My Paper On Job Life

Who I chose to write my character study paper over was Job and his life influenced by god’s grace, mercy, and evilness. The dominant theme of Job is the difficulty of understanding why God the creator of everything can allow good people and followers of his to suffer. In Job he is trying a way to justify God’s actions. The poetry in Job is a true dialogue, for the characters develop ideas and unique personalities throughout the course of their responses. The Book of Job is one of the most celebrated pieces of biblical literature, not only because it explores some of the most profound questions humans ask about their lives, also because it is extremely well written.

The theme of the Book of Job is the perseverance of the human spirit. Job loses everything but he does not lose his faith in God. “Job refuses to curse God” (Book). Job has not done anything to deserve this, but it is a test from God and Satan to see if Job is actually as

     Job is a man very limited by God. As illustrated, he has only a negligible amount of agency to begin with. By the time God and Satan finish with him, he has virtually no control over his own life. The fragment of agency he does cling to is his ability to choose whether or not to curse God. No one, except himself, could prevent Job from cursing God. Yet, he refuses to curse God, even though He is responsible for his suffering.

Each character in The Book of Job was given a specific role. The main hero is Job with his rich but complex nature. As one can deduce from the name of the book, he plays the most important part. His wife, even though appearing rarely, also has an essential role of showing the readers the opposite of her husband. The authors structured her in a way that readers can compare two spouses’ personalities and ponder which one had a better reaction on the book events. After all the tragedies, happened to the family, Job’s wife chose to abuse God and commit suicide. Her behavior proves readers that her faith in God largely depended on the gifts, He was providing. She showed us an example of a person, who Satan was speaking about on the heaven council. Job with his behavior, which is the opposite to his wife, only verifies his faith in God. He refuses to listen to his wife and insists that he have done nothing to deserve the sufferings.

Everything god does should be judge in terms of the reason behind the action rather than the direct visible effect of the action. (756

7-8). God responds with “Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, And caused the dawn to know its place?” (37; 38. 12). This allows Job to accept that there is no such thing as imortality in his religion, and accepts God’s will, for Job cannot understand God’s will.

Job 's trials were not just casual, so-called blows of fate, but had an immense and profound meaning. Job experienced severe tests in which every time he manifested brilliantly; firmly clinging to the Lord. He became to the realization that the world offers nothing but injustice and misery.

In line with Bible Study Tools Job 1 a prologue, he said “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.” (Job 1 NIV) He is overwhelmed by the sudden loss that he removed his robe and shaved his head. He was willing to let go since he had nothing to live for. However, in the mist of this devastation Job still worshiped God.

Furthermore, when Job tries to question God further and explain himself, God says, “Gird your loins like a man; / I will ask, and you will inform Me.” (Job. 40.7.). Through this line, God is able to establish authority over Job, by turning the questioning on him. Furthermore, God shows that Job shouldn’t question Him in the first place when he says, “Where were you when I laid the earth's foundations? / Speak if you have understanding” (Job. 38.4.).

The Book of Job tells the story of a man who is a servant of God, “perfect in integrity, who fears God and avoids evil.” (Pg.6). The story centers on the profound suffering Job faces when an Accusing Angel decides to challenge Job’s faith in God (pg. 6). As Job is tested the following questions have risen from its readers. Is Job patient?

But he continues to be loyal to God, in spite of his own wife suggesting to curse God for his suffering. Hearing of his illness, his friends visit Job and they convey their advice. It is at this point where Job curses God, as he cannot handle his pain or his friends and their beliefs that his sin is the cause of his suffering and that he must repent in order to be saved. The following upbraiding proves too much for Job, and he grows sarcastic, impatient, and afraid. He laments the injustice that God lets wicked people prosper while he and countless other innocent people suffer. Job wants to confront God and complain, but he cannot physically find God to do it. He feels such wisdom is hidden from human minds, but he still remains God-fearing. God finally interrupts, calling from a whirlwind and demanding Job to be brave and respond to his questions. Overwhelmed by the encounter, Job acknowledges God’s unlimited power and admits the limitations of his human knowledge. God returns Job’s health, providing him with twice as much property as before, new children, and an extremely long life.

Stump discusses the story of Job not to provide a theodicy or a defense for the issue of suffering, but to interpret a specific solution to suffering as it pertains to Job and his circumstances. Stump observes that contemporary interpreters often overlook the dialogue between God and Satan, believing it is not philosophically or theologically significant. In contrast, Stump uses the interaction between God and Satan as one of two main explanations for Job’s suffering. The other explanation is derived from the dialogue between Job and God. Upon close examination of both aspects of the book of Job, Stump argues that the idea and mechanisms of divine providence become clearer.

God never condemns Job’s doubt or despair . . . He actually seems to appreciate it.

The Book of Job shows a change in God's attitude from the beginning to the end. At the beginning of the book, He is presented as Job's protector and defender. At the end He appears as the supreme being lecturing and preaching to Job with hostility, despite the fact that Job never cursed his name, and never did anything wrong.  Job's only question was why God had beseeched this terrible disease on him. I intend to analyze and discuss the different roles God played in the Book of Job.

Job argues with each man, never wavering in his insistence that he is guiltless. This great debate continues until Job becomes tired of his friends' ill advice and expresses his desire to argue his case with God himself. His friends fall silent, knowing that they cannot sway Job from his self-righteousness. God then appears to Job as a powerful whirlwind and questions Job, unmercifully, as to whether he could perform the works of God. It is through this barrage that Job comes to accept, without question, his lot, and the awesome power of God.