Job! Who Was That Guy!

We have this new preacher and I really have appreciated much of his approach to the scriptures. Currently he is moving (probably just a little too rapidly) through the book of Job. Anyway, he got me thinking about the man himself.

Apparently there is some discussion among scholars who wrote the book but there seems to be much consensus between both Christian and Jewish experts that the man was an actual historical character as opposed to some apocryphal or mythical figure. I'm glad because I believe that as well.

The question that is pressing on my mind is how is it that this guy, without the full complement of scripture which we enjoy, was able to have so much deep understanding. It is not so strange that in chapter 14 he can ask such remarkable questions such as "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" Apparently, he recognizes the impossible distance sin has created between God and himself. The next two questions are kind of related in my mind. "But a man dies and is laid away; Indeed he breathes his last. And where is he?" Job recognizes some kind of finality in death. The third question, "If a man dies, shall he live again?" Now we have to wait a bit for his answer and this is what I find so remarkable. How does he have so much understanding? In chapter 19 he seems to answer his own question. Starting in verse 25, "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Where does his knowledge come from? Apparently, God had reveal Himself to Job in much the same way as he did for Abraham. They probably were contemporaries perhaps even close relatives.

I think this is pretty remarkable stuff. What do you think?