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statement that tells us his name was originally "Jobab". Consequently the change to Job
be intentional because of its significance.
The word `Job' in Scripture is found first of all in the Hebrew of Gen. 3: 15 where it
is translated `enmity'. Job's story is an exhibition of the enmity that exists between Satan
and the seed of the woman. God said to the serpent:
"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3: 15).
These two opposing seeds are clearly seen in the parable of the wheat and the tares.
The Lord disclaims responsibility for the tares. He declares that `an enemy (Satan) hath
done this' and that the tares are the children of Satan (Matt. 13: 27, 28, 38). Here is a
suggestion that the problem of the ages, set forth in the experience of Job, derives from
the Satanic antagonism and enmity to the purpose of God in creating mankind. There are
other reasons of course, such as the very nature of man, designed not as a machine, but as
a moral being with the power of obedience or disobedience, of going right or going
wrong and thus spoiling God's intentions. It may be too that there are certain lessons and
experiences that could only be realized by passing through human nature and that, in this
present life, we are learning valuable and necessary lessons as a prelude to the eternal life
to come in glory. However, we have not finished with the consideration of Satan's
malignant activity against God and His people.
Israel, a stranger in a land not theirs (Gen. 15: 13).
This enmity is further shown in the story of Abraham and the revelation of God's
purpose through him and his posterity. When Abram responded to the call of God, he
was assured by the repeated unconditional promises of God that the land to which he had
come would be given to him and his seed (Gen. 12: 7; 13: 14-17; 17: 8). In Gen. 15:
Abram is again assured:
"I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to
inherit it" (15: 7).
Upon hearing this promise, Abram replied:
"Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?" (15: 8).
Then follows a strange transaction with an unexpected prophecy. Abram is told to
arrange for the making of a covenant which involved offerings, and then, instead of being
one of the parties to the making of this covenant, he is purposely put into a deep sleep so
that he himself could promise nothing. The divine answer to his question is the
extraordinary revelation that his posterity, instead of occupying the land of promise,
would become strangers in another land not theirs, that they would become servants or
slaves and be grievously afflicted. After a long gap of 400 years, in the fourth generation,
they would return `hither again', while Abraham, to whom the promise was made
would die and be buried in a good old age, without inheriting this land! (Gen. 15: 13-15).
This extraordinary prophecy is borne out by the history of this people in the book of