thoughts on Job
I'm reading through Job again in my regular devotions, and have been struck with a new concept of the overall meaning of the structure of the book--who Job's friends are, and what their arguments symbolize. Job's three friends in the first half off the book are like the Hebrews/Israelites/Jews: they respond to Job's plight with a narrow interpretation that doesn't appear to have room for the complexities of a just, sovereign and merciful God who does things that we in our limited perspective can't rationalize: how can God be in control and allow Satan to cause the pain he inflicts on Job's fortune and family first, and then on Job's flesh? But he does. And without relinquishing his justice, sovereignty and lovingkindness, God does this terrible thing to Job, just as he does it to Jesus later. The mysterious fourth friend, Elihu (who God ignores at the end of the book, unlike the other three), has a slightly different perspective than his elders. I'...