Pain And Punishment In The Book Of Job

The book of Job starts with a scene in heaven where Satan comes and challenges God that if he is given permission to inflict pain and punish Job, that Job will turn against God and curse him¬. Satan believes that Job serves God only because he protects him and keeps him safe, that is why he wants God’s permission to punish him and prove that Job will turn against God. From here we can see that the story is going to include a major turn of events because God agrees with Satan, given he doesn’t kill Job in the process. I believe that this part raises a question regarding God’s position and his actions. Why did he agree with Satan? Why is he inflicting pain and punishment to a man that is kind and innocent? I think that his suffering is unacceptable …show more content…
Three of his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, kept insisting that his punishment and suffering were the consequences of a sin or sins he committed. Namely, Zophar implies that Job deserves an even greater punishment to what he has done. We know for a fact that Job is innocent, and I think that his friends’ strong belief in God and his equality made them confident that Job has done something wrong. They say that God punishes one accordingly with what one has done wrong and in a similar caliber. In this context, I believe God is being unfair to Job because his suffering is not a consequence of what he has done, but of something he hadn’t, and was a result of a bet between Satan and God. Regardless, Job continues to be devoted to God, and saying his life has seen no sin. This is the turning point of this story, God again allows Satan to punish Job, but this time physically. Job is now tired, sick, and severely affected by what Satan forced upon him. Remarkably, Job doesn’t denounce God, but rather asks for an explanation from him as to why are these misfortunes happening. His three friends think they have the answer, but they don’t. I say it’s unethical or unreasonable for God to prove his point in this manner. I mentioned a theory of mine where I said that this may be a scheme or trick by Satan on God in order for Satan to fulfill his pleasure of evil and …show more content…
Elihu emphasizes the fact that Job may not have sinned, and that he should humble himself and submit to God’s trials in order to purify his life, and that he has no right to question his own fate. Elihu also explains to Job God’s ways of communicating with humans and that physical suffering is an opportunity for one to realize God’s love and forgiveness when he is well again, understanding that God has saved him from an impending death. I want to point out the fact that they believe God hurts you then cures you just to remember his forgiveness and his love for you. But why do it in the first place? Why punish an innocent person for him to realize God’s love? This point here makes me think and argue that Job’s fate is unfair and unjustifiable, as he is suffering and people who are committing sin are getting away with it. The act God is showing by agreeing with Satan contradicts the saying:” God is Good”. They say the creation of man with free will allows man to do anything, with no limits. So evil is present in the world because of man, and it is man himself that is the reason for foul behavior. I say this comes as a conflict to what Job is facing. The evil and wrongdoing are a result of God and not man, while man is the one suffering, being innocent, thus piling the responsibility of these actions solely on God