There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. (JOB 1:1 KJV)

If you follow this series, even if you don’t know the story of Job, you should be able to tell from that description of him that he’s in deep trouble. However, I can’t imagine very many readers will be unfamiliar with the book of Job. It is probably the best known example of god screwing over someone who didn’t deserve it.

Job’s life takes a tragic turn for the worse because god makes a bet. He is chatting with Satan one day when he starts to talk about his loyal servant, Job. He tells Satan what a wonderful and perfect person Job is. Satan, though, says that this is only because god has protected Job and caused him to prosper. He says that if tragedy befell Job, he would curse god.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. (JOB 1:12 KJV)

Satan wastes no time. In one day, he has stolen all of Job’s 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys and 3,000 camels. He has also killed his 7,000 sheep and all but a few of his servants. Finally, he blows down the house in which Job’s ten children are eating and drinking, killing them all.

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (JOB 1:20-22 KJV)

Wow! That is some serious faith. Job truly must be the best man on earth. Surely god will reward him for his powerful devotion.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. (JOB 2:3-4 KJV)

God once again gives in to Satan’s taunting. He tells the prince of darkness to go ahead and attack Job directly, allowing Satan to do anything but kill him. Satan covers Job with sore boils from head to toe. Even at this, however, Job remains faithful. When his wife tells him to “curse God, and die” (JOB 2:9 KJV), he refuses to speak against god and explains that humans who are willing to accept good from god must also be willing to accept evil. It’s a poor argument, but very pious. Job sat quietly amongst the ashes, scraping his boils with a piece of broken pottery.

When three of Job’s friends show up to mourn with him, they sit in silence with him for seven days and seven nights before anyone speaks. Job breaks the silence by cursing the day he was born and wishing aloud that he had died at birth. His “friends” then begin to argue with him about the reason for his condition. They tell him that he must be a sinner or god would not behaved in this way. Job maintains his innocence throughout. The debate lasts 37 chapters. With friends like those…

God shows up near the end of the book to answer Job’s questions. Well, actually, he shows up to criticize Job for asking questions. Let me paraphrase… “Hey, where were you when I was making the world? Can you make weather? No? I didn’t think so. Shut up, then. Would you take on the leviathan? Well, the leviathan is nothing compared to me, so step off.” God also goes after Job’s friends, making an interesting statement in the process.

And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. (JOB 42:7 KJV)

Hmmm. Everything Job said was right? Let’s flip back to the debate and see just what Job was saying…

This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? (JOB 9:22-24 KJV)

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man. (JOB 12:17-25 KJV)

Those middle chapters are full of choice tidbits like those, said by Job and later confirmed by god. One of my favorites is when Job says that even if he made himself completely clean, god would throw him in a ditch and make him so dirty that even his clothes would hate him.

Let’s review. God tells Satan to destroy the life of the most righteous and loyal man on earth and kill his family. When that’s not enough to make Job curse god, he turns Satan loose on Job himself, but Job remains loyal to god. Rather than rewarding him at this point, god shows up personally to belittle him. Before departing, god admits to generally jerking mankind around. At the end, he gives Job back all of his stuff (twice as much as he had originally) and grants him ten replacement children, but this is clearly too little too late. The damage has been done. Dick.

~I AM~