4/15/2011

Job at Fireside Park

We have read 2 chapters of this book together. Wednesday one participant said when she first read the Bible all the way through there were two books that made her cry; Revelation and Job. They are both pretty heavy books. Job is a book about a blameless man suffering great calamity. Come to think of it Revelation is about suffering as well: the blameless only for a short time, mankind in general as a reality of this age,  and the eventual suffering and eternal calamity upon the unfaithful.

One fascinating thing in Job thus far is that sin is not said to be the cause of suffering. Twice God describes Job as an upright man.

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."
(Job 1:8)

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. And he still holds fast his integrity, although you incited Me against him to ruin him without cause."
(Job 2:3)

So far, the original sin of Adam and Eve has not been spoken of as the cause of Job's suffering.  The curse upon this age has yet to be mentioned. Rather, we are shown the immediate situation. A situation in which Satan has a place to accuse (Is this because of the curse?).  And a situation in which suffering is a test of integrity.

Another fascinating thing to me is that in the first two chapters The narrator, God,  Satan, and Job all speak from the perspective that Satan, as the immediate spiritual agent of suffering, remains ultimately subordinate to God.