Job was a wealthy man, prosperous, and God-loving!

God asks the devil if he has considered His servant, Job.

While he was yet speaking is written several times and announces the destruction of friends, servants, wealth, and family in a matter of momements

God again asks the devil if he has considered Job, and he responds with a snarl and accus­ation, then gets permission to take Job's health

After such sudden disasters, one might think that his family woulf support him, but not Job's wife who tells him to curse God and commit suicide.

Job expresses his hurt, his emotional trauma over these events, but doesn't give up.

He tells Job that these things only happen to those in sin, and that Job should believe him because he is a great theologian. Job is placed in the category of fools and shouldn't despise God's correction and punishment.

Job pleads for understanding. He asks Eliphaz to see his grief, and part of his grief is a lack of understanding from God Who he has asked for revelationship because Job searched his heart and couldn't find any sin problems. He has nightmares when he sleeps and tosses and turns the rest of the night. Job confesses to be a sinner and wonders why God won't forgive him.

Here is classic misapplication of Scripture from Bildad. He speaks truth, but it is mean spirited, hurtful, and absent of concern and love. He calls Job a hypocrite by placing him into that category.

Job is confused, knows that he is a sinner, but God won't answer him right now. Job then goes perhaps, too far when he blames God for his misfortunes!!

He tells Job that he is in sin and should stop lying about it. On top of this, Job shouldn't even dare to question Zophar's authority in this because he knows these things.

Job is hurt because of the arrogance that is displayed by Zophar and the others. Job asks his friend to shut up and stop claiming their superior knowledge. Job even says that God must have him paying for his sins that he committed in his youth.

Now Job is said to be full of hot air because the evidence is clear, Job's problems are obviously a result of sin. of sin.

Distressfully, Job responds in hurt telling his friends to be good listeners, not the people that have only words of condemnation and destruction. All Job has are friends that are mockers who have hearts that are absent of understanding and hide themselves, Job goes into a pity party.

The answers are general answers from Bildad, that the wicked should know their end, and Job's problems are because he is wicked, and should stop his empty words and justification.

There is hopelessness in Job's response, and is still having a pity party, but despite all still expresses his love for God, his Redeemer, Who lives and Job will surely see.

Zophar places Job with hypocrites and wicked people and proceeds to teach Job some truth that has nothing to do with the circumstances, just displays his arrogance and pride.

Zophar is told to give Job respect, the same kind that he gives his own words and opinions. He goes on to say that the wicked want nothing to do with God or any kind of relationship.

Now, Eliphaz says that Job's wickedness is obvious because he sent widows away, spurned the naked and destitute, and only repentance will bring God's deliverance and restoration.

Job is still bewildered as to why God won't hear his prayers and respond to him. Job asks God for understanding because he doesn't understand and his prayers seem to be going nowhere. He says that the wicked don't know the light, and God's eyes are upon all.

Here is expressed a poor idea of life's value by Bildad. He calls man a worm.

Bildad's fatalistic attitude is rejected by Job as he reveals his love and faith in God. He will maintain his Christian integrity. He tells them where wisdom comes from and how to get under­standing. Job tells of his life of giving and being available for others as they came to him more than going to God themselves. Now, the wicked and their children sing songs of contept for him and his condition. He has followed God, has a clear heart and yet all these things have happened to him. He doesn't understand and God doesn't answer him.

Here is an expression of anger for the three friend's ignorance and lack of understanding in God's Word or the skill of wisdom that can only come from God to answer Job. The problem with Elihu is similar to his friends despite his apparent understanding of the Word! He still misapplies God's Word because he doesn't have privy to the spiritual scene in heaven in chapters 1 and 2. He says that he will teach Job wisdom. Elihu states Job to be at fault for declaring his own righteousness, yet God has already said that Job is righteous. Job has added rebellion to his list of sins and God doesn't have anything to do with wickedness. He even says that he will speak for God and goes on in accusing Job, no different than the others before him.

God responds to Elihu by asking who has darkened His counsel with knowledgeless words and tells Job to ready himself to hear knowledge. God asks where Job was when He did all the wondrous works of creation.God calls for Job to answer and all he can say is that he is vile and shouldn't even talk. The question of slandering or tearing down God's character and whether it builds someone else up to the level of righteousness is asked. Something that we must come to grips with in our daily lives.

Job reveals to God his heart acknowledging that God already knows and he repents, asking for forgiveness.

For them to make heaven their home, they must repent and only by asking Job for his forgiveness and prayers will they be made clean. This is something that we overlook in the Christian walk despite its apparent need for heaven to be our home.

God blesses Job with twice as much as before the ordeal, his friends are received by God, and there is peace, joy, and love flowing in their Iives!

Author: Unknown
Theme: Problem of Suffering
Date of writing: Uncertain

Job is the first of the Wisdom Books in the O.T. canon, the others being Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Wisdom literature, of which the Epistle of James is the N.T. example, deals with the broad realm of human experience, and is set forth in short, pithy sayings (proverbs), essays, monologues, and, as in Job, in drama.

Although the book does not name its author, Ezek 14:14,20 and James 5:11 referto Job as an historical person. That he may have lived in the patriarchal period is inferred from his great age, various geographical references in the book, and the absence of mention of the law and the Tabernacle or Temple. The presence in this book of lofty Biblical concepts of God, man, Satan, righteousness, redemption, and resurrection may show, in view of its probable early date, the wide extent of revelation even before the writing of Scripture.

The subject of Job is God's providential and ethical government considered in the light of the age-old problem of the suffering of a righteous man. To this problem, neither Job who justified himself, nor his three counselors who charged him with sin, had the solution. Elihu, who explained Job's suffering as God's chastening with a view to experiential purification, reached higher ground, yet also fell short of the answer.

It was not until God revealed Himself in His majesty and power (chs. 38 - 41) that Job, "blameless and upright" though he was, turned from his own goodness and confessed: "I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes" (42:6). Then it was that, having seen himself to be worse than anything he had ever done, Job emerged from suffering into blessing and restoration. Notable Messianic passages in the book are: 9:33; 16:19; 19:25; 33:23-24; 36:18. Chapter28 contains a beautiful discussion of wisdom, and chs. 38 - 41 are surpassingly great poetry.

Key Characters:

Job - - servant of the most high God, righteous and holy, not accused or condemned by God in God's response to him from within the wirlwind

God -- The Lord, Jehovah

Satan -- the prince of the power of the air, the accuser of the brethren

Eliphaz - a legalistic, dogmatic religious man who bases his prideful knowledge on an experience

Bildad - - a superficial legalist who is wise on tradition

Zophar -- a dogmatic legalist who knows all about God in every circumstance, knows all of God's thoughts and actions, and why God will do what He will do, a very closed-minded, unteachable spirited man

Elihu - - a man of higher wisdom and perception of God and is not classified with the three friends of Job by God even though He calls his counsel dark