18. BIBLICAL EPIC: Notes

lessing

Job1: Job was blameless. The LORD allowed to test him. Job's servants and children were killed. He tore his robes and worshipped. • 1:1-5. Job’s Character and Wealth. The location of Uz is unknown, but it may be related to Aram in the north, where Abraham’s nephew and family lived. Many commentators believe the events described are consistent with the time of the patriarchs. The description of Job as upright will serve as a contrast between what the reader has been told and what the three friends come to assume about Job. The large numbers of children, livestock, and servants, together with the feasting, suggest the enormous prosperity of Job’s life at this point. • 1:6-12. Satan Allowed to Test Job. With Job now introduced, the scene switches to the heavenly court. The Lord draws Satan’s attention to Job, thus initiating the chain of events that occupy the rest of the book. The earthly protagonists remain oblivious to these heavenly deliberations. The book sets out from the beginning to show that the reasons for human suffering often remain a secret to human beings. Indeed, as we read here, Job’s sufferings come upon him because Satan accused him in the heavenly courts, and the reader never learns whether these reasons were explained to Job. Probably they were not. • 1:13-22. Satan Takes Job’s Property and Children. Job’s troubles are described as coming from multiple directions. The Sabeans come from the south (v. 15), the fire from heaven (v. 16), the Chaldeans from the north (v. 17), and the great wind from the east (v. 19). Distraught with grief at the calamities that have crushed the household, Job turns to God in lament-laden worship. And notably, He does not charge God with wrong. Job2: Satan struck Job with boils. Job's wife told him to curse God. But Job did not sin. Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came to comfort him. • 2:1-10. Satan Attacks Job’s Health. After, God again notes Job’s blamelessness, Satan responds by seeking permission to attack Job himself, urging that this will reveal the insincerity of Job’s devotion to God. God grants him permission, but forbids Job’s life from being taken. Job, already in a physical and emotional posture of grief, is struck with sores (2:7) and his wife’s taunt (v. 9), which is to advise Job to take the very action Satan was looking to provoke. Instead, Job responds with additional grief (v. 8) but also trust in God (v. 10). • 2:11-13. Job’s Three Friends. After hearing about his troubles, Job’s three friends come together to show him sympathy and to mourn with him. The narration of the prologue is integrally important for the interpretation of the book as a whole because it describes for the hearer/reader something that the three friends will continually address: To what extent do the circumstances of Job’s life on earth reveal what is true about him before God? Job 3: Job said, "Curse the day I was born! Why did I not die at birth? Why is light given to him who suffers? I have no rest, only turmoil." From chapter 3 through chapter 37, the central portion of the contains an extensive dialogue between Job and his friends, presented in poetic form. Job begins the dialogue in chapter 3, and it will consist of two full cycles as each friend offers a speech along with a response by Job. • 3:1-10. Job Curses His Birth. Job curses the day of his birth because it represented the path of his entire life, which had led to his present distress. Job does not ever appear to be suicidal, but he does wish that reality had been different, and that he would not have seen the light of day. • 3:11-19. Job Longs for Rest. The section begins with the question, “Why did I not die at birth?” Job describes death as rest from the toil of life by picturing its effect on persons both high and low in society, and wishes he had joined all who were already in this state of rest rather than being born. • 3:20-26. Job Laments His Suffering. This section begins with “Why is light given to him who is in misery?” The vocabulary of Job’s lament is the beginning of a theme throughout the dialogue with his friends in which darkness and light will be used to refer to both death and life as well as to what is hidden and what is revealed. Job’s overall lament of his situation is something which God both reproves (see chs. 38–41) and commends (42:7). Job 4: Eliphaz said, "Will you become impatient? When did the innocent ever perish? I heard a voice: 'Can a man be more righteous than God?'" • 4:1-21. The First Speech of Eliphaz (Part 1). Although Eliphaz begins this round of dialogues with a fairly gentle tone (4:3–4), sympathy for Job rapidly fades. The character of Job is consistently questioned under the assumption that his moral failures account for his present plight – Job is reaping what he has sown. For Eliphaz, this is a law of the universe that even animals and the angels cannot escape, much less mortal men. Job 5: "Who will answer you? Man is born to trouble. As for me, I would seek God. Do not despise His discipline. He wounds, but He binds up." • 5:1-27. The First Speech of Eliphaz (Part 2). Eliphaz continues to reinforce his previous point that affliction and trouble do not grow out of the dust or ground, but out of what is sown from the day a person is born. He suggests in verses 8-16 that Job should reconsider the reversal of his circumstances as representing God’s just purposes and discipline. If Job will only accept his situation as God’s discipline, he will be spared from his trouble and brought to “a ripe old age” (v. 26). o What are we to make of Eliphaz’s words? One of the challenges of applying the book of Job is how to interpret the words of Job’s friends. On the one hand, we know that at the end of the book, God Himself will condemn them for their advice. On the other hand, they clearly say things at times that are gloriously true. For example, in 1 Corinthians 3:19, Paul will quote Eliphaz from Job 5:12. And the Proverb Eliphaz presents in verse 17 about the Lord’s discipline is picked up on and developed in Scripture, first in Proverbs 3:11-12 and again in Hebrews 12:5- 6. It seems to me that the problem with Eliphaz’s words are not so much in their content, but in his application to Job. Eliphaz’s view of God’s discipline is impersonal and mechanical, and remains without a ground for why Job should be happy at God’s reproof. His limited perspective and partial insight into the truth hardened into a universal principle, which is proved wrong in the end, that all suffering is divine retribution. A notable addition is made to Eliphaz’s words in Proverbs and Hebrews, that God’s discipline is personal, like that of a human father who delights in his son, and thus His discipline is evidence of His love. Thus, God’s discipline is grounded in His love rather than simply a mechanical retribution. Hebrews presents Jesus as the supreme example of this, whose suffering is far beyond anything we have endured. Furthermore, the Scriptures as a whole present God’s discipline as multi-faceted. He may punish the wicked, discipline the righteous, test us for our sanctification, or simply bring persecution to call out a witness for His name, which is likely the case for Job. In each facet, God is glorified, and whether God’s chastening is merited because of sin, or whether the innocent are suffering, as was the case for Job, we can know that for those in Christ, God is a loving Father who is working all things together for good for those who love Him, and ultimately He is magnifying His own glory through these very same things. Job 6: Job said, "My misery would outweigh the sand of the seas! You have proved no help. Show me how I have been wrong! Would I lie to you?" • 6:1-30. Job Replies to Eliphaz (Part 1): My Complaint is Just. In his first response, Job longs that his life would be cut off (6:9) so that he could rest from his suffering, knowing that he had not denied God (6:10). Job found his life unbearable on account of the empty comfort offered by his friends (6:14–30). As the dialogue progresses, Job will increasingly argue that the aim of his friends’ rebuke misses him entirely. Job 7: "O God, my life is but a breath! Therefore I will speak out. What is man, that you examine him? Why have you set me as your target?" • 7:1-21. Job Replies To Eliphaz (Part 2): My Life Has No Hope. Job’s emotional and physical suffering causes a somewhat erratic pattern in Job’s speeches as he switches spontaneously sometimes from addressing one or more of his friends, to addressing God, or even to a monologue. He and his friends will often use cultural metaphors, and along with the poetic nature of much of the book, can make it difficult for modern readers to fully grasp. Job insists that his suffering is disproportionate to the weight of his being (v. 12). Job’s question in verse 17 is reminiscent of Psalm 8:4, except that Job does not ponder human worth in the light of God’s marvelous creation, but why he would be worth God’s time for target practice, as it were. Job 8: Bildad said, "Does God pervert justice? Learn from past generations. He will not reject the blameless, nor will He uphold evildoers." • 8:1-30. Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent. Bildad’s speech is shorter than that of Eliphaz and it seems to be motivated by Job’s accusation of God, in which Bildad seems to come to God’s defense. On the whole, he says much the same thing as Eliphaz, emphasizing that God does not pervert justice. Cruelly, he asserts that Job’s children got what they deserved. He uses illustrations from nature to try and prove his point regarding the vulnerability of the wicked. Since Job is still alive, there is yet hope for him, but he must repent and be “pure and upright,” and then God will restore him. Job will strongly push back against this line of argument in the next chapter. Job 9: Job said, "How can a man dispute with God? His power is vast! But he destroys the innocent. If only there were a mediator between us!" • 9:1-35. Job Replies to Bildad (Part 1): There is No Arbiter. Job accepts the truth of both God’s justice and his promises to the upright (9:2), but in light of his friends’ suggested accusations, he feels caught. Job wonders how he, a mere finite man, could ever successfully plead his case before an omniscient and omnipotent God. Even the powerful forces of nature are no match for God’s power. Furthermore, from Job’s observation, both the wicked and the blameless are brought to calamity in the end. Finally, Job cries out for an Arbiter, or Mediator, powerful enough to defend his case. It is interesting to note the development of Job’s thought and argument. At this point, he laments that he has no mediator, but he will become increasingly more hopeful that he does (cf. Job 16:19; 19:25). Job’s lament and plea for a mediator in verses 32-33 is rich in prophetic anticipation. What Job finds lacking in his case before God is gloriously fulfilled by Jesus as our Mediator. In His incarnation Jesus Christ perfectly represents God and man since He is the perfect God-man. He perfectly represents God to man, and is man's representative to God. And ultimately, Job’s suffering will only make sense in relation to Christ’s suffering on our behalf. Job 10: "God, why do you reject the work of your hands? You know that I am not guilty! Why did you bring me out of the womb? Leave me alone." • 10:1-22. Job Replies to Bildad (Part 2): A Plea to God. Job transitions his response to address God directly, and borders on insolence as he suggests that God’s problem is that He does not understand how it feels to be human (vv. 4-7). Again, everything Job finds “lacking” in God’s relationship with human beings is going to be gloriously fulfilled in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. As a man, Jesus can fully sympathize with our weaknesses and trials. As God, He will uphold all of God’s purposes. Of course, God’s plan in Christ has yet to be fully revealed for Job. So in the meantime, Job again laments his hopeless predicament and again despairs of his life. Job 11: Zophar said, "Should your babble go unanswered? God exacts less than your guilt deserves! Reach out to him and you will find hope." • 11:1-20. The First Speech of Zophar: You Deserve Worse. Like Bildad, Zophar responds with a sharp challenge to what he sees as empty words and presumption in Job (11:2–12). He believes such is Job’s guilt that he has actually gotten less than He deserve in his sufferings. He then calls Job to prayer and repentance, promising that God will transform Job’s circumstances if he will simply step back from his pride (vv. 13–20). In verse 7, he accusingly asks Job whether he is able to discover the depth and extent of God’s work, and yet it is Zophar who presumes that God’s purposes in Job’s suffering are transparent enough to rebuke Job and call him to repent. Job 12: Job said, "Who does not know all these things? All creation knows that wisdom and power belong to God. He brings darkness into light. He destroys nations." • 12:1-25. Job Replies to Zophar (Part 1): The Lord Has Done This. In the longest response of the dialogues with the three friends, Job shows his growing frustration with their claims to wisdom (even though he agrees with them about God’s supreme power). Job rebukes his friends by pointing out that their approach to wisdom seems to ignore the realities of both the suffering of the righteous (like his own, v. 4) and the safety of the wicked (v. 6). Furthermore, his friends have not acted as true wisdom requires, but have instead expressed contempt rather than comfort. As far as his friend’s “wisdom,” even the animals know that ultimately the Lord governs all life. But God’s providential governing of the world is even more extensive (and mysterious) than his friends’ assume. Both Isaiah (41:20) and the Psalms (107:40) echo the words of Job from this chapter. Job 13: "I want to argue my case with God. Be quiet and I will speak. Though he slay me, I will hope in him. God, why do you hide your face?" • 13:1-28. Job Replies to Zophar (Part 2): Still I Will Hope in God. Job continues to argue that his friends have both misdiagnosed him (calling them “worthless physicians”) and misrepresented God. Job questions whether his friends have taken seriously the glory and power of God in how easily and lightly they have spoken on His behalf. In the end, of course, God does rebuke the friends (42:7–8), exactly as Job had warned. As for Job, he had much rather make his case before God than his friends, and he is willing to take the risk of doing so (“though He may slay me,” v. 15). In verse 20, Job does just that, pleading his case with God and also slowly building his trust in God. Job 14: "Man is like a fleeting shadow. If a tree is cut down, it will sprout again, but will a man live again? You overpower him forever." • 14:1-22. Job Replies to Zophar (Part 3): Death Comes Soon to All. From verse 28 of ch. 13 through this chapter, Job moves from referring primarily to his own situation to focus on the nature of life for any mortal. Job describes human life as hard and short and points out that no mortal is able to work outside of the limits that God has set. He laments that while a tree has hope of sprouting again, humanity has no such hope. He could endure if there was hope. While Job does seem to have some conception of life after death, how it connects to redeeming this earthly life is not clear, nor can he understand how his “transgression would be sealed up in a bag” (v. 17). Of course, Job cannot yet see that the coming suffering and death of the man Jesus Christ (whose dead body did sprout again) will not only “cover over [his] iniquity,” but will redeem his earthly suffering both in this life and the life to come. Job 15: Eliphaz said, "Your own mouth condemns you! Why do you turn against God? The wicked will be like a vine stripped of unripe grapes." • 15:1-35. The Second Speech of Eliphaz: Job Does not Fear God. In his second response, which initiates the second round of dialogues, Eliphaz dispenses with his earlier commendation of Job’s character (see 4:3–6) and opens by accusing him of speaking out of iniquity rather than wisdom (15:2–16). Eliphaz argues that Job’s words reveal someone who is full of wind rather than wisdom. His question in verse 8 is rich in irony for the reader, “Have you listened in the council of God?” From the prologue, the reader knows that Eliphaz is speaking far beyond what he actually knows. The second half of the response is a more aggressive assertion of the content of Eliphaz’s first speech: the consequence of wickedness is suffering, and thus suffering indicates that a person is wicked and should not protest innocence (vv. 17–35). Eliphaz is himself guilty of the very sort of presumption for which he criticizes Job: he has concluded wrongly that Job’s suffering is a transparent indicator of God’s judgment. In the final verses, Eliphaz mercilessly chooses vocabulary that focuses on the loss of Job’s offspring as an indication of God’s judgment. Given what the reader knows about Job, this section ought to instill humility on the part of any person who seeks to pursue another with rebuke—and compassion for Job as one who endured not only the loss of his children but also the presumptuous, compounded, and condemning “comfort” of his friends. Job 16: Job said, "You're miserable comforters! God has torn me and shattered me. But my prayer is pure. Even now, my advocate is on high!" • 16:1-22. Job Replies to Eliphaz (Part 1): Miserable Comforters are You. Job begins by pointing out that his friends have failed as comforters (16:2–5), even though comfort was their original purpose for coming to him. He then describes the seeming paradox of his situation: God is the one who has brought these things upon him, and although others take this as a sign of His judgment, Job trusts that God can testify on his behalf. Job feels inadequate to represent himself, and so his plea for an “arbiter” (9:33) grows in confidence with his claim to have a witness in heaven (v. 19). Just as Job grows in his knowledge that God alone is the source of his suffering, so too will his realization grow that God alone is his hope for vindication. This may not be clear to Job yet (thus 16:21 distinguishes the “witness” from God), but it will be so eventually; cf. 19:25. Of course, in the fullness of revelation, we know that Job indeed has a Witness/Advocate in heaven, who is both distinguished from the Father and yet is God Himself. Again, what Job cries out for is fully satisfied in the coming of Jesus Christ to earth. Job 17: "My spirit is broken. He has made me a byword. But come again all of you! I will not find a wise man among you. Where is my hope?" • 17:1-16. Job Replies to Eliphaz (Part 2): Where then is my Hope? Throughout the dialogue in chapters 3–31, Job is essentially arguing God’s character back to God from the belief that He is just. In so doing, Job the sufferer is structuring his lament as ultimately a posture of hope. But his frustration is clearly evident as he notes that his condition ought to have stirred a righteous man to compassion, but his friends’ hurtful response proves their lack of wisdom. And then, in a graphic metaphor (vv. 13-16), Job compares accepting his friends’ perspective as essentially making the grave his future home. He even personifies the grave as his father and the maggot that would feed on his body his mother or sister. In such a home and with such a family, where then would his hope be? His friends have offered him no hope, for hope itself would be in the grave with him. Job 18: Bildad said, "Why are we stupid in your sight? Indeed, the light of the wicked goes out. His roots dry up and his branches wither." • 18:1-21. The Second Speech of Bildad: God Punishes the Wicked. Like Eliphaz, Bildad omits any social niceties and opens by venting his frustration (18:2–4): Who is Job to maintain his position and criticize the words of his friends as being that of stupid cattle? For Bildad, Job’s description of God tearing him apart is better seen as Job suffering the consequences of his own sin. It is because of Job’s anger at God, not God’s anger at Job. The remainder of Bildad’s response is an unyielding description of the end of the wicked (vv. 5–21), which is ultimately death, the “king of terrors.” Sadly, Bildad appears to be motivated more by his irritation at Job than any desire to correct him. Bildad refers throughout this section to the destruction of both the house (or tent) of the wicked and the household of the wicked in order to assert that Job’s circumstances prove that he is one who does not know God (v. 21). Job 19: Job said, "How long will you torment me? God counts me as an enemy. My closest friends abhor me. But I know that my redeemer lives!" • 19:1-29. Job Replies to Bildad: My Redeemer Lives. Job begins by asking his friends how long they will persist in accusing him and why they feel no shame for the manner in which they have done so. Even if he has unintentionally done wrong (which he never denies), Job maintains that his suffering is not because of his sin, but that God has inscrutably brought about his circumstances (vv. 2–6). Job laments that although he cries out for justice (see a similar cry in Habakkuk 1:2-4), his continued suffering has brought only isolation and indifference from his family and friends (vv. 7–22). This section in particular mirrors the cry of Jesus in the midst of His suffering, especially in Psalm 22. Of course, the innocent suffering of Jesus will be the ultimate ground for Job’s own hope of justice and redemption. Indeed, Jesus is the “Redeemer” (literally kinsman-redeemer) that Job longs for in verse 25, who lives forever, and will “stand upon the earth” at the last day. On that day, Job will be vindicated, his suffering redeemed, because Jesus will conquer death itself through His resurrection. And Job’s desire will be fulfilled, “in my flesh I shall see God” (v. 26). Job concludes with the wish that his belief in God’s vindication of him would be inscribed in rock as a permanent witness (vv. 23–27). That we are reading this book today is in many respects a fulfillment of Job’s wish, the purpose of which extends even beyond what Job had in mind. Job ends with a warning to his friends to be careful how they judge him lest they fall under the punishment of the very sword they presume to wield (vv. 28-29). What Job warns here is similar to what Jesus will teach explicitly in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matt 7:1–5). Job 20: Zophar said, "My understanding inspires me to answer. The triumph of the wicked is short. His food will turn sour in his stomach." • 20:1-29. The Second Speech of Zophar: The Wicked will Suffer and Die. In his second response, Zophar opens with a brief expression of frustration (vv. 2–3), presumably in response to Job’s insistence that God has brought about his circumstances and Job’s belief that God will yet vindicate him. The remainder of the response is one long description of the short and insufferable life of the wicked, by which Zophar intends to implicate and rebuke Job (vv. 4–29). In verse 27, Zophar unwittingly hits at the central tension of the book: what is the relationship between what is true before God and what takes place on earth? The friends wrongly assume that Job’s circumstances on earth are a transparent indicator of his guilt before God in heaven. Job has governed his life by a belief that God is indeed just, and his lament reflects his desire that God’s justice would be manifested more than it is in his present life on earth. In the end, Zophar will realize that what the heavens will reveal is his own error, not Job’s iniquity (see 42:7–9). Job 21: Job said, "Listen to me. Why do the wicked grow mighty? How often do they have trouble? Who repays them? Your answers are empty!" • 21:1-34. Job Replies to Zophar: The Wicked Do Prosper. Job’s response closes the second cycle of the dialogue with his friends by focusing directly on the assertion that the wicked suffer immediate and lasting grief, which is at the heart of the argument of each of his friends and is the thrust of Zophar’s most recent response. Job argues not only that the wicked prosper and their offspring flourish (vv. 7–8), but also that their lives often lack any of the signs of judgment that the friends so confidently describe (vv. 9–13)—a perspective that shares much with Psalm 73. And even if judgment eventually comes on their children, why should the wicked care since they are dead and gone? Job points out that the evidence for what he is claiming is not even concealed by the wicked, who choose to follow their pursuits with open indifference and even blatant defiance against the Lord. In this way, Job questions whether his friends truly understand life on earth, even making it seem as if God needs to be instructed (vv. 22–26). In addition to the argument that a person’s circumstances are not necessarily a transparent indicator of blessing or judgment, there is an additional warning embedded in Job’s description: many people are fooled by the external circumstances of the evil man into following his example in life and even honoring him in death (v. 33). Job 22: Eliphaz said, "Is not your wickedness great? You withheld bread from the hungry. Is not God high? Submit to him and be at peace." • 22:1-30. The Third Speech of Eliphaz: Job Wickedness is Great. In his final speech, launching the uniquely shaped third cycle, Eliphaz revisits earlier themes with renewed fervor and finality. He begins his response with three rhetorical questions that ask Job whether it makes any sense that God would bring suffering on one who is wise (v. 2), blameless (v. 3), or who fears him (v. 4). Ironically, he stumbles upon the truth here, for this is precisely why Job is suffering. But Eliphaz assumes that Job’s circumstances reveal significant evil in his life, and thus he feels justified in describing the likely ways that Job has sinned (vv. 4–11). He then compares Job’s words to those of the wicked (vv. 12–20), even quoting Job’s assertion that “the counsel of the wicked is far from me” (21:16) as itself the counsel of the wicked (v. 18). Finally, he calls him once more to repent (vv. 21–30). Verse 30 is another instance of unintended irony. Eliphaz is suggesting that Job’s repentance would lead to his being able to intercede and bring deliverance even for one who is not innocent. What Eliphaz does not know is that he stands in need of the very deliverance he describes and that it will in fact come through Job’s intercession on his behalf (see 42:7–9). Job 23: Job said, "If only I knew where to find God! When he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. But he does whatever he pleases." • 23:1-17. Job Replies to Eliphaz (Part 1): I Shall Come Out as Gold. Job is tired of arguing his case before his friends, largely ignoring the content of Eliphaz’s most recent response. Instead, in growing faith, he expresses his longing to be able to come before God directly (something he feared earlier), because Job trusts that his ways are truly known and would be vindicated by God. In verse 10, Job even suggests that God is trying him like gold to prove and refine the purity of his character, which is exactly right! Just as Abraham’s faith was demonstrated by obedience, Job’s faith is demonstrated through suffering. Ironically, if Job had pled guilty as he friends advised, Job would have instead proved God wrong. Of course, Job’s expectation that his mouth would be full of arguments (v. 4), contrasts sharply with his actual response when given an audience with God: “I lay my hand on my mouth” (40:4). Job 24: "The wounded cry out, but God charges no one with wrong. Some rebel against the light; they are exalted a while, and then are gone." • 24:1-25. Job Replies to Eliphaz (Part 2): Where is God? Job laments that judgment does not appear to come more evidently on those who oppress the needy for their own gain. Job has persisted in arguing against his friends’ assertion that the wicked are judged transparently and immediately on earth, but he also clings to his belief in the justice of God as the ground for his lament and hope for vindication. In this part of his speech, Job wishes that God’s governing of the world would be more apparent (v. 1). He offers a further description of the acts of the wicked (vv. 2–4, 9, 13–17, 21), the consequences on their victims (vv. 5–12), the seeming blindness of his friends to this reality (vv. 18–20), and the lack of any apparent judgment (vv. 22–25). Job does not address God in this response, nor does he seem necessarily to be responding directly to his friends as much as he is speaking exhaustedly in their presence. Job 25: Bildad said, "Dominion and awe belong to God. Who can be righteous before Him? Even the stars are not pure in His sight!" • 25:1-6. The Third Speech of Bildad: An Unanswered Question. Bildad’s words represent the final speech of the three friends. By returning to the central question from Eliphaz’s initial response (v. 4; see 4:17–19), Bildad reveals the dilemma within which the friends have constrained themselves and the posture they have embodied toward God and Job as a result. Since the friends have argued their theological understanding and application as representing God’s perspective, they have consistently thought of the choice before them as being that either God or Job must be in the wrong. On account of Job’s suffering and their own confidence about being able to interpret it, the friends have never really brought their own viewpoint under scrutiny or given thought to the possibility that they may be wrong in both their defense of God and their pursuit of Job. The questions Bildad asks in verse 4 (“How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?”) are the definitive questions first raised in Genesis 3 and that the rest of the Scriptures seek to answer. The answer, of course, will come with the Person and work of Jesus Christ, whose sacrificial death can make us right before God and whose perfect life can make us pure – if we will believe and put our faith in Him. Job 26: Job said, "How you have helped the weak! Sheol is naked to God. The pillars of heaven tremble. These are the fringes of His ways!" • 26:1-14. Job Replies to Bildad: God’s Majesty is Unsearchable. It appears that Job is tired of the repetitive and relentless nature of his friends’ responses. He signals the end of the dialogue by cutting Bildad’s third response short (i.e., it is only six verses long) and precluding any third speech from Zophar. Job criticizes his friends for what is likely an unintentional but still unacceptable consequence of their approach (vv. 1–4). In light of the implied negative answer to the statements of vv. 2–3, Job asks his friends to examine whose help and whose breath has been behind their words, lest they assume resolutely but wrongly that they have spoken on God’s behalf. Job then alludes to some obvious areas of knowledge that are open before God but concealed from human perspective, in order to warn his friends against their continued presumption that they know God’s purposes in Job’s disastrous circumstances. Job’s description of the earth in verses 7-10 transcends what was known at that time, depicting the earth as round and suspended in space supported only by gravitational forces. Job 27: My heart does not reproach me. Let my enemy be as the wicked! His many sons are for the sword. The wind sweeps him from his place." • 27:1-23. Job’s Closing Statement: I Maintain My Integrity. A new introduction marks off this final speech of Job, covering five chapters, which serves as his closing statement to his friends. Again, Job refuses to agree that his friends are right, and he maintains that his circumstances are not an indication of unconfessed sin (vv. 1–6). By asserting that he will hold fast to his integrity, Job echoes the Lord’s description of him in the prologue. And then, in images similar to those his friends have used against him, Job wishes that his adversaries would be considered as the wicked are before God (vv. 7–23). If Job is actually blameless before God, then Job’s friends ought to consider whether they are the ones who stand in danger of the judgment that they have described. Job 28: "There is a mine for silver, but where is wisdom found? It is hidden from the eyes of all living. The fear of the Lord is wisdom!" • 28:1-28. Job’s Closing Statement (cont.): Where is Wisdom Found? In a magnificent poem that plays on the theme of the dialogues regarding what is hidden and what is revealed, Job reflects on the value, mystery, and place of wisdom. The poem is structured around a question that is repeated with slight variation: “But where shall wisdom be found?” (vv. 12, 20). Although man has shown great skill in mining the earth for its hidden and valuable resources (vv. 1–11), the human search has not discovered wisdom. And neither can human wealth buy wisdom (vv. 13-19). As Creator of all things, only God knows the way to wisdom and only He can reveal it to man (vv. 21-28). Wisdom is defined by God in verse 28 as “the fear of the Lord,” as is prevalent in the wisdom literature (Prov 3:7; 16:6). This means human beings act wisely when they walk in obedience to God’s standards and shun evil. Job 29: "Oh, for the days when God watched over me! When I took my seat in the square. I was father to the needy and comforted the mourners." Over the next three chapters, Job reflects on his life in the past (29:1–25), the present (30:1–31), and what he wishes would be revealed and vindicated in the future (31:1–40). • 29:1-25. Job’s Closing Statement (cont.): Job’s Prior Blessed Life. Job laments the loss of past blessing and respect. o God’s Blessing (vv. 1-6). Job refers to former days in which he felt the presence of God guarding (v. 2) and guiding him (v. 3). Job felt that it was a time when he was in his prime because the friendship of God (v. 4) was evident on his household (v. 5) as well as his flocks and fields (v. 6). Little does Job know (although the reader does) that God is still very much watching over him despite his outward circumstances. o People’s Respect (vv. 7-25). Job then offers a description of the honor that he once received from people in every sphere of influence (vv. 7–10, 21–25). Job’s wish is not simply that he would regain his honor but that the grounds for this respect would be remembered. He not only spoke in wisdom but also embodied what it required by caring for the poor and fatherless (v. 12), for the one about to perish, for the widow (v. 13), and by protecting and preserving the needy (vv. 14–17). This description stands in stark contrast to Eliphaz’s accusations in 22:8-9. When Job considers what he then thought the course of his life would be, he uses several images, including that of a well-rooted tree that would continue to bear fruit, benefiting himself and others. But now, as far as Job knows, such hopes have been dashed. It is with some irony that Job refers to the past, when some listened for his words and did not speak afterward (vv. 21–22), and also to the way that he formerly lived like one who comforts mourners. His friends originally set out to comfort him, but instead became agitated with his words and ended up acting as his accusers. Job 30: "But now younger men mock me. They do not hesitate to spit at me. God has cast me into the mire. When I expected good, evil came." • 30:1-31. Job’s Closing Statement (cont.): Job’s Current Sufferings. Job contrasts the honor and blessing of his past (ch. 29) with his present circumstances. o Job’s Reversal (vv. 1-8). Job describes just how much of a reversal his current situation represents: although he had delivered the truly needy from the oppression of the unrighteous, those who presume to mock him as if he has received the judgment of the unrighteous are themselves needy, because of their own actions and foolishness (30:8). o Job’s Tormentors (vv. 9-15). Although Job had restrained the unrighteous, he describes those who now presume to deride him, casting off any restraint, as if they are taking advantage of an easy military conquest in which they sing and spit at his downfall (vv. 9-11) while building siege ramps against him, breaching his defenses, and looting him (vv. 12-15). o Job’s Isolation (vv. 16-23). Job laments the isolation in which he now pours out his soul (v. 16) as one who wastes away without help (vv. 17–22) and waits for death (v. 23). o Job’s Hopelessness (vv. 24-31). Job concludes the section by picturing himself as being like one of those whose cries for help he used to answer (vv. 24–25) but who in his own distress has found evil where he hoped for good (v. 26), and isolation and mourning (vv. 27, 29–31) when he has called for help (v. 28). Such cries for help are like a jackal’s woeful howl and a mournful dirge. Job 31: "Does God not see my ways? Have I lied? Have I refused to help the poor? Have I put my trust in money? Let the Almighty answer me!" • 31:1-40. Job’s Final Appeal. After contrasting the honor of his past (ch. 29) with the dishonor of his present (ch. 30), Job confesses one last time that he has lived his life in the pursuit of righteousness. Job describes his life in images that evoke the profile of the wise in Proverbs. Job begins by affirming his commitment to moral purity, particularly regarding his eyes, which were seen as the gateway to the inner person (31:1-4). Sections that follow include a series of oaths expressing Job’s belief in his innocence, that he has not done the sins his “friends” have accused him of: lying or stealing (vv. 5-8), adultery (vv. 9-12), mistreating his servants (vv. 13-15), failing to care for the widow, orphan, and needy (vv. 16-23), worshipping any other gods, including the god of wealth (vv. 24-28), gloating over enemies or failing to show hospitality (vv. 29-32), concealing sin with hypocrisy (vv. 33-34), or abusing the soil or those who cultivate it (vv. 38-40). Embedded in the end of this section (vv. 35-37) is a signed affidavit of his innocence and a final wish that the charges would be presented to him so that he could give an account before God. Job 32: was angry with Job and his three friends. He said, "I am young, but it is not only the old who are wise. I will have my say." • 32:1-5. Elihu Introduced. The brief narrative section preceding Elihu’s speeches indicates that Job’s three friends have nothing more to say to Job (v. 1), introduces Elihu (v. 2a), and describes his perspective on what has transpired (vv. 2b–5). The section contains repeated statements that indicate the manner in which Elihu takes up his speech: he “burned with anger” (vv. 2, 3, 5) because no answer had been given to Job (vv. 1, 3, 5). • 32:1-5. Elihu Speaks as the Voice of Youth. In his opening speech, Elihu says he has waited to speak because he is younger than the three friends, but now that it is clear to him that they do not have an answer for Job, he feels compelled to speak. Elihu directs this section primarily at the friends and emphasizes his right and intention to “declare my opinion” (32:6, 10, 11). Job 33: "Job, please listen to my words. God does speak, perhaps in a dream or through pain. He does this to deliver a person from the pit." • 33:1-33. Elihu Rebukes Job. Elihu opens and closes this section with a call for Job to listen to his words and answer if he is able (vv. 1–7, 31–33). Unlike the other “friends,” Elihu often invokes Job by name, which perhaps can be seen even as disrespectful. He then presents a summary of Job’s contentions regarding himself, his circumstances, and God’s seeming silence (vv. 8–13). Elihu, however, makes a similar mistake as the other three friends in suggesting that Job had claimed he was without any sin. But it is clear from Job’s regular practice of making burnt offerings that this was not his claim; rather, Job has been denying the suggestion that some hidden sin was at the root of his suffering. Elihu then suggests various ways that God might speak, such as dreams, but more notably, even in pain, to turn a person from the way that leads to death (vv. 14–30). The suggestion here is that Job’s suffering may be a corrective of his overall path rather than simply punishment for some specific, hidden sin. Of course, the reader knows that this possibility does not apply to Job either. In verse 33, Elihu certainly seems to have a bloated sense of his own wisdom. Perhaps he even thinks that he is the mediator (v. 23) that Job has been longing for to reconcile him to God. Job indeed has a Mediator, but He is far superior to Elihu. Job 34: "It is unthinkable that God would do wrong. Can one who hates justice govern? God shows no partiality. Job speaks like the wicked!" • 34:1-37. Elihu Asserts God’s Justice. Elihu sets out to dispute Job in a speech structured by a call to “wise men” to hear Job’s contention of innocence (vv. 2–9) and “men of understanding” to hear Elihu’s proof that Job should be condemned for his claims (vv. 10–34). Elihu quotes Job on several occasions, which at the very least indicates he has been listening to the dispute. But his conclusion ends up essentially the same as the other friends (even though he protests that it is different). Although he does state it differently, he faces the exact same dilemma: either Job is in the right or God is in the right, but it cannot be both. Given these two options, Elihu clearly wants to defend God as just and right. In this he is absolutely correct, but it does not then follow that Job is necessarily in the wrong. Elihu concludes this chapter with the presumption that any who are truly men of understanding or wise would agree with him that Job speaks like a fool who is without knowledge or insight (v. 35). Even worse, Elihu wishes boldly that the judgment evident in Job’s suffering would be taken even further (v. 36), because in addition to whatever sin he is ultimately being punished for, Job’s words also express rebellion and arrogance against God (v. 37). Job 35: "Even if you are righteous, what do you give to God? He does not answer because of the pride of evil men. You must wait for him!" • 35:1-16. Elihu Condemns Job. Elihu argues against what he sees as Job’s presumption before God, and yet he continues to reveal a high view of his own importance. Where Job said that the wicked and the righteous appear to suffer indiscriminately, Elihu argues that Job is acting as if his righteousness grants him some expectation of favor before God, when neither faithfulness nor wickedness accomplishes anything with or against God (vv. 1–8). That is, God’s character is unchanging. Eliphaz had made a similar argument in 22:2-3. But neither Eliphaz nor Elihu understand that the whole impetus for Job’s complaint is his desire to see God vindicated on earth in and through the lives of those who are faithful to Him. Furthermore, where Job had maintained that the oppressed cry out and the wicked are not punished, Elihu argues that they often cry out in pride rather than in prayer to God, and thus God does not regard their cries, much less Job’s vain request and foolish words. But God does hear the penitent when they cry, and if God remains silent, it is man’s fault (i.e., Job’s), not God’s. Of course, God will ultimately reply to Job, but it is on His own timetable, and thus we should beware of drawing premature conclusions. Job 36: "I have more to say on God's behalf. He is mighty but does not despise any. Who is a teacher like him? Remember to extol his work!" • 36:1-33. Elihu Extols God’s Greatness. Elihu begins to wrap-up with a lengthy speech that he introduces as being “on God’s behalf” and from one who is “perfect in knowledge.” Again, he is exhibiting more arrogance than he realizes, as young men sometimes do. Elihu begins by describing God’s power and wisdom (v. 5) and asserts that He governs justly over the lives of both the wicked (v. 6) and the righteous (v. 7). Thus, the afflicted are treated justly by God and reveal the state of their heart by how they respond to affliction. He infers that Job’s situation is an example of God using affliction to deliver the righteous from their sin if they are willing to choose to accept His correction. Elihu appeals to Job to consider his own circumstances as an example of this choice, and encourages him to embrace the mercy of his affliction rather than his iniquity. Elihu then describes God’s power and majesty and the unsearchable nature of His ways. His power is manifested audibly and visibly in storms, through which God accomplishes whatever purpose He has in mind. God’s speech at the end of the book will echo these same themes. Job 37: "God thunders with His voice. By the breath of God, ice is made. Do you know His wondrous works? He is great in power and justice!" • 37:1-24. Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty. Elihu continues to describe God’s majesty, which is partially revealed in His governing of the power and purposes of storms (vv. 1-13). In verse 5, to his credit, Elihu notes that God “does great things that we cannot comprehend,” a theme that God Himself develops in chapters 38-41. In verse 13, he suggests that God’s providential purposes in such storms may relate to people (as correction or love), or it may even be for the sake of the land. Finally, he calls Job to consider whether he knows how God does any of these things, and to apply the weight of this description to his complaint before God (37:14–20). And then reminding him again of God’s majesty and power (37:21–23), Elihu presents the options of responding to God’s majesty in two stark categories: either people are wise and exhibit fear of God, or they are wise in their own heart. Job 38: Then the LORD said, "I will question you. Where were you when I founded the earth? Who enclosed the sea? Can you bind the Pleiades?" • 38:1-41. The LORD Answers Job: The First Challenge. In one way or another, all of Job’s friends had said that unless he repents, Job should only expect further judgment from God, and certainly not an answer from Him. While Elihu had just described God’s power and majesty in terms of weather, which was meant to instill fear, God now draws near to speak to Job “out of the whirlwind.” Notably, God’s personal name, Yahweh (denoted by the all-caps LORD) is used to emphasize the personal nature of this encounter. While the LORD does not come simply to justify Job, the LORD’s presence shows that His answer comes in the context of steadfast love toward Job and not as judgment. In His answer, God will remind Job that even in what is revealed of God’s powerful and majestic governance of the natural world and its inhabitants, much is still hidden. And if this is true for creation and its creatures, how much more is it true in relation to the wisdom and purpose of the Creator? God’s full answer comes in two speeches, each followed by a brief response from Job. In the first, beginning here in chapter 38, the LORD turns the tables on Job, who had previously laid out a challenge to God, but now God challenges him with three broad questions: o Do you know how creation was established? (38:4–11) Using imagery of a house being built for the creation of earth and imagery of birth for the creation of seas, God now asks Job about the origin of the universe. Can Job accomplish such feats or explain how the origin of the cosmos could or should have been different? o If so, do have the ability to govern it? (38:12–38)? The LORD then questions Job about whether he has either the knowledge or the ability to manage and govern the various elements of creation. In light of the obvious answer, the LORD also reminds Job that he cannot see fully what the LORD is doing with respect to justice and judgment (vv. 13, 15, 17, 22–23). Job is reminded that he had assumed greater knowledge than he actually possessed. o Can you shape the lives of its wonderful variety of creatures? (38:39–40:2) Finally, the LORD turns from describing His governance of creation to His providential governance of specific creatures, which extends from the stately, preying lion to the lowly, scavenging raven, and by implication, everything in between. Job 39: "Do you mark when the deer is born? Will the wild ox serve you? Do you give the horse his might? Does the hawk fly by your wisdom?" • 39:1-30. The Lord’s Governance of Creature (Cont.). At the end of chapter 38, God began pointing Job to various creatures that reveal something of God’s sovereignty over all things. He began with the lion and the raven, highlighting God’s provision. Four additional sets of animals will provide further insight into God’s rule. o The Ibex and the Hind. God’s Presence (vv. 1-4). God speaks here of two animals that inhabit hidden places, such as the rugged mountain areas and the dense forests of the earth. God’s presence extends into these hidden places, where He even oversees the delivery of their young, reproducing without human help. How much more then is God’s presence and oversight with Job, as no circumstance is hidden from His view. o The Onager and the Aurochs. God’s Purpose (vv. 5-12). The onager (wild donkey) and the auroch (wild ox) were undomesticated and not under human dominion. Although they served little purpose for humanity, they serve a great purpose for the God who made them, even if that purpose is not yet understood. o The Ostrich and the Horse. God’s Pleasure (vv. 13-25). The ostrich, a strange bird with wings and yet cannot fly (but can outrun the horse), and the war horse, a beast that runs confidently headlong into battle are completely unique: one seems foolish and the other is fearless, but both bring pleasure to God as uniquely created by Him. o The Hawk and the Eagle. God’s Providence (vv. 26-30). Where did the hawk gets its instinct to migrate south and where did the eagle gets its keen eyesight, five times sharper than a human’s? Too often we fail to distinguish between natural instinct and ability and God’s providential gifts. All the glories of creation are from God. Job 40: Job said, "I have no answer." The LORD said, "Will you condemn me? Behold now, Behemoth, which I made. Can anyone pierce his nose?" • 40:1-2. The LORD Asks a Question. The LORD’s speech ends with a request for Job to answer, referring to him as a faultfinder. Job is being challenged to recognize what is beyond the reach of any mortal’s knowledge or power. • 40:3-5. Job’s Response: Silence. In the face of the Lord’s challenge, Job doesn’t put up the defense he said he would, but instead puts his hand over his mouth (v. 4) and pledges silence (v. 5). • 40:6-24. God’s Second Challenge: Understanding Justice and Power. With Job silenced, his complaints cease, but God is not yet finished with Job. Perhaps God wants to move Job beyond mere obedient silence, and move him toward obedient trust. Our best position before God is not in fearful silence, but in awe-induced trust. So God turns to one last animal pair in chapters 40 and 41, Behemoth and , the first one rules the land and the other rules the sea. If Job is unable to subdue these powerful beasts, who are themselves a part of His creation, how much less should he presume to instruct the LORD or maintain his own rights before the LORD. o Behold, Behemoth (vv. 15-24). There is extensive debate about the identity of these last two animals. In fact, the words are often left untranslated, as Behemoth is a transliteration of the original Hebrew. Behemoth is “the first of the works of God” (v. 19), not in time, but in strength and awe. Most suggest that it is the hippopotamus, but that seems to fall miserably short of the description. Some suggest it is a mythological creature familiar to Job, but it doesn’t make sense for God to use a made-up creature as evidence of His very real power. Since the description doesn’t seem to fit any creature we know today, perhaps it is now extinct. Thus, while controversial, I suspect that Behemoth was a large land dinosaur such as the Brontosaurus or Sauropoda. That proposal, of course, flies in the face of an evolutionary history of the world (but not with a biblical one). In any event, don’t miss the point: Job would never go toe-to-toe with Behemoth. What makes him think he can with God? Job 41: "Can you catch Leviathan with a hook? Everything under heaven is mine. His breath sets coals ablaze. He is king over all the proud." • 41:1-34. God’s Second Challenge: Understanding Justice and Power (cont.). God know turns from presenting Behemoth, the greatest of the land animals to the greatest of the sea creatures, a creature called Leviathan. o Leviathan (vv. 1-34). Like Behemoth, there is much debate on the identity of Leviathan, of which even a fuller description is given. Some commentators suggest it is a crocodile, but this again seems to fall miserably short of the description given. Others suggest it is a mythical creature representing forces overcome by God’s power in creation, but this seems hardly the case as well. As with Behemoth, I suspect that Leviathan is a now extinct sea dinosaur (even taking on characteristics of a fire-breathing dragon, perhaps being an ancient source of modern dragon myths). Whatever the case may be, the focus of this section is on the fact that, whatever powerful creature this is, it is a part of God’s creation and is governed by His power (see Psa 74:14). If it is futile for people to presume that they could lay their hands on Leviathan, who is a part of God’s creation (vv. 9, 11), then how much more should Job be cautious about his presumption in wanting to bring his case and stand before God. Job 42: Job said, "I repent in ashes." The LORD said to Eliphaz, "You have not spoken rightly of me, as Job has." He restored Job's fortune. • 42:1-6. Job’s Confession and Repentance. In response to the Lord’s reproof, Job confesses that the Lord’s power and purposes will not fail (v. 2) and that he spoke of things beyond his knowledge (v. 3). Job now submits to the overwhelming power of God and repents of his rash words (vv. 4–6). Although Job repents, it is not for the reason his friends insisted, for moral infractions, but for his dabbling in answering questions beyond his understanding. • 42:7-9. The LORD Rebukes Job’s Three Friends. The final section of the book brings to light on earth what the prologue had described to be true before God (though Satan is not featured again): Job’s suffering was not a consequence of sin (see 1:1–2:13). Instead, the Lord charges Eliphaz and the other friends (but not Elihu) with speaking wrong words about Him and calls upon them to offer sacrifices to Him and seek intercession from Job (42:7–9). Rather than bearing enmity against his friends, Job graciously prayed for them. As for Job’s words, they certainly expressed deep anguish and frustration (and were certainly inaccurate at points), but God does not count these words as sinful, especially given that Job has repented of them. Like many of the psalms, Job had honestly (and prayerfully) wrestled with deep and profound questions. And like the psalms (and Job), we must acknowledge our limited, earthly perspective and trust that the Lord is wise and does right even when we cannot understand it. • 42:10-17. The LORD Restores Job’s Fortunes. Finally, the Lord restores Job’s fortunes. Job’s place in the community is reestablished (vv. 10–11) and Job himself is vindicated and restored (vv. 12–15). As the restoration proceeds, his previous possessions of livestock are doubled (v. 12; cf. 1:3), thus going beyond mere justice so as to highlight God’s grace, and a further 10 children are born to him (v. 13). Satan’s accusation at the beginning of the book has been proven wrong as Job still stands blameless, becoming an example for remaining steadfast in suffering (James 5:11).