The book of Job can be a difficult book to grasp. Understanding Job brings with it many challenges. For example, it's difficult to identify a clear date and author for the book of Job. Was Job an Israelite? Was Job even real?

In addition to some of the literary challenges to understanding Job, there are the presuppositions about the story of Job that we bring with us into our reading. Many people see Job as a theodicy (an explanation of the relationship between God's goodness despite the presence of evil). Some people go into Job simply looking for help understanding human suffering. Many people go into Job looking for an answer to the question; “Why do bad things happen to good people?” The book of Job addresses all of these things to some degree, yet there is more to Job.

I'm not convinced that the primary purpose of the book of Job is to answer the questions; "Why is there suffering?" or "Why does evil exist?" I think Job primarily answers the question, "Why does the fear of God exist?" or as Dr. Mike Plunket phrases it, “Why do the righteous stay righteous, even in the midst of suffering?” I base this on Job 1.9.

The first five verses of Job give a brief biographical sketch of the man, Job. He's healthy and wealthy. He has a large family. His is described as "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." Job was "the greatest of all the men of the east." Job was righteous.

Verses six through eleven give us a glimpse of what is happening spiritually, in the heavenlies. There is a meeting of the Divine Council (spiritual beings, Psalm 82). [The] Satan (adversary) appears at this gathering. The Lord commends Job to Satan as; "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." This is now the second time that Job has been described in this manner.

At this point, the Adversary, Satan, asks the question that the rest of the book of Job answers, "Does Job fear God for nothing?" The implication, or accusation, of this question is that Job only fears God because God prospers Job. Satan's accusation continues, "Have you not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased...but put forth your hand now and touch all that he has, he will surely curse You to Your face." As Dr. Mike Plunket points out, “Job is not on trial, God is on trial. Job is IN a trial.” Satan is the prosecutor and Job is the witness.

Essentially, Satan is accusing the relationship between God and Job. Satan believes that Job only fears God because God prospers Job. God's response is to permit Satan to afflict Jobs wealth, but not his health. The attack on Jobs health will come later. Throughout these attacks on Jobs health and wealth, Job continues to fear God. It turns out that Satan’s accusation proves false, Job fears God for virtuous reasons, not because God has always prospered him.

While Job does address the issue of theodicy (an explanation of the relationship between God's goodness despite the presence of evil), I believe that Job is primarily an apologetic (defense, answer, explanation) of the fear of God in the hearts of righteous people.

Mike Plunket says it this way; “[Job} is more about what motivates our righteousness than the reason for suffering.”

While it would be anachronistic to say that the book of Job confronts the prosperity gospel, it would be accurate to say the Job does address many of the underlying presuppositions that the prosperity gospel is based on.

The primary errors of the prosperity gospel seem to be; 1) Material prosperity is a sign of spiritual maturity, 2) Poverty is a sign of spiritual immaturity, sin or God’s displeasure, 3) Prosperity is proof of righteousness, 4) Lack of prosperity is evidence of a lack of righteousness. Job exposed all of these errors before they ever coalesced into what we now call “the prosperity gospel.”

It’s important to identify what what questions or issues the book of Job addresses before going into Job. If you begin studying the book of Job looking for reasons why people suffer, I’m not sure that you will be totally satisfied. If you go into Job asking the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” you must be sure to balance Job with the rest of scripture. But if you go into Job asking; “Why should I fear God” or “Why do the righteous stay righteous even in the midst of suffering?” you should be satisfied and edified by what you find.

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Recommended Resources:
Bible Project: The Book of Job (7:14)

Works Cited:
Dr. Mike Plunket. Job Series Part 1. Risen King Church. New City, NY. Oct. 2nd, 2016
https://risenking.life/sermons