WBS.224
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY - 4
The Book of
Genesis took us from the creation (circa 4000 BC),
to the death of Joseph (circa 1606 BC).
Before we continue with the books of the Torah, we must insert a curious book
into this time line.
JOB: (Hebrew:
e’Yov)
The book of Job is possibly the
oldest book of the Tanak. Though there is a difference of opinion among
those who would speculate on its date, there appears to be scholarship placing
its date around the time of Genesis 36, identifying Job as Yobab, the second
king of Edom. If this is correct, then the book would have been written
well before the Torah was given through Moshe.
Gen 36:31 And these were the sovereigns who reigned in the land of Edom before any sovereign
reigned over the children of Yisrael.
32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33 And Bela died, and Yobab son of Zerah of Botsrah reigned in his place.
32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
33 And Bela died, and Yobab son of Zerah of Botsrah reigned in his place.
This Yobab was the great-grandson
of Esau. His father was Zerah, the son of Reuel, the son of Esau.
In the book of Job we find four
"friends" who come to sit with Job in his time of loss and despair:
Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar the Naamathite and Elihu the
Buzite (Job 2:11; 32:2). Three of these four friends can be found in the
Scripture around the same time-frame as Jobab, all of whom would have been
wealthy nomadic princes, thus within his social circle.
Eliphaz the Temanite - (Gen 36:10-15) - Esau's firstborn was named
Eliphaz (half-brother of Reuel). One of the sons of Eliphaz was
Teman. This would make "Eliphaz the Temanite" a son or grandson
of Teman (who would have been named after Eliphaz, his grandfather or great-grandfather).
This would place Eliphaz the Temanite in the same time as Yobab.
Bildad the Shuhite - (Gen 25:2) After Sarai, Abraham's wife, died,
Abraham took another wife named Qeturah. One of the sons that Qeturah
bore to Abraham was named Shuah. It is logically believed that the
descendants of Shuah were the "Shuhites." Abraham was 100 years
old when Yitshaq (Isaac) was born (Gen 21:5); and he was 175 years old when he
died (Gen 25:7). This would place the descendants of Shuah (i.e., Bildad)
around the time of Yobab.
Zophar the Naamathite - There is no record outside of the book of Job for
either Zophar or the Naamathites.
Elihu the Buzite - (Gen 22:20-21) - Buz is identified as the
second-born son of Nahor, the brother of Abraham. There is no record in
the Scripture of the descendants of Buz, but his offspring would have been
identified as the "Buzites." Somewhere along that lineage we
would have found Elihu. Though we cannot identify Elihu in the historical
record in Genesis in order to assert that he lived during the time of Yobab; we
can at least identify his ancestor a few generations before the time of Yobab,
making the prospect of Elihu living in the time of Yobab credible.
If we are accurate in this
identification that Yobab, the second king of Edom, was indeed Iyob; it evokes
some interesting consideration.
1. We see a book of Scripture
dedicated to the trials and overcoming victory of an Edomite. If you will
recall, Esau was the twin brother of Yaqob (Jacob), who later was called
Yisrael, the father of the 12 patriarchs of the Hebrew race. Esau (who
was also called Edom) was rejected from participation in the covenant that
Elohim had cut with Abraham. Yaqob was chosen. Esau was not. Despite the rejection
from the covenant, Esau was mightily blessed in the land; such that Yaqob and
Esau could not dwell in the same land, for their holdings and their flocks and
cattle were too great to be sustained if they remained together (Gen
36:7). Esau, thus, went into the land of Mount Seir. Despite Esau's
rejection as a "child of promise," we observe the incredible blessing
of IAUE upon his descendant, Yobab.
2. Job was very conscious of
the sins of his family, and offered sacrifices on their behalf just in case
they had "cursed Elohim in their hearts." (Job 1:5). Job, an Edomite, feared IAUE,
the Elohim of Abraham. He had not gone after the false gods of the other
tribes and nations in the region. Despite the fact Esau had been rejected
by IAUE, his descendant Job still served Him.
3. This offspring of a
rejected bloodline demonstrated that he could be grafted in to a spiritual
heritage by faith; thus demonstrating that Elohim truly is no respecter of
persons; that His love and grace is extended to all who will repent and
obey...and repentance and obedience are exactly the lessons of this book.
The book opens with great wisdom.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uts, whose name was Job. And that
man was perfect and straight, and one who feared Elohim and turned aside
from evil.
This may have been the source of
one of Solomon's greatest jewels of wisdom.
Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear IAUE, and depart
from evil.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of IAUE men depart from evil.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of IAUE men depart from evil.
The story opens with IAUE bringing
Satan’s attention to how uprightly Job walked before him.
Job 1:8 And IAUE 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 Elohim, and escheweth evil?
For centuries there has been much
discussion and controversy over what happened next. IAUE twice gives leave to
Satan essentially to do his worst with Job, with his family and with his
holdings, with the one proviso that he could not kill Job. The devastation that befell Job in a single
day was orders of magnitude greater than the tragedy that has been experienced
by almost all of human kind throughout human history; and yet Job maintained
his faith in IAUE.
When the news of his tragedy became
known, his friends showed up to commiserate with him; but ultimately they had
to give him a “piece of their mind.” Each in turn provided their assessment of Job,
none of them understanding the truth of his situation. Eventually, IAUE himself enters into the
discussion; and in so doing, many secrets of Heaven and Earth are revealed (if
you are able to detect them).
Despite the controversy (Why would
IAUE let Satan, or even direct Satan to attack a man who was faithful to Him?),
one thing we see clearly in the book of Job is the nature of Satan. Yahushua said in John 10:10 that Satan has a
singular purpose: to steal, to kill and to destroy. An attentive student of the Scripture will
take note of what Satan did and how he did it to better understand the nature
and the ways of the enemy of man’s soul.
We can also see how IAUE can take
the advantage in the midst of tragedy to bring even greater perfection to the
life of his faithful. Satan only desires
to destroy. IAUE desires to build up.
Job may have been the inspiration for James’ comment:
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye
fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your
faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Or the words of the Apostle Peter:
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the Elohim and Father of our Master Yahushua Messiah, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by
the resurrection of Yahushua Messiah from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and
that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of Elohim
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now
for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being
much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Yahushua
Messiah:
Or the words of the Apostle Paul:
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Messiah Yahushua shall suffer persecution.
Or even the words of Messiah,
himself:
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In
the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the
world.
The book of
Job closes with the evidence of IAUE’s restoration of his life.
Next week we will continue with
our survey of the Torah.
Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
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