There is no way to identify this area precisely, and for that reason people from all the world wonder at the book of job. The book of job is the first document in history to take seriously the question of why really bad things happen to really good people. And it really does not give us the kind of answer we want, but just says, trust me. However, the initiator of the problems in job s life and the cause of the problems are widely misinterpreted. It is possible that job is the oldest of any book of the bible written approximately 21001800 b. The book of job by arno clement gaebelein 18611942. In fact, some scholars believe that job requires and understanding of the book as a whole more than any other book of the old testament. There are no references to the law of moses, the tabernacle, the priesthood, the judges or kings, etc. The book of job is a book in the ketuvim section of the hebrew bible, and the first poetic book in the old testament of the christian bible. Lo and behold, satan comes out and challenges god on job s goodness.
The first quality we notice regarding the book of job is its poetic medium. The name job is mentioned only 54 times and mostly just in the book of job. The skeptical character of the symposium, with its challenge to timehonored views, most likely would have kept the book of job out of the canon of old testament writings had some additions not been made to the original book. Hes blameless and upright, and he has kids, a wife, land, and a bunch of sheep. Mar 19, 2012 job was also blameless or perfect, but so was lucifer at one time eze 28. The loss of job s property, and the death of his children. Welcome to our job 9 explained article, where well study job chapter 9, verses 12 through 23. The theme of the book of job is nothing less than human suffering and the transcendence of it. To understand the full impact of the book of job the book must be read and understood as a whole. Even though we still dont have a complete understanding of why, the same is true for us.
God allows satan to torment job to test this bold claim, but he forbids satan to take jobs life in the process. Job wanted a permanent record of the things that he and his friends discovered about god. Job lived one hundred and forty years, seeing four generations of children and grandchildren. God is asking us and inviting us to trust him and his wisdom. Oct 24, 2008 the book of job highlights the universal issue that is before every living person.
It is plain, from this history, that the lord watched over his servant job with the affection of a wise and loving father. Job chapter 15 kjv king james version 1 then answered eliphaz the temanite, and said. When good people suffer, what does god want from them. The book of job is among the other old testament books both a philosophical riddle and a historical riddle. With help of fat au, carrie and hood find the man who took job from the camp. But if salvation comes by faith, he surely isnt at least not at the beginning of his book. It is the most misunderstood, misused, and misapplied book in the bible. The book of job is not answering a theoretical question about why good people suffer. Job s final speech in his own defense is probably where the book originally ended. Too many christians want to put themselves into the role of a job. Up in the heavens, god brags to the divine assembly about job. The book of job is primarily about the afflictions of job.
Jun 09, 2014 the book of job is one of the most misunderstood books in the bible. The book of job highlights the universal issue that is before every living person. In the reformation martin luther explained how jobs confession of sinfulness and worthlessness underlay his saintliness, and john calvins. And there is a reality called satan who challenges god that his man is not as good as he thinks he is.
The book of job has been widely given the theme of patience and we see this mentioned in the new testament book of james. Is the book of job meant to be an allegoryparable or a. Justice in the book of job essay 511 words bartleby. Whole chapters of the book are devoted to speeches by jobs counselors. The pressure brought to bear upon him was from satan although job was wholly unaware of this. Is the book of job meant to be an allegoryparable or a true history of a real person. There was a man in the land of uz, whose name was job.
Understanding the book of job by tom tompkins escape. The book of job is a very tough book of the bible to understand using just the reasoning found within your human mind. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. The skeptical character of the symposium, with its challenge to timehonored views, most likely would have kept the book of job out of the canon of old testament writings had some additions not been made to. However, unlike the careful, and at times paranoid, job of the book. However, the name does occur in genesis 46 and ezekiel 14. The big picture of job is that there was a man who was, in one sense, blameless in gods sight.
The book of job opens in verse one by telling us that job was a blameless, upright man who feared god and turned away from evil. I attempt to clear that up by offering a different perspective than most people know today. The contents of the book, together with its artistic structure and elegant style, place it among the literary masterpieces of all time. The book of job is a highly controversial book of mostly confusing information. And, of course, we still have the book of job today.
The book of job is one of the most misunderstood books in the bible. Whenever you see me answer a question with, read the book of job, this is why. Mar 04, 2014 the book of job is not answering a theoretical question about why good people suffer. Summary of the books of job the story of the bible. On the contrary, god speaks directly to job, just as he does in the patriarchal age with noah, abraham, isaac, jacob, and other heads of. It originally aired on the fox network in the united states on november 20, 2011. What he asks can be paraphrased as why do bad things happen to good people. Introduction to the book of job society of gilbert keith.
This reference in james is the only time job is mentioned by name in the n. Jobs suffering did not come because he was bad but rather because of his unwavering faithfulness to god. In the episode, lisa is shocked to discover that all popular youngadult novels are not each written by a single author with any inspiration, but are conceived by book publishing executives through use of. Well be studying the last chapter of the book of job today. The lesson from the big book of job is 1 that god is sovereign over all our suffering. The book of job, named after its protagonist apparently not an israelite. Job had 10 children who appear to be adults at the time his suffering began. If youd like to study verses 111 read our job 9 commentary and our job 9 summary for verses 2435. This overview and outline of job is intended to assist you as you seek god by studying his word. Job opens with jehovah holding court among a number of divini. Although most of the book consists of the words of job and his friends, job himself was not the author. Job lived southeast of israel, perhaps east of edom and north of arabia see lamentations 4. The book job is the sixth episode of the twentythird season of the american animated sitcom the simpsons.
Its author is unknown yet it is possible that job himself wrote it. Nov 25, 2007 in job, the title character does, at one time, come close to giving up, and confronts god directly. Translation and annotation by donald kraus foreword by dr. Job, book of webbible encyclopedia christiananswers. Two, neither job nor his friends ever saw the conflict going on between. The name job is mentioned only 54 times and mostly just in the. Rabbi breitowitz responds to these fundamental issues based on the book of job. Commentary on the book of job chapter ten by wm w wells.
Sep 07, 2010 the book of job is a highly controversial book of mostly confusing information. The author recounts an era in the life of job, in which he was tested and the. Jobs final speech in his own defense is probably where the book originally ended. Understanding the book of job, shreveport, louisiana. It has been used to misrepresent god and cause believers to. Key personalities of this book include job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, zophar the naamathite, and elihu the buzite. These verses may be the most important verses in the book of job. Though we cannot be certain, job may have lived during the time of jacob or shortly thereafter. The contents of the book, together with its artistic structure and elegant style, place it. In this series of blogs i shall revisit the book of job, the personality and some of its meaning for contemporary society. If someone asked you what the book of job was about, how would you answer. The loss of jobs property, and the death of his children. One of the most puzzling books in the bible is the book of job. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, i should save job.
Job was also blameless or perfect, but so was lucifer at one time eze 28. Jun 28, 2010 the book of job is the first document in history to take seriously the question of why really bad things happen to really good people. Here is a prayer that he might be delivered from the sting of his afflictions, which is sin. Most of us would point out that it deals with the question of human suffering. A free bible version and commentary on the old testament book of job in easyenglish. The book of job takes place in an area called in the bible the land of uz job 1. Addressing the problem of theodicy the vindication of the justice of god in the light of humanitys suffering it is a rich theological work setting out a variety of perspectives. A great diversity of opinion exists as to the authorship of this book.
This summary of the book of job provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of job. There is in this book much that is analogous to the arabic language, or that may be explained by it. The book of job explained essaysthe book of job is not simply a story, but a fable, rich with meaning and lessons to be learned. In job, the title character does, at one time, come close to giving up, and confronts god directly. There it says that god brought all of this upon job. The book of job is often referred to as one of the great classics of world literature.
It has been widely praised for its literary qualities, with alfred lord tennyson calling it the greatest poem of ancient and modern times. And even though that was more than 52 weeks ago, this is only the 47th lesson in this series. Job tears his clothes and shaves his head in mourning, but he still blesses god in his prayers. Victor hugo the greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature.
Book of job overview insight for living ministries. With antony starr, ivana milicevic, ulrich thomsen, frankie faison. The poetic section of the book of job, which makes up the majority of the text job 342, is much more theologically ambiguous. Then there is the last chapter that puts the closure on the whole thing. Job free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. From internal evidence, such as the similarity of sentiment and language to those in the psalms and proverbs see psalm 88 and 89, the prevalence of the idea of wisdom, and the style and character of the composition, it is supposed by some to have been written in the time of david and solomon. Or from an arabic word meaning repent, thus bearing the name repentant one. However, unlike the careful, and at times paranoid, job of the book of job, j. In the midst of suffering, we must never lose our hope in god. Job is an unlikely candidate because the book s message rests on job s ignorance of the events that occurred in heaven as they were related to his ordeal. In either case, the book is an example of the inconsistent and paradoxical doctrines in the bible. The book of job has long been praised as a masterpiece of literature. Elsewhere job explained his troubles, fears and doubts. It is the philosophical riddle that concerns us in such an introduction as this.
The book tells the story of a man who loses everything. In the course of one day, job receives four messages, each bearing separate news that his livestock, servants, and ten children have all died due to marauding invaders or natural catastrophes. The book of job and the paradox of suffering my jewish. Its subject matter is the allimportant question, why, in a world over which yahweh has jurisdiction, should innocent persons have to suffer when at the same time the wicked escape suffering and are permitted to have comfort and security. Job 1 niv prologue in the land of uz there bible gateway. If we define salvation on the basis of performance, then job is surely saved. Inasmuch then as the book exhibits a fine picture of patriarchal times and its language also bears witness to a very early date all the objections of the critics are void. If you have not read this series from the beginning, i would highly recommend that you go back and start with part 1. The book of job is a book in the ketuvim writings section of the hebrew bible tanakh, and. I found job to be one of the most interesting accounts in the bible, especially because it attempts to rationalize human suffering and the ways of the lord. Job 1 kjv there was a man in the land of uz, bible gateway. In the process it seeks to revolutionize our thinking about god and the way that he runs the world. Job 1 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. The purpose of the book of job is to explore gods policies with regard to suffering in the world, especially by the righteous or the innocent.
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