vegetables, Cain. I don't like vegetables, so you lose." God had set standards, because he told Cain he would accept him if he does "what is right" (Gen 4:7).
Likewise, Job knew what was right. He knew God required certain behavior and animal sacrifices for sin. Job sacrificed burnt offerings for each of his children just in case they had sinned and cursed God in their hearts.
So why did God allow Job to be tested? Why did he essentially provoke Satan to harass Job? Because he knew Job's heart and he wanted to purify this "blameless and upright" man. God was not naive; he knew exactly what Satan would do and he never had to apologize to Job for letting Satan get to him. God actually set up the test to do something with Job's attitude.
As we have seen, the first two chapters state that Job did not sin against God. After the first assault the Bible says, "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing" (1:22). After the second assault, "In all this, Job did not sin in what he said" (2:10). Those are two very significant statements, but they only apply to the events of those chapters. Subsequent chapters show a very different response from Job. In fact, he later charged God with wrongdoing and sinned in what he said.
Job was motivated by fear or distrust of God. After Job's friends came to comfort him, he said, "What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me" (3:25). Much later he claimed to be without fault and listed many of the things he had avoided doing, then explained why he had not done all of those things: "For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things" (31:23). "For what is man's lot from God above, his heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong?" (31:2-3). Job admitted that he was careful to obey God's expectations of him because he dreaded God's response if he failed. Fear is a result of self-centeredness, a concern for what will happen to me. Job only saw the danger to himself if he failed to please God.
God had called Job blameless and upright, yet the man had serious attitude problems. For example, he initially feigned humility with his friends, but turned out to be arrogant and unrepentant (see 6:24-30; 13:1-2, 23; 29:7-25).
Job was self-righteous and refused to consider his friends' accusations of sin. "I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live" (27:5-6). (Also Job 9:21; 10:7; 12:4; 16:17; 23:10-12; 31:1, 5-11; 32:1-2.) His friends believed God was punishing Job for some hidden sin. Instead, God was testing Job to reveal hidden sin.
He repeatedly claimed that God had wronged him. Speaking to God, he said, "When I think my bed will comfort me and my couch will ease my complaint, even then you frighten me with dreams and terrify me with visions . . . Let me alone; my days have no meaning" (7:13-14, 16). Again, speaking to God: "Does it please you to oppress me . . . though you know that I am not guilty and that no one can rescue me from your hand?" (10:3, 7). "God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me. . . . All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target" (16:9, 12). "God has wronged me and drawn his net around me. Though I cry, ‘I've been wronged!' I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice" (19:6-7). At one point he said, "God . . . has denied me justice" (27:2).
Job accused God of abusing him and denying him justice! He could not admit that God might have a valid reason for allowing these things to happen to him. Instead, he accused God of injustice. (Also Job 23:13-16; 30:18-23; 31:35-37; 33:9-10; 34:5-6.)
He wanted to argue his case before God, to defend himself and stand up for his rights. "But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God" (13:3). "I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say" (23:4-5). Oh, come on, Job! You would "consider" what God would say? How arrogant! Although Job wanted to confront God, he was pessimistic about the results of such a meeting: "Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason" (9:16-17). (Also Job 10:1-2; 13:15; 31:35.)
You might object to my treatment of Job: "Wait a minute! Job made statements we use today to express our faith and hope in God!"
Even Job's statements that many Christians quote as full of hope and faith are in reality arrogant and accuse God. For example, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." First, we must consider his entire statement, including verses earlier in the chapter: "Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God?" (13:7-8). He is saying that God is wicked and deceitful, and that his friends were speaking that way in God's behalf. Job has been accusing God of mistreating him and saying that he wants to defend or justify himself before God.
"Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands? Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face" (13:13-15). By examining the context of this statement, you will see that Job was expecting God to assault him and he wanted to defend himself against God's alleged injustice. Job is saying that he wants the opportunity to justify himself, regardless of what God might do to him in response.
Also, the word used in this verse is not the typical Hebrew word for hope or trust. This word primarily means to remain or delay; to expect, hope or wait. The emphasis is on the delay itself, not on any faith that causes him to wait. And the original text does not say "hope in him," so Job is not saying he has confidence that God will do what is right.
One alternate translation is, "He will surely slay me; I have no hope — yet I will defend my ways to his face." Another alternate translation is, "Behold, he will kill me; I will not wait, but I will justify my ways to his face." Job is not saying he has faith that God will do the right thing; basically he is saying that even if God does such an evil thing as destroy him, he will defend himself before him. He essentially is claiming that he is more righteous than God, as we will see later from God's response.
Another alleged statement of faith is, "when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (23:10). This is part of Job's reply to one of his friends that begins as follows: "Even today my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning" (23:2). Job's complaint is against God, and God's hand continues to be heavy on Job in spite of Job's suffering.
"If only I knew where to find him; if only I could go to his dwelling! I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would find out what he would answer me, and consider what he would say.... But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold" (23:3-5, 8- 10).
Job is frustrated that he cannot go where God is to confront him. He wants to stand face-to-face with God and hear God's explanation for his suffering. He complains that he does not know where to find God, but God knows where to find him, presumably to inflict suffering on him. Then Job speaks from his self-righteousness, that when God has done his worst on him, he will still be righteous. In other words, even God cannot make him sin!
After many chapters that record Job's complaints and his arguments with his friends, we finally see God reenter the scene. His first words set the tone for his response to Job: "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me" (38:2-3). Job considered himself so wise that he presumed to criticize God. Now God replies, "Job, if you're as smart as you claim, answer these questions."
"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!" (38:4-5). Did you notice God's sarcasm: "Surely you know"? We see it again in verse 21: "Surely you know, for you were already born! You have lived so many years!"
In ancient times, a person was thought to become wiser as he aged; the older, the wiser. Today our young people know better than that (that was also sarcastic). In essence God is saying to Job, "You're so wise, you must have been born before I did these things. So describe what I did!" Then God gets back to the issue: "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!" (40:2).
This article is a brief excerpt of a book chapter which addresses the following topics: