The writer composed the prologue and epilogue of this book in prose narrative and the main body (3:1-42:6) in poetry. The prologue and epilogue form a frame around the main emphasis of the revelation, the poetic section, and provide information that helps us put the central dialogue in context. This chiastic A-B-A pattern recurs throughout the book.
In the prologue events proceed rapidly in contrast to the slow-paced poetic section. The writer's purpose here was quite clearly to set the stage for what follows.
Uz (1:1) was probably southeast of the Dead Sea (cf. vv. 3, 14, 19; 42:12).15Some scholars place it in Bashan south of Damascus, but the writer of Lamentations (probably Jeremiah) associated the land of Uz with Edom (Lam. 4:21). References to customs, geography, and natural history elsewhere in the book support this general location (cf. Jer. 25:20). All possible locations were outside Palestine suggesting that the message of this book is universal and not related exclusively to the Israelites.16
Job was no ordinary man. He was not even an ordinary good man (cf. v. 8; 2:3). He was an exceptionally admirable person because of his character and conduct (1:1). "Blameless"(Heb. tam) means complete. The word usually describes integrity and spiritual maturity. When Job sinned, he dealt with his sin appropriately. Job was not sinless (cf. 13:26; 14:16-17). "Upright"(Heb. yasar) refers to behavior that is in harmony with God's ways.
"He is not Everyman; he is unique."17
Job was wealthy as well as godly (1:2-3). Evidently there were several other great (wealthy) men in that part of the world, but Job surpassed them all.
". . . the meaning is apparently that the seven brothers took it in turn to entertain on the seven days of every week, so that every day was a feast day. This is more natural than the view that the reference is to birthdays, when there would be seven feasts a year. This is all part of the artistry of the story, to build up the picture of the ideal happiness of Job and his family."18
Job demonstrated the proper spiritual concern for his own family members as well as interest in their physical and social welfare (1:3-4). Evidently he offered sacrifices each week for his children in case they had committed sins in their merriment. The phrase "rising up early in the morning"(v. 5) is a common Hebrew idiom for conscientious activity; it does not necessarily refer to the time of Job's sacrifice.19
Job's character is important because this book reveals that the basis of the relationship between God and people is essentially God's sovereign grace and our response of trust and obedience.
The basic problem the Book of Job sets forth seems to be the relationship between God and man.20
"The book of Job deals essentially with man's relationship with God, centering on two questions. The first question is, Why does man worship God? . . .
"The second question is, How will man react to God when God seems unconcerned about his problems?"21
God chose to test an extremely righteous man so all of us could see that it was not Job's personal goodness that formed the basis for his relationship with God. If Job suffered being righteous, righteousness must not preclude suffering or guarantee God's protection.22
Job was righteous in God's estimate as well as in the eyes of his fellowmen (vv. 1, 8). Evidently he was a believer in Yahweh. He had apparently heard about Yahweh and placed his trust in Him as did other Old Testament saints similar to him (e.g., Melchizedek, Abraham, et al.). The fact that Job confessed to being self-righteous (42:5-6) does not preclude his having had a proper standing with God by faith. Many believers become self-righteous in their thinking.
God permitted Satan to test Job twice.23The first test touched his possessions, including his children (1:6-22), and the second his person (2:1-10). God permitted Satan to afflict Job to demonstrate and to purify Job's motives for worshipping God and for living a godly life (cf. James 1:2-4). The writer takes us behind the scenes in this pericope (1:6-2:10) so we can know why Job's calamities befell him. In each test we first see Satan accusing Job in heaven and then attacking him on earth.24
Really four men came to visit Job, though the writer did not mention Elihu's presence until chapter 32. Eliphaz seems to have been the eldest for several reasons. His name occurs first (2:11; 42:9), he spoke before the others, his speeches are longer and more mature, and God spoke to him as the representative of the others (42:7). Eliphaz is an Edomite name (Gen. 36:4). He was probably either from Teman in Edom (cf. Jer. 49:7; Obad. 8) or from Tema in Arabia. Bildad may have been a relative of Shuah, Abraham's youngest son (Gen. 25:2). Zophar may have come from Naamah, a Judean town (Josh. 15:41), if it existed then.
Evidently the disfigurement that resulted from Job's disease prevented Job's acquaintances from recognizing him and led to their extreme grief that they manifested in ways common in their culture. The writer did not explain why they did not speak to him for seven days. This may have been traditional, or they may have spoken to no one out of respect for him. A week was the usual time of mourning for the dead (cf. Gen. 50:10; 1 Sam. 31:13; Sir. 22:12), so they may have been mourning for him as one already dead. Perhaps they discussed his condition among themselves but did not do so with him. Apparently they waited for him to speak first (ch. 3) before they addressed him directly, as was customary.
"For one of them to speak prior to the sufferer would have been in bad taste."30
In any case their commitment to him, as seen in their patient waiting to address him, shows their genuine friendship. How many friends do you have that would travel a long distance to visit you in an illness and sit with you silently for seven days out of respect for your pain?
The prologue (chs. 1-2) sets the stage for what follows by informing us, the readers, that Job's suffering was not due to his sins. None of the characters in the story knew this fact except God and Satan. We see the heavenly dimension and the spiritual warfare taking place that were also unknown to the human characters in this drama.
