The Saga of Job

The Book of Job contains poetry. It is considered one of the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament and is attributed to an unknown genius living in the 4h or 5th century B.C. It is truly one of the great masterpieces of literature. Job was a man who was blameless and upright. He feared God and turned away from evil. Job was blessed with seven sons and three daughters. He owned an abundance of livestock: 7,000 sheep, 3 thousand camels, 500 oxen, and 500 she-asses. Each of his seven sons, alternately, would give a family feast — after which Job would gather them together to offer a sacrifice at dawn in the event any one of them had unwittingly sinned. Job, a rich man of the Eastern world, is considered a contemporary of Abraham.

One day in the Heavenly Council, the Lord asked Satan if he had come across the pious Job. Sarcastically, Satan responded that it was easy for a rich and successful man to be God-fearing. Satan added, “But put forth Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” The Lord conceded that Satan should put Job to the test, but ensuring his person was not touched. The following day, Job’s donkeys and camels were carried off by marauders. Then his sheep were killed in a hailstorm. Even worse, his eldest son’s house collapsed during a gale, killing all of his son’s children. Yet, Job didn’t blame God and overcame his adversities. It was then that Satan maintained that Job would react otherwise if he were afflicted in his own body.

The next day, Job broke out in dreadful sores from head-to-foot. His wife responded thusly: “Curse God and die.” Word of Job’s misfortunes reached three of his friends: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, all from the town of Edom where Job resided. They met with Job and were shocked to find he was hardly recognizable. For seven days and nights, they sat with Job without speaking. His friends first tried to console him while pressing the traditional view that all people will suffer. As Job continues to rail against God, his three friends lose patience. They accuse him of being a sinner and worthy of the ills that beset him. Job makes no effort to conceal his exasperation, accusing them of tormenting him with their endless lectures.

Job continues to protest his innocence and demands that the Lord let him know how he has erred. At this point, a new character, Elihu enters the picture. He delivers three long speeches, adding nothing new, but rehashing what had already been said. Job’s final plea is that God respond to his questions. Initially, the Lord answers Job out of a whirlwind and issues questions of His own, such as “Where were you when I created the world” and “Where were you when I created Orion in the night sky, a wild ox and an ostrich?” Subsequently, God asks Job what he knew about “the control of the seas, the coming of dawn, snow and hail, thunder and lightning, movement of stars, and the way of animals and birds.” Job is overwhelmed by the presence of the Lord as well as His majestic and mysterious working of the universe. Job accepted that these were matters beyond his comprehension.

In the end, Job submitted to God. Then, God admonishes Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Job is restored to his former position and is given twice the wealth he once had. All Job’s kinsmen and friends come to pay their respects and to bring gifts. Job produces seven additional sons and three beautiful daughters. Job dies at the ripe old age of 140. The author of the Book of Job was one of the boldest religious thinkers and literary masters the world has ever known. One major unresolved mystery is the author of Job.

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