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Friday 20 December 2013

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Catching a beam of light.




The Watchtower Society's commentary on the book of Job

 A reproduction of the Watchtower Society's article

JOB, BOOK OF

Written by Moses, according to both Jewish and early Christian scholars. Its poetry, language, and style indicate that it was originally written in Hebrew. The many similarities to the Pentateuch in the prose portion of the book tend to point to Moses as the writer. During his 40-year stay in Midian, Moses could have had access to the facts about Job’s trial, and he likely learned of the outcome of Job’s life when Israel came near Uz on the way to the Promised Land, in 1473 B.C.E.
Arrangement. The book of Job is unique in that it consists largely of a debate between a true servant of Jehovah God and three others who claimed to serve God but who erred in doctrine in their attempts to correct Job. Job, they mistakenly thought, was being punished by God for some grievous hidden sin. Thus, arguing on this basis, they actually became Job’s persecutors. (Job 19:1-5, 22) The debate consists of a series of three rounds of speeches, in which all four speakers participate, except that Zophar does not speak in the last round having been silenced by Job’s argument. Thereafter all are corrected by Jehovah’s spokesman Elihu and finally by God himself.
It is clear, therefore, that one has to bear in mind when reading or quoting from the book that the arguments presented by Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar are erroneous. At times these three companions of Job state true facts, but in a setting and with an application that is wrong. Satan used this tactic against Jesus Christ when he “took him along into the holy city, and he stationed him upon the battlement of the temple and said to him: ‘If you are a son of God, hurl yourself down; for it is written, “He will give his angels a charge concerning you, and they will carry you on their hands, that you may at no time strike your foot against a stone.”’ Jesus said to him: ‘Again it is written, “You must not put Jehovah your God to the test.”’”—Mt 4:5-7.
The companions of Job said that God punishes the wicked. This is true. (2Pe 2:9) But they concluded that all suffering a person undergoes is a result of sins on his part—that God is thereby administering punishment to him. Suffering, they said, is an evidence that an individual has specially sinned. They spoke untruthfully concerning God. (Job 42:7) They slandered Him. As they presented God, he was lacking in mercy. Their claim was that God has no delight in the integrity-keeping man and that he has no trust in His servants, even in angels. This denies the many Scriptural statements revealing Jehovah’s love for his intelligent servants. An example of God’s confidence and trust in his faithful worshipers is seen in his conversations with Satan, in which he called attention to Job and expressed the greatest confidence in Job’s loyalty when giving the Devil permission to test Job. Note, however, that he protected Job’s life. (Job 2:6) The Christian writer James says of God’s dealings with Job: “Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.”—Jas 5:11.
Importance. The book of Job is essential, in conjunction with Genesis 3:1-6 and other scriptures, in revealing the great issue of the righteousness of God in his exercise of sovereignty as well as the manner in which the integrity of God’s earthly servants is involved in the issue. This issue Job did not understand, but he, nevertheless, did not allow his three companions to make him doubt that he had been a man of integrity. (Job 27:5) He did not understand why his calamity came upon him, since he was no practicer of sin. He was off balance on the matter of self-justification, no doubt being pushed farther in that direction by the constant charges of his three companions. He was also mistaken in insisting on receiving an answer from God as to why he was suffering, when he should have realized that no one can rightly say to Jehovah: “Why did you make me this way?” (Ro 9:20) Nevertheless, Jehovah mercifully answered Job, both through his servant Elihu and by speaking to Job from the windstorm. The book therefore strongly drives home the wrongness of attempting to justify oneself before God.—Job 40:8.
Authenticity and Value. Ezekiel refers to Job, and James makes mention of him. (Eze 14:14, 20; Jas 5:11) Arguing powerfully for the book’s canonicity is the fact that the Jews accepted it as of equal authority with the other inspired books of the Hebrew Scriptures, even though Job was not an Israelite.
Perhaps the strongest evidence of the book’s genuineness exists in its harmony with the rest of the Bible. It also reveals much about the beliefs and customs of patriarchal society. More than that, it greatly helps the Bible student to get a better understanding of Jehovah’s purposes through a comparison with other Bible statements. There are a remarkable number of points that are parallel in thought with other Bible passages, and some of these are listed on the accompanying chart.
[Box on page 82]
HIGHLIGHTS OF JOB
  The account of Job’s experiences when Satan challenged his integrity before Jehovah
  Likely recorded by Moses during Israel’s wandering in the wilderness, although the trial of Job must have occurred some years before Moses’ birth
Job’s prosperity and well-being end when Jehovah grants Satan permission to test Job (1:1–2:10)
  Satan claims that Job’s uprightness is motivated simply by self-interest
  Job loses cattle, flocks, and his ten children all in one day, but he keeps integrity
  He is then afflicted with a loathsome, painful disease but refuses to curse God; thus, Job remains faithful
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, three companions of Job, come together by appointment to “sympathize” with him (2:11–3:26)
  They sit around him in silence for seven days
  Job breaks the silence, cursing the day of his birth
  He wonders why God allows him to go on living
The three so-called comforters debate at length with Job (4:1–31:40)
  They contend that he is suffering because of his sins, arguing that Job must be in the wrong since God is treating him as an enemy
  They try to persuade Job of this by resorting to false reasoning and slander and by appealing to tradition and visions they claim to have seen
  The three companions urge Job to confess his wrongdoing and change his ways; then, they say, he will regain his former prosperity
  Job insists that he is upright; he does not understand why Jehovah allows him to suffer, but he silences the false counsel of his three companions
  In his final words, Job contrasts his former days as a respected elder with his present period of affliction and humiliation; he points out how careful he has been to avoid sin
Elihu, a young bystander, corrects Job and his companions (32:1–37:24)
  He shows that Job was in the wrong when he justified himself rather than God, and he upbraids Job’s three companions for failing to answer Job correctly
  Elihu upholds Jehovah’s justice, impartiality, glory, and almightiness
Jehovah himself now speaks out of a windstorm (38:1–42:6)
  Jehovah asks where Job was when the earth was created, and whether he understands the wonderful ways of wild things, thus demonstrating man’s littleness in comparison with God’s greatness
  He then asks whether Job should find fault with Him
  Job admits that he spoke without a proper understanding; he repents “in dust and ashes”
Job’s trial ends, and his integrity is rewarded (42:7-17)
  Jehovah expresses displeasure to Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar because they spoke untruthfully; he directs them to make sacrifices and to ask Job to pray on their behalf
  Job is healed when he prays for his companions
  He comes to be blessed with twice as much in flocks and herds as formerly, as well as with ten more children, seven sons and three daughters
[Chart on page 83]
Book                Point of                Other Bible
of Job              comparison               references
3:17-19        The dead know not anything    Ec 9:5, 10;
                but are as those asleep       Joh 11:11-14;
                                              1Co 15:20
10:4           God does not judge from       1Sa 16:7
                man’s viewpoint
10:8, 9, 11,12 God’s great care in forming   Ps 139:13-16
                man
12:23          God lets the nations grow     Re 17:13, 14, 17
                powerful and even unite
                against him so that he can
                justly destroy them at one
                stroke
14:1-5         Man is born in sin and in     Ps 51:5; Ro 5:12
                bondage to death
14:13-15       Resurrection of the dead      1Co 15:21-23
17:9           The righteous one is not      Ps 119:165
                stumbled, no matter what
                others do
19:25          Jehovah’s purpose to redeem   Ro 3:24; 1Co 1:30
                (repurchase, release)
                faithful mankind
21:23-26       All men subject to the same   Ec 9:2, 3
                eventuality; all are the
                same in death
24:3-12        Affliction by wicked;         2Co 6:4-10; 11:24-27
                Christians so treated
24:13-17       Wicked love darkness rather   Joh 3:19
                than light; light terrifies
                them
26:6           All things are exposed        Heb 4:13
                before the eyes of Jehovah
27:8-10        Apostate one will not         Heb 6:4-6
                genuinely call on God nor
                be heard by him
27:12          Those seeing “visions” of     Jer 23:16
                own heart, not from God,
                utter vain things
27:16, 17      The righteous will inherit    De 6:10, 11;
                the wealth amassed by the    Pr 13:22
                wicked
Chap 28        Man cannot find the true      Ec 12:13;
                wisdom from ‘book of divine  1Co 2:11-16
                creation,’ only from God
                and fear of him
30:1, 2, 8, 12 Worthless, senseless idlers   Ac 17:5
                are used to persecute God’s
                servants
32:22          Bestowing unscriptural        Mt 23:8-12
                titles is wrong
34:14, 15      Life of all flesh is in       Ps 104:29, 30;
                Jehovah’s hand               Isa 64:8;
                                              Ac 17:25, 28
34:19          Jehovah is not partial        Ac 10:34
34:24, 25      Jehovah takes down, sets up   Da 2:21; 4:25
                rulers as he wills
36:24; 40:8    Declaring of God’s            Ro 3:23-26
                righteousness the important
                thing
42:2           With God all things are       Mt 19:26
                possible
42:3           God is unsearchable in        Isa 55:9; Ro 11:33
                wisdom

Psalm6 NWT(2013)

To the director; to be accompanied with stringed instruments tuned to Shem′i·nith.* A melody of David.
6 O Jehovah, do not reprove me in your anger,
And do not correct me in your rage.+
2 Show me favor,* O Jehovah, for I am growing weak.
Heal me, O Jehovah,+ for my bones are shaking.
3 Yes, I am* greatly disturbed,+
And I ask you, O Jehovah—how long will it be?+
4 Return, O Jehovah, and rescue me;*+
Save me for the sake of your loyal love.+
5 For in death there is no mention* of you;
In the Grave,* who will praise you?+
6 I have grown weary with my sighing;+
All night long I soak my bed with tears;*
I flood my couch with weeping.+
7 My eye is weak from my grief;+
It has dimmed* because of all those harassing me.
8 Get away from me, all you who behave wickedly,
For Jehovah will hear the sound of my weeping.+
9 Jehovah will hear my request for favor;+
Jehovah will accept my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be put to shame and dismayed;
They will fall back in sudden disgrace.+

Psalm5 NWT(2013)

To the director for Ne′hi·loth.* A melody of David.
5 Listen to my words, O Jehovah;+
Be attentive to my sighing.
2 Pay attention to my cry for help,
O my King and my God, because to you I pray.
3 O Jehovah, you will hear my voice in the morning;+
In the morning I will express my concern to you+ and wait expectantly.
4 For you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness;+
No one bad may remain with you.+
5 No arrogant person may stand in your presence.
You hate all those who behave wickedly;+
6 You will destroy those who speak lies.+
Jehovah detests violent and deceptive people.*+
7 But I will come into your house+ because of your great loyal love;+
I will bow down toward your holy temple* in reverential fear of you.+
8 Lead me, O Jehovah, in your righteousness because of my foes;
Make your way clear for me.+
9 For nothing they say can be trusted;
Within them is nothing but malice;
Their throat is an open grave;
They flatter with their tongue.*+
10 But God will declare them guilty;
Their own schemes will cause their downfall.+
May they be driven away because of their many transgressions,
For they have rebelled against you.
11 But all those who take refuge in you will rejoice;+
They will always shout joyfully.
You will block approach to them,
And those loving your name will rejoice in you.
12 For you will bless anyone righteous, O Jehovah;
You will surround them with approval as with a large shield

Psalm4NWT(2013)

To the director; to be accompanied with stringed instruments. A melody of David.
4 When I call, answer me, O my righteous God.+
Make a way of escape* for me in my distress.
Show me favor and hear my prayer.
2 You sons of men, how long will you turn my honor into humiliation?
How long will you love what is worthless and search for what is false? (Selah)
3 Know that Jehovah will treat his loyal one in a special way;*
Jehovah will hear when I call to him.
4 Be agitated, but do not sin.+
Have your say in your heart, upon your bed, and keep silent. (Selah)
5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And trust in Jehovah.+
6 There are many saying: “Who will show us anything good?”
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Jehovah.+
7 You have filled my heart with greater rejoicing
Than those who have an abundant harvest of grain and new wine.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,+
For you alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in security.+