Suffering Not Understood
In This Present World
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Pain as an Ally
Book of Job
Bible
Wikipedia
The Book of Job begins with an introduction to
Job's character — he is described as a blessed man who lives righteously. At the
suggestion of God and the will of God Satan
challenges Job's integrity, proposing to God that Job serves him simply because
God protects him. God removes Job's protection, allowing Satan to take his
wealth, his children, and his physical health in order to tempt Job to curse
God. Despite his difficult circumstances, he does not curse God, but rather
curses the day of his birth. And although he protests his plight and pleads for
an explanation, he stops short of accusing God of injustice. Most of the book
consists of conversations between Job and his three friends concerning Job's
condition and its possible reasons, after which God responds to Job and his
friends. God opens his speech with the famous words, "Brace yourself like a man;
I will question you, and you shall answer me."
[1]
After God's reply, Job is overwhelmed and says, "I am unworthy - how can I reply
to you? I put my hand over my mouth."
[2]
Many interpretations read this as Job realizing how little he knew when he says
to the Lord,"My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you."[3]
Other scholarship and readers, however, find this explanation unsatisfactory,
since the problem of Job the innocent man suffering at the hand of God is not
addressed. Job's response to God shows none of the anger, passion, or piety he
demonstrated in the rest of the story, even when God does not give Job the
direct answer he has demanded for much of the book.[4]
Then Job is restored to an even better condition than his former wealthy state.[5]
Job was also blessed to have seven sons and three daughters named:
Jemimah (which
means "dove"), Keziah ("cinnamon"), and Keren-happuch ("horn of eye-makeup").
His daughters were said to be the most beautiful women in the land.[6]
"Job went on to live one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and
grandchildren for four generations."[7]
The characters in the book of Job consist of Job, his wife, his friends, a man
named Elihu, God, and Satan. Neither the patriarchs nor any other biblical
characters make an appearance.
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