Job Learned A Lesson

Job was a good old brother. There was nobody on earth who respected the Lord more than Job did. That's who God said about Job.

When Job went through some very hard times, his three "friends" came to comfort him. They sat with Job, telling him what a rotten sinner he was and how he must have some unconfessed sin for which the wrath of God was falling on him. Hmm.

In isa.6, the Prophet sees the Lord and is so overcome, he's completely undone, speechless. Jn.12:41 tells us that Isaiah was seeing our Lord Jesus Christ in glory.

At the end of the Book of Job, he also sees the Lord and his reaction is one of self hatred. That's qui a turnaroun, as all through the book, Job wants to ask God, why?

I do believe that Job saw Jesus in all his sufferings, The nail prints, the scars, the bloody body caused by the servants of satan, who did all he all could to make Jesus commit just one sin with his mouth. Job didn't need to ask after that.

There is much evidence for what you say. Job was measured against "all on earth". Job eschewed evil and was righteous among men. Men measure him, and must trump up charges until they find all their prejudices wrong. But then he is measured against One from heaven. His eyes are opened to see his "Redeemer" and His unsullied perfection. Like Isaiah, he must crumble at the revelation of Jesus. Matchless perfection and undiluted glory are a bright light on the best of men. All Job could do was to see his utter ruin when compared to that One from heaven.

And this is a great measuring-stick for us Christians. If we harbor the tiniest sense of goodness within ourselves, then we know that our grand revelation of Jesus is yet to come. Those who have been faced with the excellence of Jesus would like to run away and hide - like Adam, if it wasn't for the profound truth that we have been elevated BY HIM. We have no intrinsic value. But Our Lord's death for us puts a matchless price on us. Let us not squander it.

Corban,
I don't believe Job wad seeing Jesus as God, in white flowing fobe,on brilliant perfection, but as the son of man, with the ravages of what mankind by following the devil did to him.

Job himself didn't think he was better than other men, or think he was righteous by what he did. Job wasn't harboring the tiniest sense of goodness within himself. It's not about the pride of Job. It's about the degree to which sin hurts God, and Job despised himself even more than he had before.

Isaiah says in the same chapter,

And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Isa.6.9-10

The people who beheld Jesus's suffering thought, "Well, he's getting it from God now." Talk about not perceiving. Yikes!

When I read Job I see a picture of a religious man in need of refinement, in need of a drastic shaking to wake him out of a religious coma.

In a nutshell:
•God initiates refinement.
•Job cries out why, why, I wish I was never born, he does everything but curse God, proving a sliver of faithlessness is present.
•God reveals himself basically saying, how dare you question me or my motives.
•Job, now having true faith, repents: I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

Religious folk can be the hardest to witness to, sometimes it takes a violent thrashing by God himself to wake them from slumber. Sadly, some religious folks misinterpret trial, attributing it to satan while hunkering down without proper examination to merely weather the storm. At times, this can be true, satan does seek to destroy, but at a times it may be only half the truth. When faced with trial it’s obviously worth examining to see if the Lord is trying to get at something in us...

I know I’ll catch some blowback for stating this view, it’s not typically taught by the nice lady in Sunday school. She typically will say Job is a picture of faith but sadly this is false. Abraham is the picture of faith: take Isaac up the hill and sacrifice him, Abraham grabs the boy loads the mule and heads up to the alter. No questioning just action, action fueled by true faith. Which makes sense why, because God had already revealed himself to Abraham, his eyes had been opened.

This is not only a false interpretation, but it goes against what is clearly stated in the book of Job. God deemed Job to be as follows:

...and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. (Job 1:1)

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? (Job 1:8)

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. (2:3)

Job has been greatly misunderstood and maligned by too many Christians, because his so-called friends first maligned him, and falsely assumed that it was only because Job had sinned that all those great calamities came upon him. But God condemned them, because they were the ones who had sinned against Job. As for Eliphaz, he was another pretender, claiming to speak on behalf of God, while maligning Job at the same time.

So this should be a lesson for all Christians who claim what you have claimed (another false accusation) -- "a religious man in need of refinement, in need of a drastic shaking to wake him out of a religious coma".

Job was genuinely righteous (as well as justified by grace), not merely a religious man. Therefore Noah, Daniel, and Job are the three GENUINELY RIGHTEOUS MEN commended by God in the book of Ezekiel.

interesting I havent thought of Jobs story that way maybe he did see a vision of Jesus on the cross? or God as being too big and wonderful to comprehend.


Jobs faith isnt what marks him out though most people attribute patience to Job. Though sometimes I wonder how long he had to wait or maybe it just seems a long time because of all the complaints. Job isnt specifically mentioned in the Hebrews chapter 11 chapter on faithful people in the Bible.

But as I pointed out, he is specifically mentioned in Ezekiel, as well as in James. "Nuff said.

Why am I not surprised it is you who would be the first to disagree with something I post.

Many people spend too much time reading commentary then regurgitating their interpretation of that commentary instead of reading the scripture again and again in an attempt to understand the truth. Job was not perfect, at least no more perfect than Paul prior to conversion, who was blameless in the law. This isn't hard to understand, the Lord doesn't sit in heaven making wagers with satan for no reason, all trial has a purpose. In this case the purpose is made clear by Jobs response to said trial (questioning), God's response to Job (how dare you question me) and Job's admission (I had only heard of the with the ear but now my eyes see).

This view is also proven by the only friend of Job who God does not rebuke, Elihu. You'll notice what Elihu says to Job starting in chapter 32 is confirmed by God himself starting chapter 38, which is basically how dare you question God. Is not an over zealous questioning of God proof of unbelief or superficial faith? Of course it is. I'd encourage anyone who continues in such behavior, the continuous questioning of God, to examine themselves to see whether they be in the faith. For if you find yourself overly attached to this life and the things in it, instead of valuing not this life only the mission, there may be an issue God is trying to remedy as He did with Job.

If not for refinement, what was the purpose?

Had Job been perfect there would have been no need for our Lord to have been perfect for us, for being perfect one body is so for all who believe.

are you referring to me. I am not referring to your post nov25 at all but the OPs, journeyman.

Jobs claim his redeemer lives suggests he may have seen Jesus but recall this is before Jesus was on earth so ppl can read into it what they like. Many see in scripture types and shadows of the Messiah and then conclude of course its Jesus. But Hes not actually mentioned specifically on the cross in Jobs book.

Im not posting here to disagree with anyone.

the suffering servant in Isaiah people also say of course its Jesus as well. But that passage is a bit more specific on how this servant suffers. in Jobs book it is Job himself who suffers but hes not nailed.

No, I was responding to @Nehemiah6

Job pictures the tribulation saint losing everything having to endure to the end. His ending is blessed. Job’s 42 chapters is likened to the 42 months of great tribulation. He is one to look to for patience if you’re part of the twelve tribes scattered during Jacob’s trouble.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1Pet.4:12-13
Job was rejoicing after that!