JOB & FRIENDS

JobWhat's the point of the book?

• Why the righteous suffer?• Job never finds out!

• How trials purify God’s people?• The trials actually turn Job away from God

half-way through the book

Preview of Job

1-2 3-37 38-42Elohim YahwehYahweh

How God’s names are used in the book of Job . . .

When the names of God were used . . .

ELOHIM YAHWEH

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Abraham Moses David Christ

When the names of God were used . . .

ELOHIM YAHWEH

2000 1445 1000 0

Abraham Moses David Christ

3-37 1-2, 38-42

1A PROLOGUE 1B A Description of Job 1:1-5blameless, upright, fears God, turns from evil!

2B The Supernatural Background 1:6—2:101:8 “Have you noticed Job? He’s blameless and upright!”1:9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 1:10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?

Is it wrong to serve God because it’s good for us?

What is the essence of our salvation?

A relationship based upon economic advantageis really not a relationship at all.

So how would we be able to tell if this is how Job thinks of his “relationship”?

1A PROLOGUE1B A Description of Jobblameless, upright, fears God, turns from evil!

2B The Supernatural Background1:9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 1:10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?Job 1:11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

2B The Supernatural background• Note: Job’s response at the loss of his

wealth and children• Note the author’s claim: 1:22• Chapter 2: Job loses his health ?• Note the author’s claim: 2:10

Cycles of Dialogue

E Job B Job Z JobCycle#2

E Job B Job JobCycle#3 ?

E Job B Job Z JobCycle#1

The purpose of the dialogue:What happens in the dialogue

Result of DialogueJob "wins" the battle with his friends

EliphazEliphaz ZopharZopharBildadBildad

J J OO BB

2A Dialogue 2B Three Cycles of Dialogue 1C First Cycle 1D Eliphaz’ first speech

Job 4:7-87 “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?Where were the upright ever destroyed?8 As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it.Job 5:1717 “Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”

2A Dialogue 2B Three Cycles of Dialogue 1C First Cycle 1D Eliphaz’ first speech 3D Bildad’s first speechJob 8:1-51 Then Bildad the Shuhite replied: 2 How long will you say such things? Your words are a blustering wind. 3 Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what is right?

4 When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin. 5 But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, 6 even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.

Retribution Theology

1) It’s corporately but not always individually true!2) And given that, you certainly can’t work from Right to Left on the chart!

Righteousness

Unrighteousness

Prosperity

Poverty

4D Job’s first reply to Bildad

Job 9:3 Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand. Job 9:14-1714 How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him? 15 Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy. 16 Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing. 17 He would crush me with a storm and multiply my wounds for no reason.

6D Job’s first reply to ZopharJob 13:3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.

18 Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated. 19 Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die. 20 Only grant me these two things, O God, and then I will not hide from you: 21 Withdraw your hand far from me, and stop frightening me with your terrors. 22 Then summon me and I will answer, or let me speak, and you reply. 23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed? Show me my offense and my sin.

2C Second cycleJob 19:6-7 then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me.7 “Though I cry, ‘I’ve been wronged?’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.’8 He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness.

Righteousness

UNRighteousness

Prosperity

PovertyWrong!

4D Job’s first reply to BildadJob 9:3 Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand. 6D Job’s first reply to ZopharJob 13:3 But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God. 2C Second cycleJob 19:6-7 then know that God has wronged me and drawn his net around me.7 “Though I cry, ‘I’ve been wronged?’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.Job 1:22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Has Satan won?

Job’s ReflectionsChapter 29: The Past4 Oh, for the days when I was in my prime, when God’s intimate friendship blessed my house, 8 the young men saw me and stepped aside and the old men rose to their feet; 9 the chief men refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands; Chapter 30: The Present9 And now their sons mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. 10 They detest me and keep their distance; they do not hesitate to spit in my face.

Job’s ReflectionsChapter 31: Job’s commitment

Lust: 1 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. 5 If I have walked in falsehood or my foot has hurried after deceit He was Just: 13 If I have denied justice to my menservants and maidservants when they had a grievance against me, Merciful: 16 If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, Loyal to God: 24 If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, “You are my security,”

Job’s ReflectionsChapter 31: Job’s commitment

Job was:Hospitable: 32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler” Handled the Land well: 38 “if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears,

Has Satan won?Clearly no, not yet at least!But we’re still at an impasse. How does Job go forward from here?

3A Post-Dialogue, 32-423B The Speeches of Elihu, 32-371) I can’t say that Job has sinned (contra E, B &Z)2) But I can say that God is NOT wrong (contra Job)

4B The Interaction between God & Job, 38-421C The first round, 38:1—40:5Job 40:5 “I spoke once, but I have no answer, twice, but I will say no more.” 2C The second round, 40:6—42:17Job 42:5-6 “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.6 Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

If I serve God because it’s good for me:If I serve God because it’s good for me:

1. Am I serving Him at all?

The effect of both action and non-action for human approval is to push the presence of God aside as irrelevant and to subject our selves to the human kingdom.

In both avoiding evil and doing good, our respect should be for God alone.

We may think it is okay to avoid evil for fear of being seen, for in any case we do avoid the evil. But that only shows we have no respect for God and would disobey him but for the opinions of others.--The Divine Conspiracy, p. 200

1. Am I serving Him at all?2. I may be very disappointed

Good doesn’t always happen to good people . . .

If I serve God because it’s good for me:

If I serve God because it’s good for me:

God asks youGod asks you 1. Will you be blameless

and upright? 2. Why?