Job

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Why oh why did God allow Satan to absolutely destroy everything Job cared about? This story has troubled me for years. What is to stop God from doing the same to us?

This is the classical church response to Job:

In the Bible, God and Satan have a conversation about Job in Job 1 and Job 2. In this conversation, God allows Satan to test Job to see if Job’s faith is genuine. 

Job 1

• God praises Job as a man who fears God and avoids evil 
  
• Satan questions Job’s sincerity, suggesting that Job only serves God for rewards 
  
• God agrees to let Satan test Job 
  

Job 2

• Satan challenges God again, suggesting that Job will curse God if he is afflicted 
  
• God allows Satan to afflict Job, but not kill him 
  
• Satan strikes Job with painful sores 
  
• Job endures a severe temptation, losing his wealth, children, and servants 
  

What does this conversation teach?

• God may allow evil to exist temporarily to achieve a greater good 
  
• Job’s obedience to God is rewarded with an inheritance 
  
• Job learns that God’s governance of the universe is more wonderful than he could have imagined 
  

I never felt easy about this explanation that God does this to teach us a lesson. That doesn’t sound like the God that I worship. And after this research and study, the answer was clear as day. I will give you the answer now and then back up my case through scripture.

Job was the only man of God on the earth. He knew it. There was no one else like him and he knew it. Pride was his sin and before God intervened, Job said he was free of all sin. His righteousness was overshadowing God and for that, God could not protect him from Satan. Interestingly, Satan and the Sons of God had no clue that Job was full of pride in his own righteousness thus gives us a big clue as to what Satan and the Sons of God knows about us. This is why God said have you considered Job. This was God saying to the clueless Satan kind of like “I am surprised you have been flying and walking all around the earth looking for someone to corrupt and you couldn’t even see Job’s own sin of Pride.” God wasn’t saying here, go get this one. He was saying he was surprised Satan couldn’t see the portal that was opened through pride, which God can’t intervene on behalf of us if we are that way.

And when the barrage was over, his heart admitted it as he didn’t even see he was acting as though he was above God. Job realized he was acting like he was God’s chosen before Satan intervened. Job said he was without sin. That is a lie as we all are sinners. He neglected to understand that his own flesh is sin and that his body and soul were at war with his spirit. Instead, he continued with his righteousness and was receiving the glory instead of God. We learn following the aftermath that Job’s pride was his fall. It’s kind of like God was shocked Satan couldn’t see Job’s pride as that is Satan’s favorite sin.

Job 1:6-22 King James Version

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

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 (abstain from) evil?

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.

13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

One thing is certain: Job lived long before the descendants of Abraham became a nation, as in one verse it is clearly stated that he was the only one on earth to follow and serve God in his days. Just one person. 

Job 1:8 – “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

Starting from the first verse of chapter 1 of the Book of Job, as we have just seen, Job is presented as a righteous man, who loves and fears God and flees from evil. This view of Job being an upright man is shared and confirmed by the prophet Ezekiel, as well.

Ezekiel 14:14 – “‘Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness’, says the Lord GOD.”

And yet, from verse 6 to verse 12 of chapter 1 and from verse 1 to verse 7 of chapter 2, something strange occurs.

The passage introduces a conversation between “God and satan” in the presence of the “sons of God”.

During this conversation, it appears that satan instigates God, in a sort of bet, to make Job – God’s righteous servant – suffer for the sole purpose of proving to Him that if the Lord took away every possession and every blessing, Job would curse Him and stop serving Him.

And right here the first problem with the passage arises.

When you continue reading the story, you do so with a growing sense of annoyance and uneasiness – there’s no point in denying it. If God tolerated what “a certain satan” suggests, we wouldn’t be able to trust God, would we?

That’s why this book makes us jump off our chairs, it bothers us and even makes us angry. And, even worse, it makes us feel like we want to close the book and forget about it.

But then, in the name of devotion to our faith, after a while, we put all these mixed feelings aside and we submit to this sad story. We accept the common interpretations that are presented to us as true and indisputable, and end up resenting God due to lack of true knowledge and understanding.

When we come across issues such as this, we must use common sense and logic, and analyze everything in detail, in light of the whole Bible, leaving no stone unturned.

So, let’s start by defining words through the original language in which the Bible was written, and through the biblical speech, jargon and figurative language that was in use at that time.

WHO IS “SATAN” WHO PRESENTS HIMSELF BEFORE GOD IN JOB 1:6?

Job 1:6 – “Now there was a day when the sons of God (Elohim) came to present themselves before the Lord (YHWH), and satan also came among them.”

We know that “satan” is a Hebrew word used to indicate an enemy, an adversary, so it is generally used in the Bible to describe the concept of an adversary of God.

By definition, we can say that satan represents evil, sin, that which is against God, when used figuratively, and does not refer to a specific being, such as a rebellious angel, but to a role.

As such, the word satan, in essence, refers to feelings or inner thoughts in opposition to God, when the word is used in a figurative sense.

When the word is used in a literal sense, it refers to an individual who is operating in this role of opposition to God. Those who work against God and his ministers, work for satan, in an allegorical sense. In other words, they are the opponents, adversaries and enemies of God.

Next, we’ll see who the “sons of God” or “sons of Elohim” are.

Speculations and fanciful theories about who the “sons of God” or “sons of Elohim” are have made their way into the Church obscuring the truth about this topic.

In reality, the answer to this question can be very simple if we take the time to dig into Scripture and understand the language and culture in which it was written.

Job 1:6 – “Now there was a day when the sons of the God came to present themselves before the Lord (YHWH), and satan also came among them.”

In this passage, the words translated as the “Sons of God” are “Bene Elohim”.

But, is this translation correct?

The word translated as God is the Hebrew plural word Elohim, which essentially refers to someone powerful, mighty.

In the Bible, this word can take on various meanings depending on the context.

It is used, for example, when referring to other gods, or to powerful men, such as kings, governors and judges.

In a different context, it might indicate a title for God, to denote His greatness by using a plural form of the Hebrew word El. Neither El or Elohim are the proper name of God, though! See our article on the true name of God and His meaning.

In the verse in question, when read in context, “sons of the elohim” does not refer to the sons of God Almighty, but rather to the “sons of the mighty”.

In fact, if we analyze the Hebrew text more closely, the word “elohim” is used for “sons of God”, but when they present themselves “before God” (meaning God Almighty) the Tetragrammaton “YHWH” (which is the proper name of God) is used instead.

These powerful and mighty men are those who rule and lead in a certain sector of society, such as rich merchants, kings, princes, governors, judges of that time, living in that area, individuals in a position of authority and power.

We also need to point out that the fact that the text speaks of “sons of the mighty” does not necessarily mean that it is referring to the biological children of those who held a high level position, but rather to those individuals in a privileged position of power themselves.

An example of this expression and concept is when the Bible uses the term “sons of Israel” or “children of Israel”, it indicates Israelites in general.

Now that we have established the biblical and contextual definition of these words, we’ll see what happens next in the story.

THE “SONS OF THE ELOHIM” CONSPIRE AGAINST JOB. WHY?

At that time, the people of Israel did not yet exist, but this does not mean that there was no one following God.

It simply means that those who loved God were single individuals living in various places on earth, and were not part of a family or clan that had made a covenant of faithfulness to God as a group, as the Israelites did later on.

The pagan men in high places of that time and of that area (=children of the elohim or sons of the elohim), who hold a position of authority, gather to conspire against Job because he was a righteous man in the eyes of God, a man who loved the Lord and followed His Law.

God had greatly blessed the work of his hand because of his righteousness and for the love he had for Him. In fact, he was well-off and held a powerful social position; he was highly respected and feared by the elders and leaders of the city in which he lived.

Job 29:4,8-10 – “Just as I was in the days of my prime, when the friendly counsel of God was over my tent… When I went out to the gate by the city, when I took my seat in the open square, the young men saw me and hid, and the aged arose and stood; the princes refrained from talking, and put their hand on their mouth; the voice of nobles was hushed, and their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.”

The purpose of this conspiracy is to ruin Job, to destroy him both economically and morally, in order to neutralize him. All his wealth (livestock), all his children, and finally his health are taken away.

WHY DO THE “SONS OF THE ELOHIM” FEEL THREATENED BY JOB?

The pagan men of that time and of that area who sat in high places feared Job and felt constantly threatened by his righteousness. They were bothered by the very idea that such a man existed, a powerful and wealthy man and, at the same time, a righteous man who loved God.

They issued unjust laws, by which they oppressed the poor and the needy in order to keep them in a subordinate position, and by which they safeguarded their own position of power and wealth.

Job was in their way. They feared his power and sphere of influence might grow, perhaps enabling him to become a governor and establish equality and justice through God’s Law. They felt threatened by Job, because he was a protector of the weak and against those who oppressed them for power and gain.

Job 29:17 – “I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth.”

Additionally, the “Sons of the Elohim” were ruling in unrighteousness and held their subjects in spiritual bondage. They gave common people a false religion with false gods to worship, and offered them a life of sin instead of a life of holiness. And by this, they were able to curse them and call calamities on them through occultic powers!

The Bible contains several stories like this. For example, we find a similar story in the book of Numbers – Ch. 22, where Balak, king of the Moabites (a king, a ruler, a mighty man, a son of the elohim), calls on Balaam to curse the people of Israel for fear that they might grow in number and power, and destroy his people, the Moabites.

Numbers 22:2-4 – “Now Balak, the son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel (the Israelites themselves!). So Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘Now this company will lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.’ And Balak, the son of Zippor, was king of the Moabites at that time.”

Numbers 22:5-6 – “Then he sent messengers to Balaam, the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying: ‘Look, a people has come from Egypt. See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed’.”

DOES GOD CONSPIRE AND WORK TOGETHER WITH SATAN AND THE MIGHTY TO TEST JOB?

The answer to this question is simply:

NO! He does not!

God does NOT work together with anyone, especially the unrighteous. If we said or simply suggested that He did, this statement or implication would be a heresy and in conflict with the entire Bible.

So, what does really happen in these verses?

To understand this story one must not only know the language in which it was written, but also the type of idiomatic expressions.

We should not be fooled by literal translations of biblical speech, just because today we express ourselves differently.

Job 1:6 – “Now there was a day when the sons of the elohim came to present themselves before the Lord (YHWH), and satan also came among them.”

This type of language is common in the Bible. It is simply an allegorical story, a parable, to illustrate the circumstances, and underline the fact that, even if this conspiracy apparently took place in secret, in reality, it took place right before God.

God knows and sees all. Nothing escapes the watchful eyes of God, not even the secret plots of the wicked!

So, the powerful, moved by their heart contrary to God and rebellious to His Law, gather to plot against Job.

Satan was the spirit that moved these powerful men. In fact, satan, as the adversary of God, was metaphorically among them. In other words, satan was the spirit that governed the heart of these men.

Job 1:7 – “The Lord said to satan: ‘From where do you come?’ So, satan answered the Lord and said: ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.’ (= evil was covering the whole earth).”

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE STORY IN JOB 1:6-12?

When we know biblical language and speech, we can state with certainty that this is a parable, an allegorical story, like many others in the Bible. It describes the circumstances in which the powerful of that time and of that area (children of the elohim), moved by a spirit in opposition to God (satan), get together to conspire against Job and curse him in order to get him out of the way.

We can also state with certainty that the meeting and the conversation between the mighty men, God and satan never took place in reality and in a literal sense. God would never talk to satan or to the wicked, the very idea is pure fantasy and a heresy. There was no meeting and this is not a conversation; it is a parable – a metaphoric story – that illustrates a real situation. In the language of the Bible, this way of telling a story simply underlines the fact that nothing happens in secret that God does not know about, and therefore, even the occult plots of the powerful, however secret, all occur under the watchful eyes of God

Next, we’ll see why God allowed the curse pronounced by the powerful and wicked men to strike and destroy Job.

DID GOD PUNISH JOB UNJUSTLY?

That’s a good question!

Throughout the Bible we find passages about sin and its consequences.

We know that God is impartial, just and righteous, and His righteousness is above all things.

We also know that, if we walk according to the Law of God and are doers of the Word, the blessings of Abraham will come upon us, as outlined in the book of Deuteronomy Ch. 28.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 – “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God…”

Additionally, we know that if we do NOT walk according to the ways of God, following His Laws and Statutes, a curse will come upon us, and that curse may not come right away, but sooner or later, it will surely come.

Deuteronomy 28:15 – “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His Commandments and His Statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”

And we also know that the curse never comes without a good reason.

Proverbs 26:2 – “A curse without cause shall not come.”

God never contradicts or denies Himself in His Word and, therefore, in dealing with Job God did not contradict or denied Himself either. Now we will see why.

In a figure of speech, sin causes the walls of God’s protection around us to be taken away and leaves us vulnerable. This, in turn, opens the door to curses, both as a natural consequence of sin itself and also as occultic plots coming from others, who conspire in darkness against us.

EXAMPLE OF GOD NOT PUNISHING THE ISRAELITES UNJUSTLY

We can see this clearly in the story of King Balak, the Moabite, in Numbers 22 outlined in our study: “Who are the Sons of God in the Book of Job?” where King Balak tried to curse the Israelites, but failed.

In that particular instance, God didn’t find sin in them, and the curse could not strike the nation of Israel:

Numbers 23:21-23 – “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The Lord His God is with him, and the shout of a King is among them. God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox. For there is no sorcery against Jacob, nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!'”

So, in this case, God did not allow the Israelites to be punished unjustly.

EXAMPLE OF GOD PUNISHING THE ISRAELITES JUSTLY

But in Numbers 25 the story changes and something happens.

Numbers 25:1-3 – “Now Israel remained in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal-Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.”

And then in verse 9:

Numbers 25:9 – “Those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.”

What have we just witnessed?

The preceding three chapters talk about the people of Israel being blameless and about the fact that no one was able to curse them, whereas now we see that, when they begin to sin against God and cease walking in His ways, a curse falls on them.

This shows us that, in this case, God punished the Israelites justly.

SO, DID JOB COMMIT A SIN?

The Book of Job begins by illustrating all the negative things that happen to Job, the curses that come down on him, even though he considers himself to be a righteous man before God, an opinion also shared by God when He calls him “My servant”.

So, should we conclude that God punished Job unjustly? That God is not fair and just?

Of course not!

Since God does not contradict and never denies Himself, under this same light, we must analyze Job’s actions and, above all, comb through the depth of his heart.

After giving an account of all the curses that come upon Job, the book continues recounting his faithfulness to God even in adversity and that, even during those hard times, Job never cursed God or blamed Him.

Job 1:22 – “In all this, Job did not sin nor charge God with wrongdoing.”

From here on, begins the long speech of Job and the debate with his three friends that, instead of comforting him and shedding light on the possible reasons behind these occurrences, they do nothing but judge him and accuse him of having committed who knows what sort of sin.

They never offer him a real solution to the problem nor any useful insight into the matter, they never show any real discernment and are unable to actually help him.

Job 4:7 – “(Eliphaz, the Temanite, the first of Job’s friend) Remember: now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?”

Job 8:5-6 – “(Bildad, the Shuhite, the second of Job’s friends) If you would earnestly seek God and make your supplication to the Almighty, if you were pure and upright, surely now He would arise for you, and restore your rightful dwelling place.”

Job 11:14-15 – “(Zophar, the Naamathite, the third of Job’s friends) If iniquity were in your hand, and you put it far away, and would not let wickedness dwell in your tents; then surely you could lift up your face without spot; yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear.”

Everything that the three friends say to Job could be summed up in this sentence:

“Job, you sinned, even if you consider yourself to be a righteous and upright man, and because God is righteous and protects the righteous from curses, this clearly means that you must have sinned, and also that you must have sinned big! Trust in God, remove sin from your life, and then you will see that if you are as righteous as you say you are, He will restore you!”

Job’s friends truly disappoint him; they do not help him, they only accuse him unfairly, without ever actually telling him what the nature of his fault was. All that Job was asking his friends for can be summarized in the following verses:

Job 6:14-15 – “To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, like the streams of the brooks that pass away.”

Job 6:21-30 – “…You see something dreadful and are afraid. Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me?’ Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth?’ Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand?’ Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors?’ Teach me, and I will hold my tongue; show me where I have been wrong. How forceful are right words! But what does your arguing prove? Do you intend to rebuke my words, and the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind? Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, and you undermine your friend. Now therefore, be pleased to look at me; for I would never lie to your face. Yield now, let there be no injustice! Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands! Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?”

Job knew the Law of God well, and he knew that the curse always strikes when someone fails to walk in the ways of God. But he could not comprehend why, at that point in his life, that curse was coming upon him, because he genuinely believed he was sinless. So, he asks his friends and God to let him know what he did wrong, because he could not see his mistakes and his faults.

Job 7:20-21 – “Have I sinned? What have I done to You, o watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, so that I am a burden to myself? Why then do You not pardon my transgression, and take away my iniquity? For now I will lie down in the dust, and You will seek me diligently, but I will no longer be.”

Job defends himself from the verbal attacks and accusation of his friends, which he calls “forgers of lies” and “worthless physicians” (Ch.13), because he knows what they also know, that if a man is struck by such calamities there must be a reason, and he wants to know what that is.

But, instead of adopting a constructive approach, humbly asking God to help them shed light on Job’s situation and figure out the root cause of the problem, helping him with wise and truthful answers in the process, they continue for most of the time (and for most of the book) to accuse him unfairly.

They approach Job with that spirit of accusation and judgmental attitude that is typical of religious people who have a propensity to criticize others. This type of people speak of the things of God as a tape recorder would, repeating words they heard, with no understanding or wisdom, and fail to offer real insights.

Of this stock were Job’s friends and, because of their demeanor, they fail to provide him with a realistic and satisfying answer that could actually help him.

Job 13:23 – “How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin!”

Next, we’ll see if and how God punishes the wicked for their evil deeds.

DOES GOD PUNISH THE WICKED FOR THEIR EVIL DEEDS?

That’s a great question!

Let’s analyze the following passage.

Job 10:1-2 – “My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to God: ‘Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend with me’.”

Frustrated and embittered by the vain judgmental replies from his friends, all driven by a spirit of condemnation against him and void of understanding, starting in chapter 10, Job begins to give free rein to the voice of his heart.

And precisely because he begins to speak freely from his heart and lets out what he has piled up inside, from this point on, we begin to uncover the deep thoughts of Job’s heart.

Luke 6:45 – “…Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Now Job’s words begin to flow like a flood.

Job 10:3 – “Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, that You should despise the work of Your hands (= righteous man), and smile on the plans of the wicked?”

Job 12:4,6 – “I am one mocked by his friends, who called on God, and He answered him, the just and blameless who is ridiculed. The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God are secure in what God provides by His hand.”

HOW DOES GOD PUNISH THE WICKED?

In chapter 15, verse 17, his friend Eliphaz the Temanite, after having unfairly accused Job for the first 16 verses of the same chapter, opens a very interesting discussion and, again, it is about the wicked and powerful men in positions of authority.

His friend (who knew him and his thoughts well!) reminds him that even if the wicked and powerful enjoy momentary abundance and wealth, sooner or later the time of God’s judgment, with calamities and curses, will come for them, as well.

Job 15:34 – “The company (= family) of hypocrites will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.”

Unfortunately, however, his friend does not alleviate the pain and bitterness of Job with these words, he does not comfort or console him, and, ultimately, he is unable to help him understand what he did wrong, and this feeds his despair more and more.

In chapter 18, also his friend Bildad of Shuah, starting from verse 4, speaks of the wicked and of their demise when they are condemned by the judgment of God.

Job 18:5 – “The light of the wicked indeed goes out, and the flame of his fire does not shine.”

Unfortunately, even in this case, his friend Bildad upsets Job with his talking, because Job knows all these things already and there is no need to continue to repeat them over and over. This in turn offends his intelligence, and yet, the question that he had was still unanswered.

In chapter 20, his friend Zophar of Naamath speaks to him about the wicked, as well, and about the fact that their happiness and wealth don’t last forever. He tries to encourage him with these words, even though in reality these words are of no use to Job because nobody has yet answered his question.

Job 20:4-5 – “Do you not know this of old, since man was placed on earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?”

And in response this time Job reacts by saying:

Job 21:7-9 – “Why do the wicked live and become old, yes, become mighty in power? Their descendants are established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.”

And throughout chapter 21, Job continues to talk about the wicked, about how they are spared from destruction and about the fact that they actually do pretty well. Then, he turns to his friends telling them they are talking in vain, and that the things they are saying are not true.

To comfort him, his friends keep on repeating that even the wicked and the powerful sooner or later are destroyed, but Job replies to them saying that in reality they live in abundance, descendant after descendant, and are spared from destruction… just take a look around!

The fate of the powerful and mighty men, and the fact that they seem to live carefree life, is at the center of the discussion, because it is at the center of Job’s heart.

This is what torments him deeply and is unable to comprehend why God, in His righteousness, would allow them to prosper, generation after generation, and why He would instead punish someone like him, who reveres God in every way.

WHAT WAS THE SIN COMMITTED BY JOB?

Let’s pick up where we left off by analyzing Job’s defense. In chapter 23, Job continues his defense by claiming to have always been faithful to God:

Job 23:10-12 – “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

At this point, he plainly states that God is just treating him unfairly, as he continues to not understand the reasons behind all the calamities that God has allowed to fall on him:

Job 19:6 – “Know then that God has wronged me, and has surrounded me with His net.”

SO, WHAT IS JOB’S SIN?

After analyzing all the Scriptures carefully and examining Job’s heart, we can now have a better idea of what his thoughts were and what tormented him. This is what cost him dearly, very dearly in the end.

Let’s look at this step by step.

Job was a righteous man, he loved God, and applied his righteousness to his day to day life; this is indisputable.

Job 29:11-17 – “When the ear heard, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw, then it approved me; because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth.”

Job followed the Law of God and all His Precepts – even though they were not written in a book, but were written in his heart, he knew what sin was and was aware of Adam’s sin! In fact in all chapter 31, Job, for his defense, lists all the sins that he has not committed and if we read this passage carefully, we can clearly notice that these are the sins listed in the 10 Commandments! Some examples:

Job 31:5-6 – “If I have walked with falsehood, or if my foot has hastened to deceit, let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may know my integrity.”

Job 31:9-11 – “If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor’s door, then let my wife grind for another, and let others bow down over her. For that would be wickedness; yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment.”

Moreover…

Job 31:26-28 – “If I have observed the sun when it shines, or the moon moving in brightness, so that my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand; this also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, for I would have denied God who is above.” (= worship of idols and self-idolatry)

Job 31:33 – “If I have covered my sins as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my heart.”

The wicked mighty men (“sons of the elohim”) of that area plot and conspire against Job to curse him, precisely because he was a righteous and just man who followed the Law of God and had a voice in their community.

Job hated the wicked and injustice, and by his actions, he sought to make things right. He devoted himself to fight injustice… in a pagan world… fully convinced that this meant doing the right thing. It bothered him to see suffering all around him, to see that powerful men prospered while continuing to mistreat the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the weakest in society.

Job 29:12-17 – “Because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth.”

Job’s sin, and what caused the curse of the mighty to stick, was that, in essence, he felt more righteous than God. He blamed God, in his heart and with his actions, for abandoning the righteous and the needy, for not wanting to straighten things out in the world, and for allowing evil to prosper, for leaving the wicked in their position of authority to thrive and continue to oppress the weak.

Additionally, he attempted to take God’s place every time he took the law into his own hands: when he tried making things right himself by saving the vulnerable and doing the work that “should have been done by God”. This led him to increasingly fill up his heart with pride and anger.

Job was tormented by anger against the world in which he lived and in which the wicked mighty men ruled by subverting the guiding principles of God’s Kingdom and by oppressing the poor. He wondered why God allowed evildoers to thrive instead of allowing the righteous to triumph over them.

He was also tormented by resentment against God Himself, he wondered why God didn’t want to change things, and felt that He abandoned the world. It seemed right to him to take justice into his own hands and do good on earth, because God just didn’t do it.

And all this can be understood even more clearly starting from chapter 32 going forwards, when a fourth man, the youngest of them all, a certain Elihu, son of Barachel, the Buzite, who was present all along, filled with the Spirit of God, asks to speak. He finally explains to Job what his sin was and why the curse had fallen on him.

Elihu was essentially a prophet of God, the messenger who approaches the righteous to help him correct himself when he has committed a sin, so that he can repent, reconcile with God and restore his life. This was the role of Elihu.

And this is the recurrent theme of the whole Bible: the children of Israel sin, God sends them a prophet to help them understand where they have sinned, if they submit to the words of Truth of the prophet and repent, God restores their life.

From Ch. 38 onwards, the subject apparently changes, it is no longer Elihu who speaks with Job but it is God who speaks with him. In reality, it is still Elihu who converses with Job and continues his speech. In biblical allegorical language, this emphasizes the fact that God was speaking through the mouth of His prophet.

Job 33:3,7 – “Elihu says: ‘My words come from my upright heart; my lips utter pure knowledge. Surely no fear of me will terrify you, nor will my hand be heavy on you’.”

Job 33:8-12 – “Surely you (Job) have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words, saying: ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. Yet He finds fault with me, He counts me as His enemy; He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths’. Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.”

Job 33:14 – “God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it.”

Job 33:16-18 – “Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, and keep man from pride, He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.”

Job 33:23-30 – “If there is a messenger for him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His uprightness then He is gracious to him, and says: ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom’; his flesh shall be young like a child’s, he shall return to the days of his youth. He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, he shall see His face with joy, for He restores to man His righteousness. Then he looks at men and says: ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and I was not punished as I deserved’. God will redeem his soul from going down to the pit and his life shall see the light. Behold, God works all these things, twice, in fact, three times with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.”

Job 34:5-6 – “For Job has said: ‘I am righteous, but God has taken away my justice; Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression’.”

Job 34:9-12 – “For Job has said: ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God’. Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to commit iniquity. For He repays man according to his work, and makes man to find a reward according to his way. Surely God will never do wrong, nor will the Almighty pervert justice.”

Job 34:17-19 – “Should One who hates justice govern (referring to God)? Will you condemn Him, the Just and Mighty One? Is it fitting to say to a king: ‘You are worthless’ and to nobles: ‘You are wicked’. Yet He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands.”

Job 34:24-28 – “He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and sets others in their place. Therefore He knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, and they are crushed. He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others, because they turned back from Him, and would not consider any of His ways, so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; for He hears the cry of the afflicted.”

Job 34:33 – “Should He repay it according to your terms, just because you disavow it?”

Job 35:2 – “Do you think this is right when you say: ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?”

Job 36:6-14 – “He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the oppressed. He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but they are on the throne with kings, for He has seated them forever, and they are exalted. And if they are bound in fetters, held in the cords of affliction, then He tells them their work and their transgressions, that they have acted defiantly. He also opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they turn from iniquity. If they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. But if they do not obey, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry for help when He binds them. They die in youth and their life ends among those men who practice prostitution in religious rituals in pagan shrines.”

Job 36:16-18 – “Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, into a broad place where there is no restraint; and what is set on your table would be full of richness. But if you are full of judgment on the wicked, judgment and justice take hold of you. Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow…”

Job 40:8 – “Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified? “

Elihu finally reveals the sin hidden deep in Job’s heart and everything that he says to Job can be paraphrased and summed up as follows:

“I, Elihu, speak through the Spirit of God and through the wisdom and discernment that He gives me and I tell you the Truth for the sole purpose of shedding light on your situation and help you in a tangible way, so you can recover yourself. Do not be afraid of me because I’m not here to point my finger at you and judge you.”

“You, Job, are a righteous man, a man of integrity before God, but you have sinned.”

“Your sin is the following: you believe you are more righteous than God, you believe you possess the ability to take justice into your hands and make things right in God’s place, and you accuse Him in your heart of abandoning the righteous and the weak by letting the mighty and wicked prosper. This means that deep down in your heart you believe that God does not act according to righteousness.”

“You are deceiving yourself, and you must repent. You must also repent of the resentment towards God that you harbor in your heart every time you look around and see evil and injustice and hence believe that God does not behave as you think He should.

“You cannot change the world, you cannot change the wicked, destroy and annihilate them, you cannot make things right by your own power and in God’s place. God will destroy evil, the wicked and mighty of the earth, in due time, and only God can destroy them.”

“You alone cannot change the world and bring justice to earth. You must leave this in the hands of God and understand that He is Righteous and All-Powerful. Look around… who made the world, the stars, the animals and man? Do you believe you can be like Him, be able to subdue and defeat the mighty of this world and make things right by your own power? God has not abandoned the earth, but has appointed a time to deal with them, and, by the way, He does hear the cry of the afflicted.”

“But I am that messenger who has come to bring you the Truth, a warning from God, His Living Word, and if you will hear and receive my message, and repent, God will restore your life.”

Job 40:9-14 – “Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His? Then adorn yourself with majesty and splendor, and array yourself with glory and beauty. Disperse the rage of your wrath; look on everyone who is proud, and humble him. Look on everyone who is proud, and bring him low; tread down the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in hidden darkness. Then I will also praise you because your own right hand can save you.”

Ummmm… God will praise us because we can save ourselves? We gave Job too much credit before we realized he exalted himself above God. He was not humble.

source

https://www.conformingtojesus.com/what_was_the_sin_committed_by_job.htm