The book of Job is a fascinating book of the Bible. Well, at least the first two chapters, and the last half of the final chapter, right? Haha. I know, we’re not supposed to admit that any part of the Bible might be boring. But I have had some trouble trudging through the 35 chapters of his “friends” ripping on him and his defense against them. I’ve never really had the stamina to pay attention to all that was actually going on. Can I get an amen?
So what I did this last time I read through it was I actually tried my level best to pay attention to what was being said, and I paraphrased each chapter into one or two sentences in my own words. I have to say it was really revealing, and I encourage others to do the same. You’ll probably end up with way different ideas than I did, just because of how loaded and confusing those chapters can be.
So now I’m going to share with you what I wrote down during my time in the book of Job. If you don’t want to read it, that’s fine, you’ve gotten the main idea from this blog by this point, and what’s left is just the fine print.
The first two chapters are familiar enough and don’t require interpretation, so I’ll be starting in chapter three. This is just after Job lost everything, and is sitting in sackcloth and ashes, scraping his boils with broken pottery. Not a pretty picture. But we know that he blessed the name of God and refused to curse Him.
(The numbers listed tell which chapter I am paraphrasing)
3. Job says, “I wish I’d never been born.” (simple enough, right?)
4. Eliphaz says, “You’re a great guy, Job, but you must have done something wrong to deserve this sudden ill treatment. 5. Man is born unto trouble. God is correcting you. It’ll be a blessing in the end though.”
6. Job: “You’re not helping matters any. Me grief is too great. 7. We’re all going to die some day, so I just want to die now. But, God, why can’t you just take this suffering away from me?”
8. Bildad the Shuhite says, “God punishes evil and rewards good.”
9. Job: “I know that, but God is so great and mighty and perfect. I can’t attempt to even defend myself, because compared to Him, all my righteousness is as a filthy rag (I think I borrowed that wording from elsewhere in the Bible. i.e. Isaiah 64:6). 10. God, you’ve done a good work in me. Why have you now destroyed everything you’ve done? I wish I had never been born.”
11. Zophar says, “How dare you justify yourself? You’re wicked and you know it!”
12. Job: “I’m not inferior to you guys. God wrought this and He is All-powerful. 13. [ditto] 14. Man is frail.”
15. Eliphaz: “What do you know that we don’t? Do you think you’re smarter than us?”
16. Job: “You guys are lousy comforters. If I was in your shoes, I’d give words of comfort. 17. I cannot find one wise man among you.”
18. Bildad: “Are you done yet? Why are we so despised in your eyes? Surely the wicked shall suffer terrible things.”
19. Job: “You guys don’t give up, do you? Look, God did all this to me. My redeemer lives.”
20. Zophar: “If the wicked prosper at all, it is short-lived.”
21. Job: “But most of the wicked really are prosperous, and stay that way. You’d better get your facts straight before ripping into me like that again.”
(The impression that I got while reading this was that whenever the guys mention the wicked, they’re implying that Job more than likely fits the bill, so it ends up being a personal attack.)
22. Eliphaz: “Do you think God really needs or depends on your righteousness? You might want to reacquaint yourself with him.”
23. Job: “If I could just find God, I could plead my case with Him, and He would help me. But I cannot find Him. 24. There are truly evil people in this world, but they’ll eventually get what they deserve.”
25. Bildad: “How can man be justified with God?”
26. Job: “God is really powerful. How can men understand His ways? 27. I will retain my righteousness. Wicked men will suffer. 28. Everything has a place, but where is wisdom found? 29. I miss the good ol’ days when everything was going my way. 30. Nowadays, everyone despises me. 31. If I have done wrong in any way, or if I have gotten a big head concerning my wealth, I should be judged. But in my opinion, I haven’t.”
32. Elihu says, ”I haven’t said anything until now, because I’m the young one of the bunch, but I’ve got some things to say. I have to express my opinion or I’m going to burst. 33. I’ve heard what you’ve been saying. You’re asserting your own righteousness instead of God’s. God is great. He works many things with man, and yet we often don’t see it. 34. Job has been sitting here and defending himself against God, thinking God must have made a mistake. Listen to me now. God does not sin, and He does not work iniquity. Job has spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdom. Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked. 35. Do you think it’s right to say that your righteousness is more than God’s? But because many people (I’m talking about you Job) disregard God in everyday life, He has chosen to visit in His anger. 36. God is mighty and caring. He’s generous to the righteous and punishes the wicked. You, Job, ought to be judged, so beware of His wrath. Again, God is great and powerful. Who can contend with Him? 37. Listen to the voice of God in the thunder. He commands the waters and makes the seasons change. His ways are beyond knowing. He is excellent in power, judgment, and justice.”
—At this point, God starts speaking. If you, like me, would rather read God’s words in their entirety, please read the rest straight from the Bible. I will finish paraphrasing, but I know my words cannot do His justice.—
38. God speaks. “Who is this that darkens counsel by words void of knowledge? brace yourself like a man. I’ve got some questions for you that you will answer. Where were you when I created the earth, and formed its boundaries, and told the sea where to stop, and taught the stars to sing? Have you been around since time began? Do you control the weather and the animals, keep the earth in order, organize the stars, or feed the lions? 39. Can you tell me every detail about all the animals? about how the ostrich is without wisdom; about how the horse is made for war; about how the eagle soars so high? 40. Shall he that contends with the Almighty instruct Him?” Job replies, “I am vile. I will keep my mouth shut.” God says, “Get up like a man and answer my questions. Will you condemn me in order to make yourself righteous? Are you as powerful or as beautiful as God? When you become so, I’ll admit that your own right hand can save you. Take a look at behemoth, which I made, just as I made you. It eats grass, its muscles are dense and thick, his tail is like a tree, and his bones are like iron rods. He is a prime example of my handiwork, and only I, his Creator, can threaten him. 41. Can you catch Leviathon with a fishing pole or hunt him in any way? Do you think you can be friends with him and talk nicely with him, or take him as a pet, or sell him in the market? Any hunter who tries to capture him will faint at the sight of him. And since no one dares disturb it, how does anyone think that they could stand up to me? Look again, he is incredibly strong, yet graceful. His skin is impenetrable, and when he sneezes, fire comes out. Iron is like straw to him, and clubs like grass. Nothing on Earth is its equal. Nothing can stand up to it. It is the king of the beasts!”
42. Job: “I know you can do everything, and nothing is hidden from you. I see now just how incredible great you are, and how I am nothing. I’ve learned my lesson. You are a great God. I repent of what I’ve said and done.”
And then God turns and reprimands Eliphaz and the others for the things they had said, and told them to take seven bulls and seven rams to Job so he could make sacrifices for them. And I love verse ten because it says that when Job prayed for the others then his captivity was turned, and he was blessed with double what he had before. That’s a separate lesson in itself, but I’ll just mention here that sometimes when we’re facing the worst times in our lives, and it seems everyone is out to get you, do what’s hardest and pray for them! Pray for their success and their forgiveness, and then God will turn your situation around and bless you.
So that’s the book of Job. I know I went long again, but it’s a lot shorter than reading the whole book of Job. However, DO NOT use this post as a substitute for the Bible. You’ll get the most out of reading the actual Word versus a man’s interpretation. I only wanted to share with you my abridged version so that you could get a more concise feel for what was going on, thereby making it easier for you to pay attention next time you read the good Book. Now, if someone could just do this for the major prophets, I’d appreciate it. haha I’m kidding. :-{D
Props to you, Eric! And I agree with you, we should never use commentaries or cliff notes to substitute for the real deal-God’s Word.