Podcast 41, Stories of the Bible, “The Book of Job, Ch 27”

Podcast 41, Stories of the Bible, “The Book of Job, Ch 27”

Job continues his answer to Bildad.

Job 27:1

Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

Chapter 27 is divided into four distinct parts. It is a chiasm with the following structure: A1,B1,C1,D1—D2,C2,B2,A2.

That means that the emphasis falls in the middle upon D2 which is the primary theme of Chater 27. In D2 Job asks, “Why then are ye thus altogether vain?” That recalls the words of King Solomon.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-4

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

The theme of Vanity in Ecclesiastes 1 and Job 27 is the same: Everything earthly is temporal. Everything heavenly is spiritual. When Job said “The earth will last forever,” he does not refer to mortal earth. He refers to the New Jerusalem spoken of by John the Revelator.

Revelation 21:1-7

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

All earthly things will pass away. They have no lasting value. In Peter’s words

2 Peter 3:10-13

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Let’s work our way through Job 27, following the chiastic pattern. 

A1 Job 27:2

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

In A1 Job validates the existence of God. “As God liveth.” Job is vexed because he knows that he is righteous, yet God allowed Satan to take everything away from him. “Taken away my judgment” does not mean that Job lost his ability to judge. He lost the confidence of the people who, when he was rich, looked upon him as a wise judge. In Job 29 we read, “When I prepared my seat in the street.” That was a seat of importance where people came to him for counsel.  Job adds, “The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. The princes reframed talking, and laid their hands on their mouth. The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.