Job Tempted to Doubt God’s Goodness

Job 2:1-13

GOLDEN TEXT: “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.”—Job 1:22

OUR next three lessons are taken from the Book of Job which has been called a poem, and is credited by scholars with being the finest piece of literature in the Hebrew language. Whoever was used of God as the penman, his name is not given. The introduction of the book is a prose narrative of Job’s losses and sufferings, and of his patient endurance; then follow the poetic colloquies between Job and his three friends; then Elihu’s argument; then the Almighty’s address; then Job’s confession. The conclusion, relating Job’s return to favor and blessing, and his death, is in prose.

Some have assumed that the Book of Job is merely a parable and Job himself, therefore, merely an imaginary character. But if this were the case, the teachings of the book would not be different. However, we see no cause to doubt that such a person did live and pass through the experiences related. In Ezekiel 14:14 and James 5:11, Job is classed with other holy men, which would not be the case were this narrative merely a parable. Besides, there are particular details given, respecting Job, his family and friends, and especially Elihu’s gemology, such as are not common to parables.

The fact that Job lived one hundred and forty years after his adversities, or in all probably over two hundred years, together with the fact that neither he nor his friends make any allusion to Israel or Moses or the Law, nor to Abraham and God’s covenant made with him, seems to indicate beyond doubt that he belonged to the Patriarchal age; possibly living about the same time as Abraham. His home was evidently in Arabia and probably not far from Palestine.

Job is introduced as a man of great. learning and influence; as a man of great piety who knew and reverenced God and appreciated justice; as a man of great generosity, who considered the widow and the orphaned; and as a merchant-prince of great wealth, who, by his numerous servants and three hundred camels, carried on an extended and very prosperous traffic.

Suddenly disaster came upon Job and he was bereft of his children and his wealth, his influence and his health. He sought in vain for an explanation as to why God should permit such evils to befall him, yet still trusted in God, saying, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him”; while his wife urged that it had been without divine appreciation that he had sought to do justice and mercy all his life, and exclaimed, “Curse God and die!”

His three friends came to visit him, and, taking much the same view, told him in lengthy argument that he must have been a great sinner and a hypocrite. But conscious of his own heart-honesty toward God, job defends himself and goes to too great an extreme in declaring his innocence, but silences his critics. He seems to realize his need of some one to represent his cause before the Lord, and cries out that he is as righteous as he knows how to be; that he cannot reason the matter with God, being so much beneath Him in knowledge and power; that the willfully wicked are not so troubled, while he who has pursued righteousness is so afflicted that life has no further pleasure and he wishes he had never been born. (Chapters 9, 10 and 16) Feeling his own insufficiency to state his case before the great Jehovah he desires “a days-man [a mediator] betwixt” God and himself.—Chapters 9:33; 16:21

Job’s masterly reply to the false reasonings of his friends (the latter being by some improperly quoted as inspired), and his expressions of confidence in God and of his ultimate deliverance, are clearly presented in Chapter 13:1-16. And then with prophetic wisdom, in Chapter 14, he presents a most wonderful statement of God’s dealing with mankind.

Our lesson today, Chapter 2, opens with an account of Satan’s conversation with God concerning Job. We believe this should be understood as allegorical, representing their thoughts rather than an actual conversation. It is evident from the narrative that Satan had a malicious attitude toward Job. The Apostle says that Satan has “the power of death” (Heb. 2:14), and when Job was given into his hand to be tried he manifested his power of death in the destruction of his sheep, his servants, his sons and daughters.

Satan’s object evidently was, to make Job suppose that God caused those calamities, and to thus cause Job to feel bitter and resentful against God, and to “curse God and die”; or to shake his faith in there being a God. Indeed that such was Satan’s object is implied in the narrative; and Job’s friends, although God-fearing men, were deceived into this view, and tried for days to convince Job that his afflictions were the work of the Lord. But of Job it is written, “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly [with being the author of his calamities.]”

The question which perplexed Job, however, and confused his reasonings, was the same that for centuries has confused others of God’s people; i.e., Why does God permit evil (calamities, afflictions. etc.) to come upon his faithful servants? and why are the wicked permitted to flourish? But not until the Gospel dispensation was it possible for any to know the mind of God on this subject.

Although many are still in the dark on this subject, it is now open and clear to all the earnest ones to whom “it is granted to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven,” to understand “the deep things of God.” (Matt. 13:11; I Cor. 2:10) These see that while God did not cause the evil state of things which surrounds us in nature and among men, but let it come upon men as the legitimate result or fruit of disobedience, sin, yet He does make use of even the wrath and the sins of men and the animosity of Satan to work out grand designs which they do not comprehend, and of which His children know only by faith in His Word of revelation. Such, and such only can rejoice in tribulation and realize that all things bad, as well as good, unfavorable, as well as favorable will be overruled in God’s providence for their ultimate benefit.

QUESTIONS:

Suggest some proofs to show that the book of Job has to do with real people, and is not merely an allegory.

Is it reasonable to suppose that Satan actually appeared in the presence of God?

How is the general permission of evil pictured in the experiences of Job?

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