The Book of Job

1
The Book of Job

• Lesson FivePart 2
• The First Cycle of Debate

2
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Summary
• Eliphaz expresses certain truths about God
• But seems to have preconceptions toward carnal
  thinking
• Relying on personal revelation
• Job despairs from his suffering
• He complains against Gods chastening
• He believes God pursues him and he cannot escape
  him

3
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 8, Bildad vv. 1-7
• Bildad recites his understanding of God
• He judges justly does not pervert justice
• Jobs children died because they sinned
• Job must be pure and upright for God to support
  him
• If Job repents, God will restore him
• Bildad recites the possessions Job would receive
• Like Eliphaz, Bildad is partly correct, but seems
  to have a worldly mindset

4
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 8, Bildad vv. 8-22
• Job should consider wisdom of the fathers vv.
  8-11
• Man must have his foundation and nourishment in
  God vv. 11-19
• Or men are adrift
• God can bring up other men if one is unfaithful
• God does not reject blameless men
• vv. 20-22
• True, but Bildad goes beyond his knowledge

5
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 9, Job
• No one can contend with God vv.1-13
• He is too wise and strong
• Job has no access to God vv.14-20
• Job is right, but still cannot answer God
• Because God makes him suffer greatly
• God destroys wicked and just vv. 20-24
• Job knows this because he is just, yet suffers
• Jobs personal experience affects his view of God

6
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 9, Job vv. 25-35
• Jobs suffering overwhelms him his life is
  quickly passing away
• He cannot forget his suffering
• He knows God will judge him guilty
• What is the point of his efforts since he will be
  condemned?
• Even if Job purified himself, God would condemn
  him
• God is above Job, he cannot answer him
• Job needs a mediator to reconcile him
• If God would remove suffering Job would speak
  freely

7
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 10, Job Jobs plea
• Job speaks to ask why God is against him
• Does God desire to oppress Job?
• Asks if God is at all like a man
• That he could pursue Job even though he is
  innocent
• God created Job, has power over him
• But he does not reveal to Job his purpose
• Why did God create Job when He troubles him?

8
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Summary
• Bildad also expresses truths about God and his
  nature
• But also seems to have a worldly perception
• Presumes in his judgment of Job
• Job continues to despair and complain against God
• He cannot resist God or approach Him
• Believe his suffering means God is set against
  him
• That Jobs adherence to Gods law is vain since
  God has decided to condemn him

9
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 11, Zophar
• Job justifies himself against God--vv.1-6
• God has forgotten some of Jobs sins or his
  suffering would be worse
• Gods nature is beyond man--vv.7-12
• It is beyond mans measure and understanding
• God does not ignore evil Job must be wicked
• Job needs to repentvv.13-20
• If he puts away evil, he will be blessed
• He will have hope

10
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 12, Job
• Job already knows what his friends say
• No insight in what they tell him
• Job is ridiculed separated from God
• He was in close fellowship just and blameless
• Those who dont suffer ridicule those who do
• The unjust are at ease no justice in his
  suffering
• God is responsible for Jobs suffering
• He is sovereign has power over powerful
• Job cannot resist God helpless before Him

11
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 13, Job vv1-12
• Job knows what his friends know
• and he agrees with them
• Job wishes to plead his case
• He feels cut off from God He no longer answers
  Job
• Job cannot approach God
• Jobs friends cannot speak for God
• They misrepresent him because of their bias
• They cannot conceal their unfair attitude
• Jobs friends are presumptuous
• They should fear him, because He will rebuke them
  for partiality

12
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 13, Job vv.13-20
• Job will plead his case to God
• The Lord is his hope
• Even if God judges against him, Job will trust
  God to judge rightly
• Job prepares to plead his case to God
• He knows he will be vindicated by God
• If God rejects him, Job would die
• Asks that God relieve his suffering long enough
  for him to present his case
• Because he will have no hope cut off from God
• If only God will show Job why he suffers
• So he would repent? Job does not believe he needs
  to

13
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 13, Job vv.24-28
• Job asks why God has cut him off from fellowship
• hide your face
• count me as your enemy
• Job is helpless before God
• Is a dry leaf
• God oppresses Job
• Reminds him of past sins that he cannot escape
• Put my feet in stocks
• He suffers cut off from God and will pass away
• He will die and waste away, separated from God

14
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Chapter 14, Job
• Man lives a short life God has set his limits
• Job asks not to be considered by God (suffering)
• Man dies and does not recover from death
• Is not temporary for him final place for every
  man
• Jobs sees death as rest from trouble
• His sin would be taken away and concealed
• God would not keep his sin
• Man cannot overcome death or overcome God
• All things pass away man does too
• Man cannot see beyond the time given him by God
• God controls him from birth to death

15
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Summary, Job and Zophar
• Zophar is correct about nature of God being
  beyond mans understanding
• Yet Zophar and other speak confidently about
  Gods intentions and motivations
• Seems to acknowledge lack of revelation (115-6)
• Correct that Job would have hope from God
• Wrong to believe Job did not then have it
• Wrong that it would mean physical rest/honor
• Wrong that wicked will always be punished in the
  world and will inevitably fail in their works

16
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Summary, Job and Zophar
• Job correctly notes that it is easy to dismiss
  suffering and that wicked at times prosper
• But he uses the wrong measure of justice
• Measures his condition against that of wicked
• Gods justice is not measured by our ability to
  see it carried out
• Job is correct about the sovereignty of God
• That He places limits around man
• That the powerful are subject to him
• Wrong that God caused suffering to punish him

17
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Summary, Job and Zophar
• Job seems to be correct that his friends are
  presumptuous
• Yet Job also seems to reach conclusions about God
  that are beyond his knowledge
• Job is wrong that God has cut him off from
  fellowship
• While Job is helpless before God, like all men,
  God has not cut him off
• Job continues to be puzzled by his suffering
• And assumes it reflects a break in his fellowship
  with God

18
The Book of JobLesson 5

• Next Week
• Lesson 6
• THE SECOND CYCLE OF DEBATE