The Book of Job

Several days ago I listened to this really insightful talk (see Mack Stirling, Job: An LDS Reading) discussing how the Book of Job is essentially an endowment ceremony. I think there’s a lot to be said for that point, but I think there’s even more to Job. 

Job is a highly corrupted text, meaning that over the centuries, scribes made many errors in translation, along with some edits of their own. However, we can still get the main message of Job by considering its general sweep. Traditionally, the take-away message has been that God allows bad things to happen to good people, and that Job suffered more than just about anyone. While that’s true, taken as a whole and combined with the premise I set out in discussing Psalm 24, I believe that the Book of Job actually describes Job’s ascent to the divine presence.

I believe this because the outlines of Job’s story fit into a pattern – a pattern repeated by other prophets who have made this ascent. First, Job is described as being pure and obedient: “[Job] was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (1:1). Next, he makes intercession for others (he has true, Christ-like charity): “Job sent and sanctified [his children], and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually” (1:5). 

Third, Job loses all of his worldly possessions and even his family. This is severe testing and essentially strips Job of all worldly pride – he is truly in the dust. “He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and my hope hath he removed like a tree” (19:9-10 – this also relates to Adam and Christ). Interestingly, “Job” is a contraction of Hebrew words meaning “Where is Father?” That brings to mind the Savior’s cry on the cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Job, too, is forsaken, crying out, “…I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death without any order, and where the light is as darkness” (Job 10:21-22). His forsakenness here foreshadows Christ’s atonement and describes how Christ accomplished the atonement.

Next, certain “friends” (angels, I wonder?), question Job about his commitment to God. Job affirms his faith in God at each step: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). After Job repeatedly affirms his faith, God speaks to Job (“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind,” 38:1). God shows Job the majesty of His creations, and then Job, recognizing his nothingness before God, repents (42:1-6). Job then sees God with his eyes (v. 5) and receives an outpouring from the Lord (“So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning” 42:12).

Job is a both a type of Christ and a demonstration of the path back to the Father’s presence.