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've come to see him more like the new testament Church who still struggles with this God that doesn't fit into our conceptual box--who inflicts harm while still loving his children. Yet his struggle with this great God is one that doesn't deny him the right or power to work that way, and even accepting this tension of such characteristics of the Lord, doesn't hinder devotion to him.

Because I'm only at the midpoint of the book--where Job truly hits bottom in chapter 19--my thoughts on Elihu are nascent. I'm looking forward to revising my previous viewpoint of him. I used to see him as a more energetic, creative composite of his three elder friends. I wonder if my hunch will be borne out...

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