A Pilgrim's Journal

The difference is that Job had to somewhat blindly trust that God would work out his salvation in the end, somehow; while we can look into history and see God's work on our behalf, in the person of Jesus Christ. Job talked with God face to face in the whirlwind, but did not see his salvation finished. We see our salvation finished, but don't often get to talk face to face with God.

I sometimes wonder if that lack of face to face conversation is our fault. Of course, it is up to God whether we see Him or not, indeed whether we see anything or not. But if we choose not to repent when we have the opportunity, certainly God won't bless us. Anyway, that's a topic for another time.

Someone told me that they wondered how Job could talk so boastfully yet still be considered righteous.

It probably was boastful, but the interesting thing was that I think Job was just telling the truth, as far as he knew it. Even God pointed out in the beginning of the book that Job was exemplary.

It seems that Job did have a righteousness of his own, but the problem was that he was trusting in his own righteousness, instead of God's righteousness, which is better by far than ours.

That's how I understand it anyway. Job had a righteousness of his own, and trusted in it, and was even eager to argue with God about it. Yet before we judge Job, I think Job had great faith, greater than we do in many ways. He trusted in God for great things, and he had a determination not to give up on God, no matter what came his way. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." (13:15) He also trusted in God for his Redeemer. "I know that my Redeemer lives" (19:25 NIV) And he believed in the resurrection. "after my flesh has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God." (19:26 NIV)

He just trusted too much in himself, thinking that if he lived right, God would have no choice but to judge in Job's favour.

When his 3 friends saw his life, they assumed that it was because of his sin and that all he had to do was repent. They were flabbergasted at his defiance in the face of their criticism, and they tried multiple times to convince him, but ended up frustrated. But they were arguing on the same basis as Job: that God's reactions were based on man's behaviour. They argued that there were only two states: either man was righteous and was blessed, or was wicked and was cursed. And obviously since Job was suffering, they were convinced he must be harbouring wickedness in his heart. Yet according to Job's testimony, and God's testimony at the beginning of the book, he wasn't.

Then Elihu speaks. I don't see any correction to what he says. Job doesn't answer him, neither do the 3 friends, and God doesn't seem to include him in the condemnation of the friends. So I assume that Elihu was right, although rather angry. He argues that God is sovereign. God is not harmed by the wicked, nor does He benefit from the righteous. What God does is Just because He is God, not because of what man does. Man needs to conform to God; God does not react to man. God knows what man will do already.

In other words, there are more than just two states to a man's life. God is not a vending machine with blessing and cursing buttons on the front. God will do what is right, even if it doesn't look that way to us, regardless of what we do.

Then God speaks, and asks Job question after question after question, that Job cannot answer. Just like in Genesis, when Adam and Eve sinned and God asked them questions. But Job responds differently. Adam pointed at Eve, and Eve pointed at the serpent, but Job repented in dust and ashes. (42:6) Job's 3 friends don't seem to repent either. At least it is not recorded that they do.

And after Job humbled himself, then God lifted Job up, (James 4:10) first to the level of intercessor for his friends, offering a sacrifice on their behalf. And secondly, after he helped his friends, God lifted Job to double his former level of prosperity: double the sheep (14,000), double the camels (6,000), double the oxen (1,000), and double the female donkeys (1,000). And another 7 sons and 3 daughters, to match those he lost. And all this was not because of what Job did, but it was all a gift from God, like everything really is.