James taught the twelve tribes that were scattered over the world
about the trials and endurance. And in chapter 5 verse 10, he
mentioned the story of Job in the context of learning about the
suffering and patience from the prophets. "As an example of suffering
and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the
Lord. (5:10)". Then how is the story of Job located in this letter?
What did James teach about the trials and endurance to the twelve
tribes through the story of Job?

Job is the person that comes out in the Old Testament. He lived in the
land named Uz and was called "blameless (Job 1:1, 8, 2:3)" by God
himself. He was also the richest man in the east and had overabundant
wealth and families. But when Satan tempted him by killing his
families by the plagues, he was also affected by a disease. Even his
wife told him to curse God and die. His friends abandoned him. But in
the trials, he kept his faith and endured in the trials. So God healed
his illness and gave him new children and overabundant wealth. And his
friends came back to him. Lord blessed his last part of his life more
than he blessed his first part of life.

Job is the kind of person that James mentioned in chapter 1 verse 4.
He is the man who became blameless and complete by undergoing the
cross with endurance. But we also have to keep in mind that he was
already called "blameless (Job 1:1)" before the trials. And not only
that, but he was called "blameless" by God himself. So he was made
even more "blameless" by going through the trials with patience like
James taught the twelve tribes in chapter 1.

What does it mean to be "blameless"? The answer to this question is
quite obvious in the story of Job, that being blameless is not just
about innocence. But it also means having overabundant riches and
being blessed with good family. And by reading this letter, you will
notice that the word "wisdom (1:5, 3:13, 15, 17)" is also an important
keyword in the context of "being blameless". There is also a passage
in Job where Job mentioned about "fearing God", and said "Behold, the
fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is
understanding. (Job 28:28)". With these points in mind, you now know
that "blameless man" is the man who is filled with wisdom, family and
riches.

Job was a person who "lacks nothing (1:4)" before the trials. But by
undergoing the cross, he lost all his family, wealth and even his
friends. So he seemed like as if he is the person who "lacks
everything (1:5)". But he was not. Because by going through these
trials, he became even more perfect and entire (1:4). Not only that he
was given what he had before the trials but his riches were doubled by
God.

In the story of Job, three friends of Job came to visit him to comfort
him. But by reading about what they have said to Job, you can tell
that they are the opposite of the blameless people but the people who
"lacks wisdom". Because they blamed Job that the cause of his
sufferings is his sins even though he was called "blameless" by God.
They condemned him instead of comforting him. What his friend Eliphaz
the Temanite said to him was "But now it has come to you, and you are
impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed. (Job 4:5)". So God
told them at the end of the book that they did not speak truth as Job
did. And He also told them to ask Job to offer up a burnt offering and
pray for them (Job 42:7-10).

There is another keyword "rich (G4145)" which was commonly-utilized in
both Job and James. This word comes out in James five times (1:10, 11,
2:5, 6, 5:1) and it reminds you of the fact that Job was a "rich" man
that he was the greatest of all the people of the east (Job 1:3). But
in James, the word "rich" was used in the context about the negative
aspect of being "rich". So James said that the rich man will "pass
away (1:10)" or "fade away (1:11)". He also said that the rich are
those who oppress the poor in chapter 2 verse 6. But Job was called
"blameless" so there is no doubt that these negative aspects will not
apply to him.

Than what kind of the rich man was Job? And what was the difference
between Job and the rich man that was mentioned in James? It is
obvious that he was not the person who oppress the poor. Instead he
was the "heir of the kingdom (2:5)", the man who loved God (2:5). And
these people are called "the one who are poor in the world (2:5)". And
yes this true. Because Job was not only wealthy with estate but he was
also "rich in faith (2:5)". So he "boasted in his humiliation" like
what James taught the rich in his letter (1:10). He was made low by
losing all his rich, family and friends and became materially poor.
But by undergoing the temptation with endurance, he became the "true
rich" in God.