The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-07-08
Great Personages
of the Bible
BY
REV. LEONARD A. BARRETT
Job
REV. LEONARD

JOB
FOB was one of the wealthiest men
Of his time. He possessed 1000
sheep, 1900 camels, 500 yoke of oxen,
and 500 she asses. He was the great
est of all the men of the East. He
was also greatly blessed in his home
life, having seven sons and three
daughters He has been described as
a righteous, rich, and happy man.
The story of Jobs career reveals
many of the ideas believed by the
people of his time. Among them was
the belief that prosperity was indica-
tive of Divine approval and the re-
ward for righteousness.
The biography of Job begins with
the visit of Satan to the heavenly
council, where Satan is asked by the
Lord, "Whence contest thou?" Satan
replies, From going to and fro in the
earth" The Lord inquiries of Satan
If he had ever set his heart on Job and
whether he had ever tempted him. TO
which Satan answered that If Jobs
property were taken from him he
would curse God. The result of the
debate in the heavenly council was
that Satan gained permission from the
Lord to test the integrity and faithful
ness of Job in any way he liked, only
he was not to put his hand upon him.
A series of misfortunes are now visit
ed upon Job The Sabeahs and the
Chaldeans fell upon his cattle and took
them away, and all his servants were
slain. His sons were also slain. Then
Job arose and rent his mantle and
shaved his head and fell down upon
the ground and worshiped, saying, The
Lord gave and the Lord hath taken
away blessed be the name of the
Lord" Having failed in his venture,
Satan seeks another interview of the
second heavenly council and secures
the privilege of attacking Jobs life.
permit me. o Lord. to put forth my
hand and touch his bone and his flesh
and then he will curse Thee to Thy
face" to which the Lord replied BE
hold he is in thy hand but save his
life"
Sore boiIs now come upon Job. He
scraped himself with potsherd and
sat down among the ashes. which in
the ancient days was symbol of suf-
fering. When his sufferings were most
intense three friends came to visit him
with the purpose OF expressing their
sympathy Their names were Eliphaz,
Bildad, and Zophar These friends sat
with him upon the ground seven days
and seven nights. The friends did not
speak a word during all that time, for
they saw that his suffering was very
great. Job shared the belief of his
time, that prosperity was a reward for
righteousness. Now that all his pos
sessions were taken from him, many
persons thought that Job must have
committed great sin. Only such an
act could explain SO great calamity.
The friends urge Job to confess the
sin he committed and then God could
forgive and bless him again. The
dilemma which confronted Job was
the difficulty of confessing a sin he
had not committed. He finally replies
to his friends, when it comes to an
Interpretation of God l am not in
lCllOE W JOQ- w DO hhOW0 hOt Al GA
these things that the hand of Jehovah
hath wrought this? Hold your peace
and let me alone. Though He Stay me,
yet will / trust In Him. Thus Job
triumphed over his friends, Satan re-
turned baffied and Job arrived at
peace of soul born of vision and faith.
A terrific thunderstorm takes place
! l. - III
wind which to Job is indicative of
divine intervention Job is full of an
ticipation for the hour of his vindica-
ton had come. In the far distance
voice out of the storm is heard saying
to Job, IT will demand of thee and
declare thou unto Me-" In other.
words, what finally have you to say,
Job? This question Job answers in a
sublime confession of faith. Il had
heard of Thee by the hearing of the
ear, but now mine eye seeth Thee"
After this humble confession. there
was returned to Job twice as much
as he had before, and he lived 14O
years and saw his children and grand.
children even to four generations.
All is we'll though faith and form
| Be sundered in the night of fear,
Well fares the storm to those who hear
A deeper voice across the storm.
Regret is dead, but love Is more
Than In the summers that are blown
For / myself with these have grown
To something stronger than before.
HAnd l saw that there was an ocean
of darkness and death, but an infinite
ocean of light and love flowed over
the ocean of darkness, and in thought
/ saw the infinite love of God"
| t@ 1925. western Newspaper Union.)