Job Summary

Job may have been the first OT book written. It appears that he lived during the time of the Patriarchs since he acted as a priest to his family (before the Mosaic law) and lived a very long lifespan. His name means hated or persecuted one. The author is unknown, though some scholars speculate that Moses was the author. Job is one of the five wisdom books-also Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Poetry is a highlight of wisdom literature including parallelism, imagery, and terse lines as main features.

A good outline for the book is: prologue (chapters 1-2), three rounds of dialogue (chapters 3-31), Elihu (chapters 32-37), theophany (chapters 38-42:6) and epilogue (chapter 42: 7-17). “There are no easy answers to suffering.” “The message of the book of Job is that wisdom does not come from human beings, but that God is the only wise one.” God’s sovereignty is highlighted in the book and the importance of faith despite difficult circumstances. Retribution theology, which emphasizes we reap what we sow (if we suffer, it is because of our sin), is rebuffed in Job and Ecclesiastes. Though this principle is often true, it is not in every case. Meridith Kline sees in the book of Job gospel battles: 1. Satan vs. Job, 2. Friends vs. Job, 3. Creatures vs. Job, 4. God vs Job.

In the prologue (chapters 1-2), Job is declared blameless and upright (Job 1: 1). He would sacrifice for each of his ten children in case they sinned (he functioned as a priest). Satan came before the Lord and God asked him, “Have you considered my servant Job. (Job 1: 8)” Satan complains that God has shielded him from harm and that he would curse God if he lost everything. God allowed Satan to take all his wealth away and all his children died in one day. Job worshiped God anyway and passed the test. Satan came before God again and God allowed him to strike Job with a terrible skin disease, though he was not allowed to kill him. His wife, speaking for Satan, told Job to curse God and die. He did not take her advice. Then Job’s friends came to visit and were silent for one week.

Then the dialogue began. Job cursed the day of his birth (not God). Eliphaz accused Job of being a fool indirectly (Job 5: 2). He also says, “Blessed is the man whom God corrects” in Job 5:17. Job responds, “A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends” in Job 6: 14. Job complains in the bitterness of his soul (Job 7: 11). Job wondered why God did not pardon and forgive his sins (Job 7: 21). Bildad then replied that Job’s children died because of their sin (Job 8: 4). “Surely God does not reject a blameless man. (Job 8: 20)” Job feels he is innocent and wants to plead with God for mercy (Job 9: 15). Job sensed he needed an arbiter between him and God in Job 9: 33. Lastly, Zophar chimed in and accused Job of being deceitful and evil and in need of repentance (Job 11: 11, 14-15). Job responded that he is not inferior to his friends (Job 12: 3; Job 13: 2). The cycles of discussion continued two more rounds, but nothing was resolved. Job felt God was being unjust allowing him to suffer greatly when he knew he did not do anything to deserve it.

Then Elihu, a younger bystander, became angry that the discussion was not profitable. Elihu did not really add anything new to the debate, but he did prepare the way for God to speak. A storm came and Elihu sensed God’s presence in the storm: Listen. Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth…God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding- (Job 37: 2,5). “Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm. (Job 38: 1)”

God asked Job seventy questions over four chapters (38-41). He rebuked Job, reminding him of His power, creation, and wisdom. Job cannot correct God (Job 40: 1). Instead, he repented (Job 41: 6). God told Job’s friends to make a sacrifice and that Job would pray for them. After his prayer, God gave Job twice as much as before. His family consoled him. He had ten more children, including beautiful daughters (Job 42: 15). He lived another one hundred and forty years (perhaps he was two hundred years old when he died).