Job

[nobspeople]

Was the story of Job, in the bible, a real story (God really allowed these things to happen to Job) or was it a story meant to convey a message?

If it was to convey a message, what's the message?

If it was a real story, why did God have to do this if he knew Job's character?


Additionally, how do Christians reconcile the Christian view of Job with Job in other religions? Or do they?

[nobspeople]

If God knows better than Satan, then why does he have to prove that point? And to whom?

To all the other individuals concerned.

Remember, in the bible account Satan made his accusation in public, before the host of other angels. And his statement was not specific to Job. He claimed "all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life" - Job 2:4 - "People" (CEV) "A person" (GNT). So Satan (very deliberately I believe), framed his challenge in a way that implicated all humans and he did so before the rest of Gods heavenly family of angelic creatures. This thus became not just a global but a universal issue.






RELATED POSTS

Was Job perfect ?
viewtopic.php?p=753100#p753100

Why did God allow Job to suffer so?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 20#p335120

Who was God proving Jobs integrity to?
viewtopic.php?p=1041836#p1041836

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

SATAN THE DEVIL , THE STORY OF JOB and ...HUMAN SUFFERING

Personally, I'd expect a deity worth its salt to be above this petty challenge. Maybe I expect too much?

[Difflugia]

No I mean why is the angel called in "the adversary"? And how is it relative to the narrative of the story?

He's the the adversary in the sense of a prosecuting attorney. It's his job to test the faith of the faithful by opposing them, which is what he does to Job.

[JehovahsWitness]

No I mean why is the angel called in "the adversary"? And how is it relative to the narrative of the story?

He's the the adversary in the sense of a prosecuting attorney. It's his job to test the faith of the faithful by opposing them, which is what he does to Job.

Why is it not in the plain meaning of the word?

ADVERSARY

one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute.

[Difflugia]

No I mean why is the angel called in "the adversary"? And how is it relative to the narrative of the story?

He's the the adversary in the sense of a prosecuting attorney. It's his job to test the faith of the faithful by opposing them, which is what he does to Job.

Why is it not in the plain meaning of the word?

ADVERSARY
one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute.

It is. Or I don't understand the question. If it helps you, instead of "adversary," it's sometimes rendered "accuser." Ezra 4:6 uses a word (sitnah, שִׂטְנָ֔ה) from the same root to mean "accusation."

[Diagoras]

Why is it not in the plain meaning of the word?

ADVERSARY
one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute.

Sort of like ‘generation’, then?

Who gets to choose when the bible’s choice of word is the ‘plain’ literal version, rather than an allegorical one?

[JehovahsWitness]

If it helps you, instead of "adversary," it's sometimes rendered "accuser." Ezra 4:6 uses a word (sitnah, שִׂטְנָ֔ה) from the same root to mean "accusation."

No, not really; lets just stick to your original point for now.

In Job, "the satan" (not a proper name, but a title or job description ["the adversary"]) ...

ADVERSARY
one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute.

It is. Or I don't understand the question.

Fair enough. Why, in your opinion, is the angel and not YHWH identified as the adversary ?

In the narrative, which of the two Satan or YHWH (Jehovah) made an accusation against Job?

[Difflugia]

If it helps you, instead of "adversary," it's sometimes rendered "accuser." Ezra 4:6 uses a word (sitnah, שִׂטְנָ֔ה) from the same root to mean "accusation."

No, not really; lets just stick to your original point for now.

In Job, "the satan" (not a proper name, but a title or job description ["the adversary"]) ...

ADVERSARY
one's opponent in a contest, conflict, or dispute.

It is. Or I don't understand the question.

Fair enough. Why, in your opinion, is the angel and not YHWH identified as the adversary ?

In the narrative, which of the two Satan or YHWH (Jehovah) made an accusation against Job?

Are you making a claim or are you clarifying? If you don't understand what I mean, I'll try to clarify it, but I'm not playing your ax-grinding questions game.

[JehovahsWitness]

Are you making a claim or are you clarifying?

I am asking questions...which is I believe normal in debate.



JW

[1213]

...
You left out: God is willing to torture and kill for petty reasons.

Please tell why do you believe so?

[1213]

...If God knows better than Satan, then why does he have to prove that point? And to whom?
...

It seems to me that it was a lesson for us.