Bible Studies

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Paper 1
English 103

Colin Bernreuter
Turned into: Prof. Joshua Wren


In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. –Job 1:1



In order for man’s continued existence, perseverance is key; that innate drive to strive towards success, or even survival. It earns respect. It requires humbleness. Most of all, it requires faith. The biblical figure, Job, serves as the pinnacle of perseverance. His steadfast faith in God through undeserved calamity and the constant judgment from his friends, is a model on which, not only Christians, but all people, should seek to achieve.
In the prologue, God reveals his intentions regarding the suffering of Job. According to God, “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job 1:8) Satan takes this opportunity to confront God about Job’s faith. God allows Satan to inflict pain on Job and his possessions which include his family, animals, and his own body. After his failed attempt to sway Job’s faith, Satan once again returns to God. He states that the only reason Job is defending his faith is because God has allowed it to be so, as he asks “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has, you have blessed the work of his hands?” (Job 1:10) God once again grants Satan’s request and removes His protection from Job. He does this to prove Job’s worth, and in my mind, to show His own omnipotence. He knows that Job will remain faithful to the point of death, but allows these things to happen only to strengthen Job. These events prove to be instrumental in Job’s lamentations later on. We can all attest to some point in our lives where we lose hope and just throw our lives away. His actions going forward give the reader inspiration and courage that no other figure at the time could, to live a holy life even amongst times of hardship and unrest.
During the ordeal, Job’s friends and wife try their best to console him, but quickly their consolation becomes ridicule. Whether the friends were influence by Satan to say things such as “curse God and die” and “your winds are like a blustering wind, or their way of thinking is simply flawed, they prove to be a slight roadblock in Job’s rehabilitation. (Job 2) Soon after their advice begins, it seems as though Job will do as his friends suggest and plead to God for mercy. Crying out, he curses the day of his birth, the womb that bore him, and claims to be a laughingstock. While it is complaining, he has a point. He has done nothing to deserve this, and is simply venting his anger while maintaining his stature as a holy man. He doesn’t blame anyone, especially God, for inflicting pain on him; he simply asks why it was done. Similarly, Abraham was considered righteous, even as he was about to sacrifice his own son. He remained faithful while performing acts that, in our culture and society, seem to show lack of faith and righteousness. It is first here that he comes to believe that God is his tormentor. While his reasoning is distorted, Job seems to agree with his friends that he has done wrong and God is justly punishing him. This is ironic in that, if Job had heard the conversation between God and Satan in the prologue, I doubt that he would have nearly as much angst and anxiety as he currently has. His friends continue to try to sway him saying things like, “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless or strengthen the hands of evildoers.” (Job 8:20) Later on, in the Book of James, the author uses Job as an example of compassion and mercy after perseverance. He is called “blessed” among the people. (James 5:11)
In their minds, and possibly earlier in Job’s, it doesn’t make sense that God would persecute the righteous, while leaving evil ones to grow prosperous. Why would God leave one of his most devout followers to be struck down, both physically and emotionally? I cannot begin to fathom the knowledge of God, but it is my faith that leads me to believe that in our weakness, He shows his strength. In the same way, the apostle Paul writes in his second letter to the Corinthians, “My (God’s) grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) As Job’s trials continue, I see his faith slowly begin to strengthen. For example, in Job 12, he says “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.” Job understands that he, like me, cannot fathom the mysteries of God, but still knows that He will show love to His children and pass judgment on His enemies.
Even amidst his many challenges, Job was able to keep his trust in God, rather than in himself. Many times, people choose to take the easier road, rather than the road less traveled. Job proves that the easy road, listening to his friends and challenging God, is less fruitful in the end, than the difficult path, trusting God while human logic says otherwise. Job is an exceptional man, but a man none the less. We as human beings often struggle with trust and faith, but we can take heart knowing that we have a role model in Job to look up to.

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