Job the Long-Suffering is the most amazing character in the Old Testament. Without a modern theological library, Bible or Christian church, he managed to maintain faith in God and integrity, going through the crucible of severe suffering. He did not know their reasons, he questioned and was indignant, but he could not imagine life without the Creator . What do we know about Job and what can we learn from his very difficult life?
Brief life of the righteous
We don't know much about Job. It is known that he was a very influential and respected man who lived in an area called Uts. Job protected orphans, widows, punished oppressors and evildoers.
Moreover, he was very rich. At the same time, Job did not become greedy, stingy, or arrogant. He showed great generosity in helping those in need.
There is an assumption that the events described in the Bible from the biography of the righteous man occurred in the period between the era of Abraham and the time of Moses (2000-1500 BC).
Job had many children: 7 sons and 3 daughters. He was extremely God-fearing.
Job accepted the test: “...blessed be the name of the Lord!”
It seemed that Job would enjoy a cloudless life until the end of his days. But misfortune, like a sudden hurricane, destroyed everything that formed the basis of his existence. Job lost his flocks, servants and family. Moreover, he fell ill with leprosy.
The image of the holy and righteous Job the Long-Suffering. With silver frame, Kaluga, 1845. 35.5x27.5 cm. Private collection
Following the rules of hygiene adopted in a society with developed medicine, Job had to become an outcast, living far from populated areas. There he sat down in the ashes and began to scrape the scabs from his body with the help of shards.
Despite his terrible loss, Job did not live up to Satan's claims:
“Then Job stood up and tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground and bowed down.
and he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return.” The Lord gave, the Lord also took away; [as the Lord pleased, so it was done;] blessed be the name of the Lord!
In all this, Job did not sin and did not say anything foolish about God.”
(Job 1:20-22)
To top it all off, the righteous man was left alone. He did not find support from his wife. And those whom he considered his friends, instead of consolation, brought him groundless accusations of selfishness and indifference to the misfortune of others, because of which he allegedly suffered.
During this terrible time, Job thirsted for justice, crying out to God himself for answers. God heard the righteous man and helped him find spiritual balance.
The tests are over
Job the Long-Suffering recovered. His wife returned to him. God gave him twice as many cattle. Job again felt the joy of fatherhood. But God did not give him 2 times as many children. He again had 7 sons and 3 daughters. They were not replacements for Job's former children. After all, children are not property. His new sons and daughters became his consolation. He will meet the former children during the general resurrection of the dead.
“Since the cattle and property that he lost completely perished for him, and a person, dying, is preserved for life and rises in resurrection, then [God] does not give him twice the children, so as not to deprive him of hope regarding those who have departed, but to show him that they, although kidnapped by death, are alive.”
John Chrysostom
After the trials were over, Job lived another 140 years. It is possible that he was over 200 years old at the time of his death.
Historical sources
The book of the same name in the Old Testament tells about the life, suffering and spiritual victory of Job. Its author is considered to be Moses or Solomon.
Interesting fact
Already ancient interpreters of the book of Job noted that his hardships are a prototype of the cruel suffering of Christ.
In addition, the saint expressed faith in the coming of the future Redeemer, who would save humanity from sin and death. Scripture confirms that Job was a real person. It puts him on a par with other outstanding righteous people:
“...son of man! if some land sinned against Me, treacherously departing from Me, and I stretched out My hand against it, and destroyed the grain support in it, and sent famine to it, and began to destroy people and cattle in it;
and if these three men had been found in her: Noah, Daniel and Job, then by their righteousness they would have saved only their own souls, says the Lord God.”
(Ezek.14:13,14)
Since ancient times, interpreters of the Book of Job have been faced with the problem of its unified and indisputable understanding. Jerome of Stridon, the creator of the Vulgate, wrote that when interpreting this book he felt as if he were catching a fish with his hands. When it seems that the fish is already in hand, it immediately slips away.
Some Jews and Christians came to the conclusion that Job was not a righteous man at all, but a fighter against God. But ancient Orthodox exegetes were categorically opposed to denying the biblical message of Job's righteousness.
Interesting fact
In the patristic tradition, the name “Job” means “suffering.”
This is exactly how Jerome translated it into Latin. The translation of the book of Job into ancient Greek (Septuagint) contains information taken from the Book of Syria. This passage is not found in the Masoretic text or the Vulgate. The Book of Sira gives the following details:
- Job will be restored with other faithful people of God;
- his place of life was the border of Idumea and Arabia;
- his name used to be Jobab;
- his wife was an Arabian woman, who bore him a son, Hannon;
- Job's father was Zareb, a descendant of Esau;
- his mother's name was Bosora;
- Job belonged to the fifth generation of Abraham's descendants;
- he was the king of Edom.
- Job's friend Eliphaz was a descendant of Esau and the king of Teman;
- Bildad ruled Sheba;
- Zophar was a Minaean king.
Righteous Job: a picture of hope through suffering
A person’s name, given at baptism and especially when entering the path of serving God, connects his life with the lives of those who also bear this name and are honored by the Church, sometimes determining its direction and serving as a beacon. And on the day of remembrance of St. Job of Moscow - April 5/18 - we decided to remember the story of the Old Testament Job the Long-Suffering. His feat teaches not only persistent patience with sorrows and torment. This book of the Old Testament is interpreted by the Church Fathers in a representative way, and we, Christians, need to remember and know this. Job is one of the images that fuse the history of mankind into a single whole.
So why is the Lord testing Job, what does he want to lead him to? What are the educational implications of this Old Testament story? How are its contradictions explained? We are talking about this with theologian Peter Malkov.
I. Repin. Job and his friends. 1869
– The Holy Fathers wrote about the life of the long-suffering Job as an edifying example for all of us. But is it only the Old Testament Book of Job that teaches patient enduring of sorrows? Or is there another meaning to this story? Saint Ambrose of Milan, for example, wrote: “No one loved God more than Job”...
– Of course, the Book of Job is a school of piety and humility for those who are in sorrow. But this is not the only reason for its significance for us Christians. And the quote you remembered sounds a little different. Saint Ambrose of Milan says: “No one loved Christ more than Job.” This is the angle we need to perceive this story from.
Job, through his suffering, prefigures Christ, His sacrifice on the cross. And let me remind you that he lived in the pre-Old Testament era - before Moses: Job was one of the descendants of Esau and lived several generations after Abraham. And the history of Job’s pre-law (that is, before the law that was received by Moses on Mount Sinai) prepares ancient man for the future meeting with Christ and for understanding the meaning of Christ’s suffering, which will be revealed in the Incarnation.
The story of Job is one of the Old Testament stories that taught Old Testament man about Whom he should expect, who he should hope for - God, Who will become Man and how Man will suffer for the world and save the world through His suffering.
The Old Testament, according to the conviction of all the ancient holy fathers, is a book primarily about Christ
Generally speaking, the Old Testament, according to the conviction of all the ancient holy fathers, is a book primarily about Christ. This is the story of the salvation of the human race and the path of humanity to meet God who became Man. And the Old Testament is considered as filled with prototypes (in Greek - types) of the coming coming of Christ and the salvation accomplished by Him. Saint John Chrysostom says that the Old Testament is a sketch, a charcoal sketch, which will then be painted with the colors of the New Testament reality of the coming of Christ into the world. Some ancient commentators liken the New Testament to a shadow that is cast into the Old Testament past. This shadow comes from the Church of Christ. Just imagine a church building, a Christian temple on a bright sunny day. But we have our backs turned to it and see only the shadow of this building, we don’t see it itself. However, from its shadow you can guess that this is a temple. We can even make out the outline of a cross on its dome. But we still don’t see the color of its walls, or the location of the doors and window openings, we don’t know the exact proportions: only a gray shadow on the ground near us...
And in some similar way the history of the Old Testament is perceived - as filled with prototypes of the New Testament. Over the Old Testament, into the past, the shadow of the Church of Christ, as it were, falls, in which in the future the salvation hoped for by the Old Testament people will be realized. The sun, thanks to which this shadow arises, is a symbol of Christ Himself, Who is the “Sun of Truth,” as the prophet Malachi prophesies about Him (Malachi 4:2). Such shadows of various New Testament realities, cast back into history, were seen by the ancient saints, prophets, and forefathers. One of such evidence, in which the Cross of Christ is especially clearly revealed - the shadow of this Cross cast into antiquity - is the story of Job. I repeat: Job, through his suffering, prefigures Christ’s suffering on the Cross.
Having gone through suffering, Job sees the Lord - the Lord reveals Himself to him as God incarnate
In addition, the thought of St. Ambrose that no one loved Christ more than Job actualizes the ending of this story: at the end of Job’s path of suffering, the Lord reveals Himself to him precisely as the coming Savior. And the words of Job: “I have heard of You by the ear of the ear; now my eyes see You,” - according to the conviction of both St. Ambrose of Milan, and Blessed Jerome of Stridon, and Deacon Olympiodor of Alexandria, are explained precisely by the fact that the Lord reveals Himself to Job as God incarnate. Of course, He does not yet come to Job as God already incarnate. The very fact of the Incarnation will be realized many centuries later. But prophetically, Job sees and foresees precisely the coming Christ. Sees the face of God who has become Man.
This is why ancient commentators speak of the Christological meaning of this book. And they write that Job, as a result of his suffering, was given new, perfect knowledge about God - knowledge about Him as the Wisdom of God, about the Son of God, incarnate and becoming Man.
– In the words spoken by Job about God, there is gratitude for the sorrows sent, but there is also a certain “fight against God,” reproaches and murmurs against God - after all, Job curses the day of his birth and even the day of his conception. How to understand such a contradiction?
– This question is raised by many interpreters. In general, the Book of Job is one of the most difficult to understand. And many modern interpreters offer their own vision of the meaning of this book, which differs from the patristic one. Thus, in modern Catholic exegesis, Job is sometimes even spoken of as a proud man (for example, Pierre Dumoulin writes about this). Job is supposedly sinfully proud of his righteousness, but he reproaches God because God unfairly sends sorrows to him, such a wonderful person. And from the point of view of some Catholic interpreters, the repentance that Job brings at the end of this story is repentance for pride.
R. Leinweber. Job the long-suffering
Orthodox interpreters, of course, do not understand the meaning of Job’s experiences and reproaches addressed to God at all. Let us not forget what we have already said: no one loved the Lord more than Job. His reproaches are the reproaches of someone who sincerely loves the Lord, but for some reason does not meet or see reciprocal love. Job burns with love for God - one can compare his feeling with the feeling of a person in love, but it seems to him that God does not respond to his love in any way. So these are words not of hatred, not of malice, but of unrequited love. As the Russian exegete of the 19th century Alexander Matveevich Bukharev correctly wrote about this, “in Job’s speeches love was always spoken, but not glorifying love, but perplexed and complaining about the Beloved to Himself.”
As for the curse of the day of birth and conception... Usually, ancient church interpreters say that Job curses not his personal and specific day of conception and birthday, but the day of birth and conception of every person living in a fallen, sinful world. Job longs for the fullness of Communion with God, the presence of God, the fullness of unity with God, and he sees and understands that in a fallen world this turns out to be impossible. Because the world lies in sin and people commit sins. And that state of heavenly bliss as perfect communion with God, in which Adam and Eve were, no longer exists after the Fall. We are talking about what we call original sin, which dominates the entire human race. And original sin, according to the teachings of the Church, is precisely transmitted through passionate physiological birth, through the conception of a person. The inheritance of fallenness associated with conception and birth, which separates man from God, which erects barriers between God and man, is what Job curses. Although, of course, Job first of all grieves that God deprives him of communication with Him personally.
But Job also has a certain erroneous view, which the holy fathers talk about. And for him Job, indeed, then brings repentance to the Lord. The fact is that Job mistakenly believes that the cause of his suffering, the source of his suffering, is God. It seems to him that all the misfortunes, all the torments that happen to him come from God. Remember what Job answers to his wife when she invites him to blaspheme God. Job says: “Shall we not accept evil from God?” This is a big mistake, because nothing evil, bad, or bad comes from God. God only allows evil, but evil and temptations come from Satan.
This is the most important topic, directly related to the real causes of Job’s suffering, and to the instrument of this suffering, which - paradoxical as it may sound - Satan involuntarily becomes in the hands of God. If we carefully read the text of the 1st chapter of the Book of Job, we will notice a very strange thing: when Satan comes to God, God is the first to tell Satan about Job, that he is holy and blameless: “Have you paid attention to My servant? Job? God seems to be pushing Satan towards what will happen next. What is happening can be called, forgive me for this expression, “divine provocation.” Because God Himself pushes Satan to the idea that Job must be tempted, we must try to destroy him. But these temptations themselves, of course, will not be carried out by God, but by the devil.
– Why should he be tempted?
– Answer to the question: why should Job be tempted? - is directly related to the answer to the question: why does Job suffer? Job needs to suffer in order to achieve spiritual perfection. In order to be personally worthy of meeting God. Before, Job only heard about God, as he himself says, but, having endured suffering, he already sees God. He sees God coming to incarnate into the world. God needs Job to not only remain a pious, kind man who believes in the true Creator. God needs much more from Job... We know that before the beginning of his suffering, Job believed in the true God, he made sacrifices for his sons, being a priest outside the priestly family, like Melchizedek from the Book of Genesis. He does not belong to the clan of Aaron, he does not even belong to the Jewish people, and, nevertheless, living in a pagan environment, Job performs true priestly service to God. He is the priest of the Most High God, the God of Heaven. But he is capable of more. And the Lord sees the potential capabilities of every person, the extent to which a person can achieve holiness. In Job this measure is enormous. And the Lord allows him suffering and temptation, so that through these suffering and temptation he achieves the utmost perfection - the most extreme perfection, which would open up for him the opportunity for a personal meeting with God, for achieving the pinnacle of holiness, prophecy, for understanding the revealed truth. After all, through suffering a person improves...
Job's suffering is a kind of tempering agent. And so God pushes Satan into temptation
Job's suffering is a kind of tempering agent. And so God pushes Satan into temptation. Satan unwittingly turns out to be an instrument in the hands of God so that Job achieves even greater perfection.
All this, by the way, is directly related to the question of the causes and circumstances of action in the world of evil. God very often turns evil into good. And He forces even the maximum moral evil, the ultimate evil, to serve as an instrument for the triumph of perfect truth, perfect holiness. For example, the death on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. It would seem that the ultimate triumph of evil: the world, at the instigation of Satan, kills its God. But through this, the world is saved, and evil turns into the triumph of the salvation of the entire universe, the entire human race in Christ, who rose again and redeemed the entire human race with His blood. The same is true in the Book of Job. Unjust suffering, unjust torment, which, it would seem, has no basis, because Job is holy, righteous, he reaches the utmost perfection, as far as possible in pre-Christian times for a person who has not yet been redeemed. And, having found himself ready for this through uplifting suffering, he is awarded a direct meeting with his Creator. He communicates face to face with God. So Job’s suffering is adoring suffering.
– Many perceive suffering as punishment, and from this point of view they ask the question: why do righteous people suffer, while the ungodly live in contentment and joy?
– There is, of course, some truth in the words of Job’s friends who say that God sends suffering to a person to correct some of his sins. There is a well-known saying: “Until thunder strikes, a man will not cross himself.” That's exactly what she's talking about. A person who does not want to come to his senses, who does not want to overcome his sin, who does not want to start living a moral life, is sometimes brought to his senses by God through suffering, through the misfortunes that happen in his life. Only when suffering can such a person come to church, because he feels that he cannot cope with troubles on his own. And then he can change his life - become a Christian. And in this sense, suffering is a kind of Divine punishment. But this is not a punishment that condemns a person to torment due to Divine hatred, but a punishment of love, in the biblical image: whom God loves, he punishes - for the sake of correction and repentance of the sinner. At the same time, the Lord does not send anyone a cross beyond his strength. This is also an important topic. And if we talk about Job, then he, like any other person, probably also had a certain limit of fortitude and patience, and if it had been crossed, he would not have withstood suffering. And the Lord limits Satan’s hostile activity against Job to certain conditions. And the extreme condition here remains: “Just save his soul” - that is, do not take his life. And besides, don’t take away his senses. Because if Job loses his mind, then in his madness he may begin to murmur against God with hatred and enmity. This condition is also set by God to Satan here.
As we see, God allows Satan to act against man, but He limits this activity so that the cross that we bear in our suffering does not exceed our actual strength.
But let's return to the topic of suffering as punishment. Such punishment can be sent to some people for admonition. And we need to talk about this honestly and understand it honestly. For many, sorrow is a response to their sins, to their enmity against God.
However, for the righteous, as I have already said, suffering is an opportunity to ascend to a higher spiritual level. Just as the metal on an anvil is tempered by the blows of a hammer and becomes stronger and of better quality, so a righteous person, experiencing suffering and bearing the cross with humility and love for God, ascends to new and new degrees of perfection. Job's suffering led to a personal meeting with God, to the dialogue that took place between God and him.
– This conversation between Job and God is puzzling: God does not answer Job’s questions, but asks them himself. Why? And why doesn’t He reveal to Job the true reason for his suffering?
Holy Righteous Job the Long-Suffering
– No, in fact, God directly and clearly reveals the true reason for Job’s suffering. And here we need to keep this in mind. Today we most often read the Book of Job according to the text of the Russian Synodal translation of the 19th century. But our ancestors also knew the Church Slavonic text, translated from the Greek original of the Septuagint. This is an ancient Old Testament translation, very authoritative for the Church, which was known back in the 3rd century BC; it was precisely this that was used by the Greek holy fathers - interpreters of the Book of Job. The Russian translation was made from the Jewish Masoretic text, which in its final form is significantly later, dating back to the 1st millennium after the Nativity of Christ. The two texts differ from each other in many details. When the ancient Byzantine holy fathers interpreted the Book of Job, they read the Greek text, which corresponds in meaning to our Church Slavonic text. And if we translate from Greek into Russian what God says at the end of the conversation with Job (this thought is also in our Slavic Bible), then it will sound like this: “Do not distort My definition. Do you really think that I dealt with you for any other purpose than that you might be shown righteous?” Here the meaning of Job’s suffering is directly explained: everything that happened to him was allowed by God to Job so that he would be “revealed as righteous” (in the Russian synodal translation this verse has a completely different meaning).
What does it mean to be “proven righteous”? First of all, for the edification of people. First, because the story of Job's suffering teaches us how to endure sorrow. But she teaches us not only this. Job is a type of Christ. The righteousness of Job is a type of the righteousness of Christ. And the suffering of the holy, righteous and innocent Job is a prototype of the suffering of Christ. From the example of Job we learn the meaning of the Cross of Christ. And finally, this is an example of the fact that only those who live a holy, humble life and endure suffering and sorrow in a holy and pious manner will be worthy of meeting God, tempered by these sufferings. So God here explains directly to Job what happened to him.
As for the questions God asks Job... This is how God instructs Job. By His questions, God shows that He arranged the world mysteriously, wisely, beautifully, and that it is impossible for man to penetrate into all these greatest secrets of the Divine plan for the universe. All this directly leads Job (and with him, us) to the theme of the Wisdom of God, by Which and in accordance with Which everything was created; and the Hypostatic Wisdom of God is Christ before His incarnation, as He Himself revealed itself to people in the Old Testament. “I, wisdom... I have counsel and truth; I am the mind, I have the strength” (Wis. 8, 12, 14). And here - in this speech of the Lord addressed to Job - precisely, according to the thoughts of the ancient interpreters, there is a hint of the coming Christ, as the incarnate Wisdom, Who arranged everything, prepared everything for the good of man in the world and Who Herself will save man through the cross and resurrection. And here is also an indication of the Wise and Eternal Plan, which has existed from time immemorial - the plan for the salvation of man. Because God, without even creating the world, by His absolute foreknowledge and omniscience knows that Adam will sin, and creates the world in such a way that in this world a person can be saved. He creates the world in such a way and man himself in such a way that he can unite with us in the Incarnation - for the sake of victory over sin.
And this is a hymn to the beauty of the world, which God sings on the pages of the Book of Job, this is a hymn to the wise order of the universe - there is a hidden promise to the righteous Lord Himself to come into this world and save it.
In addition, God tells Job about two terrible animals - Leviathan and hippopotamus. Both of these animals are images of Satan. And the Lord shows Job that man is not able to cope with them on his own. This speaks of man's powerlessness before sin, which dominates the human race after the Fall. The fact that a person cannot be saved himself, cannot achieve perfection on his own, but in God he can do this.
Only in God does a person find perfection, salvation, victory over sin. And God says: I am ready to help, and I have prepared everything perfectly and wisely so that you can cope with sin in Me.
The Lord answers Job’s question in this way – by asking him questions himself. And so he teaches him the mystery of Christ and the mystery of salvation through the Cross and victory over Satan, over hell.
– How does patristic tradition explain the reasons for Job's suffering?
– The ancient holy fathers regarded Job’s suffering as a painful, but at the same time beautiful gift sent down to him from God, leading him to even greater spiritual perfection, to deification. According to the thought of St. Gregory the Great, everything that happened to the sufferer, the Lord seemed to say to him: “You were condemned to be crowned, you were condemned to become an object of wonder for all under heaven. Before suffering, you were known only in one corner [of the earth], but after suffering, the whole world will know about you. The dung in which you sat will become more glorious than any royal crown. The crown bearers will want to see you, your works and exploits. I made your dung heap a paradise, I cultivated it for piety, planted heavenly trees on it... It was for this purpose that I put you to the test, not in order to destroy you, but in order to crown you, not in order to shame, but in order to glorify ... Although there is nothing sinful in you that needs to be corrected, there is still something in you that should be increased” - that is, led to even greater spiritual greatness. And here is what St. John Chrysostom writes about Job’s suffering: “The king sitting on the throne is not as brilliant as Job was, sitting on the rotting pit: after the royal throne there is death, and after this rotting spot – the Kingdom of Heaven.”
– Why did Job's wife try to force him to blaspheme God? And who is this woman, what is she like?
– Many ancient fathers indicate that Job’s temptation is growing. First he loses his property, then his children, one misfortune is replaced by another, a less terrible one more terrible. And the last temptation is from the closest and dearest person, from the person whom Job will listen to first of all - from his beloved wife. And this is Job’s most subtle temptation. Satan, of course, works through his wife. Saint John Chrysostom even admits the idea that Satan could appear to Job in the form of a wife. Like some kind of ghost. But even if you do not accept this assumption, there is no escaping the obvious: Job’s wife, unlike himself, does not have a strong faith in God, she considers God to be the culprit of her husband’s suffering, and is convinced that God is angry and hates Job. And according to Old Testament ideas, enemies are responded to with enmity, and hatred is responded to with hatred. The wife talks in a pre-Christian way.
The wife tempts Job as Eve once tempted Adam. Job passes the test - and this is the first step to heaven
There is also a parallel here with how Adam was tempted by Eve. Eve did not call Adam to blaspheme God, but she tempted him to violate God’s command - that is, to leave obedience to God. Job withstands the temptation that Adam once could not withstand in paradise. And this is a very important step for Job on the path to his meeting with God.
Adam and Eve in paradise, without repenting and remaining faithful, lost God and were expelled from paradise. Job's temptation, also through his wife, to which he does not succumb, is the first step towards paradise.
– Why did the seemingly fair words of Job’s friends turn out to be unpleasant to God?
– There are several reasons and important semantic points. Job's friends are, of course, pious people in their own way: he would not be friends with sinful people. And much of what they said is considered by the Church as correct, as authoritative. Often the speeches of friends are even quoted in patristic works and textbooks of dogma in confirmation of certain doctrinal truths. And their words are partly true that the Lord will punish the sinner for his sin. But applied to Job, these words turn out to be slander against the righteous. Friends seem to be blind, considering Job a sinner. They are sure that suffering is sent to him for his sins, like other sinners. But Job was righteous and holy! And God Himself testifies to this before Satan: “there is no one like him on earth: a blameless, just, God-fearing man who shuns evil.” Job's friends do not understand or do not want to understand that through suffering a person can achieve new spiritual perfection. That suffering is sent not only to sinners, but also to the righteous. In addition, they extremely rationalize the doctrine of God and understanding of God. They think they know everything about God because they are such wise, experienced, serious people.
And these two points - the fact that Job’s friends speak, in general, the truth, but at the same time only part of it, and the fact that they take an extremely rational approach to the knowledge of God - brings them, according to the thought of St. Gregory the Dvoeslov, closer to the New Testament heretics, whom Job's friends here seem to be foreshadowing. Because heretics do not tell the whole truth either. They take one part of the truth and discard the other. A classic example is the heresies of Nestorianism and Monophysitism. The Nestorians claim that Christ is a true Man, and in this they are right, but it is only necessary to add to what has been said that Christ is also the true God. Monophysites say that Christ is the true God, and this is true, but it only needs to be added that He is also a true Man, that He has the fullness of human nature. But heretics do not speak the truth in its entirety, they take into account only part of it, and discard the other part, and therefore they turn out to be heretics. And the fullness of the truth is that Christ is true God and true Man.
And another feature of heresies is their rationalism. So, for example, the ancient extreme Arians - Aetius and Eunomius - tried to rationally penetrate the secrets of the Holy Trinity with the help of certain graphs and diagrams. It didn't end well for them...
And because Job’s friends judge God rationalistically and not as faithfully as Job, God does not accept their words. But let’s not forget that Job will make a sacrifice to the Lord for them and that God will forgive them for the sake of Job’s love, for the sake of his intercession for them before Him.
– Let's summarize our conversation. What can we learn from the life of Long-Suffering Job?
We must never forget that the Lord is always with us
- Steadfast endurance of sorrows, love for Christ, fidelity to God and hope and faith that even in the most terrible circumstances of life - with the seeming abandonment of God that a person sometimes feels, in prison, in illness, at the death of our loved ones - the Lord loves us, the Lord next to us, always ready to help us, console us and give us endless and endless benefits. For some - in this life, but most importantly - for everyone in the future eternal life. Job is an image of suffering and an image of hope that is born through suffering.
What does his life story teach us?
Job, indignant against what he did not understand, humbles himself before God's power and wisdom. He realizes the insignificance of his experience and knowledge compared to God's knowledge.
It's amazing that Job wasn't so hardened against God that he rejected him. Although, perhaps, until the end of his days he did not know about the heavenly dispute between God and Satan. Unfortunately, many modern believers, given the Bible, act differently.
They expect that the path of Christian service will now fully satisfy their needs. Do many people believe that the God of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar is more like a machine for issuing blessings and curses than a living person? Such people are ready to serve God only until a series of serious trials occurs in their lives.
The Bible calls us:
“Brothers and sisters, take your example in suffering and long-suffering from the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Remember that we call them blessed because they endured their suffering. You have heard about Job’s patience and know how the Lord finally helped him and thereby showed that He is merciful and compassionate.”
(James 5:10,11)
James uses the Greek word hupomone . It conveys not passive patience, but spiritual valor, which helps to endure even a tsunami of doubts, disappointments and misfortunes.
Job and his friends - Gustave Dore. 1869 Illustrations for the Bible
Note that Job’s perseverance was associated with hope in God’s mercy. And we should remember that any suffering is temporary.
“Have patience, brothers and sisters, until the Lord comes. See how the farmer waits for the precious harvest from the earth. He waits patiently until the autumn and spring rains come.
You too must wait patiently. Let hope not leave you, for the coming of the Lord is near.”
(James 5:7,8)
I would also like to emphasize that in times of suffering we should not think that God doubts us. In Job's case, God did not allow evil to happen because he wanted to test it. He gave Job the opportunity to glorify God's holiness and human dignity as the image and likeness of the Creator. The same task is assigned to us.
Many are convinced that the modern godlessness that has swept the earth is largely due to the evil that people face every day. But Scripture says that it is possible to lose faith even in the most favorable circumstances. Adam and Eve lost their faith in paradise, the Israelites rebelled against God in the promised land where milk and honey flowed, and even the fabulously wealthy Solomon became an idolater.
Timeline [↑]
There are different views about the time of Job's life and whether he was a Jew or not (in the Talmud, Bava Batra 15
): it is possible that the events described in the book of Job took place while the Jews were in Egypt; or - even earlier, in the time of Jacob; it is suggested that Job lived during the time of King David.
Rashi writes that Job lived during the period when the Jews were in Egyptian slavery, and the crowded funeral that so amazed the spies (see the chapter “Shlah”) was Job’s funeral. The Torah "hints" that while Job was alive, his merits protected Canaan from its enemies.
The prophecy of monk Abel about Tsar Nicholas II
Emperor Pavel Petrovich asked the monk Abel to tell who the royal rule would be transferred to after his great-grandson, Alexander III.
Abel answered:
“To Nicholas II - the holy king, like the long-suffering Job. He will have the mind of Christ, long-suffering and dove-like purity. Scripture testifies about him: Psalms 90, 10 and 20 revealed to me his whole fate. He will replace the royal crown with a crown of thorns; he will be betrayed by his people, as the Son of God once was.
The Redeemer will be, he will redeem his people - like a bloodless sacrifice. There will be a war, a great war, a world war. People will fly through the air like birds, swim under water like fish, and begin to destroy each other with foul-smelling brimstone. On the eve of victory, the royal throne will collapse. Treason will grow and multiply.
And your great-grandson will be betrayed, many of your descendants will whiten their clothes with the blood of a lamb in the same way, a man with an ax will take power in madness, but then he himself will cry. The Egyptian execution will truly come. Blood and tears will water the damp earth. Bloody rivers will flow. Brother will rise up against brother."
Modern historians and Orthodox researchers are extremely cautious about the prophecies of Abel . Thus, they note that in his predictions he expressed heretical judgments and even said that his visions could be of demonic origin.
For example, the statement about Nicholas II as the redeemer of the Russian land is considered heretical. While Scripture and the Church speak of only one redeemer - Christ. Moreover, there is no evidence that the 20th century prophecies attributed to Abel were made by him.
Interesting fact
Nicholas II was born on the day of remembrance of St. Job the Long-Suffering.
In what cases is the akathist, canon read?
The akathist and canon to Saint Job are read on the day of his remembrance, May 19 . On this day, in many churches they are read during general worship. This can be done any day at home in front of the icon.
What do they pray to the righteous for?
Job is prayed to for a variety of reasons. Among them are:
- weakening of faith due to doubts about God's love and justice;
- lack of patience and perseverance in difficult circumstances;
- physical and spiritual ailments;
- fighting bad habits, such as smoking.
Prayer text
Prayer for misfortunes
The meaning of a saint in Orthodoxy
Job lived before the prophet Moses, before the time when God gave the covenant to the chosen people. Ancient interpreters of the Old Testament assigned a special place to the Book of Job.
The story of the righteous is a prototype of Christ, the sinless sufferer who atoned for human sins with his death.
God knew that no man on earth loved him as much as Job. But this allowed Satan to tempt his most faithful servant. The Lord provokes the devil to prove his power over him, but he imposes restrictions on him: do not deprive him of his life and mind. Sudden and inexplicable suffering has driven the pious and God-fearing man into despair, and he cries out to God, not understanding the reasons for his anger and cursing his birth.
Christian commentators, including Orthodox Christians, view the suffering of the biblical ancestor as a path to spiritual self-improvement, strengthening faith and getting closer to God. The Lord allowed such trials so that the righteous would become individuals. A perfect one who not only listened but also saw the Lord.
From the history of the long-suffering righteous it follows that the suffering of sinners and righteous people has different causes and consequences. God's punishment for sins forces people to come to church to find spiritual support in misfortunes and illnesses, to get rid of vices. For the righteous, physical and mental suffering is the path to spiritual self-improvement, which includes two aspects: unshakable faith, love for God and enduring humility. Job is an example for believers of how to endure adversity in order to prepare for future eternal life and an encounter with God. It is a symbol of hope found through suffering.
Prayer
Oh, great righteous man, Long-suffering Job, radiant with his pure life and holy closeness to God.
You lived on earth before Moses and Christ, yet you fulfilled all the commandments of God, carrying them in your heart. The mysteries revealed to the world through Christ and His Holy Apostles, having understood through your deep revelations, you were deemed worthy to be a partaker of the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. All the wiles of the devil, in the special temptations sent to you from the Lord, having overcome with your true humility, the image of suffering and long-suffering of the entire universe appeared to you. Having preserved your great love for God and for all people in your immeasurable sorrows, with a pure heart beyond the grave you joyfully awaited unity with the Lord. Now you remain in the villages of the righteous and stand before the Throne of God. Hear us sinners and unnecessary ones, standing before your holy icon and diligently resorting to your intercession.
Pray to God, the Lover of mankind, that he may strengthen us in faith, stronger, more immaculate and unbreakable, and protect us from all evil, visible and invisible, and give us fortress in sorrows and temptations, in will forever preserve the memory of death in our hearts, strengthen us in long-suffering and brotherly love, and make us worthy of give a good answer to the terrible judgment of Christ and in our resurrected flesh contemplate the Triune God and sing His glory with all the saints forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer for Healing
Prayer
O holy servant of God, righteous Job!
Having fought a good fight on earth, you have received in Heaven the crown of righteousness, which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him. In the same way, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. You, standing before the Throne of God, accept our prayers and bring them to the All-Merciful God, to forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that, having been delivered from sorrows, illnesses, troubles and misfortunes and all evil, we will live piously and righteously in the present We will therefore be worthy through your intercession, even though we are unworthy, to see good on the land of the living, glorifying the One in His saints, glorifying God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
An akathist was written to Job the Long-Suffering
An akathist was written to Job the Long-Suffering, which can be read at home in front of the icon. On the day of glorification of the saint, the akathist is also read in the temple during the service.
Akathist:
Kontakion 1
To the great righteous man chosen by the Lord of the Old Testament, the fifth son of Esau from Abraham, Job the Long-Suffering, let us sing a song of praise: for with his wondrous virtues and with all his life he appeared as the teacher of the whole universe. You, righteous Job, accept this praise offered to you with love, warm our hearts with the desire to imitate your feat, and let us unanimously call to you: Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Ikos 1
On a certain day the angels of God stood before the Lord and offered Him praise. The devil came with them. This latter, asked by the Lord about Job, began to slander the righteous man, as if he honors the Lord of the earth for the sake of blessings, in whose image God rewards him. We, remembering with bitterness the evil devil’s slander against the great righteous man, thus praise Job: Rejoice, Job, for the Lord Himself named you is blameless and pious. Rejoice, you receive all earthly blessings from the Lord. Rejoice, you who have many servants and count your flocks by the thousands. Rejoice, having raised the sons and daughters given to you by the Lord in great piety. Rejoice, for you showed great care for your children. Rejoice, for you have not attached your heart to anything from earthly goods. Rejoice, for with your wisdom you stood high above everyone. Rejoice, for you were a king among the brave. Rejoice, for you were the noblest of all beings from the east of the sun. Rejoice, all-glorious, true servant of God. Rejoice, thou who has accomplished great good deeds. Rejoice, enlightened world in your patience. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 2
Knowing the indestructible faith and great devotion to the will of God of his servant, the Lord gave the power to the devil to take away all earthly blessings from Job and destroy his children. We, marveling at this special will of God, cry out to the All-Wise God: Alleluia!
Ikos 2
With his evil mind, the devil was extremely happy, having received such a will from God. One day, when all of Jobl’s children unanimously enjoyed a meal in the house of their eldest brother, the devil sent a message to do his evil will, and destroyed all of Jobl’s property, and delivered ten of his children to death. A storm of unexpected temptations shook this wondrous pillar, and from its lips came forth the gray wise words: Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, naked I will go there: The Lord is given, the Lord is taken away: as the Lord willed, so it was. Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever! Honoring such devotion to the will of God of the righteous man, we say in praise of Job: Rejoice, Job, who has sinned nothing before the Lord. Rejoice, O long-suffering one, who did not give insanity to God with your lips. Rejoice, for the doors of your house are open to everyone who passes by. Rejoice, for the stranger did not remain outside your home. Rejoice, for you did not despise the widow’s tearful eye. Rejoice, as you were the blind, and you were the foot of the lame. Rejoice, for you did not eat your own bread alone, but you gave abundantly to the orphans. Rejoice, for all the infirmities that required something, all joyfully received the essence from you. Rejoice, for you wept for everyone who is weak. Rejoice, for seeing your husband in sorrow, you sighed heavily. Rejoice, you are a quick helper in every need and sorrow. Rejoice, vigilant intercessor of those who seek your intercession. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 3
Relying on his strength, Satan again slandered Job and said to God: Send Your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, or else He will not bless You in His presence? And again the Lord betrays wondrous Job into the hands of the wicked. The sower of evil, coming out from the face of the Lord, gloatingly struck Job with fierce pus from his feet even to his head. And the righteous man sat outside the city on the puss, took the shard, and sharpened his pus. We, blessing God, having allowed the cruel leprosy to be brought upon the blameless Job, for the sake of glorifying His servant, cry out to the Lord: Alleluia!
Ikos 3
Truly patience is greater than man's name, Long-Suffering Job. The disease in the leper's body multiplied. The righteous wife, seeing the suffering of her husband and being taught by Satan, gave advice to Job: Say a certain word to the Lord and die. He looked up and spoke to her: What did you say that you are the only one from mad women? If the good hands of the Lord are received, will we not endure the evil ones? In all these things that happened to him, Job sinned nothing before God and did not give insanity to God. Where can anyone find verbs that glorify the righteous man of the new age? Moreover, we are conquered by love for Job, and with Job’s words we glorify the long-suffering face: Rejoice, for your bones were crushed at night and your veins have come to relaxation. Rejoice, for your great skin is darkened. Rejoice, for the parts of your body have burned away from pus. Rejoice, for you were filled with illness from evening to morning. Rejoice, for your body remained in the pus of worms. Rejoice, for your waste is filled with stench. Rejoice, for I abhor you and rise up against you, having seen you. Rejoice, Job, unyielding to all the admonitions of the evil one. Rejoice, devoted to the Lord unto death. Rejoice, you who have denounced the foolish words of your wife. Rejoice, O valiant pillar, in your grave illnesses you never gave in to despondency. Rejoice, you who bless God in your sorrows. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 4
Many great troubles came upon the righteous man when three of his friends came to him. They looked at the leper from afar, not knowing him, and cried out with a great voice, weeping, tearing their garments and throwing dust on their heads: I sat with him seven days and seven nights, and no one from them spoke words of consolation to him. It is in vain that such friends are his, the innocent sufferer should strive with all his heart to God, trusting in Him alone and crying out to Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 4
Hearing the great voice and the cry of your friends, you realized, O much-suffering one, that they would not give you consolation. In the sorrow of your soul, before the face of the Lord, you opened your mouth, Job, and began to say that it was better for you not to be born than to live except close to God. Compassionate to the righteous man in his unspeakable grief, in praise of his great devotion to the Lord, we say to Job: Rejoice, great righteous man of the Old Testament, placing all your bliss in closeness to God. Rejoice, having experienced the fear of being rejected by God in the temptations sent down to you. Rejoice, you who preferred death to the life left to you by God. Rejoice, having firmly endured your sorrows through the hope of God’s consolation. Rejoice, for you spoke about an endless afterlife. Rejoice, for in death you found eternal peace. Rejoice, earthly sorrows as a preparation for the future life. Rejoice, perspicacious seer of eternal joys. Rejoice, crying out to the Lord for immortal bliss. Rejoice, having seen only the good in earthly blessings with the Lord. Rejoice, for you considered the beauty of the visible sky to be nothing without God. Rejoice, for you waited for a new heaven and a new earth with all your soul. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 5
The righteous man’s three friends did not understand the complete devotion to the Lord in his words, except his murmur against God. For this reason, Job was inspired to turn to God with prayer and repentance for his sins. The innocent sufferer prays to God for one thing, that the Lord may give him the power to understand his innocent suffering. To God, the source of wisdom and reason, the righteous man cried out from his contrite heart: Alleluia!
Ikos 5
Although you should point out the inscrutable ways of the Lord, for the understanding of which man should beg God, you, your friend, Job, taught him to live in the will of God. We, who honor the wise words of the suffering righteous man, bring him this praise: Rejoice, for your lips did not utter untruth against God. Rejoice, you who wisely expose the lies of your friends. Rejoice, you who speak humbly and wisely about the incomprehensibility of God’s providence. Rejoice, thou who hast desired to understand the life of the righteous in the Old Testament. Rejoice, having seen yourself immersed by nature in all kinds of defilement. Rejoice, having discerned the need for an intercessor between God and people with your pious heart. Rejoice, you thirsty Father for God's love. Rejoice, for you tearfully begged the Lord, so that He would not remove His fear from you. Rejoice, for you have respected your temptations, sent from God. Rejoice, for you considered the coming death to be your deliverer from earthly sorrows. Rejoice, wise exponent of the Divine ways. Rejoice, good leader towards the Kingdom of Heaven. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 6
The preacher of the incomprehensibility of the depths of God, of God's wisdom and reason, appeared to you, the long-suffering one, when you denounced your hypocritical friends, imagining for themselves the ways of the wisdom of God. Humbly seeing that God's providence is weak for himself, the righteous man desired to stand in judgment before God and ask Him for special mercy, so that the Lord would withdraw His formidable hand and not terrify him with His fear. Carrying in his heart a humble prayer to the Lord, with tenderness Job cried out to the One Judge and God: Alleluia!
Ikos 6
The righteous ray of grace has risen into your soul, when in your great sorrow you were expecting the approach to death, and you were preparing for the irrevocable journey into the unknown land of darkness and eternal darkness. Loving the Lord with all my soul, at the call of God, you were ready to go to the afterlife, Job, but you did not reject the hope of a new life in closeness to God in your heart. Rejoicing at this bright aspiration of the suffering righteous, we sing to him with love: Rejoice, humble, God-wise, innocent sufferer. Rejoice, constantly thinking about the nearness of death. Rejoice, thou who set the day and hour of man’s death in the wise will of God. Rejoice, unhypocritical servant of Christ. Rejoice, for with your pure heart you desired to see God. Rejoice, for in your deep devotion to the Lord you boldly questioned Him. Rejoice, for you have never departed from your truth. Rejoice, for you sought from God true wisdom. Rejoice, fellow unrighteous doctors. Rejoice, having seen flattery in all their words before God. Rejoice, having preserved your soul pure and immaculate. Rejoice, you who desire to stand fearlessly before the Lord in judgment. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 7
Those who want to understand true wisdom in your wisdom, help us, servant of God. Having exposed your false friends, you pointed out to them, Job, that the blessings of the earth and the sorrows of man are in the hands of God. The Lord distributes them wisely: the righteous suffer greatly and the wicked prosper. An earthly man cannot understand the secrets of God’s worldly rule, but for everything he must thank the Lord and, praising Him, sing to Him: Alleluia!
Ikos 7
We hear wondrous speeches from the lips of the Old Testament righteous man. His hypocritical friends did not give Job any consolation, and most of all, they caused new sorrow to his heart. The righteous man only directs his thoughts to the Lord, to the One Intercessor and impartial Judge of God, from Him the only consolation of tea. Seeing such an exalted aspiration of the Long-Suffering One, we magnify him: Rejoice, wise accuser of hypocrisy. Rejoice, you who call your evil comforters your friends. Rejoice, seeing your friends nodding their heads over the great suffering of their friend. Rejoice, for you have only sought relief from the Lord for your heart. Rejoice, having only seen the True Intercessor in heaven. Rejoice, for your heart is filled with terror before God. Rejoice, for through your pure prayer you drew closer to God. Rejoice, for you firmly trusted in your truth. Rejoice, in your humility, you who honor yourself are unworthy of conversing with God. Rejoice, just beg God your Judge what you desire. Rejoice, testify to your innocence before the whole world. Rejoice, for your eye is filled with blessed tears. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 8
It is strange for us, sons of the New Testament, redeemed by the blood of the Son of God and possessing the Gospel of Christ, to hear the bold words of the Old Testament righteous man. The great mysteries of the afterlife are not known to the Long-Suffering One, but with his heart devoted to God, Job prayed that He who is in heaven, the Witness and Protector of such mysteries, would illuminate him with knowledge. The eye of the Long-Suffering One tears up to the Lord and with tenderness the righteous one sings to God: Alleluia!
Ikos 8
Anticipating the approach of his death, enduring severe suffering on earth, in his gracious insights the righteous man said, as if there is no relief in sorrows on earth, may the Lord hide it in the underworld for the time being. When the wrath of God ceases, the sins and iniquities of man are covered, then the Lord, by His mercy, will allow the righteous to be close to Him. We, such a bright hope of the suffering one who sees, in special praise of him we say: Rejoice, God-wise and enlightened visionary. Rejoice, holy and great sufferer. Rejoice, thou who suffered in the flesh and was freed from sin. Rejoice, you who have overcome the spirit of despondency through love for the Lord. Rejoice, for you were filled with the bright hope of the future life. Rejoice, for you believed with all your soul in the endless love of God. Rejoice, thou who thirstest may take away the secrets of the afterlife. Rejoice, you who awaited God's mercy in the dark valleys of hell. Rejoice, hope for a bright life beyond the grave is equal to David, Isaiah, Ezekiel and other prophets. Rejoice, for by this you have become hopeful on a single path with the great righteous people of the Old Testament. Rejoice, you who preached to all the righteous the joy of a bright existence beyond the grave. Rejoice, perspicacious confessor of the Gospel truths of Christ. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 9
Through all sorts of great temptations and sorrows, you grew spiritually, Job. The Lord has delighted your soul with special revelations, the Long-Suffering One. Graciously illuminated by God, you, the chosen one of God, spoke: We know that my Redeemer lives, who on the last day will resurrect my decaying skin from the dust, and I will see God in my flesh. Receiving in our hearts this faith in the resurrection of the flesh, we, being taught by such revelations of the righteous, cry out to God: Alleluia!
Ikos 9
Vetia truly unrighteous appeared to the many-tongued friends of yours, Job. This consolation of lies desired to reproach you, your suffering friend, saying that you did not feed the hungry, you did not clothe the poor, you offended widows and the orphans, and you did not quench the thirst of your neighbors. O great patience of the great sufferer! Praising such long-suffering and pure virtuous life of Job, we sing to him: Rejoice, for you humbly endured reproaches from your friends. Rejoice, for you graciously accepted the ridicule of small children. Rejoice, for your servants have forgotten your love for them. Rejoice, for your wife also foolishly heeded the evil advice. Rejoice, for the evil Satan, having torn apart the pillar of the body, did not steal the treasures of your spirit. Rejoice, great warrior, victorious over all the machinations of the enemy. Rejoice, for you wanted to see the One God and Lord on earth. Rejoice, for you have become glorified by your devotion to the Lord. Rejoice, having astonished everyone with the height of your exploits. Rejoice, enlightenment of the spiritual guide. Rejoice, great consolation for all people. Rejoice, for through you you have shown salvation to many in this world. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 10
Having salvation for yourself only from the Lord of tea, and having a bright hope for a renewed life beyond the grave, Long-suffering Job, who was also a righteous man of the Old Testament, did not dare to be confirmed in his insights, but doubted in his thoughts and feelings and endured some grief in his soul. We, the righteous in this sorrow with compassion and bowing to the Holy will of God, cry out to the Loving and Wise God: Alleluia!
Ikos 10
You appeared as a strong wall of devotion to the Lord to the whole world, the long-suffering one, when you spoke firmly about your integrity and the hypocrisy of your friends. Having our hearts, filled with compassion for the innocently suffering righteous man, with our united lips we call to him with tenderness: Rejoice, great righteous man, who in terrible temptations retained complete devotion to the Lord. Rejoice, having seen good consolation from no one else. Rejoice, you who never gave in to despondency over the deprivation of your children and lost wealth. Rejoice, for you teach us all to overcome the temptations of the love of money. Rejoice, for you wisely understood the changes in the heavenly bodies. Rejoice, for you have not seen a single ever-present joy in this world. Rejoice, for only in the One God will I find joy and truth. Rejoice, thou art worthy to receive the great true revelation from God. Rejoice, for you overcame the lies of your friends and the reproaches of your neighbors with the strength of your spirit. Rejoice, for you have overcome every wordless lust with the purity of your heart. Rejoice, in all your bright hopes you were never put to shame. Rejoice, for you delved into the secrets of the afterlife through the breath of the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 11
Let us sing an all-contrite song to the Long-suffering One, who saw his own innocence and knew the unredeemed sinfulness of mankind. It is in vain that the right hand of the Divine will is upon you, you believe in God’s providence for righteous people, and have a good end. Sharing his indestructible bright faith and trust in God, who is able to ease Job’s heavy sorrow, we cry out with him to the All-Good Lord: Alleluia!
Ikos 11
The illumination of the Long-suffering One is bright, and his hope is also bright. For the past time, Job has kept silent from his words. His three friends also kept silent about anyone who could reproach Job, since Job was righteous before them. The new interlocutor Elius speaks to him, and the righteous one listens to his speech more favorably. But Job was not able to understand all this new word, behold, the Lord Himself appeared to His servant and spoke to Job through the storm and stormy clouds, convicting, instructing, and healing him.
The same one with reverent trembling, heeding the words of God, silently reproaching himself many times, most of all recognizing that he is nothing before the face of God: and the soul of the righteous man was filled with grace-filled humility. Seeing such deep humility before the Lord, we joyfully sing to Job:
Rejoice, great in the purity of your speeches before the Lord. Rejoice, great one in immeasurable humility before the Lord. Rejoice, having recognized your insignificance and placed your hand on your lips. Rejoice, like Abraham, you who called earth and ashes for yourself. Rejoice, great wisdom, having experienced the fate of man in the world before Christ.
Rejoice, faithful servant of the Lord, who did not dare to speak about his wisdom. Rejoice, having not uttered a single word about the speeches of your friends. Rejoice, for you reverently listened to the Lord about the wondrous deeds of God’s omnipotence. Rejoice, contritely convicting yourself of your thoughtlessness before God. Rejoice, bowing before the wisdom of the One God with all your soul.
Rejoice, in your humility, joyfully listening to the Lord who denounced you. Rejoice, you have renounced all your bold speeches before the Lord and repented in dust and ashes. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 12
The gracious, great joy in your heart, the long-suffering one, has descended. You saw your Lord in the storm and cloud. You have heard the word of the Lord rebuking you, and you have heard His angry word towards your unfaithful friends. A terrible leprosy has come upon you, Job, and you have received all earthly blessings in abundance from the Lord. As a reward for your sorrows, you gained longevity, by the grace of God, and you joyfully contemplated the new ten of your children. Resurrection with all your chosen ones, Lord, I promise you. Despising all his sorrows, the righteous man and we together with him joyfully cry out to the Lord with all our hearts: Alleluia!
Ikos 12
Having endured immeasurable sorrows and shown complete devotion to the all-holy will of God, you appeared to Job as a living prototype of the sorrows of the Lord, who defeated the devil on the cross through the sufferings of the devil. Singing your wonderful life, praising your immeasurable long-suffering, long-suffering, we praise you with the words of the Lord Himself, His prophets and apostles, and the words of the Church: Rejoice, O righteous one, praised by the mouth of God throughout the whole universe. Rejoice, you have revealed the truth in all your words about God, not like your friends’ false speeches. Rejoice, for the Lord has shown you the only prayer book for your friends.
Rejoice, for the Lord has forgiven such sins for your prayers. Rejoice, more than once named by the Lord Himself as a true servant of God. Rejoice, great Old Testament prayer book, along with Noah and Daniel. Rejoice, for as the brother of the Lord, you are called the image of suffering and long-suffering. Rejoice, for in your life the same Apostle James praised the glorious death of the Lord. Rejoice, for the Church of Christ commanded that your holy book be read during the days of Passion Week. Rejoice, prototype of the passions of the sinless Lord. Rejoice, for Saint Chrysostom called us, by the image of your suffering, to imitate your feat. Rejoice, for in the Church of the Saints your name is glorious, honorable and glorified. Rejoice, Long-suffering Job, wonderful teacher to the whole world.
Kontakion 13
O great righteous man of the Old Testament, Job the Long-Suffering, accept our feasible praise of your immeasurable deeds for the glory of God. With your strong prayers at the throne of God, give us help, who bend our knees before your many years of grievous suffering, firm in temptation and suffering, indestructibly believing in an eternal afterlife, in receiving, by the grace of God, crowns of righteousness at the terrible judgment of Christ, firmly hoping, that we too, in our renewed flesh, with you and with all the saints, will be worthy to see our Redeemer and Lord and sing to him forever: Alleluia! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1).
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The most famous painting
One of the most famous paintings depicting the great sufferer is the canvas “Job and His Friends” by Ilya Repin . The master created a masterpiece while receiving the title of free artist in 1869.
Job and his friends - Ilya Efimovich Repin. 1869. Oil on canvas. 133 x 199
The painting shows Job's friends coming to express their condolences to him. Although no one's tears are visible, fear and sadness are clearly felt in everyone.
- The artist captured Job sitting on the ruins of his once luxurious home.
- Job's shoulders slumped. There is grief and doom on his face.
- There is confusion and bewilderment on the faces of friends.
- Behind Job, his wife is visible, holding her head and encouraging him to repent of his sins.
Why Job suffered [↑]
The book כור לזהב lists twelve reasons why Job suffered misfortunes. Here are some of them.
In Treatise Sotha (11a
) it is told: when Pharaoh wanted to solve the “Jewish question,” he called the greatest sages to a council.
The council was attended by Bilam, Jethro and Job. Bilam advised Pharaoh on the best way to torture the Jews, Jethro fled when he heard about Pharaoh's plans, and Job simply remained silent. The Talmud tells us what happened to each of them later. Bilam was killed like a dog (Bemidbar 31:8
), Job suffered terrible torment, and Yitro’s descendants were honored to sit in the Supreme Rabbinical Court in the Temple.
All three of these sages had enormous spiritual potential. It is said about Job that he was a righteous man, but by his silence he showed indifference, and, being at a certain spiritual level, did not try to continue moving forward.
Every day Job's children had a big reception, and every morning Job made a sacrifice
.
The book of Zohar (2 parts 34a and 181 b
) says that this was one of the reasons for his suffering.
The sacrifice of ola
, which is burned completely, means the separation of the physical from the spiritual.
Instead of bringing shlomim
and participating in the meat meal (which is part of the sacrifice), that is, introducing spirituality into the physical aspects of his existence, Job preferred to enjoy his extraordinary wealth and “buy off” possible troubles with constant sacrifices.
It is also written that Job tried to become equal to Abraham and also received guests. However, unlike Abraham, he did not specifically seek out those in need of hospitality. He was ready to accept anyone who came to him. This shows a person who has achieved a lot, felt that he was satisfied with what he had achieved, and stopped. The Almighty did not want Job to stop.
Job's suffering was necessary in order to weaken his connection with the material and thus give him the opportunity to get even closer to the spiritual, to help him fully realize his enormous potential. In addition, Job, who compared himself to Abraham, now also had the opportunity to endure trials like Abraham and “prove himself” in practice.
Temples in Brussels and Sarov
The Brussels Church, created in honor of Job, belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. It was erected in memory of Emperor Nicholas II. Years of construction: 1936—1950. Architect - Nikolai Istselennov.
Temple of Job the Long-Suffering in Sarov
In the city of Sarov, a temple in the name of Job was founded in 2008, at the entrance to the city cemetery. It was consecrated in 2011. Only this Sarov temple has a belfry and trained bell ringers.
An icon was written to the Righteous Job
An icon was written to the Righteous Job. In the icon, most often he holds a scroll in his right hand, and with his left hand he blesses. There are options for other icons. They can be seen in the photo below.
Icon of Job the Long-Suffering. Photo: pravoslavnaya-biblioteka.ru
One of the variants of the icons of Job the Long-Suffering. Photo: xn--b1algoccq.xn--p1ai
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The Book of Job was not written to answer all our questions about the evil in our world. Its main character is an example of a person who cannot imagine life without unity with a loving and just Creator. If Job’s happiness had been only material, he would have renounced God without hesitation. But Job was fabulously rich spiritually and morally. And therefore he was not burned in the fiery test.
The amazing book of Job teaches us that if we live a holy and righteous life, then our suffering provides an opportunity to glorify God and man. God - as the one who always loves us and is worthy of reciprocal love, and man - as his best creation on earth, the true image and likeness.
Victor Glebov
Iconography
On the frescoes of the 3rd-4th centuries, the image of the saint is reminiscent of ancient philosophers. Put on a short tunic and stand on a rock or sit on a chair. During the same period, the saint appears on the reliefs of sarcophagi as an illustration of the biblical text. Job sits on a chair, next to his wife (alone or with friends), offering him food on a stick, covering his nose with the hem of his clothes.
On the icons, Saint Job is in rich clothes, with gray hair, with a gray curly beard, with a scroll in his hands or with outstretched palms. There are no characters from the Book of Job next to him.
