Trials and tests, along with hardship and suffering, are a third certainty of life, following closely behind death and taxes. Job, in God's estimation, was one of the righteous men in the Old Testament, a man who vigorously wrestled with the question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Job practiced God's law in both the spirit and letter, keeping himself from falsehood and defending the poor, administering justice, pity, and mercy, thoroughly enjoying the public acclaim he received for his righteous behavior. Job practiced pure religion as defined by Jesus' half-brother (James 1:27). The accuser of the brethren could not find anything concrete upon which to accuse Job, but instead made innuendos and hypothetical situations to cast suspicion on Job's motives for serving God. Job's uncompassionate 'friends' torture Job with accusations of hiding sins, while the spiritually more mature Elihu criticized Job for "judging God," putting God on the same plane as man, wanting a day in court to cross examine the Creator face to face, but also criticized Job's friends for falsely judging Job with no evidence. God allowed Satan to afflict Job, but with the objective of perfecting Job and protecting him from Satan's attacks. God's response to Job in chapters 38-41 is one of the longest statements in the Bible from Almighty God, significant mainly for what He leaves unsaid, while He brings up insights on His sovereignty, His activities as the Creator establishing the immutable laws of the universe, and His ability to control Leviathan (symbolic of Satan) thoroughly beyond the control of mankind. Job did not realize that God was the shaper of Job's righteousness and that to elevate himself was tantamount to Hillel's elevation of himself, pridefully making himself equal and then superior to God.