1520 B.C. – 44 Chapters – 1070 Verses
The scenes in this book are laid in the far distant east, in the ancient country of Arabia, “the only land in all antiquity that never bowed to the yoke of a foreign conqueror.” Its customs, manners, and people, are almost identical with the earliest ages of mankind; thousands of years have passed away, and yet the charming simplicity of patriarchal life, as exhibited in Abraham and Job, may be witnessed still in that ancient and interesting country, which has maintained its primitive character, while empires and kingdoms have flourished and fallen.
In Job, we have man put to the test. We might say, with our present knowledge, man renewed by grace, an upright man, and righteous in his ways, in order to show whether he can stand before God in presence of the power of evil, whether he can be righteous in his own person before God. On the other hand, we find the dealings of God, by which He searches the heart, and gives it the consciousness of its true state before Him. It is a book written upon the moral government of God in this world, not with a nation such as Israel, but with a God-fearing, prosperous man, yet one whose conscience had not been searched in the presence of God and in the light of His holiness. It carefully details the process by which a man learns the utter worthlessness of the flesh in its best estate. Will human righteousness avail for God? In the details of the book, Satan is used as the servant of the divine purpose for breaking the will of man, hence his power is permitted, limited, and directly controlled (chs. 1-2); it is in principle what we find in Christianity (1 Cor. 5:55To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:5)). Job is also a book without dates, hence is neither characteristically dispensational nor historical. The book is also cast in the early patriarchal times between Abram and Moses — the latter being regarded by many as the writer of the book. The age of Job (ch. 42:16) and other considerations point to this ancient and inspired document as being, probably, as old as the Pentateuch. Job was no mythical personage, nor were the circumstances merely imaginary as some have strangely and unbelievingly supposed; the testimony of the prophet Ezekiel (ch. 14:14) and the apostle James (ch. 5:11), should effectually silence all such unbelieving thoughts, which are simply the product of the dark and wicked heart of man.
Job’s friends, Eliphaz and Bildad, each addressed him three times, Zophar twice, and Elihu once. Eliphaz was calm, dignified, and temperate, and, as the eldest, commenced the discussion. Bildad was more heated, more direct and personal too in his attacks upon Job. Zophar distinctly held Job responsible for the trouble which had come upon him, and speaks in a hasty, impulsive mood. Elihu, the youngest of the group, speaks, when all are silent. He vindicates God in His dealings and ways with man, and reproves both Job and his friends. Here we have the utterances of one who is standing for God — a true witness for Jehovah, and the interpreter of His character and ways as displayed in His moral government in this world.
Those speeches and Job’s answers, form a deeply interesting discussion upon the principles of the divine and moral government of this world. The reasonings of Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, were to the effect that the earthly government of God in the temporal prosperity of some and in the deep afflictions of others, were according to God’s approval or disapproval of their conduct, and thus the measure of His dealings towards men, a principle both false and dangerous, and one which Job thoroughly exposes both by argument and fact. Job’s nothingness is exposed in light of God’s power (chs. 38-39), and his vileness in light of God’s presence (ch. 40). Satan retires from the scene after chapter 2. This use of Satan to accomplish the divine purposes — God using his artillery against himself — is a truth of much comfort to the saint (1 Cor. 5:55To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5:5); 1 Tim. 1:2020Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. (1 Timothy 1:20)). “All power is of God” — divine, satanic, human. God is the source of all power, as He is of all goodness. Hence He limits and controls its exercise as it pleaseth Him and for the blessing of His own.
General Divisions
Chapters 1-2 — God Himself raising the question with Satan as to His servant — Job’s integrity.
Chapters 3-31 — Job’s mournful complaint and the eight speeches of his three friends with Job’s replies — the subject being the earthly government of God.
Chapters 32-37 — Elihu justifies God in all His dealings and ways, and silences Job as before Job had silenced his three friends.
Chapters 38-42:6 — Job owns his nothingness and vileness before God; the divine object being thereby gained, self-judgment, confession, and utter loathing of self are the precious points of God’s controversy with His saint and servant.
Chapter 42:7-17 — God turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends and the blessed conclusion and happy issue of all.
Division by Argument
Besides those General Divisions, the contents of the book may be thus divided and arranged: —
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God, Satan, and Job
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Chapters 1-3
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THE ARGUMENT STATED
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The address of Eliphaz
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Chapters 4-5
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The answer of Job
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Chapters 6-7
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The address of Bildad
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Chapter 8
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The answer of Job
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Chapters 9-10
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The address of Zophar
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Chapter 11
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The answer of Job
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Chapters 12-14
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THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
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The address of Eliphaz
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Chapter 15
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The answer of Job
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Chapters 16-17
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The address of Bildad
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Chapter 18
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The answer of Job
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Chapter 19
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The address of Zophar
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Chapter 20
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The answer of Job
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Chapter 21
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THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
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The address of Eliphaz
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Chapter 22
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The answer of Job
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Chapters 23-24
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The address of Bildad
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Chapter 25
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The answer of Job
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Chapters 26-31
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THE ARGUMENT CONTINUED
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The Speeches of Elihu
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Chapters 32-37
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Jehovah addressing His servant
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Chapters 38-41
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Job’s brokenness of spirit, and happy conclusion
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Chapter 42
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