What Is the Central Theme of the Book of Job?

The word “Job” in English means “a piece of work, a task or a chore”.

Even before the book of Job begins, the reader already knows what’s about to come. An entire discourse on “karma”, the cause and the effect, the how and the why of all the misfortune that takes place in our lead character’s life.

Job had one job that he never failed at- to offer burnt offerings every time his children made merry at their houses.

What’s even more interesting is what motivated the “worship”- the fear of God which in this case was misplaced because of a lack of true intimacy with the Creator.

How do I know this?

Read Job 1:5

For Job said,” It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.

Number 5 in the bible stands for grace and here the divine author, the Holy Spirit is already hinting at a behavior that’s so opposite to grace- namely, “works”.

Grace Vs. Works

Job had a “job”/ “works” mentality. And as the book unfolds, we will read how God discloses His Glory and His Grace to a man bent on pleasing Him with his works.

We can easily compare and contrast Job to another character who became the father of faith- not because of his good works but out of his faith in the goodness of God.

And the result? God called him His friend! (Isaiah 41:8) This man was Abraham, most likely a contemporary of Job.

And yet, the story of Abraham, the story of grace is placed right after the flood and in the very first book of the bible, Genesis.

Meanwhile the story of Job and his “job” is divinely sandwiched between “Esther- a story of grace” and “Psalms- a book compiled by the recipient of God’s boundless grace, David.”

Grace always outdoes work- any given day, any given age.

When Job Finally Gets It…

It takes more than 40 chapters and long discourses, the last one with God Himself for Job to understand His true nature.

And the very last chapter, Chapter 42 verse 5 (remember 5 is the number of grace) reveals Job’s newfound revelation of the sovereign God-

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,

But now my eyes see You.

May the God of our lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17) that we may know our Abba Father the way His only begotten Son knows Him, now and forevermore.

In Jesus name,

Amen.