Job: A Type of Adam

1. Both Had Everything.

Adam had it all.  “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen 1:28).

Job was the richest. “Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yokes of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a huge household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.” (Job 1:3).

2. Both Lost Everything.

Adam lost it all through disobedience. Job lost everything in one day. “Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house; and a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were ploughing and the donkeys feeding beside them when the Sabeans raided them and took them away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!” (Job 1:13-19).

3. Both Sinned But Felt Innocent

Adam disobeyed God and made us all guilty. (Gen 3; Rom 5:14-21). Job also sinned. The fact that he was a righteous man doesn’t mean he never sinned because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. “So these three men ceased answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes.” (Job 32:1; 33:12). “You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” (Job 42:3).

4. Both Were Bound For Death.

God told Adam not to eat the tree; else, he would die. “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen 2:17).

Job complained that he was bound for death. “So that my soul chooses strangling and death rather than my body. I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, for my days are but a breath.” (Job 7:15-16).

5. Both Blamed God.

“Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” (Gen 3:12).

Job Blamed God.

• “And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”” (Job 1:21).
• For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me.” (Job 6:4).
• “As God lives, who has taken away my justice, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.” (Job 27:2).

6. Both Were fearful.

“So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Gen 3:10). “For the thing, I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25).

7. Satan Tempted Both.

“Now, the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Gen 3:1).

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.” (Job 1:12; 2:7).

8. Both Covered But Didn’t Remove sin.

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” (Gen 3:7).

“So it was when the days of feasting had run their course that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.” (Job 1:5).

9. Both Had a Distorted View of God.

“So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Gen 3:10). “Why do You hide Your face and regard me as Your enemy? (Job 13:24). “I cry out to You, but You do not answer me; I stand up, and You regard me. But You have become cruel to me;
With the strength of Your hand, You oppose me. You lift me up to the wind and cause me to ride on it; You spoil my success. For I know that You will bring me to death and the house appointed for all living.” (Job 30:20-23).

10. Redeemed By God & Given Faithful Children.

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Gen 3:15). “Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning, for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yokes of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job, and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. After this, Job lived one hundred and forty years and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations.” (Job 42:11-16).

11. Both Received Grace.

“Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin and clothed them.” (Gen 3:21). “And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed, the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10).

12. Both Had Good Testimonies From God.

“The son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.” (Luke 3:38). “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 1:8).