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Essay on The Holy Bible - Book of Job as an Attempt to Justify the Actions of God

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The Book of Job: An Attempt to Justify the Actions of a Omnipotent, Childlike God

The Book of Job from the Old Testament is a story in which an attempt is made by the Hebrew author to justify the unjustifiable actions of a seemingly malevolent god. The questioning by Job as to why the "good" must suffer is induced by a childish challenge, put forth by Satan and accepted by God, to test the loyalty of Job toward God. The uncharacteristic actions of a supposedly omni benevolent God must be justified in the eyes of his followers, and in the process of doing so, God is made to look like nothing more than an omnipotent child.

The Book of Job can be separated into four natural divisions. For the sake of simplicity one must analyze…show more content…
Hast not thou made an hedge against him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hath blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land..." Satan's retort is meant to say Job is only "good" because his life has been only good. Satan then follows with, "...But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." This childish dare is met with a childlike response from God. God allows Satan to touch all that is Job's with the exception of his person. Job has become a token, a mere pawn in this infantile game. Satan proceeds to take everything from Job. Job's family, his servants, and his herds have been annihilated. This unjustified suffering inflicted upon Job is undeserved and cannot be accounted for with love or any other value typically associated with the Christian God. How can one associate omni benevolence with this juvenile cruelty?

Section two, chapters three through thirty-seven, is mainly Job's questioning of God, and the "Comforters" response to Job's inquisition. Job begins chapter three with the statement, "Let the day perish wherein I was born..." This statement sets the primary theme throughout the chapter, this theme being: "I wish I had never been born." Job cannot see the justice in his suffering. He has led a righteous life, begged forgiveness not only for his own sins, but also those of his progeny, and is repaid for his personal
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