Apparently, even before the Law was given by Moses, the Lord’s attitude toward treating one’s fellow man was known and understood. Clearly, throughout the friends’ arguments, it is understood that, not only did they recognize the wealthy had a responsibility toward the poor, but even their own prosperity was governed by their behavior toward those less fortunate than they. Paul wrote of the earlier times, when God was known by mankind, but men didn’t appreciate the Lord or trust in his faithfulness to reward them according to their ways, whether good or evil (Romans 1:18-24). Instead of desiring to know the Lord and behave like him, vis-à-vis be his image (Genesis 1:27), they excluded him from their lives and embraced experimentation (cp. Genesis 3:6).
Thus, they trusted in their own thoughts for quick gains in wealth and power over others (cp. Romans 1:28). In doing so, they became very wicked and hateful toward one another (Romans 1:29-32). Thus, the Law wasn’t a revelation of God’s will, as much as it was a revelation of the wicked behavior of mankind. In other words, the Law was a kind of mirror that revealed the evil nature of a man’s heart, in that he was living apart from God (cp. Romans 3:20; 7:7).
Yet, Job didn’t behave according to the trend mankind had taken after the Flood. Instead, he gave to the poor and lifted up the hopes of the widow (Job 31:16). Job’s kindness and mercy extended beyond his household, beyond the kindness he extended toward his own servants. He reached out in mercy toward the stranger and to his less fortunate neighbor. In other words, rather than behave himself according to the trend mankind had been taking away from God, Job’s worldview embraced the poor and the stranger, and he blessed them out of his own reserves.
When the Lord created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), he brought order out of chaos (Genesis 1:2), by bringing light out of darkness (Genesis 1:3), hospitable quarters out of the inhospitable (Genesis 1:6-10), by providing food for the needy (Genesis 1:11-12), and bringing forth life in abundance to enjoy what was his (Genesis 1:20-27). In other words, in the beginning there was no lack of food or hospitable quarters for those who lived on earth, whether human or animal. What was consumed, was replenished in abundance, and it was in this context that Job provided for the less fortunate. He took from his own reserves and gave to the poor, feeding and clothing them (Job 31:16, 19-20), trusting the Lord would be faithful in replenishing Job’s kindness in abundance, because he was imitating the Lord’s own heart, which he had unveiled in his own creation. So, Job didn’t cling to his own wealth, as though it was truly and utterly his own. Rather, he made the less fortunate his own responsibility (Job 31:17), as though they were his own family. Even as a young man (probably born to wealth) he behaved himself, as a father to the poor, and, as a guide (a husband) to the widow (Job 31:18).
Moreover, Job didn’t always behave himself according to what was his own right. Even when wronged or when the weak stood in his way, Job treated them with respect. In other words, Job didn’t use his great power of wealth or even use the prevailing laws of the time to wrong or otherwise force the weak to comply with his wishes. God doesn’t force us to do according to his will, even though God’s desires are in the right and for our own good. Job behaved himself likewise. He allowed the weak to prevail, when they were opposed (Job 31:21).
For woe unto Job, if he used what God had given to him (his wealth and authority) against one of his creatures who was unable to legitimately oppose Job. Calamity from the Lord was a serious concern for Job, because he recognized in the Lord’s original plan (cp. Genesis 1) that God acts against disorder or whatever produces chaos and disaster. If Job used his God-given wealth and power to destroy, the laws the Lord put in creation for order would react against him to right the wrong done (Job 31:22-23).
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