The Book of Job is one of the seminal works in the history of human civilization. The book has been immortalized in the course of human history owing to its interpretation of the supreme theological power of God and the relationship with mortal beings on earth. The protagonist of the book, Job, can be seen as a prototypical character that embodies the relationship between the Almighty and mortal beings in the transient world. The book goes on to explicate the motive of God as well as the various lessons that can be learnt from the description of Job’s life in the course of the writing. A close introspection about the matter in context would explicate it to one and all with utmost clarity.
One can very well comprehend that God wishes to test the resilience and strength of character of the people in the mortal world. A person might believe in God and respect him, but that does not mean that unpleasant situations would not befall the person. (Wilson) God goes on to test the people on earth by putting them in trying situations that would push them to the very limits. Likewise, Job is put through a lot of agony- something that could have easily made him give in to the impediments and brutalities of life and existence. God intends to make it clear that having faith in the Almighty might not mean that the person is free of any sort of pain or ill-fate. After all the pain and test, if a person still believes in the omnipotence of God and piety of worshipping the Almighty, the person would pass the test he or she is subjected to go through at the will of God. God’s motive is to teach the mortal beings the importance of acceptance.
One has to comprehend the fact that there are many lessons that are to be learnt from the book in context. It would be correct to opine that Job’s life is an echoing proof of the fact that humans have no idea regarding the action of God that happens latently in one’s life. Humans might wonder why bad things occur in the lives of good people. The people who believe in the paramount power of God have faith in the fact that God is always in the control of the situation no matter how worse it is. Nothing goes on to happen by chance in the mortal world. Job believed that God was in absolute control, although he has no comprehension of the reason behind so many tragic incidents happening in his life. Nonetheless, Job did not lose his immense faith in God. He showed his devotion and respect to God even in the midst of the most heart-wrenching circumstance that went on to put him to extreme test.
One might find it to be quite hard to envisage that he went on to lose everything he had in just one day. He lost his possessions, property and even his children. It is understandable that most of the people would have succumbed into depression after facing the wrath of such a horrific nightmare in their lives. But, Job never went on to waver on his belief that God still had the utmost control on the situation of his life. One comes to know that Job was provided with ill-advice from all his three friends who even pointed to the conjecture that Job might have indulged in some sort of grievous sin for which he was being punished by God with such immense misery. One has to take into consideration the fact that Job had an intimate relationship with God. He even went on to proclaim that even if God killed him, he would still have his faith on God. He promised to defend his ways. This goes on to communicate the lesson among the readers that one should never lose faith and trust in God.
It has to be taken into consideration that Job went through a lot of torment in the physical and mental form as he lost all he had. However, Job always believed that there would be redemption for him in this life, and God would soon shower his boon on him and do justice. (Waters) Job went on to learn the lesson in his life that the days of humans were numbered and the time could not be changed in any way. Thus, Job went on to exude his spiritual depth in the course of the book. Just like Job, the people of the world are also meant to develop depth of spiritual self so that they can live a peaceful life all through irrespective of the ordeals. In this way, the lesson of importance of spirituality is communicated with the readers of the book though the innate message of the literary work.
It has to be taken into consideration that the book of Job goes on to provide the avid readers a glimpse that makes it clear how life is separated from the heavenly state. The readers come across right at the inception of the book that Satan along with the fallen angels somehow gets access to paradise. One gets a fair idea about the fact that Satan is engaged in exercising his evil on the mortal world. The book also goes on to explicate about the pride or arrogance of Satan. Thus, the readers come to understand that Satan is truly evil in nature. The book communicates the lesson of refraining from sins, while it also establishes how people should refrain from being arrogant or nurture any other negative traits. The writing encourages people to live a life that is encompassed by the emotions of faith and respect toward God. Any sort of immoral activity can render a stained relationship between the mortal being and the Almighty.
It would be correct to opine that one o the most important lessons that the readers can learn from the book in context is that God does not owe any answer to any person for his actions. Thus, the readers get to comprehend that it might be so that one never gets to know the reason behind the sufferings. However, paramount trust should be kept on the Almighty. The ways of God are simply perfect, and hence people need to have trust on the actions that are taken by him. It is quite possible that mortal beings would not be able to understand the ways of God. However, it is the primary responsibility of humans to tread on the righteous path and be obedient to God. (Parsons) People require submitting to the power and will of the Almighty, irrespective of understanding it or finding it incomprehensible. One finally gets to find the Almighty amidst the trials in life. Thus, Job never loses hope, and remains faithful to his belief in the omnipotent power in the universe.
Thus, the book in context goes on to communicate a number of lessons to the readers of the text. These lessons that reach out to the people try to convince them regarding the omnipotence of the Almighty, and how weak and insignificant mortal beings are in front of the divine power. The mortal beings are meant to uphold the respect and position of the supreme power of God. It is via the process of having blind faith in the God that people can tread on the righteous path. God is omniscient and paramount in his power and position. In this way, the book goes on to influence the readers regarding the relationship between God and humans, and how humans need to acknowledge the will and strength of God under any possible circumstance in life.
Works Cited
Parsons, Gregory W. “The Structure and Purpose of the Book of Job.” Bibliotheca Sacra
138.550 (Apr. 1981): 139-57. Web. 30 June 2015.
Waters, Larry J. “Reflections on Suffering from the Book of Job.” Bibliotheca Sacra 154
(October–December 1997): 436–51. Web. 30 June 2015.
Wilson, Leslie S. The Book of Job: Judaism in the 2nd Century BCE : an Intertextual
Reading. Maryland: University Press of America, 2006. Print.
