WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

1
WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE

• Gods Wisdom from the Book of Job

2
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT

• JOB, THE MAN?

3
WAS THERE REALLY A JOB?

• His name?
• Object of enmity?
• Persecuted one?
• He who turns?
• Borrowed oriental legend?
• Parable or historic?

4
JOB AS PARABLE

• Similar to the parables of Christ
• Does not diminish truths taught
• Arguments
• The personal encounter between God and Satan in
  chapter 1
• Numbers seem representative rather than literal
• Poetic language is not realistic dialogue

5
JOB AS AN HISTORICAL FIGURE

• Referred to as an historical figure in other
  scriptures
• when a land sins against meand I stretch out
  my hand against iteven ifNoah, Daniel, and Job
  were in it, they would deliver but themselves
  Ez. 1413-14, 20)
• You have heard of the steadfastness of Job
  (James 511)

6
JOB AS AN HISTORICAL FIGURE

• No indication in text that Job was not a real
  person
• Names and places are highly specific, indicating
  historic reality
• Job of Uz
• Eliphaz the Temanite
• Zophar the Naamathite
• Bildad the Shuhite
• Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite

7
CONCLUSION?

• Job was an actual person
• The story is factual
• The Holy Spirit inspired the writer to record the
  ideas of the characters in poetic terms
• The lessons are from the mind of God for the good
  of man

8
THE CHARACTER OF JOB, THE MAN

• Native of Uz (11)
• Southeast of Palestine along the Edomite frontier
• Stretched from Edom on the northeast to the
  Euphrates River
• Wealthy chieftain the greatest of all the
  people of the east (13)
• Spiritual leader of his family (15)
• Blameless and upright (11b)
• Faithful in the face of adversity (Ez. 1414, 20)
• Patient/steadfast (James 511)
• None like him on all the earth (18)

9
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT

• JOB, THE BOOK?

10
AUTHORSHIP AND DATE

• When did the events happen?
• Patriarchal Era (2,000 BC)
• No priestly hierarchy the family head performed
  priestly duties
• When were the events recorded?
• During reigns of David and Solomon (c. 1000 BC)
  over time? Several authors? One author?
• During the Exile (500-600 BC)?
• By Moses? (Heard story while in Midian?)

11
THE PLACE OF JOB IN SCRIPTURE

• Part of the Poetical Books of the Hagiographa
  (The Writings), along with Psalms and Proverbs
• Not intended for public worship like the Prophets
• Intended for personal reflection, meditation

12
THE STRUCTURE OF JOB

• Magnificent poetry
• Imagery, figurative language, meter, repetition
• Evoke in the reader the intense emotions, visions
  and moods of the characters

13
THE STRUCTURE OF JOB THE NUMBER 3

• 3 major divisions
• Prose Prologue (chapters 1-2)
• Poem narrative (chapters 3-41)
• Prose Epilogue (chapter 42)
• God gives 3 speeches
• Chapters 38-39
• Chapters 401-2
• Chapter 406 chapter 41

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THE STRUCTURE OF JOB THE NUMBER 3

• The poem is divided into 3 debate cycles
• Chapters 3-14
• Chapters 15-21
• Chapters 22-31
• Each debate cycle consists of
• 3 speeches one by each friend
• 3 rebuttals by Job

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THE STRUCTURE OF JOB AN OVERVIEW

• THE PROLOGUE THE STORY OF JOB (1-3)
• THE POEM WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE
  A DEBATE (3-41)
• ELLIHUS SPEECH (32-37)
• GODS ANSWER (38-41)
• THE EPILOGUE (42)
• Jobs contrition
• Reproval of Jobs friends
• Restoration of Jobs, health, family, wealth

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RECURRING THEMES IN JOB

• The transience of material wealth
• The nature of true friendship
• Perseverance and faith in suffering
• Mans place in Gods universe
• Why do the righteous suffer?

17
WRAPPING UP

• Get in pairs and exchange your thoughts on Job as
  a parable vs. Job as history
• For next Sunday Study Ecclesiastes 12!
• Our next Job class will be May 18 -- Study
  Chapters 1-2