Another Practical Guide to the Logic, Philosophy, and Thoughts of Christianity

Section 1 - Article 17

Article 17 - The story of Job

The story of Job is a difficult one for most believers. It portrayed a faithful believer, being tormented by the Enemy with the permission of the Lord Almighty for reasons that appear to be simply to prove a point. Yet, the story of Job is considered as Wisdom Literature, where the purpose, and the relationship of God and Man is made clearer.

At first glance, the story of Job does not seem to portray the same compassionate and loving Lord God in the New Testament. Anyone who has read that Job, would know that the story portrays a righteous man who loved and feared God, being put through "hell on earth" because God, was moved by Satan to allow the latter to bring disaster and suffering to Job just to prove a point. If one were to look into the reasons for the confusion and dislike for this particular Biblical account, one would realize that it actually stems from their fear of being treated like Job, especially if they remained faithful or were righteous before God.

However, this fear actually stems from unrighteousness.

Who judges if one is righteous? Is it not God and God alone? Is He not the divine Judge? Since when is Man able to determine his or her own righteousness or even faithfulness? Can the damned redeem themselves? Man, in deciding that he can determine his own righteousness, has become unrighteous. Even Job had fallen into this when eventually he calls on his righteousness and asked for his accuser to stand out so he can justify himself before God. Surely all of us would do the same if we were put through Job's trials. It was only Jesus, Who when put through the horrendous trial of crucifixion, prayed for "Thy will be done". Therefore, Jesus is the only One Who had withstood and passed such a trial, even in full knowledge of His own innocence, but bearing the sins of the world.

So what is the source of dislike for Job's trials and tribulations? Since God called Job a righteous man, then surely Job did not deserve to be put through the trials and tribulations just because Satan provoked God to do so?

To solve this, I propose that Man need to look beyond themselves (or much deeper into themselves). Truly as Job said, "...the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away..." (Job 1:21). In this statement, Job recognized that all that he had was given by the Lord, something that Man generally has difficulty in fully appreciating, especially for those who are successful and owns much. However, Job displayed that he honoured God over everything else. Job followed Jesus' words in Matthew 10:37-42 to put God first over everything else. In reality, anyone who failed Job's test, had failed for two reasons, and deserved the evil inflicted upon them: The first is self-righteousness; and the second is the failing to put God above all else.

Truly, Job's test is a difficult one.

Job's scenario also has an important message in that godly people are not exempt from pain and suffering. In this, the life story of Jesus Christ is coded within. If only good things happen to godly people, then the crucifixion, being a bad thing, cannot happen to Jesus as He was righteous and godly. Therefore, the story of Job puts a major dent in prosperity gospel or the likes of such teaching. In addition, this also addresses a common misconception that bad things only happened as a result of sin. To illustrate this in John 9:2-3, Jesus told His disciples that the man who was born blind, was not punished because of his or his parents' sin.

Whilst there was strong evidence that calamities were often punishments from God (as shown in the Israel's history through the Kings), Job and the teachings of Jesus further stated that bad things also happen for the glory of God.

So comes the question if we are then for God's sport, are we put through evil just so God can be glorified or so He can triumph over Satan in disagreements?