Job 1-14
Background: “The Book of Job underscores the mysteries of God and the limitations of man’s knowledge of him as perhaps no other book in the Bible. Certainly the book clearly presents the omniscience, omnipotence and justice of God. The attribute of God, however, which most baffled Job and his friends, was his sovereignty, or freedom to act as he pleases. The God of this book does not operate by the books that men have written about him. He refuses to be bound by human concepts of him. He follows his own agenda, not one prescribed by theologians. He is free to keep secrets about himself, free to intervene or not intervene on man’s behalf, free to answer man’s objections about him or not. Job and his friends were frustrated because they were holding God to promises he had never made and setting forth rules for him which he would not follow.
The book also stresses divine wisdom. The characters in the book all claim to possess wisdom. In the end, however, it is God alone who is the source of wisdom, and he distributes it as he sees fit. The proper human response to God’s wisdom is repentance and submission, and that is exactly how Job responded (42:5f.). No matter how right his defense against his friends, before God the patriarch manifests heartfelt repentance of his own impatience toward the Lord. Thus the book encourages reverence.” (J.E. Smith)
Purposes:
• To address the question of why innocent people suffer.
• To promote faith and trust in God, whose ways are higher than those of humankind (Wilmington’s Bible Handbook)
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Job 1: Job’s First Tests
Ø Why was Job declared “blameless and upright”? Does this mean he was sinless?
Ø Is wealth a “sign” of God’s blessing on a person? Is poverty a “sign” of God’s blessing on a person?
Ø What can we learn about heaven from verses 6-12?
Job 2:1-10: Job’s Second Test
Ø What does it mean that Satan “incited” God to cause Job to be tested? Does Satan have power over God?
Ø Why did God allow Satan to continue testing Job?
Ø What do you think about the advice Job received from his wife?
Job 2:11- 2:13: Job’s Three Friends
Ø What was the motivation for the three friends to visit Job?
Ø Were they surprised when they saw their friend?
Ø What do their actions teach us about true friendship?
Job 3:1-26: Job’s Despair
Ø The weight of Job’s pain and suffering left him wishing he had never been born. How you ever felt the weight of emotional or physical pain to that degree?
Ø Job did not have the advantage of 20/20 hindsight as we do. From a New Testament, risen Christ perspective, what is the answer to Job’s despair?
Job 4:1–5:27: Eliphaz Responds to Job’s Groaning
Ø What is the argument that Eliphaz uses to ague Job’s despair?
Ø Eliphaz makes the case that the Lord does not allow trouble to befall the innocent, implying that Job must be sinning. Is that an accurate argument?
Ø What does Eliphaz’s approach teach us about ministering to those who are suffering?
Job 6:1–7:21: Job Responds to Eliphaz’s Rebuke
Ø Job argues that his suffering gives him a right to complain. What do you think about that statement?
Ø Job asks his friend to show him why he deserves the suffering he is receiving. What do you think about that argument?
Ø Job complains that God has targeted him foe no reason. He asks why God should go to all this trouble for no apparent reason and for such an insignificant person. Have you ever felt that way? Is it ever right to question God about things that happen to us?
Job 8:1-22: Bildad Piles On
Ø Bildad tells Job that if he confesses his sins, he will be restored. Is this ever an argument to use to confront someone who is suffering?
Ø Bildad advises Job to repent and be restored. What might a better response to Job have been?
Job 9:1-10:22: Job Defends Himself Against Bildad
Ø How would you respond to Job’s argument that God attacked him without reason?
Ø Job desired a Mediator to approach God and plead his case. Is there such a Mediator for us today? Why can He plead our case for us?
Ø Is it ever right to question why we go through suffering as Job did?
Job 11:1-20: Zophar Rebukes Job
Ø Zophar wishes Job could see himself as God does. Does anyone every really see themselves as God sees us?
Ø Is it always correct to assume that suffering comes from sinful actions? List any other Scriptures to support your answer.
Job 12:1-14:22: Job Defends Himself Before Zophar
Ø Job knows that God knows all and that he is in control of everything that happens. Why, then, does he complain so bitterly? What can we learn about ourselves from Job?
Ø Job wants his friends to listen to him rather than condemn him. What does this teach us about how to minister to others?
Ø Is Job justified is asking God to stop his affliction and to have mercy on him? Is that a prayer you would use if in Job’s situation?
Ø How is our situation today different than the situation in which Job found himself?
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