Job 3:1-26

In a previous blog post, I mentioned the usage of a couple of reference works: the NIV Study Bible and Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. I generally try to take a text for what it is. However, because the text is originally in Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT), reference works sometimes help bring to light things that the translators have that we don't have. As a rule, the English Bible translations will have footnotes if there are any questions about the rendering of some particular phrases. The reference works often will go into more detail that a brief remark in a footnote. What has struck me over the years in reading the Bible is that those footnotes though not insignificant in number aren't as numerous as one might think for something 2000+ years old and often time those uncertainties don't change the meaning of the text at all or not very much.

The other reason for reference works is the cultural gap! I'm sitting here 21st Century American of Asian ancestry. Job is probably 3000+ years ago Middle Eastern society! Some things are universal: facing suffering. But some things might have a cultural angle and good reference works help us see those dimensions.

Anyway, enough remarks about reference works.

Onto today's reading where we are hit with a 26 verse rant (understandable!) Job 3:1-26:

After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job spoke, and said:

“May the day perish on which I was born,
And the night in which it was said,
‘A male child is conceived.’
May that day be darkness;
May God above not seek it,
Nor the light shine upon it.
May darkness and the shadow of death claim it;
May a cloud settle on it;
May the blackness of the day terrify it.
As for that night, may darkness seize it;
May it not rejoice among the days of the year,
May it not come into the number of the months.
Oh, may that night be barren!
May no joyful shout come into it!
May those curse it who curse the day,
Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
May the stars of its morning be dark;
May it look for light, but have none,
And not see the dawning of the day;
Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb,
Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

The first thing I noticed is the change in the way the text is laid out on the online Bible (as well as in hard copy Bibles) which indicates we are looking at poetry.

Question: Does anyone within a click of this blog routinely speaking in poetry? 8-)

There may well have been a literal Job who literally went through the misery we have seen and may well have had long conversations about it with friends. But what we have in hand, in Job the book, is probably a dramatic retelling of those experiences. The cadences and aural qualities and word pictures of poetry can be deeply affecting to the listener. After all, how is it possible that Shakespeare is still revered today? C'mon, nobody speaks in iambic pentameter!?

In this initial 10 verse rant, Job is saying in many different ways: ARGH, I wish I had never been born so I wouldn't have to be sitting here suffering!

Job continued vv. 11-19:

“Why did I not die at birth?
Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?
Why did the knees receive me?
Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

For now I would have lain still and been quiet,
I would have been asleep;
Then I would have been at rest
With kings and counselors of the earth,
Who built ruins for themselves,
Or with princes who had gold,
Who filled their houses with silver;
Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child,
Like infants who never saw light?

There the wicked cease from troubling,
And there the weary are at rest.
There the prisoners rest together;
They do not hear the voice of the oppressor.
The small and great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.

Question: do you think Job believed in an afterlife?

He clearly described death as the great equalizer and there is an emphasis on the idea of "rest."

If Job believed in reincarnation, what would his poetry sound like? Would it be hopeful that in the next incarnation of his life, his lot would be better? Would it be fearful that the next go around would be even worse?

If Job believed that there was nothing after death, what would his poetry sound like? Would he describe nothingness as rest?

I've heard that the Hebrew Scriptures are somewhat vague about the afterlife though from what I understand Jewish folks generally believe in one if only to right the scales of justice. From reading this passage of Job, I do get that feeling of some afterlife concept. Rest is a good thing. Job believed if he were dead, he would enter into rest. This does not sound like reincarnation or annihilation.

Job continued vv. 20-26:

“Why is light given to him who is in misery,
And life to the bitter of soul,
Who long for death, but it does not come,
And search for it more than hidden treasures;
Who rejoice exceedingly,
And are glad when they can find the grave?

Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
And whom God has hedged in?

For my sighing comes before I eat,
And my groanings pour out like water.
For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me,
And what I dreaded has happened to me.

I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;
I have no rest, for trouble comes.”

Why. Why? Why!

I think God, in wisdom, included this story in our Bibles to give us permission to ask why.

The Bible does have its share of "pie in the sky" hopefulness but it also has a gritty realism that I have grown to love over the years of reading it. My feeling is if it didn't contain the down and dirty realities of life, I would be easily inclined to dismiss it. But here it is: Job, this righteous dude, is at the end of his rope asking God: Why. Why? Why!

Lord, thank you that you are a God who hears us. Thank you that you are a God who includes in the Bible people who doubt like Job here and are flawed like Peter and passionate leading to good and bad situations like David and sketchy like Jacob. Yet you have drawn them to yourself. Lord, thank you that you have reached out to them and to me through Jesus, through the stories of believers through the ages and through my life experience. Help me to always bring everything to you including the doubts and frustrations. Amen.

Job 2:11-13

Looking at Job 2:11-13 this AM.

When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

Who are these three friends?

I looked at the study notes to (1) the NIV Study Bible and (2) Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament.

Eliphaz, the Temanite may have been an Edomite based on his name and from a city south of the Dead Sea (1) while the other resource speculated the city he was from was near Petra in modern Jordan (2).

Bildad, the Shuhite may have been a descendant of Shuah the youngest son of Abraham and Keturah (1,2) though it is possible he could be from the city of Suhu which was located in the middle Euphrates south of the Habur river (2).

Zophar, the Naamathite is very uncertain (1,2) but might be connected to Jebel el Na'amaeh in northwest Arabia (2).

In any case, whatever the ethnic background of these three guys and where they hiked in from, they are Job's friends.

The minute they heard about his troubles, they made the journey to Job and agreed to spend time with him together. When they got there, they put into practice the wisdom weep with those who weep.

Since I referenced the Beatles and Youtube.com in my previous blog post on Job, I had to again.



For 7 days they just sat there. In times of suffering, being there is the most important thing. No magic words.

Lord, teach me the art of being there. Of sensing the need of the other person in that moment. Sometimes, silence is truly golden. And when there is speech, listening may well be far more important than speaking. Help me to learn to give that sacred space to the other person so that they may speak and know they are heard and to be and know they are loved. Amen.

Job 2:1-10

Earlier, we saw that Job was conscientious about doing the right things before God, had a great big happy family and lots of stuff. Satan showed up and told God, Job would abandon you if I took away all that from him. God permitted this and Job lost everything. Yet, he held onto God anyway.

Today, am looking at Job 2:1-10.

On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him. And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"

Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

"Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."

The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

Wow!

Truth be told, I don't know if I could be like Job and remain so faithful. I really can relate to Job's wife here.

Yet, I retain a profound sense of guilt as I acknowledge that. For I've led a pretty easy life here in the USA. Sure a health episode here and there but nothing like poor Job. I have so much material wealth compared to the rest of the world so I really don't have just cause to be worried. And besides, my perspective is hopefully toward the realization that though it is nice to have "stuff" we all know it can't give us love.



Clearly, the hardest thing for Job would be the loss of his beloved children. Yet, he remains faithful to God?

I suppose the question that came to mind is how did he come to have faith in God in the first place?

One might say that if one has tasted of goodness in life, heard truth and seen beauty, one has had some knowledge of God.

Job has had this experience and he holds onto it in his current dismal circumstances. Hence, he can say, Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?

If he had never seen even the slightest glimpse of God in goodness, truth and beauty than he would have had no justification for even claiming that God is out there?

Dennis Prager has sometimes wondered on his radio show, if people decide to remove god from existence because of evil in the world, are they willing to grant god credit for good in this world? In many way, the atheist has a heads I win, tails you lose attitude towards god.

Lord, help me to be like Job. I have tasted your goodness, heard the truth of your love in Jesus and seen incredible beauty in the changed lives of those who follow you. Indeed, when I lose focus on you and dwell on my circumstances, help lift my soul back to you. Amen!

Job 1:13-22

Continuing on to Job 1:13-22.

One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

According to the Jewishencyclopedia.com, the Sabeans were from southeastern Arabia. In any case, they raided the area, killed the servants and took all oxen and donkeys. A fire in the sky - lightening ? - killed the sheep and more servants. And then lastly, Chaldeans (perhaps the ancestors of the Babylonians which is now modern day Iraq) killed more servants and took the camels.

These verses described the loss of what Job had.

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"

Job had 10 children and now they were all dead killed by a tornado.

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

How many of us would shake a fist at God for much less?

I confess, I can, at times, really whine about my circumstances and indeed, sometimes, I do shake a fist at God!

As I read this passage, I can't help but think of the famous song from Kansas, Dust in the Wind:

I close my eyes only for a moment and the moments gone
all my dreams pass before my eyes a curiosity
dust in the wind all we are dust in the wind

Some old song just a drop of water in the endless see
all we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see
dust in the wind

Now, don't hang on nothing last forever but the earth and sky
it slips away and all my money won't another minute buy

Dust in the wind all we are dust in the wind
dust in the wind dust in the wind

Lord, the age old question of would I follow you even if my circumstances changed? I want to believe that if push came to shove, I would be able to be like Job. But I know from my life experience, I would not react as Job did with humble worship before you recognizing I came into the world with nothing and will leave with nothing. Help me to be grateful for all you provide. Help me to live life fully knowing my life is but a vapor. Amen.

Job 1:6-12

Image source: http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/astro/hst_ngc4414_9925.jpg

Taking a look at Job 1:6-12 this morning.

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

In this case, "sons of God" is more literal and is translated "angels" in the NIV which is an example of when translation merges with interpretation. The text I'm using in this blog post is NKJV. FYI, I vary the translation I use on this blog just to change things up now and then and not for any particular scholastic reason as I'm not a Bible scholar!

Satan is Hebrew for "adversary" or "accuser." Often Bible names describe the character of the person.

Thus, we have a picture of a realm we don't see with our waking eyes. Angels (probably a mixture of good ones and bad ones?) and Satan, another finite being, in a sense "report" to God in this story.

And 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.”

Then the LORD said to Satan, “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?”

So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

How do you feel about that?

God and Satan are looking at the earth at us running around upon it?

It is easy to think of our lives as insignificant.

I often wonder, who cares what I do?

I'm just one person in the USA which has 301,398,170 people in a world of 6,582,830,048 as I write this Saturday morning in 8:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time according to the US Census Population Clock.

Then place our planet earth as part of a solar system whipping around a galaxy with 100,000,000,000 stars.

Of course, our Milky Way galaxy is but one galaxy in a universe with perhaps 200,000,000,000 galaxies though only 100,000 have been cataloged.

Science has shown us how immense the universe is.

If there is no God who is capable of knowing us, then indeed, our lives are insignificant in the grand scale. Of course, our lives are of existential importance to us and to the handful of people who know us but beyond that, our lives mean nothing. We are here today and gone tomorrow. A small number might leave a legacy to be remembered by succeeding generations. And an extremely small number will leave a mark in the history books.

But if there is a God who is capable of knowing us and actually cares about what we are doing ... then there is great comfort, my suffering doesn't go unnoticed and my faithfulness has eternal significance.

Lord, please forgive me when I don't care about what is right and wrong. I live my life as if it doesn't matter as if you aren't there. The story of Job tells me that one man's situation is of significance to you. By application, then my life means something to You. Help me to be faithful and do what is good, true and beautiful even if the world thinks we should simply, eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Give me a greater vision for what is happening in this world beyond what meets my waking eyes. Amen.

Job 1:2-5

Job 1:2-5 on this blog post.

There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.

Job was quite happy. He had a big family and lots of stuff.

What are we to make of the numbers mentioned here?

One of my old pastors used to say, when you see numbers in the Bible ask: symbol or statistic?

In some cases it may well be a statistic and meant to be taken as an accurate reflection of what was happening. In some cases, it might have a symbolic meaning. In this particular circumstances it would be hard to say. However, I'm probably more comfortable with these numbers being symbolic than more literal Bible interpreters.

In the Bible there are some favorite numbers: 40 (as in 40 years in the wilderness for Moses, 40 days of fasting for Jesus, etc), 12 (tribes, disciples, etc), 7 (creation week with the 7th day being the day or rest, Daniel's various mentions of 7 and 70, Peter asking if he should forgive 7 times and Jesus telling him 7 times 70).

Thus, Job having 7 sons would be a "complete set." 7 sons plus 3 daughters gave him 10 children. 10 is also a complete set because numerical systems are base 10. The same would be said of 7000 sheep. Then 7000 sheep plus 3000 camels is a complete set at 10,000. And finally, 500 oxen (male) plus 500 female donkeys gave him 1000 animals.

The point is clear: Job's life is full and complete in terms of family and in terms of material wealth.

His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

We also see that his kids got along so it was not only a full and complete brood but a happy one.

And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.

Lastly, we see that Job took spiritual matters quite seriously. He was concerned about his children and their right standing before God.

Lord, help me to be like Job in his consistency of devotion to you. He enjoyed life fully and cared for his children. Help me to approach my life with gratitude and to see the importance of the relationships that I am a part of. Amen.

Job 1:1

In youth group Bible study, I came across James 5:11:

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Job isn't mentioned much in the New Testament. In fact, this verse is the only direct mention though I suppose there are other passages where you might hear the echo of Job.

Anyway, with the completion of my blog through of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, I have decided to dive into Job for the next series!

So here we go, Job 1:1.

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

Where is the land of Uz?

Well, this tourism company says:

One of the earliest patriarchal figures in the Bible is Job (pbuh), whose book is one of the world's great masterpieces of religious literature. The city of Salt, northwest of the Jordanian capital Amman, houses the tomb/shrine of Job, the wealthy, righteous man from the Land of Uz who endured hardships with much patience and ultimately was rewarded with God's blessing (Job 1-3; 42:10, Ezekiel 14:14). Biblical scholars have located the Land of Uz in either northern or southern Jordan.

But to those who know the land, the rich biblical description in the Book of Job perfectly describes the varied natural environment, pastoral economy, and patriarchal social structures of ancient southern Jordan, known as Edom in the Old Testament. Job's three friends are identified as being from Teman, Shuh and Naamah, areas located in and near southern Jordan.

Wikipedia says more or less the same though they claim less certainty.

What about the name Job?

I don't know anyone who has named their child Job but it does have a meaning from the Hebrew:

The boy's name Job is pronounced johb. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "persecuted". Biblical: a man called by God "blameless and upright". Job is proverbial as an example of patience under trial.

For an artistic impression (there are 4 images) of Job, check out this web page.


Job visited by three friends - a fourth would join in later. The book of Job follows the conversations of these men as they struggle to come to grips with the suffering Job experienced.
image source: http://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/Pictures/Treasures%20of%20the%20Bible%20(Job)/target2.html

Lord, whatever happens in my life, my deepest hope is that in the end of my life it would be said of me that I too was like Job, "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil." Amen.