Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Job is a book about trusting God and needing a Saviour. Not mild trust. Proper trust based on belief in God’s character: the best and hardest kind of trust. Two sets of afflictions come against Job and his life. He is not responsible for them. It is also not because of a cosmic bet. They are not brought by God. They are not a temptation. They did not come about in order to teach him a lesson. Job was – by God’s own mouth – blameless, upright, revered God, shunned evil, and nothing came against him because of any individual thing that he did himself (Job 1:1; Job 2:3). Based on what God says in the book, the reliable chapters of Job are chapters 1, 2, 32-42. Everything else is content that can point to spiritual truths, but they are misdirected or misapplied IN THIS CASE. In fact, chapters 3-31 are four people who make a single statement of opinion and spend the rest of the day arguing that single statement. Job had incorrectly applied anger because of his opinion that he deserved better treatment. Job’s three friends had incorrectly applied demands for repentance because of their opinion that all negative actions of God are (1) caused by God alone and (2) a result of individual sins – often secret sins. God condemned the three friends (they required Job to pray for them) and corrected Job (who apologized and repented). There are lessons about suffering in the book, that is true. And about enduring trials. And about what to do when God appears silent. But the main trust of the book is TRUST IN GOD and MESSIAH JESUS.

No one knows who is the author of the book of Job. I favour that the fourth visitor who came to see Job (Elihu) did, because his opinions and words (chapter 32-37) are completely aligned with God’s words (chapter 38-41). He is the only one in the book who isn’t condemned or corrected. There is also a mystery of time period. Some believe Job lived in Moses’ time or was a contemporary of Abraham. I don’t think he was around in Moses’ time because there is no mention of the Law AT ALL. I don’t think he was a contemporary of Abraham, because there is no mention AT ALL of covenant – something that also explains some of what happens in chapters 1 and 2. I think that chronologically, it would place somewhere before chapter 12 of Genesis for sure – and I personally would place it directly after chapter 4. The final unknown is the location. No one agrees on where Job’s Uz was, although there are passages that link Uz with the land of Edom.

Job was a grown man with grown children at the time of the events of the book. As long as the two councils in Heaven were close together, the total time of the book of Job was a little over a week. Job sits silently for seven days, the two afflictions took place within a day or two, the conversation (chapters 3-31) happened within a day, add some travelling time, and you have about two weeks total – which also shows the severity of the boils the devil brought against Job. These were severe afflictions. Job’s wife understandably couldn’t handle them and got bitter. His best three friends kind of agreed with her. He himself had some issues with what was happening (understandably). But there is a LOT of human thinking in that. In fact, I think of the conversation between the friends and Job when I read about all the ‘discussions’ the disciples had during Jesus’ ministry on Earth (for example, Mark 9:33-34).

Job had no covenant with God. God blessed Job because God blesses those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). And the blessings come with protections. But Job had no covenant. The devil is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). He had a position where he could wield some power (Ephesians 2:2). And Job was – like every human is without salvation – a slave to the devil (Ephesians 2:3). It was not individual sins that opened the door here (Job 2:3), but Sin (Romans 6:23). The devil didn’t like Job being blessed because the devil had the ‘upper hand’ when it came to authority on Earth. But he couldn’t reverse the blessing or get through the protections (Numbers 23:19-20). He had his attention focused on Job and was plotting how to take him down (1 Peter 5:8). God brought the issue out of the shadows and into the light (Daniel 2:22). The devil challenged Job’s reverence of God. God is a just God and because of the devil’s dominion on earth, because Job was not in covenant with God, action was allowed. But God also knew Job would pass the devil’s test – and he did. Then the devil claimed Job was selfish and a personal attack would cause failure. Sadly, given the same opportunity to pass, Job didn’t get a clear victory – neither did the devil. God uses tests to show us who we can be when we trust in Him. They are always allowed when they serve to bring us to the next level – but they are NOT always explained. Nor do we DESERVE an explanation. God NEVER treats us as we deserve because He is merciful. There is always an element of preservation involved – look at the history of Israel and Judah. Job didn’t invite this test. Job didn’t deserve this test. Job was in NO WAY AT FAULT before this test. It was a desire of the devil to stop the blessing and cause Job harm (John 10:10). It was 100% a device and idea of the devil, not a conflict or game or test between the devil and God. It did NOT originate with God. Job had NO covenant, but instead of abandoning him to the devil’s rightful attacks, God preserved and forced the devil to preserve portions of Job’s life and well-being. He is a MERCIFUL God – even when we don’t understand what’s happening.

Chapter 1 shows us Job’s life, the devil’s desire for attack, the restrictions God placed on the devil, the afflictions, and Job’s response.

Chapter 2 shows us the devil’s continued desire for attack, the restrictions God placed on the devil, the afflictions, Job’s stunned response, the bitterness of Job’s wife, the arrival of three good friends and one acquaintance, and their empathy with Job.

Chapter 3 shows us Job’s frustration and his unjustified anger that he is being treated unjustly (this is the attitude God corrects and Job repents of). Verse 23 states that what he feared came upon him – suddenly and without cause, sending him into stunned silence. And that what he dreaded had happened to him. This points to a spiritual truth: fear is the opposite of trust in God and can give the devil opportunity to enter your life (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 4:27; Genesis 4:7). But according to God Himself (Job 2:3) Job was BLAMELESS in THIS instance. Job’s issue is that he wasn’t complacent or lazy in seeking God, was vigilant in shunning evil, but this happened to him anyway (Job 3:26).

Chapter 4 shows the beginning of their discussions. When Job exhibited unrighteous anger and complained, it opened the door to his friends’ two cents. They all three believed that God was judging him for a sin – which Job was obviously keeping secret and refusing to acknowledge (their opinion). They say it in different ways and apply spiritual truths incorrectly to try and prove their point, but what they spoke about God wasn’t right – according to God himself (Job 42:7). Elihu stays out of this discussion until the end. Eliphaz is the first speaker and the apparent leader of the group. He expounds on Job’s goodness and godliness, giving us a greater picture of Job’s life and character. But he uses a vision he had at night in which he experienced real fear (a sure sign it wasn’t from God who does not EVER deal in fear – 2 Timothy 1:7) to justify the attitude that all of Job’s troubles were his own making.

Chapter 5 continues Eliphaz’s statement. Eliphaz is so sure he is correct, he challenges Job to find ANY godly person who would agree that Job’s condition was unjust. He insisted Job lost his children as punishment for his personal iniquities. He insisted Job’s possessions were removed as a punishment for secret wickedness. He pointed to the tornado from the desert that there was a supernatural force involved – which he declared proved God was punishing Job for personal sin. His opinion was that God designed and brought to every person troubles on purpose – which is a total lie and completely against God’s character. Everyone has trouble – true – but it is NOT authored by God (James 1:17). Eliphaz talks of the justness of God, but only to condemn Job. He insists that everything that has happened is because God wanted to teach a lesson, judge Job’s behaviour, and correct Job’s behaviour. Eliphaz believed we are punished in proportion to our sins, so Job had to be very wicked indeed. He also believed that we only receive God’s blessings when we deserve to receive them (personal efforts or because of our own right standing. Totally false – 2 Corinthians 5:21). He encouraged Job to admit fault and repent so that he could be delivered.

Chapter six is Job’s response to Eliphaz. Job doesn’t believe his friends get how terrible his situation is, so he talks about it to explain it to them. Job agrees with Eliphaz in the belief that the troubles are a judgment of God, BUT Job also KNOWS that they aren’t from anything HE has done. He essentially justifies himself and condemns God – a wrong action and his mistake. He never sins against God or curses Him, but he DOES complain. He thought what God had done to him was bad. This is what these men BELIEVED – nothing they say has to be truth. He longed for death to end the suffering (shows how bad the boils were). He wanted God to do it, because he was godly and would never commit suicide. He was looking forward to the rest and peace he knew would be his in the afterlife. He was confused and helpless and starts criticizing his friends for not having more empathy with him. That they were only adding to his sorrow. He appealed to their friendship and their memories of him. Had he ever lied or done wrongly toward them? He wanted them to remember that, admit they’re wrong, and side with him. He declares he is hiding NO secret sin.

Summary

Key Players: God, Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, Elihu, Job’s wife, the devil.

Key Verse(s): Job 1:1-3, 12, 22; 2:3, 6, 12-13; 3:1-5, 26; 4:7-9; 5:17-18; 6:24-30