…

United Kingdom – Part 2

JobWhy Do Men Serve God?

Wisdom Literature

English Poetry -> Cadence of Sound

Hebrew Poetry -> Cadence of Thought

Timing – Much Debated

Language -> David/Solomon (Psalms)

Story -> Patriarchs• Father Ruled (Sacrifices)

• Age

*We simply don’t know for sure

Overview

• Language is difficult to understand

• Round One: Get the Main Point• Poetry = Repetition of thought (helps)

• Don’t Neglect a Detailed Study

God Highlights JobJob 1:1 …that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.Job 1:5 …he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings … For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.

Satan Attacks Job’s Character

500 Yoke 500 Female

7,000 3,000

7 Sons3 Daughters

This man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

X X

X XX

Satan Attacks Job’s Character

• Job Mourned Then Worshiped• In all of this Job did not sin nor charge

God with wrong (1:22)

• God Highlights Job Again

• Satan Responds, “Skin for Skin!”

• Satan struck Job with painful boils!

Satan Attacks Job’s Character

500 Yoke 500 Female

7,000 3,000

7 Sons3 Daughters

Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!

X X

X XX

X

Job’s Despair

His Friends Come and They Sit’s In Silence for Seven Days

Job’s Despair

• I Wish I Had Never Been Born

• I Wish For Death To End This

• Why Did This Happen? (Never Answered)

Overview

• The First Round (4-14)• Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar speech & Job Response

• The Second Round (15-21)• Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar speech & Job Response

• The Third Round (22-31)• Eliphaz, Bildad speech & Job Response

• Elihu speech (32-37)

• God speaks, Job Repents & God Restores (38- 42)

Round 1 - Eliphaz

• You have instructed others now it is you that needs instruction

• Key: The innocent don’t suffer, the wicked do!

• Accept the chastening and God will bless him and take this suffering away.

Round 1 - Bildad

• Key: The innocent don’t suffer, the wicked do!• If Job’s son sinned, they were killed for

their transgression

• Repent and God will restore

Round 1 - Zophar

• Rebuke’s Job for his words questioning God

• Repent and God will restore

Round 1 - Job

• Complains because of grief

• Rebukes his friends

• Where have I sinned? He maintains innocence's of sin

Round 1 - Job

• Views this as God’s judgement as well and is confused as to why• Fire/Wind from Heavens

• Wants to reason with God (Mediator)

• Wants to Die

Round 2 - Friends

• Speeches are Shorter

• Tempers are Getting Short

• How Long Will You Continue to Refuse to Repent?

• Repeats Suffering = Sin

Round 2 - Job

• You are “miserable comforters”! • How long will you torment my soul?

• God is “gnashing” at him

• Job asks for relief

• Job affirms his faith

• The wicked don’t always suffer but sometimes prosper

Round 3 – Friends (no Zophar)

• Rebukes Job for maintaining his innocence.

• Accuses him of great wickedness (with no proof offered)

Round 3 - Job

• Longs to speak with God to plead his case and ask “Why?”

• Continues to maintain his innocence• This includes chapter 31 (I have made

a covenant with my eyes… along with many other points)

Elihu

• He is young (I waited for my elders) but his anger burst forth at Job and his friends

• Job should be looking at  suffering as a disciplinary measure from a loving God, not as a  punitive measure from one's enemy (33:8-33) – Mark Copeland

• Job is justifying himself instead of God

Elihu

• His arguments are around Job “attacking” God for what he allowed to happen.

• He feels he can help Job

• Though his approach is brash his heart appears noble

• Is He Ever Rebuked By God

God’s Response

• God speaks from a whirlwind

• Job has now gotten his audience with God• He will quickly wish he hadn’t

• Where were you when I laid the foundation? (creation, nature, animals) (34:4-39:30)

• Shall you contend with the Almighty?

Job Tries to Repent and God Continues

God’s Response

• Shall you contend with the Almighty?

• LeviathanJob 41:8

Lay your hand on him;

Remember the battle

Never do it again!Job Humbles himself before God and

Repents (42:4-6)

God’s Response

• God rebukes Job’s Friends

• God restores Job’s Friends (Sacrifices through Job)

• Job is comforted by his relatives

• Job’s latter days are more blessed than his former• Double the possessions

• 7 sons & 3 beautiful daughters

Thoughts

• We Can’t See Into God’s Activities, Therefore We Should Assign Meaning• Careful when we elevate our self to question “Why?”

• Job did not sin until his friends “consoled him”

• Are there consequences for sin?

• Does consequences mean sin?

Thoughts

• Does blessings mean righteousness?

• We must be careful to never assign meaning to another's tragedy

• Normally tragedy causes us to focus on the wrong things. Job maintained his faith!

…