I love the Cepher of Iyyov (Book of Job) since I was a kid. Every time I read it, there is something new. Something deep. A new eye-opening message. For this post, it was about Job’s complaints.
Job was also the only man who 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (pronounced as “yah-hu-ah”; transliterated as “YAHUAH”, “YaHuWaH”, or “YHWH”) answered directly and literally. If you are not familiar with Job he was the most righteous man who ever lived on earth. Our Creator Father Himself was so proud of Job that He championed him to ha’satan (“the adversary” in English).
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to the adversary, “Have you set your heart on My servant, Iyyov? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears Elohim, and turns away from evil.”
Iyyov (Job) 1:8, Shem Qadosh Version
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) allowed ha’satan to do evil things to Job because He knew Job will remain faithful.
𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to the adversary, “Have you set your heart on My servant Iyyov? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears Elohim, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to ruin him without cause.”
Iyyov (Job) 1:8, Shem Qadosh Version
Job did remain faithful… but he started to complain. He cursed his day of birth for starters — which many of us no doubt did. He also argued that he found no fault in himself. That he was not sure what sin he did to deserve all that befell on him.
# What happened to Job?
He became the most sick and diseased person. He came from riches to worst-than-rags. All his children died. All his animals either killed or stolen. His servants were killed and those who survived left him. Even his own family, relatives, and friends stayed away from him.
No one wanted to have anything to do with him. A righteous man, always blessed by 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) was suddenly the worst. The people probably assumed that he did something that gravely offended Elohim. Who would want to be anywhere near such a person, lest his “punishment” falls on you as well?
You and I, no doubt, will do what Job did. Complain endlessly. The difference is, there are countless of sins that can be found in us but with Job… nada, zero, zilch.
Job was right, there was no fault that can be found in him to deserve all the evil things that our Creator Father allowed to fell on him. Then there were his friends who twisted the words of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) to fit their own theology and be able to lay the blame on Job. (Which our Creator Father did not forget to address.)
# 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) answered back
After he laid down all his arguments, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) Himself answered Job. Directly and literally, our Creator Father talked to Job as any man being challenged would. Since Job was challenging 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) with all his logical arguments and knowledge, so did our Creator Father addressed him in a similar way.
2 “Who is this who darkens counsel by sayings without knowledge? 3 Gird your loins like a man, for I will question you, then you answer Me!
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.
Iyyov (Job) 38:2-4, Shem Qadosh Version
“Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with Eloah, let him answer it.”
Iyyov (Job) 40:2, Shem Qadosh Version
In the next verses, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) gave the final blow… (Also, notice how our Creator Father challenged Job.)
6 Then 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 answered Iyyov out of the whirlwind, 7 “Now gird up your loins like a man. I will question you, and you will answer Me. 8 Will you even annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me, so that you may be declared right? 9 Or do you have an arm like El? Can you thunder with a voice like Him? 10 Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty. 11 Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low. 12 Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place. 13 Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place. 14 Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you.”
Iyyov (Job) 40:6-14, Shem Qadosh Version
In verse 14, Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you
, our Creator Father was more than willing to give Job that. It shows how fair and just 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) is. How He is not a tyrant Elohim that ha’satan paints Him to be.
If we go back to Iyyov (Job) 38:19-21 [Shem Qadosh Version] …
19 “What is the way to the dwelling of light? As for darkness, where is its place, 20 that you should take it to its bound, that you should discern the paths to its house? 21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!”
Iyyov (Job) 38:19-21, Shem Qadosh Version
We will see how 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) answered Job in verse 21: Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great!
This was the only time that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) spoke the way we do, and Job received the whole force and weight of His anger. Nowhere else in Scripture did our Creator Father spoke like this, it was always “Elohim and man” and “Master and servant”.
In a way, Job was blessed for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) talked to Him like an equal even though they will never be. At the same time, it was the most painful experience a man can ever go through because 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) Himself humbled him down, with the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He did not use a preacher, an elder, a brother, a family member, or an experience.
# Conclusion
I can not even begin to imagine what Job was feeling at that moment. I pride myself (for lack of a better term) that I can make myself feel as close as possible to what others are feeling (it’s an INFP and aspie/asperger syndrome trait), but this one, I can not even make myself to do it. I can not even bring down the wall that guards me from the onslaught of empathy.
It is so hard because even with my wall up, I can feel Job. His whole “I am righteous and You yourself agree, so why let me go through these evil things” stance. Then there is when he was humbled by our Creator Father.
Can any of us today stand in Job’s shoes? I do not know. I probably will get crushed to dust. Imagine melting right there and then. I will want to bury myself alive just not to hear the words of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH). I will want not only to curse my birth but be totally eliminated from existence.
I believe that only Job can survive such an encounter, no one else. For the rest of us, who are not even 0.001% as righteous as Job was, we are blessed enough that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) sent his Son 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤅𐤏 (pronunciation: yah-hu-shua; transliteration: Yahushua; also read: Messiah's name: Yahushua or Yahusha?) to die for us, buried, and resurrected from the dead, so that you and I can live.
If Job, the most righteous man on earth, was allowed to go through the lowest of lowest of lowest a man can ever be, how much more us? If you read Job’s arguments, he argued why he should go through the worst a man can ever bear while people the likes of us did not.
We do not have any right to complain “why me?” Job can and he did because he was right and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH) agreed when he reprimanded Job’s friends. (aside: Careful when giving advises, do not be like Job’s friends.)
7 It was so, that after 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 had spoken these words to Iyyov, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Iyyov has. 8 Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Iyyov, and offer up for yourselves an ascension offering; and My servant Iyyov shall pray for you, for I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your senseless behavior. For you have not spoken of Me the thing that is right, as My servant Iyyov has.”
Iyyov (Job) 42:7-8, Shem Qadosh Version
But us? Let us be honest here, he had a point there. We should be thankful for what we have. Not one of us is in a position to complain to our Creator Father 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YAHUAH/YaHuWaH). Let us always remember that.
Shalom.