Job and the Storm

The Book of Job is storm.

Its a storm of words and worlds

Its a storm that unearths deep fears, doubts, and insecurities.

Its a storm of philosophical and theological questions and concerns that are not left in the ether, but rather it brings these questions down upon your home like a torrent .

Questions like the problem of evil,

how can a good God allow bad things to happen to good people?

OR

Would I keep my faith if I lost everything and was inflicted with horrific pain?

concerns like, what if God sees me the way he see Job? What if God tests me like he tested Job?

Job is a mysterious, haunting, provocative, and terrifying book to read.

Within the book of Job we are faced with some of the most challenging questions of life.

However, within the book of Job we also find great hope and comfort in the sovereign hand of God. His faithfulness. And his promise that every death is followed by a resurrection.

To try and walk through the 42 chapters of Job would be a daunting task, even for a sermon series or bible study. Let a lone one night together.

So what I want to do tonight is briefly show you the structure of Job, some basic historical and literary aspects of the book, and show you its place within the cannon of scripture.

Then I want to dive in a bit deeper into the book by exploring some theological frameworks and themes as emerge throughout the book. Ultimately, as all scripture does, see how the book of Job points us to Christ.

What is Job all about?

The story of a righteous man’s suffering, apparently as a result of a heavenly wager between God and “Satan.” Job debated issues of reward and punishment with four friends and was eventually vindicated by God.

Its largely a poetic book examining the themes of righteous suffering and divine sovereignty. Job is a righteous man afflicted by Satan who believes Job will lose his faith in God if he loses his health and wealth.

Outline of Job

Prologue (1-2) - Prose

Dialogues (3-31) - Poetry

Elihu (32-37) - Poetry

YHWH (38-42:6) - Poetry

Epilogue - Prose

The book is framed by a prose prologue and epilogue that tell the story of Job’s calamity and ultimate restoration. The poetic dialogue between Job and his friends debates profound theological issues. This dialogue culminates in speeches from God Himself.

Robert Alter says that Job is “arguably the greatest achievement of all biblical poetry”

Wisdom Literature

Job is one of three wisdom books in the bible along with Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

It is a book that is to make one wise.

WIsdom Literature is concerned with the meaning of life.

How does the world work?

What’s life all about?

What is Truth?

What is wisdom?

What is Knowledge?

Job specifically offers Wisdom in the face of suffering, wisdom as it relates to good council, wisdom in trusting God’s sovereign hand.

Job is interesting as it in some ways presents it self as a counterbalance to the retributive principles in Proverbs.

the doctrine of retribution states that the righteous will be rewarded and the wicked punished - Proverbss speaks to this doctrine in a general sort of way:

Examples in Proverbs:

Proverbs 3:9–10 ESV

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Proverbs 10:27–28 ESV

The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

The book of Job does not stand in protest to these verses in Proverbs, but rather against a fossilized misunderstanding of retribution.

Job’s friends are examples of those who have ignored the flexibility of proverbs. But tried to interpret them with mathematical precision.

So Job fits squarely within the wisdom literature of the Bible.

However, Job also stands in a unique place within the whole Cannon:

Job takes place in an obscure land called “UZ” - this far from Israel (east of Moab and Edom - Southeast of the Dead Sea

All Characters all non-Israelites

No historical setting provided

We don’t know who the author is (though many think it was Solomon)

The Historical setting of Job is thought to be during the times of the Patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Characters in the Book of Job

Job

Job 1.1 “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.”

blameless = perfect.

This is the same description given to Jacob when he was born.

Gen25.27 “When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.”

We will see that there are some parallels between Job and Jacob in a little bit.

And Edmonite King (gentile)

Job 19 9 “He has stripped from me my glory and taken the crown from my head.”

Wealthy and very powerful - wealth measured in livestock, servants, and children

Lived before the Law was given (contemporary of Abraham or Jacob)

Some suggest that Job was not a historical person, but rather a mythological or parabolic character.

However he is referenced in both Ezekiel and James as a historical person.

YHWH

We see the Lord in chapter 1 holding his divine council with the sons of God.

We then see YHWH coming again in chapters 38-42 as he speaks to Job in the whirlwind.

Satan

definite article THE satan (accuser)

some suggest that this accuser is not the devil himself, but rather another angel who has the role as the accuser.

However, I think if we read Job through a biblical and theological lens we will see that this is indeed that ancient serpent.

Friends

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar

Elihu is the forth younger friend who shoes up later.

The three friends take upon themselves the Satan role in the dialogues as they are constantly accusing Job

Family

Job’s wife in unnamed

She only has one line in the book of Job and thats when she says, in Job 2.9 “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.””

Job’s children

7 sons and 3 daughters (died in the beginning)

At the end of the book we see god giving Job another 7 sons and 3 daughters (the three daughters are named and called the most beautiful women in the land)

The Story

1.1-5

Job the righteous man

Job’s wealth

Jobs sons and daughters would feast and drink together

Job would offer sacrifices for his children incase they sinned against God in their hearts.

1.6-12

(read)

The sons of God

God’s divine council

made up of divine beings angles elohim

God seeks advice from his council. His council has access to him and is able to suggest their ideas before YHWH the king.

We see this throughout the scriptures

Prophets are part of God’s divine council.

Amos 3 7 ““For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”

Abraham appealing to God on behalf of Sodom

Moses appealing to God on behalf of Israel (golden calf)

Satan was part of this divine council

And satan points out the fact that Job’s life is righteous because God has protected him and blessed him.

God tells satan that he can test Job, just don’t touch his body.

1.13-22

Jobs sons and daughters were eating and drinking in the oldest brothers house.

First messenger

The Sabeans came and killed your oxen and donkeys and servants with the edge of the sword.

Second messenger

The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and servants

Third messenger

The Chaldeans formed three groups and raided the camels and took them and killed the servants

Fourth messenger

a great wind came and struck the four corners of your eldest sons house and the house fell upon thee young people and they are all dead.

Job responds:

Job 1.20-22 “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

At the beginning of chapter 2 we are brought back into the heavenly realm

Read 2.1-10

Then Job’s three friends arrive

Job’s Three Friends

They came to sit with him and comfort him in his grief.

When they saw him they did not recognize him, they tore their own clothes and wept.

They then sat with Job for seven day and seven nights without saying a word.

In deep grief this is often the best way to help people.

Just be with them.

it was not until they started talking that they showed themselves to be poor friends and councilors.

Who are these three friends? How do friends function in the bible?

Sometimes friends are just friends.

However, often times friends is a particular status or position in ones life.

We have already discussed that Job was a king, and to be friends of the king is to be advisors to the King - the king council.

Moses had friends

David had friends

Solomon had friends

Rehoboam had friends

if you remember he listened to his younger friends rather than his older friends which resulted in splitting the kingdom.

Abraham was called a friend of God, he advised God.

Here is the glory of the gospel, in Christ we have been made into friends of God. We have been brought into the divine council as the prophets of old.

Jesus says in John 15.15 “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

Job’s friends are quick to try and convince Job that he has somehow sinned against God and that is why this tragedy has come down upon him.

The dialogues throughout Job are presented in in different ways. One of the ways these dialogues are structured are very much like a court case.

Job’s advisors take the role of satan and accuse Job of wrong doing.

Job continues to defend himself

as we read and listen to Job and his friends, we witness a growing storm of words—arguing, debating, and wrestling for the truth. Frequently, the words of the rhetorical combatants are referred to as “wind” (Job 6:26; 8:2; 15:2; 16:3).

The wind and the storm provide for us a thread throughout the book of Job.

Job continues to hear these windy words from his friends, accusing him, wrestling with him, trying to condemn him, and as the wind continues to blow, Job more and more just wants to have a hearing with YHWH himself.

The subject of Job’s speeches is bound up with this very desire. Job, longs to bring his appeal to God face-to-face.

Job’s recurring complaints are that he cannot present his case before Yahweh; he cannot contend with God (9:11).

As Job responds to the continued criticisms and accusations of his friends, his repeated desire is to speak with God and receive an answer (12:4; 13:3).

Job’s specific hope is that he will be able to “argue my ways before him” (13:15).

“Oh that I might find him,” he says elsewhere, for then “I would present my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments” (23:4).

Even Job’s death wish is bound to this desire to have a hearing with the Lord. His plea is to die so that his righteous blood may cry out for justice (16:18). And the full force of his argument finally bursts forth in one of the most famous passages in the book, when he proclaims, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and he shall stand at last on the earth. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold, and not another . . . there is a judgment” (19:25–29).

Chapter 37 we have the final speech from Elihu, trying to talk some sense into Job.

Elihu spends the whole chapter describing God has a glorious storm (think mount sinai)

And tells Job that he cannot enter into the presence of the storm and live.

And especially if Job is going to be so prideful as to think that he has not sinned to bring about the horrors he is experiencing.

Job 37:20 ESV

Shall it be told him that I would speak? Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?

Job 37:24 ESV

Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”

The very next verse is where we see God finally answer Job, and he does so out of the whirlwind, out of the storm.

Job 38:1–7 ESV

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Dress for action like a man - get ready to wrestle!

YHWH goes on to explore his own creation and explain to Job about how wonderful it is! from the glory of the heavens down to the depths of the sea, in the night, in the day, in wind, in stars, and even the animals

All of creation is glorious and wonderfully reflects the glory and wisdom of its Maker.

God then goes on to show his absolute Lordship over the animals

But this is also God wrestling with Job, calling job to stand like a man before the creator.

As we read this passage we see a new creation motif… Creation themes are all throughout the bible

Job is a type of Adam, like Adam Job had to enter into death in order to come out on the other side in resurrection

Job was formed from the dust of the ground… He was formed through the struggle and turmoil of pain and suffering, but here we see YHWH bringing Job back to life. in a whole new creation.

Job 42:1–6 ESV

Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job is vindicated in the epilogue.

This is wisdom literature… the story of Job is the story of King who grew and matured into a prophet.

And they way he grew and matured was through wrestling with God. Like Jacob (also described as perfect - tom)

Jacob’s whole life was one of wrestling.

Wrestled with Esau in the womb

Wrestled with his Father Isaac

Wrestled with his Step Father Laban

Wrestled with his two wives

Wrestled with the Lord

And what is revealed to Jacob is that all throughout his life, when he thought he was wrestling with evil, with deception, with his enemies, with his brother, father, wives, father in law, he was actually wrestling with God.

When Job wrestled with the loss of everything he was wrestling with God

When he wrestling with his bodily afflictions, he was wrestling with God

When he was wrestling with his wife, his friends, his own heart, with satan himself, he was wrestling with God.

And why was did he have to wrestle? so he could grow up into a better Adam. One who knew how to defeat the serpent.

You see, Satan, so it seems disappears after the first 2 chapters… however, as I have mentioned, thats not entirerly true.

Satan shows up in his friends who are accusing

He shows up in the suffering, in the doubting, in the silence.

And at the end of the book, God wants Job to know that even wrestling with Satan is part of God’s plan.

God wants Job to fight against the serpent and be victorious, where Adam failed, God wants Job to grow up

Chapter 41 is a chapter all about the leviathan - the twisting serpent, the dragon.

Job 41 provides us with a detailed description of this dragon, this twisting serpent, as one who cannot be tamed, he cannot be subdued, he cannot be challenged.

he is the King of Terror

he is king over the sons of Pride

He is the greatest creature on earth, one without fear.

He is describing satan himself.

yet, to God, he is nothing more than a lizard on a leash.

God is wrestling with Job showing him that he has absolute Lordship over everything! including his suffering.

It is through trial and pain, and wrestling that God matures us and strengthens us.

This is how it works!

To grow up, to be men and women who are mature and pressed into the image of Christ, we first must be taken apart and put back together.

This is the path that Job went through, to go from one degree of glory to the next is to go through a death and resurrection.

The deaths are always painful, but without them we don’t get the glory of the resurrection.

This is the process of creation

This is the process of salvation

this is the process of sanctification

This is the process of the gospel.

This is the process of Christ.