Tag: Job

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Was Job a Real Person?

Job 1

1There was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless, a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. 2He had seven sons and three daughters. 3He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and he employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.

4Every year when Job’s sons had birthdays, they invited their brothers and sisters to join them for a celebration. On these occasions they would get together to eat and drink. 5When these celebrations ended—and sometimes they lasted several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

6One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan the Accuser came with them. 7“Where have you come from?” the LORD asked Satan.

And Satan answered the LORD, “I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

8Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.”

9Satan replied to the LORD, “Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! 10You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

12“All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the LORD’s presence.

13One day when Job’s sons and daughters were dining at the oldest brother’s house, 14a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

16While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

17While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

18While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. 19Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the desert and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

20Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground before God. 21He said,

“I came naked from my mother’s womb,

and I will be stripped of everything when I die.

The LORD gave me everything I had,

and the LORD has taken it away.

Praise the name of the LORD!”

22In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

(Job 1:1-22, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

Recently, my Bible reading program has me reading through the book of Job (along with other selections in the Old and New Testaments).

Job is a fascinating book that seeks to help the reader understand the nature of God’s justice and how we are to comprehend and deal with sickness and personal tragedy.

It’s not surprising that many outside of the church would consider the story of Job as nothing more than a fairy tale or a fictional narrative. However, there are more and more critics inside the church who are making the claim that Job was not a real person.

I recently encountered an ex-vangelical Christian (someone who claims to still be a Christian but has left the “evangelical” Christian movement) on X (formerly Twitter) who made the claim that Job is not a real person and that God is more of a villain in the story.

What are we to make of these claims? Is it true that Job was not a real person? Does it even matter? How would we even go about proving or disproving this thesis?

First of all, short of some archaeological evidence, we have no way to actually substantiate the existence of Job as a real person. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t exist.

The main evidence we have to determine the probable “realness” of Job as a person is to evaluate the text itself.

If you look at the beginning of Job, there is nothing that indicates that this is a fictional story. Think about some of the parables of Jesus. It’s obvious that he’s telling a story to make a moral point as the people and places are often nameless.

Consider this example from Luke 20:

9Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it out to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.

It’s clear from the text that the story is fictional. The writer not only leads with this fact, but the main characters and places are nameless: a man planted a vineyard, leased it out to tenant farmers, and moved to another country.

Contrast that with the book of Job. Right away, in the first verse, we know the name of the man (Job) and where he lived (Uz). Though we are not exactly certain where Uz is today, we know that it was a real place that was known to those who lived in the Ancient Near East Culture.

In addition, the text mentions that Job’s first tragedy occurred at the hands of “Sabean raiders”. The Sabeans were likely a group of people from South Arabia. In addition to this passage, they are mentioned in Isaiah 45:14 and Joel 3:4-8. They were real people.

If Job is a fictional character, why are all the details of this fictional story real?

There is another, perhaps even more convincing reason to believe that Job was a real person – he is mentioned in other parts of the Bible.

In Ezekiel 14:12, Ezekiel delivers a prophecy from the Lord that emphasizes the certainty of the coming judgment of the Jewish people:

12Then this message came to me from the LORD: 13“Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals alike. 14Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, their righteousness would save no one but themselves, declares the Sovereign LORD.

15“Or suppose I were to send an invasion of dangerous wild animals to devastate the land and kill the people. 16Even if these three men were there, the Sovereign LORD swears that it would do no good—it wouldn’t save the people from destruction. Those three alone would be saved, but the land would be devastated.

17“Or suppose I were to bring war against the land, and I told enemy armies to come and destroy everything. 18Even if these three men were in the land, the Sovereign LORD swears that they could not save the people. They alone would be saved.

19“Or suppose I were to pour out my fury by sending an epidemic of disease into the land, and the plague killed people and animals alike. 20Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were living there, the Sovereign LORD swears that they could not save the people. They alone would be saved by their righteousness.

This prophecy is making the point that the people have been so steeped in sin that no amount of righteousness from the people can outweigh their wickedness. The prophecy then refers to 3 of the most righteous Old Testament characters to make the point. Even if Noah, Daniel and Job were living there, their combined righteousness would save only themselves. It would not be enough to save the whole because everyone else was utterly corrupt.

Now if the prophecy was trying to contrast the unrighteousness and wickedness of the people with the righteousness of 3 Old Testament characters, why would one of those characters mentioned be a fictitious person? If Job is not a real person, would it not be better to mention a different person instead of him? Why not mention someone like Enoch who walked so closely with God that God took him directly to heaven without having to endure a natural death? (see Genesis 5:22-24)

Clearly, this passage presupposes that Job was a real person and not a fictional character in a fictional story.

In addition to being portrayed in Ezekiel as a historical figure, Job is also mentioned in the book of James in a way that characterizes him as an actual person.

10For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. Job is an example of a man who endured patiently. From his experience we see how the Lord’s plan finally ended in good, for he is full of tenderness and mercy. (James 5:10-11, NLT)

James uses Job as his example of someone who endured suffering with great patience. It would be very odd to use Job as your primary example if Job was only a character in a fictitious story.

Imagine I’m trying to console a friend who has endured great personal tragedy – the loss of loved ones and the loss of their livelihood.

I say, “I know you’ve gone through a lot, but you know who ELSE has gone through a lot and endured? Rocky Balboa. He lost Mickey, his trainer, the only person who really believed in him? Then he lost Adrian, his wife, the only person who ever really loved him. Then he lost his friend Apollo Creed and his brother-in-law Polly. Finally, he lost his entire fortune to an unscrupulous accountant. But he endured. He kept going. He kept fighting. You can too!”

How ridiculous is that? But if you believe Job is a fictional character, then that is exactly what James is doing. He’s appealing to “Rocky Balboa” as his ultimate example of endurance.

I think it’s clear that the biblical writers thought of Job as a real person and it seems obvious that those who lived at the time of the biblical writings also saw Job as a real person.

I said at the outset that apart from archaeological evidence, it’s hard to prove or disprove the legitimacy of Job as a “real” person. However, there’s nothing in the text that gives any indication that the person and the story of Job are not real.

So why argue that Job is NOT real?

It’s my belief that these kinds of claims are made for the purpose of putting the authenticity of the biblical narrative in question. If the book of Job is a work of fiction, then perhaps there are other parts of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, that are also fictitious. If there are parts of the Old Testament that are fictitious, then I can dismiss the commands of the Old Testament and the God who delivered those commands.

If you doubt parts of the Old Testament, you can doubt the whole. If you don’t like the God of the Old Testament, then the easiest way to dismiss Him is to say that the primary revelation of that God is a work of fiction.

I won’t belabor this much more but will end with this. It’s apparent in today’s Christian culture that there are a growing number of people who claim to be believers who do not like the God of the Old Testament, who is often seen as genocidal, blood-thirsty, petty and self-absorbed.

It’s much easier to embrace the God of the New Testament, portrayed by the person of Jesus, who, according to the narrative, is a kind, gentle soul who only seeks to spread love and joy to those who would embrace it.

I believe the bible is true in it’s totality and is an accurate conveyance of the full nature of God. The description and depiction of God in the Old Testament is just as accurate as the description and depiction of God in the New Testament. There is no contradiction in his nature. Our job, as believers is to be students of the revelation of God that we have been given (primarily through His word) and reconcile the description of God we see in both the Old and New Testaments.

Reflection

How have you traditionally viewed the book and character of Job?

If you believe that he’s a fictional character, what are your reasons for coming to that conclusion?

What has been your view of the God of the Old Testament? 

Do you struggle with the different views of God as portrayed in the Old Testament vs. the New Testament? How have you reconciled the differences in these two characterizations of God?

 

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Is Extreme Wealth Evil?

Job 1

1There was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless, a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. 2He had seven sons and three daughters. 3He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and he employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.

4Every year when Job’s sons had birthdays, they invited their brothers and sisters to join them for a celebration. On these occasions they would get together to eat and drink. 5When these celebrations ended—and sometimes they lasted several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

6One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan the Accuser came with them. 7“Where have you come from?” the LORD asked Satan.

And Satan answered the LORD, “I have been going back and forth across the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

8Then the LORD asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.”

9Satan replied to the LORD, “Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! 10You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” (Job 1:1-11, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

What does the Bible say about money and wealth? Actually, the Bible says a lot about money and riches, but what the Bible says may surprise you.

In today’s culture, there are many who decry wealth as being evil. Politically, there is a whole movement that seeks to take from those who have and redistribute it to those who don’t have.

Some have argued that God is “against the wealthy” and “for the poor”. I’ve argued extensively against this thinking in a number of posts that explain key biblical texts on money and wealth. You can read some of my thoughts, here, here, here and here.

So what does any of this have to do with Job?

Job actually provides an interesting example of how God views rich people. Some people assume that God is automatically against the wealthy, because, well, they’re wealthy and God must hate wealth.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

In this opening chapter of Job, we find out some interesting things about the man. The first thing stated about him is that “he was blameless, a man of complete integrity.”

The second thing we learn about Job is that he was extremely wealthy. He owned land and livestock and the text says that “He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area.” In today’s vernacular, we might say that he was INSANELY rich!

Another thing we learn from this passage is that God does not consider wealth evil. Notice in verse 8 that God tells Satan that Job is “the finest man in all the earth – a man of complete integrity.” God continues, saying that Job “fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.”

If God opposes wealth because it is evil, He could not claim that Job, who was in fact the richest man in the entire area, will have nothing to do with evil.

It’s clear from this passage that God does not consider wealth to be evil.

It’s also interesting to note that Satan himself recognized that Job was wealthy because God had made him prosperous.

For those who consider wealth to be bad or even evil, how is this explained? How is it that God could make Job the most prosperous man in the entire area and yet call him blameless – a man of complete integrity who will have nothing to do with evil?

Clearly, wealth is not evil.

I sometimes encounter others who will stipulate that wealth is not evil but what they really believe is that having SOME wealth is ok but having EXTREME wealth is bad. They may hesitate to call extreme wealth evil, knowing that nowhere in the Bible does God condemn wealth but they’ll use other words such as insane, outrageous or even “filthy rich”.

The truth is that we don’t understand what we haven’t experienced ourselves. I think it’s common for people to want to make themselves the norm and anything that is outside that norm is an easy target for criticism.

For example, I live in a South Orange County, an area that is known for it’s wealth. That doesn’t mean everyone who lives in this area is extremely wealthy but there are many communities in this area that are known to be areas where extremely wealthy people reside.

I find that it’s easy to criticize the person who lives in the “extremely wealthy” community and ask questions like, “why does that person need to drive that expensive kind of car when a less expensive car will do just fine?” Or, “why does a person need a house with 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms?” Or, “why does anyone need to own a vacation home, or a boat, or a yacht, etc.?”

This line of questioning and reasoning is senseless and meaningless. It tells us nothing about real people. After all, while you are questioning why a person in that rich community needs to live in a 4000 square foot house with 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and a 4 car garage, there’s another guy, in the next town over, who is questioning why you need to live in a 2500 sqare foot house with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths when he himself is only living in an 1850 square foot house with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.

The truth is that nobody really NEEDS to own those things. Plenty of people get along just fine without them.

I think our sin nature causes us to view those who have more than we do as ostentatious and we can question their motives and integrity.

Job teaches us a valuable lesson about this. First off, Job certainly didn’t NEED all the things he owned but God blessed him in such a way that he was EXTREMELY wealthy. God gave him way more than he actually needed and didn’t consider it bad or evil. Apparently, God doesn’t evaluate our integrity based on how much. or how little we have.

This was actually the nature of the the challenge Satan posed to God. He insisted that Job’s integrity was a result of his wealth. He contended that Job was not righteous at his core but it was simply an act based on the fact that he was well off. God allowed Satan to test Job in order to demonstrate that Job’s integrity was not dependent on his wealth and his circumstances.

So where does that leave us?

It leaves us with this conclusion: wealth is not bad. And EXTREME wealth is not bad either. Our integrity is not determined by how wealthy or poor we are.

Hence, there may be some extremely wealthy people who lack integrity and demonstrate an evil heart, but it is not the wealth that made them that way. At the same time, there are plenty of people who are extremely wealthy who have integrity and are blameless, wanting nothing to do with evil, just like Job.

Reflection

What are your thoughts and feelings towards people who are EXTREMELY wealthy? Do you have a hard time thinking that they could be godly people who are blameless and have integrity? If so, why do you think you struggle with those views?

Why do you think God would allow people to have enormous amounts of material possessions well beyond what they actually NEED? 

If God doesn’t evaluate integrity based on wealth, how do you think He makes that determination?

What do you think are the reasons that many people (Christians included) oppose those who are rich? What are some possible reasons driving those views?

 

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Brace Yourself!

Job 38

1Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind:

2“Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? 3Brace yourself, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.

4“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 5Do you know how its dimensions were determined and who did the surveying? 6What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone 7as the morning stars sang together and all the angels*shouted for joy?

8“Who defined the boundaries of the sea as it burst from the womb, 9and as I clothed it with clouds and thick darkness? 10For I locked it behind barred gates, limiting its shores. 11I said, ‘Thus far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop!’

12“Have you ever commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? 13Have you ever told the daylight to spread to the ends of the earth, to bring an end to the night’s wickedness? 14For the features of the earth take shape as the light approaches, and the dawn is robed in red. 15The light disturbs the haunts of the wicked, and it stops the arm that is raised in violence.

16“Have you explored the springs from which the seas come? Have you walked about and explored their depths?  17Do you know where the gates of death are located? Have you seen the gates of utter gloom?  18Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know!

19“Where does the light come from, and where does the darkness go? 20Can you take it to its home? Do you know how to get there? 21But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced! (Job 38:1-21, NLT)

Note: Read the entire chapter to see all of the questions God challenges Job with in this chapter.

The Daily DAVEotional

For the first 37 chapters of Job, we’ve listened to Job consistently defend his innocence against God’s so-called attacks on him, while his “friends” form a tag team of truth-tellers insistent on getting Job to admit his unrighteousness and recognize that he’s obviously experiencing punishment for some sinful act.

It’s at this point that God finally steps in and interrupts the conversation.

He begins with these two words:

“Brace yourself!”

God has some hard questions for Job, who, because he doesn’t understand why he is experiencing such calamity despite his sinless ways, concludes that God must get a rise out of bringing pain and hardship on people simply for the fun of it. I wrote about “Job’s Case of Cognitive Dissonance” here.

For the remainder of the chapter, God asks a series of rhetorical questions, the point of which is to underscore the fact that Job (as well as all humans) know almost nothing about God. He is so far above us, so much mightier and more powerful than us, how can we ever begin to think we can understand Him or His ways?

It is fashionable, especially in today’s culture to malign God’s character because His sense of justice or love or fairness does not match exactly with our own understanding.

Many think of God as selfish or narcissistic because He requires that we worship or “pay attention to Him.”

Others think of God as angry, wrathful or evil because he “slaughtered” all those people in the Old Testament.

But the truth is, we know virtually nothing about God. We think we know so much but we know so little. Our knowledge is limited and yet we think that our limited life experience gives us a front row seat to true enlightenment.

Just as God had some choice words for Job, He has those same words to those of us who might question His motives, His intentions and His character.

God created everything. Do YOU know how he did it? NO. Therefore, you can’t possibly understand the power and the process of creating the universe!

In addition to creating the universe, God also oversees the physical processes in the universe. He is in control of the sunrise and sunset.

What physical processes do you control and oversee? NONE!

So how can you criticize someone who is so far above you? You can’t understand the physical processes, but you think you can understand what justice is?

God’s point is that Job is responding from a position of utter ignorance when it comes to evaluating God, His motives, His character and His intentions.

We do the same thing today. We think that our understanding and our version of justice is correct, even though we have such a limited perspective and very little life experience when compared with the entirety of human history.

How arrogant is it to question the character of the God of the universe? It’s so arrogant that God employs sarcasm to illustrate the absurdity of Job’s baseless position:

But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced! (Job 38:21, NLT)

In my mind, I imagine God saying what I might say to my kids, “But of course, you know EVERYTHING, don’t you?”

The obvious response to this is, “NO. You know NOTHING!”

Therefore, to take the position Job has taken, and to malign God’s character is nothing short of ridiculous!

Reflection

Have you ever lashed out at God and maligned Him for something you didn’t understand? What were the circumstances?

Why do you think people take the illogical position that our understanding of justice or love, or whatever is correct while God’s version of these qualities is distorted or warped?

What are some ways you can lovingly respond to those who might berate God and impugn His character?

 

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Job’s Case of Cognitive Dissonance

Job 9

1Then Job spoke again:

2“Yes, I know this is all true in principle. But how can a person be declared innocent in the eyes of God? 3If someone wanted to take God to court, would it be possible to answer him even once in a thousand times? 4For God is so wise and so mighty. Who has ever challenged him successfully?

5“Without warning, he moves the mountains, overturning them in his anger. 6He shakes the earth from its place, and its foundations tremble. 7If he commands it, the sun won’t rise and the stars won’t shine. 8He alone has spread out the heavens and marches on the waves of the sea. 9He made all the stars—the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky. 10His great works are too marvelous to understand. He performs miracles without number.

11Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him. When he moves on, I do not see him go. 12If he sends death to snatch someone away, who can stop him? Who dares to ask him, ‘What are you doing?’ 13And God does not restrain his anger. The mightiest forces against him are crushed beneath his feet.

14“And who am I, that I should try to answer God or even reason with him? 15Even if I were innocent, I would have no defense. I could only plead for mercy. 16And even if I summoned him and he responded, he would never listen to me. 17For he attacks me without reason, and he multiplies my wounds without cause. 18He will not let me catch my breath, but fills me instead with bitter sorrows. 19As for strength, he has it. As for justice, who can challenge him? 20Though I am innocent, my own mouth would pronounce me guilty. Though I am blameless, it would prove me wicked.

21“I am innocent, but it makes no difference to me—I despise my life. 22Innocent or wicked, it is all the same to him. That is why I say, ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’ 23He laughs when a plague suddenly kills the innocent. 24The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked, and God blinds the eyes of the judges and lets them be unfair. If not he, then who? (Job 9:1-24, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

In Job 9, Job responds to the discourse of Bildad in Job 8, in which Bildad promoted what we know as prosperity theology. You can read more about Bildad’s distorted views of God’s justice in a previous post here, but the summary is that Bildad believes that any tragedy or hardship can be assumed to be a punishment from God for some sin or wickedness. Since Job was experiencing hardship, Bildad was encouraging Job to stop the innocence act and come clean with his sin.

It’s interesting that Job doesn’t dispute Bildad’s theological framework. In fact, he starts his response with, “I know this is all true in principle” as a prelude to then declaring his innocence.

Job understands certain truths about God – that He is mighty and He is the creator of everything. Job also understands that God is in control and sovereign over creation.

But Job also gets some things wrong about God – questioning His character, saying that God “attacks for no reason, and he multiplies my wounds without cause.” (verse 17)

He paints a picture of a powerful God who doesn’t care. He says in Job 9.23 that “God laughs when a plague suddenly kills the innocent.”

His situation has given him a distorted view of God’s love and justice.

He believes that God finds him guilty even when he’s innocent (vs. 20).

Job assumes that everything he is experiencing is a punishment and because he is a righteous person, he concludes that God must punish for sport.

This is what happens when we go through trials or when things happen that either we don’t understand or that contradict our own reason – we end up distorting and skewing our own view of God.

This is what’s known as cognitive dissonance. When our understanding of a situation doesn’t match the reality, we create a narrative or a way of understanding that explains why the outcome doesn’t match my understanding, which I hold to be true.

Job firmly believes that his understanding of God is true (similar to what Bildad has asserted). Yet Job maintains his innocence, which makes his circumstances hard to understand.

Job has two choices. He can adjust his understanding of God in order to give coherent meaning to the tragic events he’s experiencing or he can create a narrative that would explain his circumstances while allowing him to maintain his initial view.

Job chooses the second option, which is the option of cognitive dissonance. In this option, Job holds fast to his wrong understanding of God’s justice, which means he is able to comprehend his innocence only by creating a distorted view of God, a demented being who “laughs when a plague suddenly kills the innocent.”

Reflection

What is your reaction when things happen that you don’t understand? 

Cognitive dissonance occurs when we hold certain views tightly without allowing for the possibility that our views may be wrong. What are some views or opinions that you might need to re-evaluate in order to avoid the danger of cognitive dissonance?

What are some ways a person can avoid the trap of cognitive dissonance?

 

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The Prosperity Gospel in the Old Testament

Job 8

1Then Bildad the Shuhite replied to Job:

2“How long will you go on like this? Your words are a blustering wind. 3Does God twist justice? Does the Almighty twist what is right? 4Your children obviously sinned against him, so their punishment was well deserved. 5But if you pray to God and seek the favor of the Almighty, 6if you are pure and live with complete integrity, he will rise up and restore your happy home. 7And though you started with little, you will end with much. (Job 8:1-7, NLT)

The Daily DAVEotional

The book of Job is considered to be one of the earliest books of the entire Bible.

If you’re not familiar with the book, it’s essentially 40+ chapters of dialogue and discourse about the nature of God, particularly as it relates to His attribute of justice.

In the first two chapters we find Job, a righteous man, experience extreme, unspeakable hardships and tragedy as the Lord allows Satan to test Job’s faith and his character. Satan’s assertion is that the only reason Job is righteous is because he has everything he needs and wants. Satan contends that if pressured, Job would certainly curse God.

The whole premise of the book is interesting as it deals with the question of character and true devotion. Is a person considered righteous because of what he has (and does), or is he righteous because of who he is?

So God allows Job to experience hardship and tragedy. The rest of the book is a series of discourses  as Job repeatedly expresses his pain and anguish while his friends take turns lecturing him on why he should repent of the hidden sin that must’ve been the cause of his calamity.

In chapter 8, Bildad the Shuhite weighs in with his take on Job’s situation. What’s interesting about Job’s friends is that their understanding of God and His character, particularly His attribute of justice, is wrong in different ways. Interestingly, their theological errors are still being promoted today in many modern day false gospels. Here Bildad espouses a view that clearly is the forerunner to what today is known as “prosperity theology”.

Prosperity theology basically teaches that if you follow the rules (do good), you will be blessed. If you don’t follow the rules, then calamity will ensue.

Bildad’s prosperity theology can be seen most clearly in verse 4, where he says that bad things are the result of sin, as well as verse 7, where he contends that seeking God’s favor results in “much”.

Bildad’s argument can be summed up as follows

1. God is just

2. God doesn’t punish just people

3. Job is obviously being punished. Therefore, Job must be unjust

Bildad understood that God is just but misunderstood how God’s justice is applied. Specifically, he thought God’s justice was always applied in the way outlined above.

In addition, Bildad assumes that anything bad that happens to a person is a result of God’s punishment, and the punishment is a result of sin. This is false.

The truth is that bad things often happen to good people but it doesn’t mean that they are being punished because of some secret sin.

Prosperity theology is popular with people because it gives a quick and easy formula to explain all the bad things that happen to us. But prosperity theology fails because God is not a formula. He’s an infinitely complex being whose ways are ultimately mysterious and beyond our comprehension. If you keep reading the rest of the book of Job, you’ll see how this becomes more clear throughout the book.

Reflection

In what ways have you tended to embrace Bildad’s prosperity theology as an accurate description of how God metes out justice?

If you were Bildad, how would you change what you say to Job to more closely match the true nature of God’s justice?

 

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