The Prophet Job a Type of Christ

"And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."

"Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”" (Luke 24: 27, 44)

"The Scriptures testify of me," said the Lord Jesus to those who knew the scriptures (old testament). (John 5: 39) This is one of the rules for judging the canonicity and inspiration of books written in the old testament time period. Is there testimony concerning Christ in the writing? In the above texts we see how all the books of scripture speak "concerning" Christ. Moses and "all the prophets" spoke of the coming Messiah. Job, being a prophet, therefore must have said something about Christ, or prefigured him in some way. Notice these words of the prophet Job:

"For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19: 25-27)

Not only did "all the prophets" "testify" "concerning" Christ, the Messiah, Savior, and Redeemer by words heard from God or otherwise were inspired to write (i.e. the scriptures), but some of them were particularly chosen to be "figures" of Messiah in their work, status, and character. 

Adam (who was also a prophet) was a "figure of him who was to come" (Rom. 5: 14). Adam knew of "the coming one." He knew that a Redeemer had been promised from the word of God to the Serpent. One of the oldest names for this promised Redeemer was therefore both "the coming one" and "the desired one." He also knew that the promised Savior (from the guilt of transgression) would be of "the seed of the woman." He knew of the virgin birth and that the promised seed would be both human and divine. (Gen. 3: 15) This was written in the constellation of Virgo by Adam, Seth, Enoch, et al. 

So too was Moses a figure of Christ. In Deuteronomy 18:15 Moses said: “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.” 

To those who knew the writings of Moses our Lord said: “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me." (John 5: 46)

We could also speak of such figures as Joseph and David whose lives and character prefigured the life and character of Christ. However, let us now consider how the prophet Job is a figure or type of Christ.

Though there are lots of similarities between Job and Christ (one writer sees 22; see footnote below). I will focus on the main similarities. In what way is the book of Job a sign post that points to Jesus Christ?

Job The Prophet

"Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." (James 5: 10-11)

Job was a prophet, though he is not generally thought to be such among the Christian community in general. In the Islamic tradition, however, Job is frequently called "the prophet Job." In my recent postings, and in the series I wrote years ago, I show how the scriptures intimate that he was a prophet. He certainly has all the qualifications of a prophet. Foremost, he heard the oracles of God and reported them. Said one author (here):

"The figure of Job in the Old Testament has commonly been considered a prophet for most of Christian history because of his stalwart preaching to his friends during the afflictions he suffered and because he was thought to be a type–a prefiguration–of Christ because of his patient, innocent endurance." 

Some have rejected Job as a prophet and have instead believed that Elihu is the true prophet of the story. In the series on Elihu it was seen how wrong is this view.

It seems to me that James, in the above words, identifies Job as a prophet who "spoke in the name of the Lord," one who was "an example of suffering affliction and of patience." He then says "you have heard of the patience of Job" in his suffering afflictions. Does he not identify Job as a prophet, as an example of suffering prophets? The prophecy of Job about his coming Redeemer, and the resurrection of his body, show that he was a prophet and spoke concerning Christ. Further, God testified that Job has spoken correctly about God. (Job 42: 7) Job as prophet (God's spokesman) is a type of Christ.

As a prophet who suffered affliction as an innocent victim he is a picture of Christ. But, more on that shortly. For now let us consider that Christ also was a prophet. Wrote Moses long ago:

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him." (Deut. 18: 15; Cited in Acts 3: 22; 7: 37)

Throughout the gospels Christ is constantly referred to as "the prophet" or "that prophet." In the preaching of the apostles after the resurrection of Christ they said to the people: "And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people." (Acts 3: 24)

So, not only was Moses a prophet foreshadowing the greater prophet (Christ), so too was Job.

The Righteous Character of Job

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil...Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?" (Job 1: 1, 8) 

Of Christ, Job's Redeemer, we may superlatively say that there is "none like him on the earth." Christ was without sin, blameless, righteous in every respect. So too the Father says to men through the preaching of the gospel and word of God "have you considered my servant Christ Jesus?" Who shunned evil more than Christ Jesus? Satan could obtain no victory over him though he tempted him with cunning craftiness. 

Job was righteous in his deeds and in his theology (thoughts about God). Lord God said that he had "spoken of me the thing which is right." (Job 42: 7) So too of the Lord Jesus we know that he "went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (Acts 10: 38) He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens..." (Heb. 7: 26) Testified the apostle Peter of the righteous character of Christ:

“Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously..." (I Peter 2: 22-23)

There was no error uttered by the Lord. He knew only truth and spoke only truth. He never transgressed against God. One of the titles of the Messiah is "Jesus Christ the righteous." (I John 2: 1) He is "the LORD our righteousness" (Jer. 23: 6). 

All true prophets are types of Christ the Messiah (Yeshua). Those prophets who suffered the greatest trials, temptations, persecutions, tribulations, etc., however, were even more so like Christ the antitypical prophet, the prophet of prophets (just as he is King of kings, Lord of lords, priests of priests or high priest). 

The trials of the prophet Joseph and the prophet David were prefigures of the trials of Messiah, for example; And, the trials of Job are also likenesses to those of Christ during his time on earth.

Job was tested in his allegiance to God and his moral code. So too was Jesus, as the temptation in the wilderness by the Devil shows. Christ "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." (Heb. 4: 15) Upon this let us expand our thoughts.

The Tried and Tested One

"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." (Isa 28:16 (KJV)

This prophecy speaks of the Messiah as the corner stone in Zion and as a "tried stone." Albert Barnes commented: "A tried stone - The word which is used here is applied commonly to "metals" which are tried in the fire to test their quality (see Job 23:10; Psalm 66:10; Jeremiah 9:6; Zechariah 13:9)." 

John Calvin said (commentary): 

"As to the words, the genitive בחן, ( bōchăn,) of trial, which is used instead of an adjective along with stone, may be taken both in an active and in a passive sense, either for a stone by which the whole building is “tried,” or examined as by a standard, or for a “tried stone.” The former meaning appears to me to be more appropriate, and undoubtedly the usage of the Hebrew language requires us to interpret it rather in an active sense. He calls it therefore a trying stone, or a trier, on account of the effect produced; because by this stone the whole building must be squared and adjusted, otherwise it must unavoidably totter and fall."

Christ is the "tried stone" in two senses. First, he is "tried stone" by the trials he endured, and Second, he is the "tried stone" because he is the one who tries all men. Of the latter sense the prophet wrote:

"Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the Lord An offering in righteousness." (Mal. 3: 1-3)

Christ is the stone of testing. Speaking of himself as that "tried stone" he said:

“And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.” (Matt. 21: 44; Luke 20: 18)

Job was tested by God when he was tempted and tried by the devil (via the ills he brought upon Job and through his emissaries, i.e., Job's wife, three friends, and Elihu). 

Said Job: "But he knows the way that I take: when he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23: 10) Job's faithful endurance in his sufferings and sore trial pictured that of Christ. 

Jesus was tested by God when He was tempted by the devil (personally in the wilderness, and via his confrontations with the heretics among the Pharisees, Sadducees, etc.). 

How was Christ tested and tried? How was he refined by the fires of trial and persecution? When the apostle says Christ was in all points "tempted" as we are, the temptations intend not only allurements or enticements to sin, but also denotes trying circumstances. It denotes a test, a trial, a way of proving and improving. The purpose of which is to demonstrate quality, to refine, to purify, to make better.

How could Messiah be purified by fire? If he was of a metal that needed no purification, or improvement, then why experience his crucible? We can understand why sinners, including Job, needed to be "refined" by fiery trial, such as by the heat of persecution or severe affliction. But, Christ was perfect, without sin, so why did he need to be "tried" and "refined" by the crucible of trials (ordeals)? 

First of all, though Christ was "without sin" and any moral imperfection, yet he was still a man, a human being, and therefore knew hunger, thirst, weariness, weakness and limitation. Wrote the apostle Paul:

"For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you." (II Cor. 13: 4)

Here we see how Paul ascribes "weakness" to Christ. This respects his humanity. As a human he was first an infant, then a boy, then a man. In his growth from infancy to manhood he "grew in wisdom and in stature."(Luke 2: 52) Christ growing from infancy to adulthood is called his being "perfected." Wrote Paul:

"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5: 8-9)

Christ "learned obedience" in all his growing up time, when he was "being made perfect." He also was perfected for his work as a priest, king, and savior by his sufferings. In this way Christ was "tried and tested." He has been proven or demonstrated to be really what he claimed to be. He is therefore trustworthy. 

When we think of the words "the trial of Christ" we might merely focus on the trials he experienced the day before and day of his Crucifixion, when he was tried by both Jewish and Roman courts. But, the trials of Christ included all the temptations, adverse circumstances, hardships, persecutions, etc., that he faced during his life.

Job is a type of Christ in his being a prophet, and in being an innocent sufferer, a righteous endurer, a patient persevering person, a truly righteous servant. Job's trials are pictures of the sufferings of Christ. Both experienced the crucible of trying circumstances. In the next chapter we will continue to compare Job and Christ.

Footnote:

Wrote one writer (see here) 

"My collection continues to grow, but here are some ways to see Jesus in the book of Job. 

1. In the book of Job, the most upright man on earth (Job 1:8) suffers the most of anyone on earth. That definitely reminds me of Christ’s cross. 

2. Trembling with pain, Job cried, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there” (Job 1:21). That statement describes Jesus perfectly, who died naked on a cross. 

3. Job was so disfigured by his sufferings that his friends didn’t recognize him (Job 2:12). Similarly, Jesus’ “visage was marred more than any man” at His execution (Isa 52:14). 

4. Eliphaz taunted Job to call out to God for help (Job 5:1). And they said of Christ at His death, “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him” (Matt 27:43). 

5. Psalm 22 is a messianic psalm about Christ’s sufferings. Some of the things said by the Messiah in that psalm remind us of Job’s speeches. For example, consider this comparison. “They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion” (Ps 22:13). “They gape at me with their mouth, they strike me reproachfully on the cheek, they gather together against me (Job 16:10). 

6. Job cried out, “O earth, do not cover my blood” (Job 16:18). We are grateful today that the earth didn’t cover Jesus’ blood, but that it speaks before God on our behalf. 

7. Job bemoaned, “Why do You hide Your face, and regard me as Your enemy?” (13:24). This reminds us of Jesus cry on the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Both Job and Jesus asked the why question. 

8. In the hour when Job needed his friends most, they failed him. Same for Jesus. At His arrest, His friends forsook Him. 

9. When you look at the source of Job’s trial, you realize Job was attacked by people, by Satan, and by God. And when you look at the cross, you realize that Jesus was killed by the same trilogy. He was crucified by people (the Roman soldiers and Jewish leaders), by Satan (who entered Judas Iscariot, and who filled the Jewish leaders with envy), and by God (who gave His Son for us all). 

10. Job’s best friend, Eliphaz, became so frustrated at Job that he leveled concocted charges at his friend (Job 22:6-9). Similarly, Jesus was falsely accused by false witnesses at His trial before the high priest. 

11. Job was raised up from his sufferings when He interceded for his friends. (Job 42:7-10). And Jesus was raised up as our great Intercessor, Heb. 7:25. 

12. When God accepted Job (42:9) He raised him up; when God accepted Christ’s sacrifice (Rom 4:25) He raised Him up. 

13. In the bitterness of his soul, Job cried, “He destroys the blameless and the wicked” (Job 9:22). And when you look at the three crosses on Golgotha’s hill, you’re looking at the death of both the blameless and the wicked. 

14. Job and Jesus are both cornerstones. As the first book of the Bible put on paper, the book of Job is the cornerstone of the edifice we call Holy Scripture. And Jesus was called the cornerstone of the church (Ps 118:22; Isa 28:16). 

15. In placing the book on Job’s story as the cornerstone of Scripture, the Holy Spirit put in place a foundation stone that was pointing ahead to the cross of Christ. Job was the first signpost of Scripture to the cross. 

16. Job had to endure horrific suffering in order to qualify as the cornerstone of Scripture; and Jesus had to endure an agonizing death in order to qualify as the High Priest of our confession and as the cornerstone of the church. Suffering qualified both of them for a greater rank. 

17. God said this to Satan about Job: “You incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause” (Job 2:30). Job did nothing wrong to deserve his suffering. Nor did Christ. He was a blameless sacrifice. 

18. Job spoke of his sufferings as labor, Job 9:29. And Christ was said to labor for our salvation on the cross, Isa. 53:11. 

19. In order for men of all ages to gain consolation from Job’s example, Job had to suffer in every major area of life (family, relationships, finances, livelihood, and physical health). And in order to save sufferers of every generation, Christ had to suffer in every area of life. 

20. Both Job and Jesus suffered in the will of God (1 Pet 4:19). 

21. Job said, “He did not hide deep darkness from my face” (Job 23:17). And Scripture said of the Father that He “did not spare His own Son” (Rom 8:32). 

22. Furthermore, I see Jesus in the book of Job when Job said, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5). Referring to the Father, John said that “No one has seen God at any time” (John 1:18; 1 Jo 4:12). Therefore, it seems evident that when Job saw God, he saw Christ. It was Jesus Christ Himself who interrogated and exonerated Job in Job 38-42. With the words of Jesus Himself quoted in the last five chapters of Job’s book, His presence in the book seems clear and undeniable.