Introduction
The Old Testament is insightful and offers many narratives that follow the moments from the creation of Earth to the life and teachings of Jesus. However, these narratives can only be insightful when the reader seeks the deeper meaning and explores the intended message behind them. For example, the story about Job, a wealthy man who lost everything, conveys the importance of being a righteous man loyal to his faith.
While Job could have forfeited his belief and blamed God for his predicaments, he persevered and found support in the Almighty. Toward the end, the man is rewarded for his patience and integrity, as well as not only wealth but wisdom. Therefore, Job’s life is an important example of how a man can live righteously and not be tempted to find faults in God’s will despite life’s challenges.
Life and Faith
The reader initially observes the conflict between Satan and the Lord. While Satan believes that no man can remain loyal to the Almighty, the Lord believes that some will never forfeit their belief, such as Job. God describes Job as “a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Bible, n.d.a, line 8). At this point, Satan’s efforts are aimed at not only breaking the character of Job but also making him resent God and religion, blaming the Lord for all predicaments.
In the first part of the story, the man experiences a gradual increase in tension and challenge. Job transitioned from a wealthy man with everything to someone who lost every possession, servant, and child. However, even after grieving the loss of his offspring, cattle, and servants, Job neither shuns God nor blames him. Instead, the man is prepared for the end of his life, saying that “the LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Bible, n.d.a, line 21). These moments did not break him but prepared him for his fate.
On the one hand, Job’s reasoning shows the reader the importance of humility and respect for God’s will. Instead of resenting the Creator, the man believes this is God’s plan, and if He takes all cattle, servants, and children, there must have been a reason behind it. On the other hand, Job’s behavior defies Satan’s belief that there are no decent people capable of accepting God’s will.
As Satan claimed, the reason behind Job’s fear of God lies within man’s good life. He argues that God “blessed the work of his hands so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land” (Bible, n.d.a, line 10). Despite being exposed to serious challenges, Job still did not lose his faith, which proves that Satan was wrong about his assumptions. Sometimes, the faith of a man is the strongest feeling, and it is unbreakable by any force or predicament.
Resistance to Evil
The following chapter overviews Job’s resilience despite being stricken with ailments and pain. Although the man lost nearly everything after attempts to make him angry with God, Satan believed that it was not enough to change the man. Lord’s words that Job is “he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” seemed insufficient, and physical pain had to follow emotional struggles (Bible, n.d.b, line 3).
As a result, God “afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head” (Bible, n.d.b, line 7). Nevertheless, while being a heavy burden for Job, he remained tenacious in trying to survive the predicament. Even when his wife lost faith and told him that the only way out was to curse God and die, Job believed he had to carry the responsibility and overcome this obstacle (Bible, n.d.b). Romans 5:3-5 taught the followers that every suffering leads to “perseverance, character, and hope” (Bible Gateway, n.d.). Therefore, attempts by Satan were futile since even in circumstances like these, Job turned to God.
Another lesson the reader learns from this part is that Satan can only succeed in his attempts to make a man resent God if the person lets him. As seen in the case of Job, the man did not let negative thoughts into his mind. As he said to his wife, who demanded that he curse God, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Bible, n.d.b, line 9).
This shows that the man lacks any hypocrisy, nor does he expect life to be easy, and God to be so gracious and forgiving. The man is seen to be resilient in the context of any hurdles, accountable, and accepting of fate. Although physical ailments could have made any person weak and blame God for the pain, Job accepted the challenge.
Suffering
Another way the reader can see Job’s strength is through the man’s repentance. At first, the audience can see Job’s wish to die to end the suffering, begging “that God would be willing to crush [him], to let loose his hand and cut off [his] life!” (Bible, n.d.c, line 9). However, simultaneously, it is evident that the man chose to communicate with the Creator and share his feelings.
The life of a Christian should not be lived alone, and this is why God can be perceived as not only the Creator of life but also someone who consoles the lost soul and guides one. This is why in his monologue, Job exclaims: “Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong” (Bible, n.d.c, line 24). The character does not blame but simply asks for guidance and advice on how he can alleviate the pain and find serenity in his life once again.
This is the pivotal moment, which helps the audience observe the growth and the steps toward the man’s healing. Undergoing the challenges of both physical and psychological anguish, Job’s next point was repentance and sharing of his feelings and thoughts. Job admits that he will continue to “complain in the bitterness of [his] soul” (Bible, n.d, line 11).
However, one can see that while being frustrated and desperate, the man refuses to find fault with God’s will and tries to withstand wrongdoings or letting negative thoughts affect his mind. The growth of Job is based on learning a crucial lesson from the pain and suffering inflicted upon him and his family. Not giving up on his faith, the belief that the challenges will end, and the support of God are the navigators of Job in his path to healing and enlightenment.
Enlightenment
Lastly, at the end of the narration, the readers see the meaning of God’s lesson. After repenting and communicating directly with God, inquiring about his tortures and pain, Job understands the will of the Lord. Toward the end, after learning about the intentions of God, Job says, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Bible, n.d.e, line 6).
The character learns that regardless of the severity of life lessons or the level of pain the person endures, one should never doubt the will of the Almighty and find fault in his actions. One can see not only the moment when Job gains wisdom and grows spiritually as a Christian, but also his finding peace and healing.
The lesson of Job was based on the fact that he was a decent man who never disobeyed God and yet was treated like an unrighteous man who had to endure not only mental but also physical pain. He was deemed a sinner and was left without support, with his wife asking him to curse God and die, and his friends judging him. Despite these challenges, Job remained loyal to his religion and the Lord.
However, the significant meaning behind the narrative is that one should persist in the face of a predicament and that God supports and rewards those who remain repentant and righteous. As the reader sees later in the story, “after Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before” (Bible, n.d.e, line 10). Job was indeed a righteous man and was treated like one.
After the pain he suffered and the path of growth he had undergone, the man deserved the support of God, and this is why “he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation” (Bible, n.d.e, line 16). As a result, the reader sees that the reward for Job was not only the graciousness of the Lord but also the priceless enlightenment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Job’s life is a significant illustration of how a man can live righteously and resist the temptation to question God’s plan despite the difficulties of life. First, despite facing significant obstacles, Job maintained his faith, proving that Satan was mistaken in his predictions. Second, a man’s faith can sometimes be the strongest emotion, unaffected by any force or difficulty. The reader also learns from this passage that Satan can only be effective in his endeavors to turn a person against God if that person allows him to. The man did not allow unfavorable thoughts to enter his mind, as shown in Job’s case.
The fact that Job repented is another way the reader might recognize Job’s strength. The protagonist does not blame but rather requests direction and suggestions on how to lessen the suffering and rediscover peace in his life. Finally, the readers understand God’s instruction after the tale. The reader realizes that Job received both the Lord’s kindness and priceless wisdom as his reward. In addition to receiving gifts from God, man understands the importance of maintaining integrity to be a good Christian.
References
Bible. (n.d.a).Job 1. New International Version. Web.
Bible. (n.d.b). Job 2. New International Version. Web.
Bible. (n.d.d). Job 6. New International Version. Web.
Bible. (n.d.d). Job 7. New International Version. Web.
Bible. (n.d.e). Job 42. New International Version. Web.
Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Romans 5:3-5. New International Version. Web.