Are you an expert on the Bible (please read details)?

Question

Okay. My Fiance and I were discussing the story of Job. She is disturbed by it. I used to be very disturbed by it, and I still am a little bit bothered by it even now.

My Fiance asked "Wouldn't Job still miss his children who died?"

I used to think about how terrible Job's situation was. I failed to understand why a loving God would even care what Satan thought about Job's faithfulness.

Why would the God I know make a deal with his arch-nemesis? Would did God care what satan thought? Did he allow Job to go through the tortures of the damned just to prove a point to the devil?

God is not evil. He is not cruel. He is pure and good. Then how and why would be even allow satan to be in his presence? Why would God entertain satan's plans?

Did Job truly exist, or is the story merely a parable?

Thank you for your help- God bless.

Answer 1

I believe Job actually exists. The reason God would even entertain the idea's of Satan at that time was because Satan had accused God of having rules to keep His subjects in check instead of to keep them safe. When he allowed Satan to attack Job, he was not just doing it to prove anything to Satan, there was an entire host of angels and other beings watching who had also brought God into question. Many had doubts about why they had to follow God's rules.

Satan wasn't cast out of heaven until God's love was proven completely at the Cross. At that time, there was no longer any doubt to 2/3 of the angels that God has their best interest at heart. Satan then lost his ability to access heaven.... but woe to the earth, because he knows his time is short.

Satan was accusing God of "displaying' job as an example of a good human and the only reason he was good was because God had given him such great things. (mind you... all the angels were watching to see the outcome, not just Satan) That is why God allowed Satan to mess with him because He had to prove that Job was faithful even though his life wasn't perfect and not only because he was blessed.

He also serves as an example for us today. Our lives get hard and even though we know God loves us, it is good to know that hardship in no way shows a disconnection with God. Even faithful Job had hardships.

Now, as for killing the kids.... we all know that nothing can replace the loss of a child. However, God also knows that earthly death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Only God knows who will be resurrected to life and who will be destroyed. If they were headed to eternal life, this would have been an end to their suffering here on earth. If they were headed to destruction, letting them live longer would not have changed the outcome. (God knows this) Therefore, God allowed Satan to test him to his very limits, to prove to Satan that Job was faithful regardless of what God had blessed him with, and at the same time proving to Satan that God is Righteous in His decisions and His judgment of various situations is accurate and justified.

Answer 2

Of course Job would miss his other children.

God allowed Job to be tested. He knew Job was a faithful man. Satan challenged Jehovah in regards to Job's integrety, saying he was faithful only because he had good in his life. Satan said if all his good things were taken from him, Job would curse God. Jehovah proved Satan a liar.


EDIT: Those who comment that God has his reasons are lame. The account in Job tells us the very reason why it happended. If you actually read the account, you will see the reason. Not because God knows, or has his own reason, we just have to have faith...those are weak and untrue!

Same thing with Jesus. Jesus was tempted by Satan, and God allowed this to happen.

Answer 3

The book of Job is considered history. Job was a real person, and these were events that occurred. It is the oldest book of the Bible, there is no mention of the law or the Hebrew people.
The book can be broken down into three sections, the afflictions, the conversations with his three friends, and God revealing Himself to Job. God is completely sovereign over all the events. Satan could do nothing without God's permission. It was not so much to prove a point, it was God revealing Himself in this fashion to those who would read this book years and years later. God knew exactly what Job would do, it was no surprise to Him. Job remained faithful through it all. The lesson is that affliction and hardship will come upon all, even those considered "righteous". It also shows that God is fully in charge, that He knows exactly how much affliction to allow to fulfill His purposes. Satan is called the "accuser of the brethren". He stands in the court of God, accusing His children of sin. Christ is our advocate, our lawyer, who declares each and every sin as paid for.
The second part reveals the folly of human wisdom in trying to understand the ways of God. God's ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts higher than our thoughts. We get into trouble when we try to figure out God or His ways using our own flawed reasoning. We often come up with "bad" theology ("You must have done something wrong for God to afflict you like this!").
The third portion is God revealing Himself to Job, in great detail. It shows that God is involved in every detail of life on earth, from the creation and the mighty works to the feeding of animals. We don't find any other book where God reveals Himself and His workings like the book of Job.
We may not fully understand the whys of this book, but we can know that God is sovereign and fully in control of all things, that affliction happens to those who are His, and that God is fully capable of restoring what was lost.
I think the most insightful thing job said was this:

Job 2:10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish ones speak. Also, shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Answer 4

You are awesome - Job was real.
If God wanted you to have such a purpose as to defeat Satan in a significant way, even with some great loss, but knowing in the end God will make things better (because he is God), would you do it? Those who love God would. Job's faith was witness to true life in God, and what he gained far, far outweighs the losses. God is a rewarder of the faithful, never fails - ever been through a trial? Ever come out wiser, more Christ-like for it?
Job is now in eternity with riches that outweigh anything that happened, and we gain from reading about it. Job 39- 42 is probably the part of scripture that has rocked me more than anything. Probably millions of others too... God knows what he is doing, always.

Answer 5

When you see things through spiritual eyes you may observe a different story. The children were taken to God. There is no better place for anyone to be.
Sometime into the future another would come. He would be tempted in every way all men are tempted and would be blameless in this life. This particular righteous man would be brutally tortured and killed. Job's life was not required. Indeed, that was the condition placed upon Satan. The other man would be the one to die, the one who's nature is Divine.

Answer 6

That is one of the many questions I kept asking my mother's pastor when she converted to Christianity. I wanted to respect her religion and read the Bible several times, and I never understood exactly what you ask. It seems backwards. I can only tell you what that pastor told me. I don't get it, but maybe you will. He said that it is one of those stories that is meant to show you that your faith in God should withstand everything. God did what he did for his reasons and it is not our place to understand everything that God has done. Basically, in the long run what God did was better, even though we may not now understand it. He said that Job was not sad, he was a hero. God showed to those who were skeptical that his true followers won't quit just because the going gets tough. Job's reward is heaven. I hope this answer helps you. I find a lot of things in the Bible confusing. A theologist once told me that perhaps the story is mistranslated, or just related incorrectly.

Answer 7

sure they're acceptable with reference to the trinity dogma. The Roman Catholic Church is amazingly clean that the trinity dogma isn't a coaching of scripture yet of the clergy. They view the clergy as having the superb suited and authority to coach/interpret The Scriptures any way they want and that no person else has this acceptable. whilst the dogma of the trinity got here in to the church that's additionally whilst the persecution of folk who disagreed got here into the church. The spirit of persecution is the spirit of devil. whilst Nicea became into convened there have been 304 bishops attending out of a conceivable 5,000 bishops of the church. those 304 presumed to chat for the full church and got here up with the trinity. there have been different different councils noted as that have been attended by employing majorities of the bishops and those anathematized the trinitarian teachings of Athanasius yet they do no longer want to chat approximately those councils. Eusebius, the 1st church historian exterior of scripture, became into against the trinity. that's why he's not noted as a saint yet he's noted as a good source of church history. Trinitarians want anyone to think of the problem became into settled in 325 however the communicate has by no potential long previous away. 325 did no longer even communicate with reference to the holy spirit and what it became into and how if figured into the newfangled trinity. That got here later at Chalcedon. maximum individuals that say the believe interior the 'trinity' do no longer additionally be attentive to what that's. that's a capture word, buzzword, notwithstanding you want to call it that the 'in human beings use.' side element: Constantine became into supposedly 'converted' on his deathbed and baptized as an 'Arian Christian' by employing an Arian bishop. Even pagans be attentive to a million+a million+a million=3, no longer a million.

Answer 8

the story of job is one of the twisted stories of the bible.

if we should do good to go to heaven and receive our riches there, then why did god gave back job more than what he had, beautiful children and more wealth? does this mean that reward is on earth also? and why did god put emphasis on wealth as a return value? why not "and god brought job into heaven where he became happy ever after"

another point, if suffers can be done here on earth by satan or even by god, then i don't want to live anymore, because that would be unfair, i tried so hard to be good and even if you are good bad things can still happen then why live at all.

another point, in the beginning of the story look at how much wealth is valued as an indicator of obedience to god, does this mean that if you are not wealthy then you are not with god?

i believe that

god is a fair god, he doesn't cheat his own rules. he gave us the universal rules and in order for us to survive is to follow those rules, he must also follow those rules.

if he said, a tree will get its energy through photosynthesis, the tree should get energy from photosythesis. if god plays all the time with these rules than scientists will not even arrive at any conclusion. we human being will just say this is a mad universe. but if you observe very well, the universe has universal rules.

"god gave us reason not religion"

Answer 9

This story is about staying strong in adversity. Job didn't stop missing his children, but he wouldn't give up. He also refused to blame God for what happened to him. You can do that when you appreciate the blessings that you still have, even when you are going through terrible times.

Answer 10

What better way to expose the the true mission of the devil than to let him run his scam for all to see. The story points out two very important facts. 1. God has the supreme power over all His creation and can restore anything lost. 2. The evil one is bent on destruction for the sheer joy of evilness. His mission is to destroy as many of human souls as he can. That's why its so very important to be covered by the blood of Christ. Hell is not going to be a big party and the treatment of Job, by the devil, is a foreshadow of what is going to occur when God removes protection and the unbelievers are fully exposed to Satan's wrath.