The idea of justice and good people suffering is a point first brought up in the Old Testament in the Book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah is the first author in the Bible to question God’s allowance of good people to suffer and bad people to prosper. Jeremiah was punished for speaking the word of Yahweh. The people of Judah hated him and punished him as a traitor to his country. He questions why Yahweh would let this punishment, not only of himself, but of his people, to occur. The Book of Job re-asks this question, for Job is a loyal man of Yahweh, who is put “on trial” because of a bet between God and Satan, who sits on his council. Job has everything taken away from him, is persecuted by his friends, takes his case to a “trail-like” atmosphere and is rewarded for his loyalty to Yahweh in the end.

This book brings to light a few questions that need to be answered: 1. Are the arguments presented for Job’s suffering satisfactory? 2. Where does Job’s friends’ loyalty lie, with him, Yahweh or elsewhere? 3. Was Job’s “reward” for being loyal just, or was it just compensation for being accused for something he did

This chapter could be considered Job’s preparation for his “court-date” with God. Job is “practicing” an argument to the court in his defence. One could also see this as a subpoena for God to appear in court. Gabel and Wheeler state: “…Job pleads that God appear (in court, as it were) and state plainly what wrong Job has committed that warrants such ill fortune. (119).” This address, that God can hear (for He hears all), is a message (or a subpoena, as stated before) for God’s court to hear him out and allow him to defend himself. Aren’t all men allowed to defend themselves or is God above that?

Finally, Job gets an answer, but is it really an answer? Yahweh answers Job in a form of questions, belittling him, but why? More testing? Why would Yahweh tear him down like this? Babel and Wheeler state: “…we must not that the hero’s (Job) harsh judgment of the justice of God was muted by the author himself by having Job admit, after God has responded to him so crushingly, that he has been in over his head and has spoken of matters too great for him to handle. (123)” What has Job spoken of that is over his head? The truth? Nothing? All Job did was ask for an answer as to why he is suffering. He knows that he has done what he was supposed to do. He prayed and made sacrifices, but to what avail? To have his family taken away, his life ruined and a cheap buyout at the end. This is almost like the movie “The Fugitive,” where a man is falsely accused of a crime (sin), is sentenced (suffering) and is given a cheap watch and a buyout to say…”I’m sorry.” Thanks, but no thanks. He got everything back, but he got nothing back. He got a do-over with a new family, friends possessions, etc., but not the original. He got a new life, but the life was not the one he knew, but one set up for him to live as an apology.

Bildad responds next, arguing from the idea of theology. God is just and therefore God cannot be the cause of human suffering. Therefore, if God is not the cause of suffering, humans are. According to Bildad, Job’s children died prematurely because they sinned. Since God’s justice is beyond question, Job’s children must have been sinners. In other words, Bildad believes in the same doctrine of retribution as Eliphaz does. Bildad suggests that Job is responsible for his own future. He must seek God and if he does, God will reward him. Then, Bildad practically accuses Job of not staying close to God. Bildad says evil people flourish only for a short time (8:14-19), and escape is possible for Job but depends on Job himself (8:20-22). He believes he was consoling and wise, but the audience knows that he has been cruel and also portrayed God as cruel.

Zophar, Job’s third friend mocks him and attacks him directly. According to him, Job’s complaints are babbling nonsense and Job’s suffering is less than he deserved. Zophar claims that God’s ways are incomprehensible; therefore, in questioning God, Job is blaspheming. Although Job cannot know the mind of God, ironically Zophar does, e.g. that certain people are deceptive (11:11). He also believes that if Job would repudiate sin, his life would return to brighter than noon. Zophar falls into the same trap as Eliphaz and Bildad in defending the doctrine of retribution, inevitably picturing God as unloving and humans as deserving nothing but sufferi

Some topics in this essay:
Babel Wheeler, Eliphaz Bildad, God Job, God Satan, Gabel Wheeler, Gabel Wheeler’s, Proverbs Job, God Bildad, Jeremiah Jeremiah, Bildad Zophar, god job, job answer, believes god, job believes, book job, loyalty yahweh, god god, eliphaz bildad, job believes god, job’s suffering, god appear court, job admit, performs sacrifices prays, sacrifices prays yahweh, prays yahweh behalf,