Job: Proving Faith Maxwell Roth College

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, though due to the changing voice within the narrative it is most likely that the book has had multiple authors over a period of time. The exact period, however, is also unknown, and the ambiguity of the historical context and original writer is paralleled with the nature of its conclusion. Job’s severe punishment by the hand of God is exclusively had in order to take Satan up on a bet; the Devil questions whether Job will uphold his faith when God disposes of his servants, his livestock, and his ten children in the space 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. After the fact, Job, a man who never puts a foot out of line, immediately questions why so many ills could have occurred to someone as good as he is. In response, Job mourns and gathers his friends – Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu. With them Job discusses his fate. God and Satan look on, with God hoping that Job keeps his faith, and Satan wishing for Job to curse God himself, Satan says, “Stretch...