What was the point of the book of Job ?

Question

basically; God takes a perfectly happy dedicated person, destroys anyone or anything positive in his life, leaves him with nothing except his faith that God must have a reason for doing this, to prove a point to the devil that his faith is unshakable...

now... God is omniscient... he already knows whether Job would break or not... so what possible reason would he have for the horrors he commits upon Job ?

I understand the explanation that God was testing Job, but what I'm saying is that God would already know the end result so why bother, and pointing out that during this story, God kills all of his children, wives, employees etc. just to prove a point... they were innocents...

It seems some of us read different Bibles, the version I read, the Devil merely points out the details, that if God took it away (his wives, his children, his health etc.), Job would no longer love God, and so God takes those things away to prove otherwise that Job loves God not for what God has given him but because he is God.

Answer 1

see, these books were written in a time when people were being treated like crap. their families were killed, farms were destroyed, their entire lives ruined by monarchs of the day. you had to give people some sense of comfort, otherwise they'd be likely to revolt against their rulers.

Answer 2

God is right no matter what.
Satan is evil because he questioned authority and because he carried out the details of the challenge he raised after God gave him permission.
Job acknowledges that God is right no matter what. He acknowledges that even when he (Job) does everything he possibly can to live a good life, he doesn't deserve any rewards but should be happy when God condescends to give him some.
God puts everything back the way it was in the end -- from Job's perspective. There are still the ten dead original kids and his wife had to go through ten more pregnancies.
So, for a male-dominated culture where women are baby machines and children are rewards from God, and the record-keepers explain that to you, this is a book to get you to accept your current situation no matter what. It might be a test of Satan, allowed by God. Or it might be just plain bad luck. Or maybe you should move somewhere where you can make better friends.
Suzanne

Answer 3

That God plays dice with the devil, and that we should remain faithful to God whether our lives are good or bad. All to often you hear people blame God for the bad things we go through in life, The bible says the sufferings of this life will seem as nothing compared to the joy we will have in the kingdom of God. Also think of this if a person is rich and they thank God and praise him would they feel the same if they were poor some people get tested on this point. And what about a person who is poor and praises God if they become rich do they forget God because money provides for all their desires. For some people it takes for everything to be taken from them before they cry to God for mercy.

Answer 4

God new it, but the devil didn't know it. The devil put God to a test. He told God that if God would take away the protection around Job, the devil would make Job sin and cuss God. God had faith in Job, so God took the devils test, and won. God didn't take take or do anything to Job, the devil did. God rewarded Job back.

Answer 5

To show us all that no matter what trials we may go THROUGH, there will be justice and reward in the end.
It may not be the way we planned it, but it's usually better than we could have imagined.
To the rest of the world my life is pretty much reason to "jump". To me, I've never been happier.
God gives us "Job" as a perspective.
Keep going. Persevere and you will triumph- a few scars come into everyone's lives. My scars are well worth the immense love that lives within me.
God bless. Love you!

Answer 6

Satan did the afflicting, not God.
Job learned a lot and it teaches us that even though
bad times come through the evil of this world,
God is trustworthy to the end - always. Job received twice as
much good as he had and had stronger faith in the end.
It was an extreme example to prove a point.
It also showed how friends can come along and try
to figure it all out, but can get it wrong too.


It was Satan who did the afflicting:

Job chapter 1

12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Answer 7

The story of Job is confusing to many sincere readers --what actual parts did satan and God play ?

Here is a great Truth gem that I now see in there: Job: 42:5

Job was freely granted the SALVATION of a Vision of God ! So am I on May 24, AD1977 and eternally Spirit Born in Jesus here in Spirit ! (John 16:7-16 Rev 21:3-7 others)

If any want to peruse what our Master Jesus Christ teaches on this, (about 5 pages) click on my email link in my Profile.

Peace and progress,
Brother Dave, a Jesusonian Christian Truthist
http://www.PureChristians.org/ Gospel enlarging website,
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Come and share !

Answer 8

the book of job showed a number of basic biblical teachings...
it is a lesson for us.
if we are wise, we will take it to heart ... along w/ all the other lessons God shows us. the Bible is our instruction manual for life.... read & apply to your life.

- nothing can separate you from the love of God unless you allow it (rom. 8:38-29)
- fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (matt.10:28)
- God has mercy upon those He will have mercy & heardeneth those He will harden (rom.9:18)
- if we continue throughout our life to live for God no matter what tribulations come our way ... if we don't fall away from the truth ... we will be greatly rewarded.
- God is able to do more abundantly above what we can even do or think (God rewarded job w/ more in the end than he had in the beginning)
- we love God not b/c of what He can do for us ... but b/c of WHO HE IS. (job didn't continue in faithfulness b/c he knew that God would reward him in the end; job continued to love God b/c God was God)

Answer 9

It was not God who tried to destroy Job. It was Satan. God simply removed his protection from Job so that the Satan could try his faith and love of God. I think there are alot of good lessons in that book. For one all of the people he thought where his friends turned out to be anything but, even his wife turned on him accusing him falsely proving that all men will let you down and turn on you but God never will. It also shows that patience and endurance bring great rewards, not only in this life but eternally.

Answer 10

There are lots of good answers here . My slant. It teaches people not to listen to people that know less about a subject than you. It also shows that lots of times it is satan that causes trouble in our lives. It teaches that if you do things God's way that God will keep you safe from satan. In other words God is our protection from satan. Didn't satan himself tell God that God has put a wall of protection around Job? And that if some of that wall was removed that He would cause trouble enough that job would hate God? So we have learned that God protects us from satan. And if that wall is starting to come down it is because of our own inequity and sin. And if that wall starts to come down it isn't God's fault , He is just reacting to our actions. The blame lies squarely on us not God.

Answer 11

God doesn't bring revelation for His sake, but for our sake.
Job discloses that most important information of the existence of an Adversary who is the enemy of God and man. It further discloses the sovereignty of God who is absolute in authority and does whatever He pleases. It also shows us His ultimate mercy and goodwill, despite the fact He sometimes exposes even His beloved to trial and suffering. You seem to have forgotten that God did not leave Job in his sufferings, but that he is now forever blessed, and I am convinced so are his 20 children.