Was the book of Job the first book of the Bible before Genesis

[Apple Sky]

Unlike Genesis however, we don’t know the author of Job and we are not sure exactly when this book was written, though some scholars place this book as written possibly up to 400 years before Genesis.

The reason Job is considered to potentially be the oldest book in the Bible is also because of some of the content within it such as;


Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.

From this passage we can see that Satan has not yet been exiled from heaven to earth.

Job 38:7 while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

This passage tells us who the sons of God are, they are the angels. Now go to Genesis 6:1 ;

Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

So we know now that it was angels who came down to earth to mate with women.

Also in Job we have the mention of Leviathan & Behemoth & Satan had God's permission to test Job

So was there a time before Genesis ?

 

[Lost4words]

How can anything come before God created life etc? Genesis has to be first..

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Good ideas...
Have you read about the " pre-Adamic" earth, also known as the "gap theory"? This is the idea that the Genesis account, the six days, is merely a recreation and that an entire race of beings lived on the earth before Genesis 1:2. Something happened between Gen 1:1 and 1:2 that brought the earth into a fallen state of chaos, without form and void. It is thought the event was the fall of Satan. Perhaps this is what you are looking for?

 

[eleos1954]

Unlike Genesis however, we don’t know the author of Job and we are not sure exactly when this book was written, though some scholars place this book as written possibly up to 400 years before Genesis.

The reason Job is considered to potentially be the oldest book in the Bible is also because of some of the content within it such as;


Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.

From this passage we can see that Satan has not yet been exiled from heaven to earth.

Job 38:7 while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

This passage tells us who the sons of God are, they are the angels. Now go to Genesis 6:1 ;

Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

So we know now that it was angels who came down to earth to mate with women.

Also in Job we have the mention of Leviathan & Behemoth & Satan had God's permission to test Job

So was there a time before Genesis ?

So we know now that it was angels who came down to earth to mate with women.

Not so ... it clearly states daughters of MEN (mankind) not angels. Son's of God were MEN (mankind) ... daughters of MEN (mankind) .... both were MEN (mankind).

MEN is in reference to mankind not angels.

 

[Apple Sky]

Good ideas...
Have you read about the " pre-Adamic" earth, also known as the "gap theory"? This is the idea that the Genesis account, the six days, is merely a recreation and that an entire race of beings lived on the earth before Genesis 1:2. Something happened between Gen 1:1 and 1:2 that brought the earth into a fallen state of chaos, without form and void. It is thought the event was the fall of Satan. Perhaps this is what you are looking for?

The gap theory is very interesting, the idea that God recreated the world isn't so far fetched as one would imagine.

In the book 'Legend of the Jews' by Louis Ginzberg , it mentions that God has created the world many times over.

Nor is this world inhabited by man the first of things earthly created by God. He made several worlds before ours, but He destroyed them all, because He was pleased with none until He created ours. But even this last world would have had no permanence,

 

[Apple Sky]

Not so ... it clearly states daughters of MEN (mankind) not angels. Son's of God were MEN (mankind) ... daughters of MEN (mankind) .... both were MEN (mankind).

In Job it says.

Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD
Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
The sons of God are the angels.

In Genesis 6 it says;
Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

Tell me - If the sons of God are men, what is Genesis 6 all about ?

 

[David Lamb]

Unlike Genesis however, we don’t know the author of Job and we are not sure exactly when this book was written, though some scholars place this book as written possibly up to 400 years before Genesis.

The reason Job is considered to potentially be the oldest book in the Bible is also because of some of the content within it such as;


Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.

From this passage we can see that Satan has not yet been exiled from heaven to earth.

Job 38:7 while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

This passage tells us who the sons of God are, they are the angels. Now go to Genesis 6:1 ;

Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

So we know now that it was angels who came down to earth to mate with women.

Also in Job we have the mention of Leviathan & Behemoth & Satan had God's permission to test Job

So was there a time before Genesis ?

It seems you are mixing up two different things in your post, first, when Genesis and Job were written, and second, when the events recorded in Genesis (and I imagine you are particularly thinking of the first chapters of Genesis) took place. You ask if there was a time before Genesis. Well, there was certainly a time before the book of Genesis was written. However, Genesis starts with the words, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," so there can't have been a time before the first events Genesis records.

 

[Apple Sky]

It seems you are mixing up two different things in your post, first, when Genesis and Job were written, and second, when the events recorded in Genesis (and I imagine you are particularly thinking of the first chapters of Genesis) took place. You ask if there was a time before Genesis. Well, there was certainly a time before the book of Genesis was written. However, Genesis starts with the words, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," so there can't have been a time before the first events Genesis records.

Then in the book of Job why was Satan recorded as being in heaven along with the sons of God ?

 

[ozso]

While the book of Job was written before Moses wrote Genesis, it's unclear when the events in Job took place.

It's certainly possible the events described in it occurred before the flood. But that doesn't really have much if any bearing on what Job is about.

 

[ozso]

Then in the book of Job why was Satan recorded as being in heaven along with the sons of God ?

Probably because God summoned Satan to give an accounting of himself. Or put another way Satan was allowed to enter heaven at that time for that reason.

Since Satan said he spends his time prowling the earth, the earth was his abode at that time. Most likely meaning he had already been cast out of heaven onto the earth.

 

[David Lamb]

Then in the book of Job why was Satan recorded as being in heaven along with the sons of God ?

Where do we read in Job that Satan was still in heaven when Job was alive? We read that he'd been on the earth:

“And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."” (Job 1:7 NKJV)

Satan was only in heaven until he fell. Until that time, he was obedient to God like the other angels. The fact that he wanted to harm Job indicates that he had already fallen.

Yes, I know we read:

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6 NKJV)

But who were the sons of God? Gill says in his commentary: "It is not possible that Satan could come among them (i.e. angels); he is fallen from heaven, being cast down from thence, nor can he, nor ever will he, be able to find a place any more there, see Lu 10:18 2Pe 2:4 Re 12:8,9 it seems better therefore to understand this of the people of God, of professors of religion, who, earlier than the times of Job, were distinguished from the men of the world by this character, "the sons of God," Ge 6:2, such that were truly godly being so by adopting grace, and which was made manifest by their regeneration by the Spirit of God, and by their faith in Christ."

 

[Apple Sky]

Probably because God summoned Satan to give an accounting of himself. Or put another way Satan was allowed to enter heaven at that time for that reason.

Since Satan said he spends his time prowling the earth, the earth was his abode at that time. Most likely meaning he had already been cast out of heaven onto the earth.

It is twice that God has used Satan 2 Chronicles 18:18–21

 

[ozso]

Where do we read in Job that Satan was still in heaven when Job was alive? We read that he'd been on the earth:

“And the LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it."” (Job 1:7 NKJV)

Satan was only in heaven until he fell. Until that time, he was obedient to God like the other angels. The fact that he wanted to harm Job indicates that he had already fallen.

Yes, I know we read:

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6 NKJV)

But who were the sons of God? Gill says in his commentary: "It is not possible that Satan could come among them (i.e. angels); he is fallen from heaven, being cast down from thence, nor can he, nor ever will he, be able to find a place any more there, see Lu 10:18 2Pe 2:4 Re 12:8,9 it seems better therefore to understand this of the people of God, of professors of religion, who, earlier than the times of Job, were distinguished from the men of the world by this character, "the sons of God," Ge 6:2, such that were truly godly being so by adopting grace, and which was made manifest by their regeneration by the Spirit of God, and by their faith in Christ."

What I'm noticing is it doesn't say this meeting between God and Satan took place in heaven.

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6 NKJV)

How do we know that didn't take place on Mount Sinai or some other earthly location?

 

[Apple Sky]

But who were the sons of God? Gill says in his commentary:

Who is Gill ?

 

[Apple Sky]

What I'm noticing is it doesn't say this meeting between God and Satan took place in heaven.

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.” (Job 1:6 NKJV)

How do we know that didn't take place on Mount Sinai or some other earthly location?

Excellent observation @ozso - Thanks.

 

[ozso]

Excellent observation @ozso - Thanks.

It never occurred to me until now. I've always pictured it taking place in heaven.

 

[Apple Sky]

It never occurred to me until now. I've always pictured it taking place in heaven.

And me - I expect that most would assume this, but your right the meeting could have place anywhere.

Mount Herman - maybe ?

 

[ozso]

Who is Gill ?

John Gill

 

[David Lamb]

Who is Gill ?

Sorry, I should have included a brief introduction. John Gill was an English baptist theologian, living from 1697 to 1771). He was also a pastor. He wrote a commentary on the whole bible that is still in print and in use today.

 

[eleos1954]

In Job it says.

Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD
Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
The sons of God are the angels.

In Genesis 6 it says;
Now when men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.

Tell me - If the sons of God are men, what is Genesis 6 all about ?

Are we not sons (and daughters) of God? Are we angels? No. Both groups were humans. One group of humans was following God (sons of God) from the lineage of Abel ... one group of humans not following God (sons of men) from the lineage of Cain.

Genesis 6

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time ...

HUMAN ... not angels or angel hybrids.

Angels are a completely different type of created being and nowhere does it state they can pro-create, even within themselves. They never marry nor are given in marriage ... the main reason for pro-creation is to reproduce .... each after their kind. If supposedly angels procreated with humans that would violate how God says he created things to reproduce after their own kind making Him a liar. This belief is a deception of satan to cause confusion and once again trying to make God a liar. For every one of God's truth satan has a lie (counterfeit)

Sin entered into the world through Adam and Eve .... sin is transgression of the law and causes death. Lucifer and the fallen angels sinned in heaven (transgression of the law) and their death (destruction) is forth coming. They sinned in heaven and were cast to earth and tempted Adam & Eve and is why were are in this mess.

It's illogical to think God would allow angels to mate with humans and not allow them to mate within themselves. That makes no sense at all. Besides that He clearly states angels neither marry nor are given in marriage. The concept of angels reproducing themselves through interspecies marriages with humans denies the very gospel of the Kingdom of God, the good news that God offers human beings the opportunity to join His Family and inherit all things. Angelic/human hybrids insert an alien element into the plan of God, which He would never allow to confuse such matters. (but satan has no problem trying to confuse matters)

The angels in heaven are called sons of God because they chose to follow God and stayed in heaven. The fallen angels chose otherwise and were cast into darkness ... no longer sons of God but demons and their eventual destruction is imminent.

Another idea some have about Job (sons of God meeting in heaven) is that there are other created beings from other worlds .... but we do not know that for sure ... but it is possible. We will know some day.

Angels are unable to reproduce in any manner ... they were not given that capability.