Job

Finding Job in the Story

Genesis: In the beginning, God. Exodus: There will be no other gods before me. Leviticus: The holiness of God. Numbers: The chastening of God. Deuteronomy: A second law given to the new generation.

Those are the first five books of Moses. And then comes the book of Job.

At this point, everybody goes, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What Bible are you reading? We all know what comes next, and it is not Job!” But in this series, as often as we can, we want to work through the Scriptures chronologically. When we get to books that cover a large span of historical content and other books snap into that timeline, we want to place them where they belong. Interestingly enough, Job may actually be the earliest book written in your Bible. We found it very difficult to teach a series called Generations: Genesis to Revelation and start with Job, so we started with Genesis and wrapped up Deuteronomy. But now we need to cover the chronological insertion of Job.

Job is one of those books that everyone feels like they should read because everyone talks about the “patience of Job” like it’s a badge of honor. Few realize that you actually get the badge of honor simply by having the patience to read all the way through Job! We want to read it, but we often get lost in it. Part of the reason we get lost is that it is the first book we have covered so far that is Hebrew poetry.

Your Old Testament has three general genres: history, poetry, and prophecy. We have been covering historical books. Type-A personalities love history: this happened, then this happened, then this happened, and the story keeps moving. We covered four hundred years in just a couple of chapters. But then you hit Job, and it is poetry.

We know Job has an early date because of several indicators in the text. While it is difficult to pinpoint precisely when it was written, Job’s wealth is measured by his livestock, which matches the patriarchal narratives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Hebrew word used for a piece of silver in Job is only used elsewhere in the Bible in conjunction with Jacob. Job’s lifespan fits the patriarchal era. Furthermore, Job’s inheritance was given to his daughters as well as his sons, whereas under the Mosaic Law, inheritance went strictly to sons. All of these indicators show that Job was likely a contemporary of Abraham. When you think about the early parts of Genesis, beginning in chapter 12 where the patriarchs take over, that is where Job snaps in.

As for authorship, it could have been written by Job himself—whose name means either “hated” or “to be persecuted,” which may have been a nickname given to him because of his circumstances. It could have been compiled by Moses, or by a man named Elihu who shows up in chapter 32. But whoever wrote it knew the intimate details of the conversations, knew exactly what was said, and knew what Job felt and thought. That gives a strong indication that Job himself penned this book.

The Stage and the Characters

Job is best understood when you know the characters on the stage. Think of it like a theater production—only I promise I am not going to sing.

First, you have Job. He is a man of tremendous wealth from the land of Uz, east of Canaan. God Himself declared that Job was the most blameless and upright man in all the earth. Can you imagine God looking down and saying, “The number one guy in all the world is that guy right there”? That was Job.

Second, you have God. In this book, God is referred to by the name Shaddai—God Almighty—more than almost anywhere else. That is another indicator of an early date, because God revealed His covenant name Yahweh (“I AM WHO I AM”) from Moses onward, but the patriarchs knew Him primarily as God Almighty.

Third, you have Satan. He was a created angel of the highest order who was cast out of heaven because of his pride.

And finally, you have three terrible friends: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. (Please don’t name your kids that, by the way; it’s frowned upon.) If you had friends like these, you would definitely be looking for an upgrade.

In chapter 1, we get an introduction to Job’s character. He was blameless, upright, feared God, and turned away from evil. In fact, he offered sacrifices daily for his children, just in case they had sinned in their hearts. That is how righteous this man was.

Job 1:1-5 (NASB)

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings [according to] the number of them all; for Job said, ‘Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ Thus Job did continually.

Right away, this book begins to expose a deeply flawed theological viewpoint that scholars call “retribution theology.” It is the tidy concept that if someone is good, God blesses them, and if someone is evil, God smites them. We hear that and instinctively think, Yeah, that makes sense. But it doesn’t always work that way. Retribution theology obligates God to operate inside our finite, human construct of what is fair. What happens when God permits the righteous to suffer and the wicked to prosper? We have a fundamental problem with that.

All of Job’s friends subscribed completely to retribution theology. That is why they teed off on him at every turn, insisting, “Job, God is punishing you because of some secret sin in your life. Calamity has fallen on you, so you must have done something terrible.” If we are honest, many of us still live in the shadow of that bad theology.

The Wrong Question

A casual reading of Job suggests the book is simply about why people suffer. Suffering is certainly the backdrop, but this book reveals that in the midst of difficulty, we almost always ask the wrong question.

When trials come—and they will come, unavoidable and painful—what question do you instinctively ask? We ask, Why?

As if we are ever going to get a neat answer! Has anyone in human history ever received a fully satisfying answer to the “why” question in the middle of their grief? Not once. It is the wrong question to ask. When circumstances collapse around us, our gaze drops from God to our problems, and we lose sight of what truly matters.

Remember when Peter walked on water? Jesus came walking on the waves, and Peter boldly said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Peter stepped out of the boat and actually walked toward Jesus. But the text says that when Peter saw the wind, he began to sink. How do you even “see” the wind? You see the waves and the spray, and the moment his focus shifted from Christ to his terrifying circumstances, he faltered.

When our focus is on our circumstances rather than on God, we demand an answer to Why? when the real question we should be asking is What? or better yet, Who?

If we put an open microphone up front right now and asked everyone to share their personal heartbreak and pain, we would be here until Jesus returns. We all have it. Some suffering stings more than others, but it is present in every life in this room. Hard times are inevitable. The question Job sets before us is not Why is this happening? but Who is ultimately in control?

The Adversary

In chapter 1, verse 6, the curtain pulls back on the spiritual realm. Satan approaches God alongside the angelic beings.

Job 1:6-7 (NASB)

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. The LORD said to Satan, ‘From where do you come?’ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, ‘From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.’

What do we know about Satan? Scripture tells us he is a created angel. He was in the presence of God, but he is neither omniscient nor omnipresent. When people say, “Satan is personally attacking me today,” I remind them that he can only be in one place at one time—he might have bigger fish to fry! But he prowls the earth through his demonic forces.

According to Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, Satan was not satisfied with worshiping God; pride welled up within him, and he declared seven “I will” statements, essentially saying, “I want Your throne.” God cast him out of heaven, and Revelation 12 tells us a third of the angelic host fell with him.

Is Satan victorious? Absolutely not. His defeat was prophesied all the way back in Genesis 3:15, and it was sealed at the cross of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:14 (NASB)

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

Yet, he remains active in this fallen world. Scripture calls him the accuser, the tempter, the deceiver, the adversary, the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air, and a murderer from the beginning. We live in a world that is fundamentally hostile to the things of God.

Colossians 1:13-14 (NASB)

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)

Be of sober [spirit], be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

When Satan presents himself, God asks, “Have you considered My servant Job?” It is almost like a proud father bragging on his child. But Satan sneers back, “Does Job fear God for nothing? You have put a hedge of protection around him. Take away his blessings, and he will curse You to Your face.”

Job 1:8-11 (NASB)

The LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.’ Then Satan answered the LORD, ’Does Job fear God for nothing? ’Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ‘But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.’

God grants Satan permission to test Job, setting clear boundaries on what he can touch. When we grapple with why God would allow this, our theological hard drives tend to lock up. I have never been God, so I don’t pretend to understand all His ways. But the stage is set, and the storm hits Job with unrelenting fury.

Sitting in the Ashes

In a single day, Job loses his livestock, his servants, and all ten of his children. In chapter 2, he loses his physical health, covered in painful boils from head to foot. In the opening wave of grief, Job responds with astonishing faith.

Job 1:20-22 (NASB)

Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Early on, Job gets it. But grief is exhausting, and over time, pain wears you down.

His wife looks at his misery and says, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” Ladies, if you are ever wondering what you can say to breathe life and encouragement into your husband during a crisis, that is definitely not it! Yet Job gently rebukes her: “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” Is God only God when life is comfortable, or is God still God regardless of what He allows?

Then his three friends arrive. To their credit, when they see his agony, they sit with him in the dust and ashes for seven days and seven nights without saying a single word. If you really want to comfort someone who is grieving, the best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut and just sit with them in their pain.

Job 2:11-13 (NASB)

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that [his] pain was very great.

Eventually, Job breaks the silence in chapter 3, cursing the day he was born. And with that, the poetic debates begin across three dramatic acts.

In Act One, Eliphaz claims that suffering is simply God’s discipline for wrongdoing. Bildad insists that Job must be unrepentant. Zophar argues there must be hidden, secret sin in Job’s life. Job replies to each of them, defending his integrity. In chapter 13, Job utters that famous declaration of faith, but notice the edge in his voice as he continues:

Job 13:15 (NASB)

’Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

Job says, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him… yet I will argue my ways to His face!” Have your kids ever said something slightly disrespectful, and you look at their crinkled face and think, What did you just say to me? You can see Job’s anger beginning to boil over.

In Act Two, the friends escalate their accusations, claiming Job is irreverent and wicked. In Act Three, they outright accuse him of blatant evil. Finally, the friends fall silent, and Job delivers his final defense in chapters 28 through 31. Listen to how Job finishes his argument:

Job 31:35 (NASB)

’Oh that I had one to hear me! Behold, here is my signature; Let the Almighty answer me! And the indictment which my adversary has written,

Job signs his name to his complaint and demands, “Let the Almighty answer me!” When we suffer, we often step out of our place and demand answers from God as if we are the authority and He is on trial. You can almost imagine God saying, Excuse me? Are you talking to Me?

The Voice from the Whirlwind

In chapter 32, a young man named Elihu speaks up. He has been sitting quietly out of respect for his elders, but he can no longer contain his frustration. He burns with anger at the three friends because they condemned Job without offering real wisdom, and he burns with anger at Job for justifying himself rather than God.

Elihu spends six chapters challenging Job: “Job, your problem is that you used to look up at God, but when tragedy struck, your eyes dropped to your circumstances. You forgot who God is. It isn’t about demanding an answer to Why?; it is about recognizing who is sovereign.” Elihu challenges Job to raise his sights.

And then, after chapters of human speculation, God finally speaks.

Job 38:1-4 (NASB)

Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, ’Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge? ’Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me! ’Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell [Me], if you have understanding,

God answers Job out of the whirlwind with roughly sixty relentless questions:

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding!” “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place?” “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or seen the reservoirs of hail?” “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the cords of Orion?” “Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go and say to you, ‘Here we are’?”

God does not give Job a single explanation for his suffering. Instead, God gives Job a breathtaking vision of His majesty. He reminds Job of the infinite gap between the Creator and the creature.

Job is completely undone.

Job 40:3-5 (NASB)

Then Job answered the LORD and said, ’Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. ‘Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.’

God is not done yet. He says a second time, “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to Me.” God repeats the very words Job used when demanding an audience with Him. Finally, Job surrenders completely in chapter 42.

Job 42:1-6 (NASB)

Then Job answered the LORD and said, ’I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ ‘Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.’ ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ ‘I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.’

Job says, “I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

There is a massive difference between knowing about God and knowing God intimately through the crucible of suffering. There is an intimacy with God that is forged in the valley that will never be discovered on a comfortable mountaintop. There is a sense of the sheer magnitude and holiness of God that comes only when you have been completely broken and are finally forced to say, “God, You are God, and I am not.”

Raising Our Sights

In the epilogue, God rebukes Job’s friends and restores Job’s fortunes twofold. We love the happy ending because it brings comfort, but ask yourself this: Would God still be God if He had never restored Job’s wealth? Would God still be good if Job had died in the ashes? Absolutely.

We tend to domesticate God. We treat Him like a puppy we can train to fetch our blessings whenever we behave well. He is not a tame God. He is God Almighty—terrifying, awesome, magnificent, holy, and completely beyond our finite understanding. When God encounters Job, He takes Job by the chin, lifts his gaze, and says, “Get over your demands. Stop looking at your pain and look at Me.”

In ten-plus years of pastoring this church, I have sat at the hospital bedsides of many of your families. We have walked through the valley of the shadow of death together. It is agonizing. In those moments of crushing grief, the only thing that sustains the human soul is not getting an intellectual explanation for the pain, but resting in the truth that God is sovereign, God is good, and He can be trusted.

David captured this exact tension in Psalm 13, my favorite psalm. David pours out his raw, honest grief before the Lord.

Psalms 13:1-4 (NASB)

For the choir director. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, [Having] sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider [and] answer me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the [sleep of] death, And my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’ [And] my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

That is gut-level honesty. Life is not a series of effortless, latte-drinking days; life can be an absolute kick in the face. When the medical diagnosis is bleak or when you get the devastating phone call from the hospital, you have nowhere to run. We cry out, “How long, O Lord?”

Look at how David concludes the psalm:

Psalms 13:5-6 (NASB)

But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

David anchors his soul in God’s hesed—His steadfast, covenantal, unfailing love.

Did a single circumstance in David’s life change between verse 1 and verse 6? Not one. What changed? His perspective. David raised his sights. He remembered who was on the throne.

Whatever trial you are walking through right now—an illness, a fractured marriage, a prodigal child, financial devastation, or chronic grief—I want to challenge you to raise your sights. Stop wearing yourself out demanding an answer to Why? God wants to teach you What He is forming in your character, but ultimately, He wants you to know Who He is.

Will you let God be God? Outside your expectations, outside your demands, will you sit before Him and say, “Lord, I don’t understand this storm, but You are God and I am small. I repent of my demand for control, and I choose to trust You.”

Closing Prayer

Father, we read a book like Job and realize how desperately we need its truth. We walk through difficult, painful seasons, and our instinct is to demand explanations. I pray for everyone carrying a heavy burden of suffering today. Breathe life into their weary souls.

Remind us that You are God whether You bless or whether You permit trial. You are no less good, and You are no less God. Deliver us from our pride and our illusion of control. We repent of our small views of You. Help us raise our sights from our circumstances to Your throne. We once heard of You with our ears, but in the valley, may our eyes truly see You. We rest in Your unfailing love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.