Job

How old ?  Was Job real or a myth – Ez 14:14, 14:20

Scene in heaven…

Job’s fall from prosperity to poverty and illness

Eliphaz- religious dogmatist (ancient Pharisee)  =  contrite worshiper/arrogant sinner –                  backs his argument by a dream 4:1-5:27

            4:18 whole point of story is God trusted Job

Bildad – comforted w/worn-out platitudes and old proverbs – defends the justice of God

= right in respect but wrong in understanding

Zophar – though he had the corner on all religious wisdom by experience and reason 11

Elihu – impetuous youth  37:19,20…afraid of God although close about  suffering –

chastisement of a loving father – God disciplines to bring us back and keep us

from sinning.

Job – argument w/God not 3 friends, upset they can’t talk or go to court, inability to                     reconcile what he knows about God and what he is experiencing

God

Satan

1;28  Satan’s judgment upon us is false – God’s judgment is true…claims?…no evidence.  2:6  Permission to take possessions – family- health  Did Satan use this way to win the 1/3 of the angels?  No….he used friends’ method…

Friends view of unrighteous suffer and righteous are rewarded  4:7  God’s ultimate power – might makes right.   Eliphaz – 22:2

Job’s response 24:13-17  Wicked often prospered….

God speaks:

60 questions..Who can do all these things but myself?  God never questioned God’s power…

…most interpretations (Is 6:1-5, Gen 17:1-3, Dan 10:4-8 – when we see God we see ourselves weak and sinful…When we come to the end of ourselves, God can lift us up…Job 29:1-25  self righteous?

 Job was in a no win situation:  if he admits sin, he proves God wrong…if he doesn’t, he looks self-righteous.

Stoop to conquer, bend to obey…What about Jesus’ “I want you to be my friends?”  Col 2:8  See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ….Plumb line…..

ANOTHER INTERPRETATION: 

Job’s argument:

1:8 blameless

6:8  Why doesn’t God answer

7:16  This doesn’t make sense

9:24  If God is not doing this who is?

10:2  What have I done wrong?

13:15  Though He slay me yet will I trust Him…

19:25  I know my Redeemer liveth…resurrection

31:23  What have I done wrong?

God established respect from the 4 friends by speaking out of power ….then he tells them they were wrong…42:7-8

God’s perfect picture went crazy – there is a bigger picture -  God himself has had to deal with what Satan has worked…39:27…39:13-18  Eagle and ostrich

Job repents in 42:3 because he wanted to represent God even better not because he felt like he conceded to his friend’s accusations.At that point, God calls the experiment over – Job went so far as to even submit to the friend’s view of God!

Wining love and loyalty  is much more valuable than any outward compliance….

42:7,8  angry with friends…Job was right…asked Job to pray for them…restores Job.

What do we learn:

What kind of friends are we to others?  Does Satan use us to discourage or God use us to help?

Do we have the kind of relationship with God that we can be honest about our feelings and question?  (Moses…Abraham…friends of God)

Understanding controversy and how we are part of it can help us be witnesses for God in his court.