It is possible that job is the oldest of any book of the bible written approximately 21001800 b. The contents of the book, together with its artistic structure and elegant style, place it among the literary masterpieces of all time. Job accuses god of being unjust and not operating the world according to principles of justice, and his friends believe that job s sin caused his suffering. Job was heartbroken, but he did not stop worshipping jehovah. God saw all of this, and he was very pleased with job. Archer and others see the book of job as the oldest book in the bible gleason l. There is no way to identify this area precisely, and for that reason people from all the world wonder at the book of job. Job questioned gods design, and god responded that job had insufficient knowledge to do so. God boasts about job, whom god considers to be an outstanding example of what a. Job free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. A free bible version and commentary on the old testament book of job in. A major difficulty in understanding the meaning of the book is, what insight leads job to submit so humbly to god at the end.
First he sent people called the sabeans to steal jobs cattle and donkeys. And god will help them, although sometimes they must be patient. The book of job free sermon outlines and bible studies. Study guide for job 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. Job chapter explained discover books of the bible.
One of the greatest statements of faith in all of scripture is found right in the middle of job chapter. Alfred smith has contributed prac tical insights for lessons and sermons on the book of job. God brags to satan about job s virtue, but satan contends that job is only righteous because god has favored him generously. Job having warmly given vent to his passion, and so broken the ice, his friends here come gravely to give vent to their judgment upon his case, which perhaps they had communicated to one another apart, compared notes upon it and talked it over among themselves, and found they were all agreed in their verdict, that job s afflictions certainly proved him to be a hypocrite. The book of proverbs is in the genre called wisdom literature, along with job, psalms, ecclesiastes, and the song of songs. Every one his day not every day of the week and of the year, which would have been burdensome to them all, and gross luxury, and which certainly such a holy man as job would not have permitted. He is blameless and upright, constantly mindful to live in a righteous manner job 1. The book of job belongs to what we call the wisdom literature of the old testament. All this which either you or i have discoursed concerning the infinite power and wisdom of god, i know, both by seeing it, by my own observation and experience. 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. One day, satan the adversary appears before god in heaven. Learn how to properly read the introduction in the book of job.
The book of job 3 the book of job introduction to the book the book of job has long been praised as a masterpiece of literature. Job is a wealthy man living in a land called uz with his large family and extensive flocks. The contents of the book, together with its artistic structure and elegant style, place it. Irving jensen, jensens survey of the old testament, p. In this bible story from the book of job, there is a wealthy man named job residing in an area called uz with his extended family and vast flocks. In the book of job, we find questions about gods justice and why good people suffer. Bible, job bears the name of the narratives primary character. Regardless of its classification the book of job has been known to be one of the greatest literary writings in all of history.
The point of the book of job is to teach us that the mystery of evil is a mystery of a. Free bible commentaries in easy english easyenglish bible. The book of job takes place in an area called in the bible the land of uz job 1. As was said of goliaths sword, there is none like it, none in ancient or in modern literature.
Go to the bottom of that page to see the index chapters, which are hot links. How do people know that job is the oldest book of the bible. We see that job s patience with his three friends was wearing a little thin. Hartley deals carefully with this book whose language, text, and theology are not only among the most intriguing in the old testament but also among the most difficult to grasp.
The book of job in the bible s old testament is a long poem. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, i should save job. The first two chapters present a series of descriptions and dialogue about a man named job through the lens. Commentary on the book of job free bible commentary. His sons went and feasted in their houses or made a family feast, to testify and maintain their brotherly love. Job 1 gnt satan tests job there was a man named bible. Moreover the lord answered job, and said, the lord having discoursed largely of the works of. Job chapter 29 explained discover books of the bible. Watch our introduction video on the book of job, which outlines the book s main theme and how it is fulfilled in jesus. The book of job is a book of the christian old testament that tells a story about job, who in jewish tradition is the son of uz, who was the son of nahor, the brother of abraham. Job chapter 38 explained discover books of the bible. It is plain, from this history, that the lord watched over his servant job with the affection of a wise and loving father. The author recounts an era in the life of job, in which he was. At any rate, we might wonder why god knowing that satan was walking around.
The book of job discusses why innocent people suffer. The book of job is an obvious place to turn when a christian suffers, but it is. There are exegetical commentaries, scholarly and technical commentaries, as well as commentaries that are easy to understand. I do not believe that this is the primary teaching of this book, although there are a great many bible scholars who take that position. Jobs story invites us to consider what it means that god runs the world. As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them. I really should say that it gives one of the reasons why the righteous suffer. The big question most people walk away with after reading job 12. As the first poetic book of the english bible, job introduces the reader to the idea of hebrew poetry, which involves the repetition and combination of ideas more than sounds. Habel has contributed a small but helpful study for preaching the whole book of job. And job answered and said, in reply to zophar, and in defense of himself. Another group of people, the chaldeans, stole his camels.
The book of job raises the issue of why the righteous suffer. Satan by permission from god strippeth him of all his substance. Satan wanted job to suffer even more, so he caused sores to break out all over job s body. Books of the bible explained scripture by scripture. This commentary on job follows in the tradition of the nicot series by providing an uptodate evangelical commentary based on thorough scholarship. There is no easy answer, and, of course, the book does not mean to be an. Jun 08, 2010 first of all, the author of the book of job is unknown. The bible continues by saying, job did not sin in what he said about god. What do you think is the main message of the book of job. It addresses the problem of theodicy, meaning why god permits evil in the world, through the experiences of the eponymous protagonist. John piper talks about how to discern between good and bad theology in the book of job. Alternate views are given in edouard dhorme, a commentary on the book of job nashville. No answers are given, but god reminds us to trust his wisdom and.
Moreover job continued his parable, and said, in this chapter, he recounts wistfully his past. Job is referred to as a historical character in the scriptures see ezek. He was, on the one hand a very good example of spiritual devotio. Job was forced to walk by faith rather than by sight 2 cor. The story of job opens with a scene in heaven where the devil comes to accuse job before god. Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, they are the ones t. The primary biblical text used in this commentary is. It is common to view the narrative frame as the original core of the book, enlarged later by the poetic dialogues and discourses, and sections of the book such as the elihu speeches and the wisdom poem of chapter 28 as late insertions, but recent trends have tended to concentrate on the. Sep 07, 2010 the book of job is a highly controversial book of mostly confusing information. Study job using matthew henrys bible commentary concise to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning. This reference in james is the only time job is mentioned by name in the n. What the book of job reveals to us about nature bible study. The author, date, and place of the book of job are all uncertain. Introduction to the book of job roger hahn this introduction is lesson 1 in the voice bible studies on the book of job the book of job is part of the old testament collection of wisdom literature, along with proverbs, ecclesiastes, and song of solomon.
The author is believed to be an israelite who like many who have attempted to translate this book could very likely have omitted lines he did not understand. Are we sometimes too eager to follow in zophars footsteps when our friends face failures in work and life. Satan began to test job with a number of disasters. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of bible. From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it. The book of job consists of a prose prologue and epilogue narrative framing poetic dialogues and monologues.
Book of job is one of the most misunderstood books in the bible. Book of job bible book of job bible summary book of job. Its author is unknown yet it is possible that job himself wrote it. Job chapter 40 explained discover books of the bible. Key personalities of this book include job, eliphaz the temanite, bildad the shuhite, zophar the naamathite, and elihu the buzite. At its beginning, job seems to be a book about human suffering.
Jobs friends accuse him of doing evil job 423 bible commentary. David guzik commentary on job 1, where satan asks god for permission to attack. Four lessons we can learn from the book of job, the story of a man who suffered the most. The book of job discusses why god allows pain and suffering. It is the only book that can enable us to meet the emergencies and cushion the shocks that come to us in life. He had the greatest faith but satan told god that he was only reverent because god had blessed him. He is blameless and upright, always careful to avoid doing evil 1. He is blameless and upright, constantly mindful to live in a righteous manner. These stories focus on job s trials at the hands of god and how he deals with them. The book of job is rightly understood to be a masterpiece of hebrew poetry and western literature. This name might have been derived from the hebrew word for persecution, thus meaning persecuted one.
Or from an arabic word meaning repent, thus bearing the name repentant one. Book of job matthew henrys bible commentary concise. As the first poetic book of the english bible, job introduces the reader to the idea. The book of job is considered being part of the poetic books job, psalms, proverbs, ecclesiastes, and song of songs in todays bible editions.
Job chapter 12 explained discover books of the bible. Job bible study outlinecontents by chapter and verse. This book of job bible summary study on the book of job bible summary quotes with book of job bible summary quotes message and all of its book of job bible summary quotes study contents are protected and should not be reproduced, copied or sold in whole or in part without express written permission from christianity oasis online. When a chapter or section is finished, you will see at the bottom of the page. The book of job has been widely given the theme of patience and we see this mentioned in the new testament book of james. The bible uses figurative language all the time, and this passage is certainly filled with it as is very common in poetic passages job, psalms, most of chapters in the prophets. Click on a book listed below which will take you to its introduction page.
He did not know why all these things were happening to him. And like all good, classical poetry, it is never particularly difficult to recognize figures or to understand how they are to be applied and all the more so in. Summary of bible books, chapters and bible outline. Throughout the book, job, his wife, and his friends speculate on why he, an upright man, suffers. Hebrew bible scholar john walton puts it this way in his commentary on job. He is blameless and upright, always careful to avoid. The book of job, named after its protagonist apparently not an israelite. The book of job new international commentary on the old. Satan answered, i have been walking here and there, roaming around the earth. Lord, from going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down o. Choose a verse from job 1 to begin your versebyverse study of gods word using the more than 100 commentaries available on studyl. Then the lord answered job out of the whirlwind, and said, the lord.
Statistics, back ground, date written, author, main chracter, theme and summary of each book of bible. That this book has influenced great men who, in turn, have. Jun 02, 2008 the big picture of job is that there was a man who was, in one sense, blameless in gods sight. The book of job is ultimately about the value of god in the midst of pain and suffering. When a chapter or section is finished, you will see at the bottom of the page over the links, go to the next section. Guidelines for understanding and proclaiming the book of job. And there is a reality called satan who challenges god that his man is not as good as he thinks he is. It goes like a play and deals with an old question puzzling everyone, the problem of human suffering. Watch our introduction video on the book of job, which outlines the books main theme and how it is fulfilled in jesus.
Does this tell us something about the full meaning of restoration in christ. Book of job in the bible study, the book of job commentary. Gods answer to job does not explain why righteous people suffer, because the cosmos is not designed to prevent righteous people from suffering. The prose section of the book of job is a gigantic, sweeping drama that encompasses earth and heaven. Though it is hard and rare, it is not impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom.
Book of job is first of the poetic books of the old testament. The book of job is one of the most problematic portions of the bible and has called forth a variety of interpretations. Job was a wealthy man with seven sons and three daughters. The book of job, king james bible, by alexander scourby is being aired with permission of, all rights reserved. To prove him wrong, god killed all of job s children and destroyed his wealth. The second explanation of suffering mentioned above is clearly taught in t. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
Gods answer to the problem of undeserved suffering grand rapids. Book of job bible book of job bible summary book of. From roaming through the earth, he replied, and walking back and forth in it. Job is the last of the three books that explore these themes of biblical. Job is a wealthy and godfearing man with a comfortable life and a large family. For example, throughout the narrative job depicts god as a cruel tyrant who. It is written to young people, sharing advice to instruct them on the.
What does the book of job teach us about the coronavirus. In this very enlightening study through the book of job, there are 10 lessons we see. The loss of job s property, and the death of his children. Five truths for sufferers from the book of job the gospel coalition. The book of job is the first of the five books of hebrew poetry, and is also been classified with the wisdom literature of the bible. Summary of the books of job the story of the bible. One talmudic tradition suggests moses as author since the land of uz 1. The book of job the book of job, named after its protagonist apparently not an israelite. The book of job is a highly controversial book of mostly confusing information. The book of job is a true story set in poetry, which delves into the feelings and emotions of the human mind when faced with trauma and suffering, since poetry is the language of the heart, job reveals the innermost thoughts of men more so than outward deeds. Rather, he randomly walks to and fro on the earth on his own.
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