Job: Who Can Pierce Leviathan? (2)

Shortened Condensed Version

Job’s argument: (3-28) I’m innocent (true) >>> My suffering is not divine justice (true)>>> Either God doesn’t run the world according to justice or God is unjust

Friend’s argument:

God is just >>> God runs the world according to justice >>> Job “must have” sinned

Elihu:

God is just >>> God runs the world according to justice >>> Suffering may be a warning to avoid future sin because it builds character and don’t accuse God

Job: Last Statement: 29-31

Asserts innocence, demands explanation from God

Describes God as a mighty warrior marching off to war, but passing him

Job 9:5–8 NASB95

“It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how, When He overturns them in His anger; Who shakes the earth out of its place, And its pillars tremble; Who commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars; Who alone stretches out the heavens And tramples down the waves of the sea;

Job 9:11–12 NASB95

“Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him. “Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

“God is only interested in destroying and terrifying chaos monsters. God comes across as angry, obsessed with thophany, and wholly unconcerned about rescuing the righteous.” Pg 62 Playing with Dragons

God Shows Up Part 1

“Answering Job from the midst of the storm suggests that the longed for theophany has come.” Pg 65

God says to grind up your lions -> get ready for battle like a warrior

By pulling this move that is to ask Job if he is the divine warrior that defeated chaos at the beginning and keeping it in the boundaries. But the question is asked within a storm

“God suggests to Job that the divine warrior who does conquer chaos has now presented himself without passing Job by for more important battles.” Pg 68

Why the tour of the world?

More vast and mysterious than Job knows

A lot of good and ordered things in God’s world (Genesis 1 isn’t as dark as Job thinks it is)

God provides for all sorts of animals that humans find ridiculous, dangerous or even unimportant

God does allow some evil and chaos but limited

“God has arranged for the care of all creatures but not the elimination of pain, dangers, and death”

God Shows Up Part 2

The super beast: Behemoth- God will kill this beast Job 40:19

Job 40:19 NASB95

“He is the first of the ways of God; Let his maker bring near his sword.

Leviathan

Both are symbols for of supernatural evil

Behemoth is like the bull of heaven

And Leviathan like other monsters

This reading address the issue of God’s justice and Job’s respond

God is clarifying the real evil, it isn’t Job and it’s not God but these monsters- God will defeat these evil powers

“God is deeply aware of the problem and will do something about it (hint, hint)”

First Round: 4-14: is God Just?

Eliphaz’s hideous gentleness (ch. 4-5)

Job’s first lament (ch. 6-7)

Bildad’s Bluntness (ch. 8)

Job’s Nadir (ch. 9-10)

Zophar On The Deep Things of God (ch. 11)

Job’s Dawning Desire for Reconciliation (ch. 12-14)

Round 2: 15-21: Does God run the universe on the strict principle of Justice?

Eliphaz on God’s ‘Gentle Comforts’ (ch. 15)

Job’s First Speaks of His Heavenly Witness (ch. 16-17)

Bildad on the Terrors of Hell (ch. 18)

Job’s Great Redeemer (ch. 19)

Zophar and Job Lock Horns (ch. 20-21)

Round 3: 22-27: How is Job’s suffering to be explained?

Job’s Final Assertion of Innocence (ch. 28-31)

Elihu (ch. 32-37)