No 6  Job and Jesus―Lives in Parallel

While the story of their lives may parallel, they are not identical. A man can never equal God. Job will always be a sinner. Jesus will always be the sin-pardoning Saviour. While Job may be declared righteous in his sphere, his righteousness comes from the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Job’s righteousness was lent to him―ascribed to him―righteousness was not inherent within Job himself.

God will ever be the Source of Righteousness―man the receiver. The same with perfection. While God may declare Job to be perfect, his perfection was not that of Christ. The sun (Jesus Christ) is the source of earth’s light. The moon (Job) only reflects the sun’s light. Likewise, a type is never the anti-type. They only resemble.

                           Both had Wonderful Lives Going On

Both Job and Jesus had wonderful lives going on. This statement begins a multi-part parallel of their lives.

Job was wealthy in lands and livestock. He was a respected leader in his community. A family man. But his greatest wealth was measured spiritually. As he was well-regarded by men on earth, he was highly-esteemed in heaven.

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually (Job 1:1-5).

Jesus was fully God and co-equal with the Father. As the One who did the handiwork in the creation all things, Jesus was the adored Son of the Father. With the Father, Jesus was recognized as the Supreme Being of the Universe and was worshipped by all creation. The whole host of heavenly angels and the beings of the unfallen worlds delighted to praise Him. They reveled in the tender love and sustaining care shown to them continually and without fail. The bond between the Members of the Godhead was reflected in the bond between creature and Creator.

Both Job and Jesus had wonderful lives going on until . . .

Satan Forcefully Thrust Himself into the Lives of Both

In one fell swoop, Job lost much of the substance of his life. 7,000 sheep. 3,000 camels. 500 yoke of oxen. 500 she-asses. A very great household. Servants. Shepherds. Hired hands. Job lost his family (except his wife). 10 wonderful children destroyed. Then his high-level health and wellness was reduced to pain and misery. Constant. Continual. Unrelenting. For a moment, of that spirit which he could retain, he exclaimed, 

Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21). What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? (Job 2:10). In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly (Job 1:22). In all this did not Job sin with his lips (Job 2:10).

Jesus met the intrusion of Lucifer (Satan) head-on with the plan of salvation foreordained before the foundation of the world (1 Pet 1:20). This plan was based on love―for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world (John 17:24). This intrusion resulted in a controversy which has extended from heaven to earth and yet progresses to this day. 

7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Rev 12:7-9).

Satan was defeated at the cross of Calvary, and will ultimately, completely and finally be destroyed at the end of the 1000 years prophesied in Revelation Chapter 20.

Forcefully

Job’s wonderful life was forcefully taken from him―he was robbed. However, Jesus voluntarily surrendered His wonderful life―He was not robbed of His glory in heaven. Job did not choose his predicament. The Son of God did.

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:6-10).

Naked―from his Mother’s Womb

In his moment of trial, Job wished he had never been born―that he had never come from his mother’s womb. Jesus, however, unequivocally declared that for this purpose He had come to be born of a woman:

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour (John 12:27). These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee (John 17:1). He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1John 3:8). 

One Common Tie between the Two

                  [ Job ]      [ Jesus ]

                                                                 ↘                                ↙

                                                              ↘                   ↙

                                                                     ↘      ↙

Three Men on Camels―to Job

While Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar were not following a star to find Job in Uz, it is reasonable to picture them riding on camels--the common mode of transportation in those days.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him (Job 2:11).

Three Men on Camels―to Jesus 

Traditionally, we speak of three wise men (their actual number is not given in Scripture) also pictured as riding on camels following the star to find Jesus.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him (Matt 2:1,2).

Three Men on Camels―to Jesus―Brought Gifts

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh (Matt 2:11).

He who never slumbers nor sleeps was watching over His beloved Son. He who had rained manna from heaven for Israel and had fed Elijah in the time of famine provided in a heathen land a refuge for Mary and the child Jesus. And through the gifts of the magi from a heathen country, the Lord supplied the means for the journey into Egypt and the sojourn in a land of strangers (Ellen G White, Desire of Ages, page 65).

Three Men on Camels―to Job―Brought Words

Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar did not bring gold, frankincense or myrrh. They did bring something which would become of inestimable value to Job's spiritual well-being. They brought words. While it was scathing, outrageous and scandalous how they presented those words to their hurting friend, yet those very words would begin a stream of thought in Job's mind which turned his thinking around. While they were given to shock and sting, Job would become grateful for them.

Please send questions or comments to Will Hardin at P O Box 24 Owenton KY 40359.