06/17/2022 – Day 110 / Job 31 – 32 // link attached – 22 ways to find Jesus in the Book of Job
22 WAYS TO FIND JESUS IN THE BOOK OF JOB
So, actually I have to articles here with some crossover. I will add some of my own commentary on just these two chapters, looking back at the dialogue between Job and his three friends.
https://catholic-link.org/6-lessons-book-job/
And, one of the six really seems to go against the grain: “Do not anesthetize the pain”.
Yes, Job is defending himself with his colleagues. We can interpret it as a whine against God. But look at 20:12 , Zophar’s flippant venomous accusations amidst his suffering: “Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him.” That to a man that is going through horrific physical suffering.
And he has testified a faith and a hope redeemer in spite of the suffering, by the grace of God. Again, this is 1,500 years before Yeshua’s incarnation and many years before the prophecies of the messiah. Look at an earlier pronouncement of amazing faith declared by Job to his colleagues: “Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands? Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.” Job 13: 13-15.
So, we need to cut Job some slack if he sounds like Soloman in Ecclesiastes, my summary: Life is futile, only a breath, and we return to the dust. Do some people suffer from God’s justice of their sins here! Yes. But the ancients here in Job can’t get off the track that is the only root cause for suffering. It fell flat on life’s observation though: there was no shortage of souls who thrived on earth here , regardless of leading a terrible sinful life against their fellow souls.
A 2nd root cause then , is suffering leads mysteriously to our highest calling as imitators of Christ. And that gives glory to God! And this is substantiated in the story in Job through our readings and the summaries of these two link articles.
And the 3rd cause: random. Jesus asked the people : Were the people that were killed from the tower collapse at Silom due to their sin? The question suggests his answer is it doesn’t fall under the 2nd cause below. Plus, none of them may have lived long enough to even begin to give glory to God, for it may have been instantaneous death.
Let’s keep solidfying these themes in our study through this lengthy ancient of ancients in books.
Soli Deo Gloria!