Reflections on the book of Job
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Outline of Job
Outline of Job
Prologue - Chapter 1-2
Job’s Monologue - Chapter 3
Round 1
Eliphaz - Chapters 4-5
Job - Chapters 6-7
Bildad - Chapter 8
Job - Chapters 9-10
Zophar - Chapter 11
Job - Chapter 12-14
Round 2
Eliphaz - Chapter 15
Job - Chapter 16-17
Bildad - Chapter 18
Job - Chapter 19
Zophar - Chapter 20
Job - Chapter 21
Round 3
Eliphaz - Chapter 22
Job - Chapters 23-24
Bildad - Chapter 25
Job - Chapter 26-27
Wisdom Poem - Chapter 28
Job’s 2nd Monologue - Chapters 29-31
Elihu - Chapters 32-37
Whirlwind Speech - Chapters 38-41
Epilogue - Chapter 42.
Exegetical Reflections
7 After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.
8 Now take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. Then my servant Job will pray for you. I will surely accept his prayer and not deal with you as your folly deserves. For you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.”
Let the Text speak for itself.
Job’s friends are worthless in their “wisdom.”
2 I have heard many things like these. You are all miserable comforters.
Wisdom must be contextualized.
19 He has no children or descendants among his people, no survivor where he used to live.
9 The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is put out.
20 Whoever curses his father or mother— his lamp will go out in deep darkness.
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Job gives us permission to Lament
Theological Reflections
The Sovereignty of God
6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.
7 The Lord asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” “From roaming through the earth,” Satan answered him, “and walking around on it.”
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil.”
9 Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 Haven’t you placed a hedge around him, his household, and everything he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he owns, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 “Very well,” the Lord told Satan, “everything he owns is in your power. However, do not lay a hand on Job himself.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.
1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind. He said:
2 Who is this who obscures my counsel with ignorant words?
3 Get ready to answer me like a man; when I question you, you will inform me.
4 Where were you when I established the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.
5 Who fixed its dimensions? Certainly you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
6 What supports its foundations? Or who laid its cornerstone
7 while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst from the womb,
9 when I made the clouds its garment and total darkness its blanket,
10 when I determined its boundaries and put its bars and doors in place,
11 when I declared, “You may come this far, but no farther; your proud waves stop here”?
12 Have you ever in your life commanded the morning or assigned the dawn its place,
13 so it may seize the edges of the earth and shake the wicked out of it?
God is strong enough to hear our complaints
God hears our complaints
20 Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty.
21 Though I am blameless, I no longer care about myself; I renounce my life.
22 It is all the same. Therefore I say, “He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.”
23 When catastrophe brings sudden death, he mocks the despair of the innocent.
24 The earth is handed over to the wicked; he blindfolds its judges. If it isn’t he, then who is it?
25 My days fly by faster than a runner; they flee without seeing any good.
26 They sweep by like boats made of papyrus, like an eagle swooping down on its prey.
27 If I said, “I will forget my complaint, change my expression, and smile,”
28 I would still live in terror of all my pains. I know you will not acquit me.
29 Since I will be found guilty, why should I struggle in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,
31 then you dip me in a pit of mud, and my own clothes despise me!
32 For he is not a man like me, that I can answer him, that we can take each other to court.
33 There is no mediator between us, to lay his hand on both of us.
34 Let him take his rod away from me so his terror will no longer frighten me.
35 Then I would speak and not fear him. But that is not the case; I am on my own.
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38 He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour?
41 Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 And he came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.
44 After leaving them, he went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
35 After crucifying him, they divided his clothes by casting lots.
36 Then they sat down and were guarding him there.
37 Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
38 Then two criminals were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.
39 Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads
40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
41 In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him and said,
42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.
43 He trusts in God; let God rescue him now—if he takes pleasure in him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
44 In the same way even the criminals who were crucified with him taunted him.
45 From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over the whole land.
46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink.
49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.
We dont always get an answer
1 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 I know that you can do anything and no plan of yours can be thwarted.
3 You asked, “Who is this who conceals my counsel with ignorance?” Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wondrous for me to know.
4 You said, “Listen now, and I will speak. When I question you, you will inform me.”
5 I had heard reports about you, but now my eyes have seen you.
6 Therefore, I reject my words and am sorry for them; I am dust and ashes.
Universal Just Retribution is not representative of God’s working in the world
Application
Bring your complaints to God
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.
Comfort the Suffering
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.
4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer.
If you are in Christ you are called to be a useful comforter to those who are suffering
This is an expression of the Gospel
How to avoid being a worthless comforter - (Wrestling with Job - by Bill Kynes and Will Kynes).
Be Sensitive
Be Humble
Be Practical
Be Prayerful