The book of Job describes the experiences and trials of one of God’s followers, Job, and the faithfulness with which he clung to God, even during hardships that he did not understand and despite the urging of those closest to him. Job’s faithfulness is ultimately rewarded beyond what he had lost. The book of Job has, at times, been the subject of scrutiny due to the somewhat unique nature of its text. An example of this uniqueness is found in its early chapters, which include two sets of verses that frame the entire narrative of the book. These framing sequences offer several insights into the book of Job and provide a greater depth of meaning to the lessons that the book offers to its readers.
Allegorical Framing Sequences
The book of Job is framed by two “conversations” between God and Satan, in which God asks Satan if he knows of Job, who he describes as His faithful follower (Job 1:8, 2:3). Satan responds that Job’s faithfulness is based on his worldly success, and that if negative experiences were to happen to Job, he would turn against God (Job 1:9-11, Job 2:4-5). Satan then leaves God’s presence to inflict difficulties on Job, supposedly to prove his point, but is first limited by God in the extent to which he may actually harm Job (Job 1:12, Job 2:6-7).
These two “conversations” should be taken as allegorical pictures, or figurative language. This means the conversations did not literally happen as recorded, but are meant as pictures to convey certain key concepts. God intends the Bible to be understood by His human creation. The Bible teaches mankind important aspects about God, such as His wisdom, justice, love and power, but God exists on a completely different plane of existence – the divine plane; the highest plane of existence. God’s angelic creation, including the fallen Satan, exist on a spiritual plane, also different from mankind’s existence. Human minds are incapable of fully understanding planes of existence so fundamentally different from their own. The author of the book of Job therefore uses concepts that humans are familiar with, such as an assembly and a conversation, as framing sequences for the subsequent chapters.
Concepts Demonstrated by the Allegorical Conversations
A first point highlighted by the conversations is that while God may permit even his most faithful followers to undergo difficult experiences, God Himself is not the cause of those experiences. This is illustrated in Job 1:12, when after their figurative conversation, Satan “went forth from the presence of the Lord,” implying that that the subsequent events in verses 13-22 were orchestrated by Satan. This is even more explicitly described in Job 2:7, where, after leaving the presence of the Lord, Satan causes Job to break out in boils. In both cases, even though the “conversation” should be taken as figurative, the point that God is not the cause of Job’s trying experiences is demonstrated.
A second point illustrated in the allegorical conversation is that God has complete control over Satan’s influence on His followers. This is described in Job 1:12 and 2:6, which describe, in the figurative conversation, God limiting Satan’s ability to harm Job. This thought is repeated in 1 John 4:4, which assures God’s followers that He is greater than the influences of the adversary or the world.
A third point illustrated in the allegorical conversation is that God recognizes those who are faithful to him. In Job 1:8, the figurative conversation records God acknowledging Job as “an upright man” that “feareth God” and “escheweth evil.” This same thought is repeated in 2 Timothy 2:19, which assures us that God knows those who are His.
Lastly, a fourth point illustrated in the allegorical conversation is that Satan’s influence is pervasive and ever ready to deceive and corrupt God’s followers. This is illustrated in Job 1:7 and Job 2:2, where Satan is described as “going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it.” This thought is also given in 1 Peter 5:8, among admonitions to maintain godly behavior, because the adversary’s influences are ever working against God’s followers.
Beyond the Allegorical Conversation
The verses of Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-7 have very similar, even exact wordings. Perhaps the repetition helps to indicate that these “conversations” aren’t meant to be taken literally, but are, instead, figurative language. If the conversations were literal conversations, it seems unlikely that the same exact literal words and actions would have been so identically repeated across the two separate conversations. Additionally, repetition also helps to highlight the concepts meant to be understood by the “conversations” while phrasing them in a manner familiar to human experience. When wordings are repeated in the Bible, the repetition signals the Bible student to take notice because something of importance is being emphasized.
These two allegorical conversations, as well as the poetic language used by the book’s author, have led to some questioning about whether Job was an actual person, or whether the book of Job is a figurative account in its entirety. Many Bible Students, including Brother Russell, tend to favor the belief that Job was an actual person who did endure the experiences portrayed in the book, and who remained faithful to God through them. This is in part based on Job being referred to in other scriptures, such as Ezekiel 14:14, where he is cited alongside other Biblical men that are generally accepted as actual men, such as Noah and Daniel.
The book of James also refers to Job. James 5:7-9 urge God’s followers to be patient and remain steadfast in their vows of consecration to Him. Verse 10 cites the Old Testament prophets as an example of patience in the face of affliction. Verse 11 refers to Job, whose experiences demonstrated the merciful character of God. Although not a definitive statement, citing Job alongside the prophets, who are generally accepted as actual historical people, adds strength to the conclusion that Job was an actual historical person as well.
The Applicability of Job to God’s Followers: Permitted, not Caused By
The overall lesson of Job’s experiences is one that can be difficult for some to understand, but is essential for those who seek to faithfully serve God. God does not cause tragedies and difficulties to happen to His followers. This is logical and self-evident. As the epitome of justice, goodness and love, it is unreasonable to think that God is capable of evil or negative actions. However, God does permit difficult circumstances to happen to even His most faithful followers.
Perhaps the most obvious example of this is Jesus. Being God’s only begotten son (John 1:18), and also perfectly obedient to his Father (Philippians 2:8), Jesus was greatly loved by God (Matthew 3:17). Even so, God allowed Jesus to become human, endure suffering and persecution, and eventually be put to death in an excruciatingly painful manner. For his faithfulness and perfect obedience, even through the most difficult circumstances, God highly exalted Jesus and rewarded him beyond imagination (Philippians 2:9-11). It is the same with God’s consecrated followers, even today (Matthew 10:24). Job was rewarded for his faithfulness during his trying circumstances with blessings that exceeded what he began with (Job 42:12). Those who remain faithful to their consecration vows to God throughout their present lives are also promised a reward grander than any experience they may be permitted to have (Revelation 2:10).
For those who choose to consecrate their present lives to God, the reward for faithfulness is a divine, immortal existence alongside the glorified Jesus (1 John 3:2) To those who receive this reward, death becomes impossible (Revelation 20:6). The granting of such a reward cannot be taken back. It therefore must only be given to those whom God is sure are worthy of it. To God, worthiness equates to faithfulness, and faithfulness can only be proven through experiences. Therefore, those who are striving for a great reward should logically expect experiences that will try their faithfulness to God. In fact, a lack of trying experiences may lead one to question whether one’s faithfulness is sufficient to require trying.
In R1507:4, Brother Russell suggests that Job may also represent mankind in general. Due to Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden, sickness and death were allowed to come upon mankind (Genesis 3:17-19). Since then, Satan has been allowed to deceive and influence mankind. Throughout every generation since Adam and Eve, mankind has been taught the consequences of disobedience to God, and the terrible and final outcomes of sin (Romans 7:13, Romans 6:23). In the fulness of God’s plan, the generations of mankind will be resurrected to life, and after a period of re-education to bring those who will back into harmony with God, will be granted a return to the everlasting life intended by God for His human creation. Thus, although God is not the source of the evil things that come upon mankind, these experiences, terrible as they may sometimes be, are permitted, for mankind’s education and ultimate joyous outcome.
The Applicability of Job to God’s Followers: Limiting the Experience
In the allegorical framing conversations of Job, God places a limit on Satan’s ability to harm Job (Job 1:12, 2:6). This can also be a difficult concept for some to understand, especially to those who have not learned to trust God. Speaking to his disciples, Jesus taught them that God cares for His followers so much that even a loss of life is not a subject for fear (Luke 12:4). He notes that God, who knows all things, knows how many sparrows are sold and knows the number of hairs on one’s head. He assures them that they are more precious to God than sparrows (Luke 12:6-7). God’s followers can have confidence in His care.
The Apostle Paul urges those who have consecrated their lives to God to go boldly to the throne of grace, to receive mercy and grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16) This assurance of mercy and grace is one way that God limits the severity of an experience. With God’s grace and mercy, an experience that may be beyond bearing for some may be overcome by those who maintain faith in God as Job did. He also reminds God’s followers that God will not allow them to be tempted beyond their means to overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13). This does not mean that God will prevent all trying experiences from happening to His faithful followers. It means that God will provide a way for His followers to successfully endure any experience that may happen to them.
Acts 7 records the stoning of Stephen, a faithful member of the early Christian church. Few today can think of a more painful and terrible way of dying than being hit by stones until death. It can be difficult to read the account of Stephen’s death and not think, why didn’t God intercede to limit the extent of Stephen’s experience? The answer may not be readily understood by the world in general, but is clearer to those who have consecrated their lives to God.
Consecration to God means that serving God is the first and highest priority in life; it is “the one thing that one does.” All other priorities of life become so secondary that they are forgotten (Philippians 3:12-14). The transformation is so complete that the consecrated one becomes a “new creature” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). The requirements of consecration are high – faithfulness until death, but the rewards are even higher (Revelation 2:10).
Perhaps because of the coming experience, God allowed Stephen to see a vision of the glorified Jesus “standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). Although Stephen’s expression of this vision enraged the crowd further, perhaps contributing to his stoning, it also surely had the effect of strengthening Stephen to be able to endure the experience. Although his physical body died during the stoning, Acts 7:60 record Stephen’s last words as a plea for the people who stoned him. This expression of compassion and love indicated the fullness of Stephen’s whole-hearted adoption of Jesus’ teachings (Matthew 5:44). Stephen’s “new creature,” helped by God’s assistance, overcame the experience by remaining faithful until death.
The Applicability of Job to God’s Followers: The Scope of God’s Love
Throughout all his experiences, Job remained faithful to God. Some readers of Job may choose to focus attention on the severity of his trials and more specifically God’s permission of them. However, these tend to overlook the conclusion of Job. Although the allegorical conversations at the beginning of the book clearly indicate that God did not cause Job’s trials, the ending of the book even more clearly attest that it was God who rewarded and blessed Job with not only a restoration of what he had lost, but a doubling of it (Job 42:10, 12).
When taken in context with the thought that Job may be a picture of mankind, the true scope of God’s loving nature is proclaimed. Through the sacrifice of his own perfect life, Jesus provided a corresponding price, or ransom, for the sin of disobedience committed by Adam (1 Corinthians 15:22). Jesus’ sacrifice opens the way for mankind to be returned to the state of perfect life originally intended by God. This return, or restitution (Acts 3:21) is not generally understood by most in the world today. In time, however, as the dead are resurrected to life; as loved ones are reunited never to be parted again; as every tear is wiped away; as every heart realizes that there will be no more death; no more sorrow or crying or pain; as all mankind realizes that all of these trials are former things that are forevermore passed away…
… then mankind will finally realize and appreciate the scope of the love of their Creator as He blesses their latter end so abundantly more than their beginning.
For Brother Russell’s thoughts on Job, the allegorical conversations in Job chapters 1 and 2, and reflections on how Job’s experiences relate to both mankind and God’s consecrated followers today, please consider the following Reprint articles:
- The Book of Job (R1505)
- Job’s Experiences Typical of Human History (R5401)
- Christian Common Sense – Subsection Job’s Trial and Integrity (R1779)
Other articles and reflections on Job:
