Was Job a Myth?

THERE are different ways of discrediting the testimony of the Bible. Some boldly denounce it all as an imposition; but this has little effect in this age. The excellence of the Bible is too well known and too generally acknowledged to allow of its being brushed aside so unceremoniously. The arch enemy of truth is too wily to work largely by such inefficient methods. The now popular and more effectual method is to professedly accept the Bible as a whole, but to discredit some of its parts, or particular facts. Infidels seem to think they are entitled to great credit for their liberality and concession when they say they admire the teachings—the morality—of the Bible, and the character of Jesus; that they only object to the Bible as to some of its statements of history or of fact, and especially when its statements come in conflict with the facts of science.

This has greatly the advantage of the other method, for it not only disarms the believer in the Bible, but it is taken up by many professed lovers of the sacred word, and becomes an easy means whereby they may be led to reject the Bible as an authoritative revelation of the will of God.

It is easy to see that if the statement of facts recorded in the Bible are not reliable, then the word ceases to be, in our estimation, what it professes to be, the word of God. If its statements of fact are discredited, respect for its principles must be proportionately lessened. Its claim to authority depends entirely on its reliability; and if its authority be denied it is thenceforth no better than any other book of moral essays.

They who deny that the Book of Job is a record of facts, and that such a person as Job ever existed, may not be aware that they are taking steps to undermine the integrity of the Bible. But if they are not, it is proof conclusive that they have not sufficient reverence for and love of the Bible to carefully weigh their statements in regard to it. Let us notice a few points.

1. There is nothing in the book which is inconsistent with the idea of its being a record of facts. It is not necessary to regard it as an allegory or a fable.

2. Names and places are so mentioned as to lead us to accept it as a veritable history, unless there are good reasons for supposing otherwise, which there are not.

3. Though written in poetic style, it bears a striking resemblance to the writings of Moses when he records the most sublime facts, as those of creation and of God delivering his people from the power of their enemies.

4. The Lord by the prophet Ezekiel speaks of Job in connection with Noah and Daniel in such manner as to lead us to believe that he was a real person, as much as they were real persons. And it is equally possible to project theories which would make the lives of Noah and Daniel to consist of fables. To consistently deny the personality of Job this reference in Ezekiel must by some means be set aside.

5. The apostle James speaks of Job as affording a worthy example of suffering and of patience. Therefore the apostle James as well as the prophet Ezekiel must be disposed of before a fair show can be made against the reality of Job as a citizen of the land of Uz.

These are some of our reasons for believing in the integrity of the Book of Job. It is not his book alone that stands or falls in the settlement of this question. We invite all, before denying the reality of Job's existence, to examine the importance of the question, in view of what is involved in the decision.