In chapter 4, Eliphaz (one of Job’s friends) is assuming that all of Job’s troubles must be because of some sin. My bible (edited by Charles F. Stanley) has a really interesting footnote that says, “No one was ever more innocent than Jesus, yet He perished for our sins.” I’m speculating here, but maybe God allowed this to happen to Job to break the idea that being “good” always leads to blessings and sinning always leads to ruin, because God had to prepare our hearts and minds for Jesus. Jesus never sinned, He was perfect in all ways and He still perished. God claimed that Job was one of the most righteous men alive and yet God allowed Job to suffer…we don’t know why and we don’t get to know why. But we do know that God has a bigger plan than any of us can comprehend and maybe part of that big plan was to prepare us for Jesus.
On another note, in verse 8, Eliphaz says, “Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. By the blast of God they perish And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.” We know that Eliphaz was wrong because we have the whole story…that God wasn’t punishing Job at all. So, sometimes our own personal histories do not represent the true big picture that God is operating in.
God has a plan and we don’t get to know it all, nor could we comprehend it. We must keep our trust and our hope in Him and praise Him always.
Living Life with Jesus 