Review by Ochieng Ariba -- The Legacy of Job's Wife

Ochieng Ariba · Post by **Ochieng Ariba** » 28 Apr 2020, 03:41

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Legacy of Job's Wife" by Cynthia Koelker.]

4 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

The Legacy of Job’s Wife by Cynthia Koelker

Official Review-Ochieng’ Ariba

The Legacy of Job’s wife is a reflection of the life of the biblical Job as narrated in the book of Job. Beside the biblical context that flourishes with soul-strengthening tales, Cynthia Koelker begins with a unique engagement where a man witnesses the birth of his future wife and takes us through their childhood activities that tailored their love and addictions to each other. Their background ties plays a major role in relieving Ix’ises’ headache of getting a life partner at a time her younger siblings were getting married ahead of her. When the name Job popped up as the proposed suitor, Ix’ises jumped up in a frenzy, approving the proposal ‘a thousand times’.

A pagan will read a few pages of this novel and dump it aside with a sniff of disapproval. The sinful human nature resonates better with stories of pure human struggle, preferably controversial, devoid of divine intervention. But the power of God thrives best where mankind with all his intelligence has failed.

Like all servants of God in record, Job didn’t have a smooth life to the end. He started off well from childhood in their valley in Southland as a member of a happy family with good neighbours who bore him a soulmate, celebrating God’s blessings together with him in their first lifetime when her womb blossomed, bringing in ten children and their wealth flourished beyond their wildest dreams.

It’s logical to curse God for causing such a calamitous downfall to a person who has been faithful to Him; offering sacrifices to appease his creator, using his wealth to help the poor; a lifeline to homeless street children, accepting Hannah; a child rejected by her parents due to her cleft status and a lot more done by Job in his respect to God but finally going through a disastrous experience that reduced him to a childless pauper waiting for his death on an ash heap in the city of Uz; his body; a rotting resident of maggots squirming in wounds, a paragon of God’s curse that attracted the masses including his closest friends uttering unimaginable remarks about him. An asset to the city of Uz turned a liability; scaring away good citizens as he sat on the ash pile, unsightly and nauseating.

Job’s wife stands out from the crowds, hence her legacy from her unwavering tolerance in such turbulent times. Any other woman would dump Job and flee, probably to return for his burial, but Ix’ises remained by his side amidst thorny utterances from his critics until he miraculously regained his strength and carried his rotten display of wounds and maggots back to his house for gradual recovery under the care of his long-suffering Ix’ises. God’s second blessing that brought in another family of ten children and wealth more than he had earlier is a pure demonstration of exactly how God works.

The Legacy of Job’s Wife provides an important insight into the spirit of hope when life seems to be pushing us to the edge. God has the power to give and take.

It’d be absurd to fix non existing flaws in such a quality of work. Grammar is devoid of errors, creativity and above all the theme has compelled me to rate the novel 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to readers above the age of 18 due to a few scenarios unfit for younger readers like a case where Job unleashes his furious weapon against the bodyworks of Ix’ises to jump-start their second lifetime.

Ochieng’ Ariba

******
The Legacy of Job's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon