No 14 The Times of JobThe times of Job may be considered from various perspectives. We will review several.
What is Not in the
Book
We can begin to understand the times of Job by noticing
what is NOT in the book. For example:
1)
Moses is never mentioned
2) Neither is Egypt
3) Nor the Exodus or the Red Sea
4) Nor the
wilderness wanderings
5) Nor the formation
of the Nation of Israel
6) Nor Mt
Sinai and the giving of the Law
7) Nor the conquering of the Promised Land
8)
Nothing about Israel
9) Nothing about the major or minor prophets
So . . . the Times
of Job
Point No 1 places him before Moses, Egypt, Israel,
and Sinai.
When Did Job Live?
The story takes place during the patriarchal times. Who
was a patriarch? What is the definition of a patriarch? What were the times of the patriarchs? How is a patriarch
described? A patriarch would be one of the “first fathers” (the word
is built upon pater
= father). The patriarch would be the father or ruler of a tribe or family. This would include
the founders of the Jewish race and religion.
Abraham was a patriarch. Now consider how great this man was, unto
whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils (Heb 7:4). The twelve sons of Jacob were patriarchs. And he gave him
the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and
Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs (Heb 7:8). David is described as a patriarch. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto
you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us
unto this day (Acts 2:29).
While David is given as a patriarch, the heads of
families previous to Moses’ time (especially the line of men in Gen 5, are usually referred to by this title. With the
exception of David, the patriarchs are typically those men who were founders of the races and tribes of the Bible. The
patriarchal times may be given as the times before the establishment of the theocracy and nation of Israel. Characteristic of
these times was the head of each family or tribe (the patriarch) acting as governor of his people and acting as priest of
his household. Additionally, in a patriarchy the right to govern was passed to the first-born son.
Ellen G. White describes Job as a patriarch. The patriarch Job, looking down to the time of Christ’s
second advent, said, Whom I shall
see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another (Job 19:27) (Reflecting Christ, page 212).
So . . . the Times
of Job
Point No 1 places him before Moses, Egypt, Israel,
and Sinai.
Point No 2 places him in the times of the
patriarchs.
Job’s Times Were
Similar to Abraham’s Times
In the first few verses of the book, we learn that Job's
wealth was measured in livestock, and also that he served in a priestly role for his family. That's Abraham era-stuff.
So . . . the Times
of Job
Point No 1 places him before Moses, Egypt, Israel,
and Sinai.
Point No 2 places him in the times of the
patriarchs.
Point No 3 places him in the era of Abraham.
The Curve of Life
(not to scale)
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Adam------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------930
Seth-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------912
Enos-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------905
Cainan---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------910
Mahalaleel-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------895
Jared--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------962
Enoch-------------------------------------365
then God took him
Methuselah-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------969
Lamech-------------------------------------------------------------------------------777
Noah-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------950
Shem------------------------------------------------------------------600
Arphaxad-------------------------------------------438
Salah-----------------------------------------------433
Eber---------------------------------------------------464
Peleg--------------------------239
Reu----------------------------239
Serug------------------------230
Nahor--------------148
Terah---------------------205
Abraham------------175
Today-------70
A person living 900 years would be in the era of Adam to
Noah.
A person living 600 years would be in the era of Shem.
A person living 400 years would be in the era of Arphaxad, Salah, and Eber.
A person living 200 years would be in the era of Peleg,
Reu and Serug.
A person living 70 years would be in the era of modern
man.
By the time of the Psalmist, a normal old age was about
the same as ours today: 70-80 years old (Psa 90:10). A person living 200 years or so would place him in the
times of Terah, Abraham’s father. Terah would have been living at the same time as Job, and lived to almost
the same age: 205. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran (Gen 11:32).
Conclusion: The Curve of Life places Job approximately with Terah’s era.
So . . . the Times
of Job
Point No 1 places Job before Moses, Egypt, Israel,
and Sinai.
Point No 2 places Job in the times of the
patriarchs.
Point No 3 places Job in the era of Abraham.
Point No 4 places Job around the same age as
Terah, Abraham’s father.
How Old was Job
When His Calamities Occurred?
The Bible does not state Job’s age when he died as it
does for the patriarchs before him. However, we may know some inferences about Job’s life from what we read
in the book.
First--Job was old enough to be married. Then said his
wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die (Job 2:9).
Second―Job had 10 children. And there were born unto him seven sons and
three daughters (Job 1:2).
Third― It appears these 10 children were adults
because they each had their own homes. 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 (Job 1:4).
Fourth―Job had built a reputation as the greatest of
all the men of the east (Job
1:3). This would have taken time.
Fifth―After his trials, Job was still young enough
to father 10 more children. He had also seven sons and three daughters (Job 42:13).
Sixth― After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw
his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations (Job 42:16). Job lived to see 4 generations of children and
grandchildren during the 140 years of life after his trials. Do the math. A
generation is 30-35 years. 4 generations x 35 years each = 140 years. This also
gives credence to an age of about 70 for when Job may have faced his trials.
The Bible says Job lived 140 years after his restoration.
After this
lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four
generations. So Job died, being old and full of days (Job 42:16).
The principle of doubling was a feature of his
restoration. So
the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep,
and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses (Job 42:12). Compared with his beginning,
we see, 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 (Job 1:3).
Beginning Restoration
7,000 sheep 14,000
sheep
3,000 camels 6,000 camels
500 yoke of oxen 1,000 yoke of oxen
500 she-asses 1,000 she-asses
If he lived 140 after his restoration, the Job would have
been 70 at the time of his calamities.
Beginning Restoration
70 years 140 years
= 210
If Job was 70 at the time his trials began, and lived for
140 years after them, then God also gave Job double the years to live. This being the case, he would have lived to be 210 years
old.
So . . . the Times
of Job
Point No 1 places Job before Moses, Egypt, Israel,
and Sinai.
Point No 2 places Job in the times of the
patriarchs.
Point No 3 places Job in the era of Abraham.
Point No 4 places Job around the same age as
Terah, Abraham’s father.
Point No 5 places Job’s 70 years (prior to calamities) within a reasonable framework of life.
Timelines and
Chronologies
Many Biblical timelines and chronologies place Job in the
era of Terah and Abraham.
So . . . the Times
of Job
Point No 1 places Job before Moses, Egypt, Israel,
and Sinai.
Point No 2 places Job in the times of the
patriarchs.
Point No 3 places Job in the era of Abraham.
Point No 4 places Job around the same age as
Terah, Abraham’s father.
Point No 5 places Job’s 70 years (prior to calamities) within a reasonable framework of life.
Point No 6 places Job’s life near Abraham
according to many Biblical chronologies and timelines.
The Text of Job
The text of Job itself gives some bearing. Hebrew
scholars indicate the text of Job is difficult to translate. It is a poem, and
that, in itself, can present challenges. The grammar and syntax is a bit
out-of-common. There is a goodly number of Hebrew words that are unique to Job―words rarely found in Hebrew texts. This may indicate
an early date of construction, and may have been written in an earlier Semitic language than Hebrew. (If Job lived in Abraham’s day,
then he would not have been a Jew, right?)
So . . . the Times
of Job
Point No 1 places Job before Moses, Egypt, Israel,
and Sinai.
Point No 2 places Job in the times of the
patriarchs.
Point No 3 places Job in the era of Abraham.
Point No 4 places Job around the same age as
Terah, Abraham’s father.
Point No 5 places Job’s 70 years (prior to calamities) within a reasonable framework of life.
Point No 6 places Job’s life near Abraham
according to many Biblical chronologies and timelines.
Point No 7 places the text of Job in a pre-Semitic
(non-Jewish) era. [Job was not a Hebrew.] Ellen G. White informs us that Moses wrote the book of Job while in
shepherding in Midian before the Exodus (Education, page 15).
Conclusion
The Book of Job may be the oldest book of the
Bible. Job was a worthy Gentile. Thus, God, through Moses’ pen, is careful to record two strands of His
faithful people: 1) the covenant line through Abraham, and, 2) the existence of faithful believers outside the Abrahamic Covenant,
such as Job. The Lord is pleased to call Job His servant.Then the LORD
said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him
on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God
and shuns evil?’ (1:8 and
repeated in 2:3).
The Book of Job fits the human situation. God made sure
that Moses (who compiled the first five books of the Bible) knew and included Job’s story. I would not be surprised if God
brought the story of Job (which had been circulating in the region) to Moses' attention to make sure that His people
everywhere (and in all times) knew it.
Anyone who so desires may have a saving relationship with
God.
I do. Don’t you?
Please send questions or comments to Will Hardin at P O
Box 24 Owenton KY 40359.
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