Interpreting the Book of Job

  • Thread starter Thread starter Truthstalker
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Truthstalker

Guest
How literally should we approach the book of Job? Did Job live and did the events portrayed actually happen, or is story that represents truth? Is it literature more than literal?
 
Study the Four Senses of Scripture in the Catechsim. I believe its Paragraph 101 - 115
 
Hi,

Yes Job lived and it is a true story. If it was not true it would not have been written as Scripture. Job is thought to be the oldest book in the bible. The book of Job gives us insight as to how we can lose it all but still have faith in God. Look at how much God allowed Job to lose and yet Job did not forsake God. It reminds me of how faithful I need to be especially in times of hardship. In Job’s case he lost everything except his wife(Isnt that interesting:D ) Any one of us can be Job and through it we can be comforted by God. I personally think that the unknown author was inspired to write about Job so we had an example of how to perservere during fiery trials and tribulations. There is also some good history in there of truly ancient times.😉
 
Job’s plight and fortunes tell us something that we should always treasure

The will of God is perfect
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Hi,

Yes Job lived and it is a true story. If it was not true it would not have been written as Scripture. Job is thought to be the oldest book in the bible. The book of Job gives us insight as to how we can lose it all but still have faith in God. Look at how much God allowed Job to lose and yet Job did not forsake God. It reminds me of how faithful I need to be especially in times of hardship. In Job’s case he lost everything except his wife(Isnt that interesting:D ) Any one of us can be Job and through it we can be comforted by God. I personally think that the unknown author was inspired to write about Job so we had an example of how to perservere during fiery trials and tribulations. There is also some good history in there of truly ancient times.😉
Click to expand...
If it was true, does that mean God had to take a challenge from Satan to judge Job? Wouldn’t God know what was in his Soul? Excellent message however, and the only important thing about the story is you get the meaning behind it.
 
EBSSTF4 said:
If it was true, does that mean God had to take a challenge from Satan to judge Job? Wouldn’t God know what was in his Soul? Excellent message however, and the only important thing about the story is you get the meaning behind it.
Click to expand...
God often tested people, don’t you think? Wasn’t Abraham tested by God? Of course God knew what was in Job’s soul. Maybe by testing people, God is allowing them to glimpse what is in their own soul.

Abraham re-affirmed that trusting in God is the only way. Job learned that patience and trust in God will win out in the end, as well. And Billions of Christians have learned a valuable lesson from God’s testing.
 
EBSSTF4 said:
If it was true, does that mean God had to take a challenge from Satan to judge Job? Wouldn’t God know what was in his Soul? Excellent message however, and the only important thing about the story is you get the meaning behind it.
Click to expand...
No God didn’t have to take a challenge from Satan to know Job. God knew all along what would happen. Satan did not, Job may not have been absolutely certian… Do you know exactly how you’d feel in Jobs place, even though you weren’t there? God works everything together for good according to His plan. God’s foreknowledge dosn’t mean the story is not true.
 
If it is true, which version is true. My understanding is that there are two endings.
 
NotWorthy said:
God often tested people, don’t you think? Wasn’t Abraham tested by God? Of course God knew what was in Job’s soul. Maybe by testing people, God is allowing them to glimpse what is in their own soul.

Abraham re-affirmed that trusting in God is the only way. Job learned that patience and trust in God will win out in the end, as well. And Billions of Christians have learned a valuable lesson from God’s testing.
Click to expand...
Job being tested isn’t so much the story (for me) as is the question, “why?” God’s answers with the Divine “because”.
 
Whether it is historically true is debatable. It is written as a poem, and there could be no eyewitnesses to the conversation between God and his angel. Stylistically it is written in a way that connotes a story much more than connotes a historical fact.

But more interesting, perhaps, is the eternal question. Are bad things always divine punishment for something we have done? If Job was righteous, then did God act randomly? God seems to support this conclusion in a way, when re takes Job’s 3 friends to task and says, basically, “Job was right”.

It is impossible to really understand the book of Job without getting a headache. And even then…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top