Job
The story of Job is about a man, Job, who is a very loyal servant of God and prospers from it. Satan believes that Job is only righteous because he is benefiting from it and that if God were to take away all of Job’s possessions Job would curse God. Satan tells God this and God decides to test Job. God destroys all of Job’s possessions as, “...The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants...(Job 1:16)”. God also kills Job’s ten children but Job does not curse God. Instead he tears off his clothes and shouts, "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.(Job 1:21)” Satan then asks God if he can intervene and inflict damage upon Job, and God says yes, but do not take his life. Satan gives Job boils and yet despite Satan and Job’s wife Job still does not curse God. When a few friends come to console him and, “...Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth (Job 3:1)”. Job does again express his grief when he laments the injustice that God lets wicked people prosper while he and countless other innocent people suffer.God finally comes before Job and asks many rhetorical questions intended to show how little Job knows and how powerful he himself is. Job admits his limitations and acknowledges God’s unlimited power. God is pleased and gives Job back his health along with twice as much property, new children, and a long life.
Allusions to the Book of Job:
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Themes:
There are a few themes in Job. The first is patience because Job keeps this throughout his misfortunes and refuses to curse God, knowing that it will all be well sometime in the future. Another similar theme is enduring struggles. Job did not kill himself as his wife encouraged but instead accepted his fate and sought redemption. The thematic question which arises from Job is why does God permit and even encourage evil in this world? God punished Job simply to prove a point to Satan. This theme of God’s powerful and sometimes irrational deeds occurs throughout the Old Testament. |