Trust Us
We Know What We Are Talking About
Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.”
Job 5:27 (ESV)
Recall the author Victor Hugo? He wrote The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables. He once made the statement that if all of literature was lost and we had only one we could keep, he would pick The Book of Job.
Why would he say such a thing?
Today Job (pronounced Jōb) is one of the obscure books of the Old Testament, possibly the oldest, no one is really sure. It fits into a group of books of poetry along with Psalms and Proverbs, and is also considered wisdom literature. This means it contains lessons worth learning. In spite of this, most readers today find it a difficult read and so it is mostly avoided. Of course, I think you need to read it.
The theme of Job is on the question How should good people suffer?[1] And it is written in a structure similar to an ancient Greek play. It is filled with dialogue -- some people arguing with Job trying to explain why his suffering is the result of some secret horrific sin he refuses to confess; and Job trying to explain why he is innocent of committing a sin deserving such punishment.
As with all great literature, there is more to the story. We the audience or readers know something the players in this drama do not. The book opens with a scene in heaven between God and Satan, and Job is the subject. Here we learn that Job will endure a suffering that is not the result of him sinning or being a sinner, but because Job is actually considered righteous by God. Satan argues that the reason Job is good is because God is protecting him.
This sets up the test.
What will a good man, someone who loves God, do when he encounters suffering? And make no mistake about it. Job's suffering is beyond the pale. No one in literature personifies suffering as much as Job does.
One of the challenges of this book is that the arguments on both sides have a reasonable ring to them. They are ideas we hear even today about why people suffer. “They deserve it!” is a good argument until you are the one suffering, then it just heaps more coals on your head. No doubt about it, Job's suffering was enhanced by the visit of his three so-called friends.[2]
What I would like to do is make a comment on the above quote, "We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself."
This is the final statement of the first "friend" to try and explain why Job is suffering. What he said represents the opinions of many. He explains that righteous people don't suffer and since Job is suffering, he therefore cannot be righteous. Nothing like a good dose of false nebulous guilt to aid in recovery. It’s easy to judge the circumstances of others without having a real clue about the matter.
I think had Job taken this friend’s advice, he would not have recovered. It was, in fact vital, that Job speak up and actually put words to his own pain, even when he had no idea why he was suffering. It was necessary as part of setting the stage for his complete and profound healing.
So, three take-aways here.
1. Not everything you read in the Bible is true. You must always understand context.
2. No, your friends have not examined anything about your problem and are not automatically right about things.
3. Learn to go to God directly and don’t be afraid to voice your complaints. It’s a part of your healing.
[1] Note that the book is not about why people suffer. Job never receives an answer to this question even though this is what he wants God to tell him.
[2] Later two others visit Job and their words actually aid in Job's recovery. I'll let you read the book for yourself to find out more. I don't want to give away a good ending.