BOOK OF JOB – OVERVIEW

The Book of Job
Job 1-3	Job 4-37	Job 38-42
PROLOGUE: SITUATION Prose	DIALOGUE: SEARCH Poetry	EPILOGUE: SOLUTION Prose
Conflict	Debate	Repentance
Dilemma of Job	Debate of Job	Deliverance of Job
Disasters of Job	Dialogues with Job	Deliverance of Job
A Great Man A Great Examination	A Great Discussion	A Great Revelation A Great Vindication
Controversy Between Jehovah & Satan (Satan & the Saint)	Controversy Between Job and Three Friends Cycle 1 Eliphaz & Job (4-7) Bildad & Job(8-10) Zophar & Job(11-14) Cycle 2 Eliphaz& Job(15-17) Bildad& Job(18-19) Zophar& Job(20-21) Cycle 3 Eliphaz& Job(22-24) Bildad& Job(25-31) Elihu & Job(32-37)	Communication Between Jehovah & Job
Dialogue in Heaven	Dialogue on Earth	Dialogue Between Heaven & Earth
Job Tested & Despairing	Job Counseled	Job Approved
The Onset of Suffering	The Reality of Suffering	The Final Word from God
Challenge of Satan: 1-2 Complaint of Job: 3	Judgments of Men	Voice of God
Takes Place: Heaven & Earth	Takes Place: Land of Uz (N Arabia)	Takes Place: Heaven & Earth
Patriarchal Period (circa 2000 BC)
Author Unknown
The Problem of Pain The Blessing Through Suffering
Key Words (NAS): Almighty (31x),  curse (10x), cry/cries (20x/18v), wicked (34x), sin (25x/23v), iniquity (21x), transgression (9x), sons of God (3x), Satan (14x/11v), how? (25x/24v), why? (22x/19v), perfect (3x), blameless (4x), righteous (12x). right (18x), righteousness (8x), just (4x), wisdom (21x/20v) Job’s Secret for Survival in the Storms of Life – How could Job persevere and hold fast in the face of such extreme suffering and pain and discouraging friends?  The answer may lie in the fact that Job held fast to the Word of Truth which in turn anchored him when the winds of adversity blew and the waves of pain rolled over his soul. Job 23:12-note he declares “I have not departed from the command of His lips. I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Note what he has just said in context – In Job 23:8-9 (Sermon by Spurgeon) clearly Job cannot perceive, see or behold God! And yet he is able to confidently declare “But (contrast with not being able to see Him) He knows the way I take (How did Job know this? cp Job 23:12-note!). When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10-note). How could he be so confident that the testing and refining would remove the dross and bring his heart and soul forth as pure gold? There can be only one answer — Job knew and believed in the character of God, especially His goodness to His children (cp 2Ti 1:12-note). Job says he knew but this still begs the question – how did Job know? Because he had “eaten” and held fast to God’s living and active, eternal Word of Truth for soul nourishment (“soul food“!), placing a greater value on the powerful Word of Life than he placed even on his daily intake food necessary for physical nourishment! Many millennia later Job’s Redeemer (Job 19:25-Spurgeon’s devotional, Sermon 1, Sermon 2) declared that “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word which proceeds from the mouth of God!” (Mt 4:4, Lk 4:4, cp 2Pe 2:2-note; Heb 5:14 ) In short, the Word that Job held fast, held him fast and it will do the same for you beloved!  See In Depth Discussion of this Pivotal Passage Job 23:12 Irving Jensen in his modern classic lists the main purposes of the Book of Job as… (1) To reveal Who God is. (Ed: See Job’s reaction to revelation – Job 42:5-6-Spurgeon sermon) (2) To show the kind of trust He wants His children to have. (E.g., trust God even though you cannot fully account for your circumstances.) Approval by God means “tried and found true” (cf. Ro 16:10-note). (3) To reveal His favor toward His children and His absolute control over Satan. (4) To answer man’s questions about why a righteous person may suffer while an evil man may be healthy and prosperous.(Jensen, I. L. Jensen’s survey of the Old Testament – recommended) Was Job a real person? What “saith the LORD?” The Word of God settles the fact that Job was a real person, for through Ezekiel God says “even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness” (Ezekiel 14:14-note; cp Ezekiel 14:20-note). If you doubt Job’s existence, you will also have to doubt the existence of Noah, Daniel and Jesus’ words about these men! (See Mt 24:15, Mt 24:37-38) Jesus’ half brother James also attested to the existence of Job (James 5:11) Book of Job – 100’s of Resources – Commentaries, Sermons, Devoionals Christ in All the Scriptures – A M Hodgkin – Book of Job Theology in the Book of Job-Very Interesting Analysis! The Hardest Question by Ray Stedman In the Hands of God – Listen to the Words Sung by the Newsboys