This amazing prayer of Job, coming out of the very midst of his deep sufferings, is worthy of our utmost consideration. It is hard to know when the Book of Job was written, or the era in which Job actually lived. Most Bible scholars, for various reasons, place Job in very early times. Some believe that he lived during the same time as the patriarchs found in Genesis.

Job wanted his words inscribed in “a book”—a “document” or “scroll.” A scroll would be useful for easy distribution and, once read, would hopefully not be forgotten. But just to make sure, he wanted them engraved upon a rock. Some of the very earliest writings of mankind that have been studied by archaeologists were not written or preserved on parchment but rather carved in stone. Of course this explains why these ancient writings were preserved. They would not have lasted that length of time had they been written on perishable parchment. This perhaps explains why Job wanted his words to be engraved on a rock with an iron pen—he wanted them to last. He wanted a monument for his words. This may have been in direct response to his friend Bildad’s taunt: “The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name among the renowned” (Job 18:17; cf. Prov. 10:7).

Job had something else on his heart other than being remembered. Immediately following his prayer, he prophesies, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth” (Job 19:25). This is what he wanted recorded, nothing about his trials but about his Redeemer and the hope of bodily resurrection (19:26–27). God answered Job’s prayer, and his words have been forever recorded in God’s Word.