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Correct Thinking
Job’s Depression and Final
Victory
He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I
shall come forth as gold.—Job 23:10{FOOTNOTE: All Scripture citations in this
article are from the New American Standard Bible.)
Aaron
Kuehmichel
Job
was a rich man who lived long ago in the land of Uz. He had 7,000 sheep,
3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, many servants, and seven
sons and three daughters. As to his religious life, he was blameless,
upright, feared God, and turned away from evil. Even his concern for
possible transgressions by his sons motivated him to sacrifice burnt
offerings on their behalf at the end of their days of feasting (which were,
perhaps, annual birthday celebrations). His possessions and character made
him the greatest of all the men of the East.
Since two writers of the
Bible make reference to Job, we must consider the book of Job as more than
allegory, fable, or illustrious teaching. He was a real person. Ezekiel refers
to Job in the context of Noah and Daniel, both real people, faithful, righteous,
and devoted servants of God (Ezekiel 14:14,20). James mentions Job as an example
of endurance and the object of the Lord’s compassion and mercy (James 5:11).
But acknowledging Job as a real person creates a dilemma as we read the passages
of God’s interchange with Satan (Job 1:6-12 and 2:1-6). These passages state
that Satan was with the other sons of God when they appeared before God implying
that Satan was not limited to the earth’s environs after the deception of Eve.
In some way he had access to God’s presence.
God accepted the
adversary’s challenge. Satan’s first assault was on Job’s possessions. Job
suffered one loss after another in rapid succession: sheep, camels, oxen,
donkeys, many servants, and his ten children. His posterity and property were
gone. In all of this Job did not sin nor blame God: “Naked I came from my
mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the
name of the LORD”
(Job 1:21,22).
Satan’s second assault was
on Job’s health. He was smitten with boils from the sole of his foot to the
crown of his head. When this happened Job’s wife, who also suffered personal
loss but not health problems, questioned his integrity. She advised him,
probably out of empathy, to curse God and die. To this Job replied, “Shall we
indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not
sin with his lips (Job 2:10).
Job’s Expression of Deep Depression
Three of Job’s close friends heard of his plight and came
to him to sympathize and comfort him. They said not a word for seven full days
because of the distress and pain Job was in. They simply sat with him. Then Job
spoke and expressed his deep depression: “Job opened his mouth and
cursed the day of his birth. … Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the
womb and expire? … Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the
bitter of soul; who long for death, but there is none … [they] exult when they
find the grave … I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am not at rest, but
turmoil comes” (Job 3:1,11, 20-22,26).
Job’s expressions are those
of one who seeks the grave, of one who finds in the grave relief from the pain
of loss in this life. Such thoughts only come from a depressed soul. Further
expressions follow throughout the first half of the book:
“That
He would loose His hand and cut me off!” (Job 6:9).
“When
I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’ but the night continues, and I
am continually tossing until dawn” (Job 7:4).
“My
days ... come to an end without hope” (Job 7:6)
“I
despise my life” (Job 9:21).
“I
loathe my own life” (Job 10:1).
“Would
that I had died [in the womb] and no eye had seen me!” (Job 10:18).
“My
spirit is broken ... the grave is ready for me” (Job 17:1).
“My
eye has also grown dim because of grief” (Job 17:7).
Job feels bereft of the support of his acquaintances,
relatives, intimate friends, and associates: “He has removed my brothers far
from me, and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. My relatives
have failed, and my intimate friends have forgotten me. … All my associates
abhor me, and those I love have turned against me” (Job 19:13,14,19).
His close friends and
supposed comforters only add to his depression. Job is in a battle in which he
does not understand why God is permitting his suffering; in fact, he accuses God
as the cause of it. His friends, meanwhile, accuse Job of unacknowledged sin,
punishment for which he has incurred the wrath of a righteous God. Job
consistently defends his integrity and innocence; he knows of no sin for which
he is being justly punished. Notice the implied accusations of his friends:
Eliphaz: “Remember
now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?
According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble
harvest it. By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they
come to an end” (Job 4:7-9).
Bildad: “If you are
pure and upright, surely now He would rouse himself for you and restore your
righteous estate” (Job 8:6).
Zophar: “If you
would direct your heart right, and spread out your hand to Him; if iniquity is
in your hand, put it far away, and do not let wickedness dwell in your tents”
(Job 11:13,14).
Perhaps, Elihu, a
fourth counselor and youngest of the group, comes closest to expressing truth.
He reproves Job for rebellion in accusing God of unjust behavior. Rebellion was
not the cause of Job’s suffering, but it was an outcome for which Job needed
to, and shortly did, repent. Elihu says, “Job ought to be tried to the limit,
because he answers like wicked men. For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps
his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God” (Job 34:36,37).
God Corrects Job’s Thinking
In Job 40:2, God addresses this rebellion of Job, referring
to him as a faultfinder: “Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let
him who reproves God answer it.” Following God’s questioning in chapters 40
and 41, Job’s reply in 42:2-6 is beautiful: “I know that Thou canst do all
things, and that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted ... Therefore I have
declared that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I
did not know ... I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye
sees Thee; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.”
In this study, we notice four
things.
1.
Job is extremely depressed in his life of suffering void of
answers. All the pain and loss, both physical and mental, cannot be
explained by his prior knowledge and walk with God. Nor can his closest
friends tell him truly why he is suffering; they attribute it to sin. He
is at a loss for an explanation. In all this, Job maintains his
innocence—his integrity; he knows of no sin for which he is incurring
this punishment.
2.Even
with the extreme depression Job is feeling, and the desire that his life
come to an end, he nowhere considers the ending of his own life by
suicide.
3.It
is obvious that Job’s depression is not the result of a chemical
imbalance; rather, his depression is from permitted circumstances.
4.Job’s endurance glorified God
for it answered Satan’s challenge and showed the unseen spirits, as well
as men, then and throughout the ages, that God’s people serve him, not
as a mere return for temporal or spiritual benefits, but because of who he
is.
The outcome of the God’s
dealings with Job was grand, full of compassion and mercy. He increased all that
Job had twofold: sheep, camels, oxen, female donkeys. And once again he fathered
seven sons and three daughters. All his brothers and sisters and friends again
came unto him, ate bread with him, and consoled him for all his sufferings. Job
lived another 140 years and saw his sons, and his grandsons of four generations.
Lessons for the Christian Life
What lessons can we draw for the Christian life? One is that
pain and suffering are not necessarily marks of God’s disfavor. These
experiences, which everyone has to varying degrees, are meant to work out
a character that can sympathize with the groaning creation while
infusing in us a longing for the time of the manifestation of the sons of
God. As we read in God’s word his grand plans for the restitution
of all, we enter more fully into heartfelt feelings of his goodness. He
holds the only answer for the sorrows of this world. Although we have
heard of God by the hearing of the ear, now our eyes (of faith) have
beheld him. We cannot but praise him for his glorious plan.
Another lesson is that
depression can be quite natural, whether caused by a chemical imbalance or
life’s pressing and stressful circumstances. Sometimes help can be
provided by health care professionals. At other times, we can work through
the depression by associating with true comforters, brethren who will
accept and support us in our down times—unlike Job who was relieved
of his depression only when confronted by God. And especially if
we are experiencing suicidal feelings, we definitely need
professional help and need not be ashamed to get it.
A final lesson occurs in the
victory God gained over Satan’s challenge. Job didn’t worship God from
a “what can you do for me” viewpoint. He worshiped God for who he was,
the great and almighty being, his creator. Job had a reverential fear of
God, yet when put to the test, he was not afraid to speak his complaint to
him. In this he went too far, for his speech bordered on rebellion. We
too, when put to the test, may utter or think rebellious thoughts, such as
“Why are you picking on me, What did I do to deserve this, or Haven’t
I suffered enough?” When we see the situation in its true light, we,
like Job, repent in dust and ashes, expressing true sorrow for our rash
thoughts. In the end, God is glorified; he gives the victory and he will
give the reward.
“You have heard of the
endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that
the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”— James 5:11
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1. All Scripture citations in this article are from the New American Standard Bible.
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