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Essay / Faith Proven in the Book of Job
The book of Job in the Holy Bible is the story of a righteous man, living in the land of Uz, whose faith is tested by God and Satan. The author of the text is unknown, but due to the shift in voices within the narrative, it is highly likely that the book had multiple authors over time. The exact time period, however, is also unknown, and the ambiguity of the historical context and original author is paralleled with the nature of its conclusion. The severe punishment of Job by the hand of God is exclusively intended to engage Satan in a wager; The Devil wonders if Job will maintain his faith when God gets rid of his servants, his cattle and his ten children in the span of a day, that said, God believes that Job is one of his most faithful servants and insists that his faith will not waver in the face of adversity. In hindsight, Job, a man who will never deviate from rank, immediately wonders why so much evil could have happened to someone as good as him. In response, Job cries and gathers his friends – Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and Elihu. With them, Job discusses his fate. God and Satan are watching, with God hoping that Job keeps his faith, and Satan wanting Job to curse God himself, Satan says, "Stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face" [1 ]. Job is on the verge of losing his faith after being questioned and accused by his friends, but he keeps it throughout the story, proving that God was right in his bet with Satan. Although Job continually challenged God to give him his day in court, at no time did Job curse God to his face, as was predicted by Satan. So God must be right in thinking that Job was too pious in his faith. to curse him. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay To understand Job's demands to go to court against God, it is essential to first understand the judicial culture of the time. At the city gates, the elders gathered and formed a court; the court would judge cases brought to it by the people. Job says, “But I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to plead my cause with God.” »[2] In saying this, Job is challenging God's judgment, not God's power, and desires to see Him in court. Furthermore, Job remains in awe of God. For example, Job emphasizes that he would approach God as if he were a king.[3] Job maintains respect and faith in God, as evidenced by Job's language, regardless of his other requests to God. Nevertheless, Job shows that he believes himself to be perfect and more powerful than he really is, as Elihu points out.[4] Since this is incorrect in God's eyes, Elihu is not obligated to pay homage to God afterward. In response to Job's claims that he was completely righteous, God said to Job: "'Shall he who finds fault fight against the Almighty?' Anyone who argues with God must respond. »[5] God gives Job the opportunity to sue him, but never actually pleads, because he knows he cannot defeat God. Obviously, Job never curses God, but only attempts to test his power by bringing him to justice. Job questions God throughout the book, but his belief remains stable; he only questions it, but still believes in God, a crucial distinction. Job declares: “Oh, if I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; when his lamp shone above my head, and by his light I walked in darkness; when I was in the prime of life, when the friendship of God was upon my tent; when the Almighty was still with me. »[6] Job claims that at one time he was loved by God, but 42:8