The Book of Job opens by describing Job’s character. He is a very good, moral person (Job 1:1). In other words, Job faithfully followed God, and for all intents and purposes, there was absolutely no reason for God to punish him. However, is that what God was doing? Keep in mind that the story of Job takes place in ancient times, probably during the time of Abraham. If Abraham had to be taught what God was like, certainly other folks at that time were ignorant too. Therefore, if they were to learn deep truths about the Lord, God had to break into their lives in some way and bring them to the point, where they would understand him better, and, in doing so, correct their then current, but false, worldview.
Remember what we have been taught from the scriptures: we walk “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6). In the words of the New Covenant text, we might say: “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2Corinthians 5:7) or we are saved “not by works of righteousness… but according to his mercy…” (Titus 3:5). Put in terms that the Lord wanted Job to understand: “By grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourself: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest (you) should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Job was a moralist, as were the friends and Elihu. Nevertheless, being a moralist doesn’t translate into being close to God, no matter what one may assume today. That’s legalism! It’s pharisaical, and Jesus taught that, if one desired to be in the Kingdom of God, a person’s righteousness had to surpass that of the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). And, by the way, Jesus didn’t mean one had to be stricter with the rules. Rules never saved anyone. Jesus saves! It is entirely possible to be very moral and still miss what Jesus tells us. Job was a moralist, but he was without a good relationship with God. This didn’t make him evil, but it does show that he was lost, according to New Covenant terminology, vis-à-vis Job was lost in moralism, lost in good works. He wasn’t able to see what was truly important. In other words, being a good person doesn’t necessarily translate to doing the will of God!
Let’s consider how Job 1:1 aligns up with how Noah is described, when God called him. We are told: “…Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9). So, if we compare Noah with Job, we would be able to see that both were righteous. However, the text doesn’t say Job walked with God, but Noah did (Job 1:1; cp. Genesis 6:9). Simply put, it isn’t possible to earn one’s salvation through works of righteousness. Rather, it is walking with God that points to one being saved.
Notice, as we read on in the Book of Job, what the text tells us, as this pertained to the behavior of Job’s children: “And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings, according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus, Job did continually” (Job 1:5). It seems, if we consider this verse a little deeper than a casual read, we might be able to see beyond Job’s deed to his motive. What Job seems to be going is: he isn’t trusting God, as much as he’s making sure that he does the right things at the right time. In other words, he is a works-orientated person, rather than a faithful person. Although one could depend on or trust Job to do the right thing at the right time, one couldn’t say Job was a man of faith. He didn’t depend upon God, as much as he thought to appease him for an imagined error or sin. It is almost as though Job saw the Lord as simply waiting for him to slip up, after which the Lord would lower the boom (cp. Job 3:25)!
So, what’s the take-away? Job’s religious life is all about works. While he may want of follow the Lord, he has a distorted view of what God expects of him. Job believes he must earn his keep with God, and there doesn’t seem to be any room for grace and trust. Job isn’t a bad man, but he is lost and trapped in a never-ending loop of doing good works in order to be worthy of God’s blessings. What can be done to save him out of this pitiful condition? Into this context, the Lord stirs the pot, as it were, with the words: “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil” (Job 1:8), and, thus, begins the Lord’s work of salvation for Job.
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