Mark A. Copeland
The Book Of Job
Concluding Thoughts On The Book


In preparing this material and teaching the book of Job, I have found it to be one of the more challenging
books of the Bible. Its challenge was related to several things:

w Knowing God would later rebuke Job and his friends for things they said, it was
difficult to discern when to take what they said as "gospel", and what would incur
God's wrath.
w Some of the illustrations or points being made were difficult to follow. This may be
due to cultural differences, or perhaps the Hebrew proved to be a challenge for the
translators in conveying the thoughts of the speakers. Or maybe it was just my own
dullness.
w Elihu remains somewhat of an enigma to me. The Lord neither condemns nor
approves what Elihu had to say. There are times it seems he is saying the same thing
as Job's three friends, that Job is suffering due to his sin; e.g., when he says that Job
"adds rebellion to his sin" (34:37). I do see a major distinction between Elihu and
the others, in that Elihu focuses on Job's suffering as a disciplinary expression of
God's grace, as opposed to simply a punitive manifestation of God's wrath. I also see
how Elihu's admonition for Job to "stand still and consider the wondrous works of
God" (37:14) prepares Job for what is to follow when the Lord finally speaks.
Perhaps it best to say that Elihu serves as a transition between Job's friends and the
Lord himself, presenting thoughts that will make it easier for Job to consider what the
Lord Himself will actually say.
Despite its challenges, I find the book of Job fascinating and filled with much good for the Christian.
Studying the book of Job...

w We can learn of God's power, wisdom, and sovereignty in the world
w We can see how men of God grappled with the question of God's justice
w We can observe that God does take notice of the righteous
The book also provides an answer to the challenge made by Satan. There are people who will serve God
even in adversity, for God is worthy of our praise apart from the blessings He provides. May we be such
people! That doesn't mean we won't have questions for which answers can't be found in this life. But
with the book of Job we can learn how the righteous should suffer, how careful we should be in
comforting the suffering, and to accept the fact that we can never fully comprehend God's working in
our lives and in the world. From this book of Job, we should see the need to have the faith beautifully
expressed by the prophet Habakkuk:

Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;

The Book Of Job 44
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