The Character of God: The Book of Job

The Book of Job is often held up as an example of God’s mercy and goodness. If only we believe in God and do not turn from him even in bad times, we will be rewarded with God’s grace and mercy. After all, in the end, after everything Job had been through he did not turn from God and God rewarded him as described in Job 42:12-17.

42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
42:13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
42:14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
42:15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.
42:17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

But let’s examine this “mercy” and “goodness” from God a little bit more.

1:1 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.

According to Job 1:1, Job was “perfect”, “feared god”, and “eschewed evil”. And God being all-knowing, would know that this was because Job was truly a good man and not just because he had been successful. However, God goes along with Satan’s plan to test Job – he actually gives his permission for Satan to do anything he wishes as long as he doesn’t actually kill Job. Anything.

1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
1:8 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?
1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
1:12 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.
1:13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
1:14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
1:15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
1:16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
1:17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
1:18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
1:19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Matthew Henry’s commentary on the above is as follows:

Job's afflictions began from the malice of Satan, by the Lord's permission, for wise and holy purposes.

Satan brought Job's troubles upon him on the day that his children began their course of feasting. The troubles all came upon Job at once; while one messenger of evil tidings was speaking, another followed. His dearest and most valuable possessions were his ten children; news is brought him that they are killed. They were taken away when he had most need of them to comfort him under other losses. In God only have we a help present at all times. (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, BibleGateway.com)

Malice of Satan? God clearly gave his permission to Satan to do these horrible acts against Job. While Satan may be malicious, God is clearly no better as he allowed an innocent, pious man to be punished in the worst way possible – by the loss of his children. For any parent, this is a fate worse than death. But God has no problem with it and Henry states that it is for “wise and holy purposes”. Wise and holy purposes? How does this show wisdom or holiness? God already knew the final outcome as he knew Job’s heart and mind; Job was already “god-fearing”. Did God do this to teach Satan a “wise” lesson? If so, couldn’t he have done it in a manner that didn’t require the deaths of Job’s children? There is no shred of wisdom or compassion shown by God in this story.

Henry says “In God only have we a help present at all times”. Excuse me? Help at all times? God not only didn’t help Job, he authorized the whole thing. With friends like that, who needs Satan?
Since Job refused to rebuke God, Satan and old Jehovah tried again.

2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.
2:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
2:3 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.
2:4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
2:5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.
2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
2:8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

So after additional God-sanctioned torment, Job still refuses to turn away from God. And his reward?

42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
42:11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
42:13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
42:14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
42:15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.
42:17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

Notice Job 42:11: “and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him”. This verse gets it right: the evil that the LORD had brought upon him. The rest of the chapter goes on to indicate that God had blessed Job more at the end of his life than at the beginning. Matthew Henry’s commentary on chapter 42 explains further:

In the beginning of this book we had Job's patience under his troubles, for an example; here, for our encouragement to follow that example, we have his happy end. His troubles began in Satan's malice, which God restrained; his restoration began in God's mercy, which Satan could not oppose. Mercy did not return when Job was disputing with his friends, but when he was praying for them. God is served and pleased with our warm devotions, not with our warm disputes. God doubled Job's possessions. We may lose much for the Lord, but we shall not lose any thing by him. Whether the Lord gives us health and temporal blessings or not, if we patiently suffer according to his will, in the end we shall be happy. Job's estate increased. The blessing of the Lord makes rich; it is he that gives us power to get wealth, and gives success in honest endeavours. The last days of a good man sometimes prove his best, his last works his best works, his last comforts his best comforts; for his path, like that of the morning light, shines more and more unto the perfect day.

“His troubles began in Satan's malice, which God restrained”; what restraint? The fact that Job wasn’t killed is supposed to be restraint? Apparently our families are worthless in God’s eyes; as long as we stay alive to worship him, which is all that matters.

“God doubled Job's possessions. We may lose much for the Lord, but we shall not lose anything by him.”. Job lost everything of importance by God’s will. And apparent as long as you end up with a new family in the end, the loss of the old one is no big deal.

I have read several commentaries, posts, and other explanations of the Book of Job, but no matter what anyone says, I still do not see how this shows God in a good light. In my opinion, it shows God as an accomplice to murder, destruction of property, and biological attacks. It illustrates how God is willing to do anything to prove that the only thing that matters is worshipping him. Job’s life, his pain and suffering, meant nothing to God; all that mattered was showing Satan, that Job would be dumb enough to still cling to God. And to God, what’s the big deal, a little inconvenience for Job, after all he restored it all in the end (except of course his kids, he had to get new ones. He sure showed that Satan, didn’t he. Now pay up Satan, you lost the bet. What was the wager anyway? Oh, yeah, that’s right, God was playing with our lives.
Fortunately, I don’t believe in God or Bible as any sort of revealed truth about God; it’s just another big book of fairy tales. But for those who do believe in it, how can you possibly think that God is good or just or merciful in any meaningful sense of those words?