Hello Joseph.
What does God mean when he says that Job is blameless?
Eph 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight...
Only those with Christ's righteousness can be blameless. This righteousness is imputed to us and is a formal declaration of our condition before God. Holy, righteous and blameless.
They are then shocked when I point out to him that God rebuked him near the end of the book and then Job repented in ashes and dust.
It was a rebuke but it was not for what Job said. JOB 42:7 After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.
Understand Job and you will get the right doctrine.
JOB 42:8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
Job's repentance was not caused by his error in descibing God as his friends were.
Was Job as totally depraved of a sinner as you and I, or was he, as some folks think, without sin?
JOB 31:35
("Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense--let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
He calls on God to show him his sins.
JOB 31:36
Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.
And he says he would wear his sin, the charge against him, on his shoulder or as a crown because he knows his sins have been taken away by his Redeemer (Job 19:25).
And he enters into the most holy place before God as a bold Prince, 31:37.
I get the impression that Job is ancient. He performs sacrifices which is only lawful for Levites to perform under the covenant Moses carried down the mountain.
King Saul found out what happens if this process is ignored. Was Job a Levite? No mention is made of his geneology so he was not? I think he would have lived in a town if he was a Levite.
He might have known Abraham and was his predecessor.
GE 12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.
I think it seems a bit disjointed that God should suddenly appear to a man without the man having any notion of God to begin with. Faith comes by hearing. Abraham needed to hear first.
How's that?
john.