Job 1

Study Guide 46: Job THE SUFFERER Overview The Book of Job is very old. The dialogue section is written in the most difficult and archaic Hebrew in the Old Testament. There is no mention here of the Law, no reference to Abraham or to the covenants. The book should probably be dated to the time of the patriarchs, sometime between 2100 and 1700 b.c.The Book of Job, written before the time of Moses, gives us insight into what people knew about God before mankind had been given a written revelation. Job suggested that human beings knew God as personal and transcendent, Master of the world He created. As Creator of men, God permits us freedom of choice and thus holds human beings morally responsible. As a moral being Himself, God punishes evil and rewards those who do right. But God is loving. He can be approached through sacrifice. And God forgives sinners who repent and turn to Him. Yet even though through tradition and vision Job and his friends knew much about the Lord, ultimately He remained hidden. In the Book of Job the mystery of God’ s working with human beings is explored through the suffering of the hero, a good man, who like his friends simply cannot understand why God permits him to suffer if he is truly innocent.

Outline I.Prologue: Satan’ s Test1:1-2:10 II.Dialogue with Friends2:11-31:40 III.Elihu’ s Contribution32:1-37:24 IV.The Lord Speaks38:1-41:34 V.Epilogue: Job RestoredJob_42:1-16 Commentary Prologue: Job 1:1-2:10 When we meet Job we’ re immediately impressed. He was a surprisingly pious man, and a very wealthy one. As was common in those days, Job served as a family priest. We note that his material wealth had not led him to pride, but seemed to have deepened his sense of humility and his awareness of sin. In fact, Job regularly offered sacrifices to God to cover possible hidden sins of his family. Job knew nothing against his sons, but he did know the deceit of the human heart. Our own impression of Job has surprising corroboration. While we’ re visiting the man, God Himself is pointing Job out to Satan! Job 1:6-12 depicts a striking scene. Satan presented himself to God and made his report (Job 1:6-7). At this time God directed Satan’ s attention to Job. “ There is no one on earth like him,” the Lord commented. “ He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Satan responded. Job’ s piety had certainly been profitable! “ Have You not put a hedge around him?” Then Satan proposed a test. If God would only take away the blessings Job had been given, Satan said, “ he will surely curse You to Your face” (Job 1:11). And so the ground rules for a test were laid. God would permit Satan to attack the protected believer, and Satan would try to force from Job’ s tortured lips a rejection of the Lord. What happened then is too familiar. In a single day all that Job had was torn from him. His oxen and donkeys were rustled by Sabeans and his herders were killed. His sheep were destroyed by fire falling from heaven. His camels were lost to a raiding band of Chaldeans. And a tornado struck the house where his 10 children were feasting, and all the young people were killed. And the Bible tells us, “ Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head [signs of mourning in the East]. Then he fell to the ground in worship” (Job 1:20). Total tragedy had not torn a denial of God from Job’ s lips, nor did his anguish lead him to charge God with wrong. But Satan was not done. When on another day God pointed out that Job “ maintains his integrity” (Job 2:3), Satan cynically asked for the ultimate test. “ A man will give all he has for his life” (Job 2:4). So God permitted Satan to touch Job’ s person. For any extremity short of death, Job was in the tempter’ s power. The extremity of the physical suffering Job underwent is hard for us to imagine now. But we have a witness. Job’ s wife was finally moved to beg Job to “ curse God and die” (Job 2:9), and so find death’ s release. But to Job the Lord is still God. Satan met his defeat, for “ in all this, Job did not sin in what he said” (Job 2:10). This is the last time we see Satan in the Book of Job! The initial test is over. But Job’ s suffering does not end! In fact, Job’ s suffering seems to intensify. We have to conclude that there is more involved here than a personal battle between God and Satan with Job as a helpless pawn. In fact, the Book of Job can be best understood if we see it as a cosmic court scene where Job had his sincerity and integrity questioned by Satan, the “ prosecuting attorney,” and found his own friends acting as witnesses against him. God acted as Judge, and finally vindicated Job. The tension, however, revolves around a single question: Why do the righteous suffer? And this question moves naturally into a consideration of the nature of God. So the Book of Job does not simply invite us to observe Job’ s suffering. It calls us to enter, with him, into a pain-filled struggle to understand our own suffering as well. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN God permits the troubles that we have. But usually He protects us from troubles. Use the imagery in Job to help boys and girls sense God’ s care. Build a “ living hedge.” Have boys and girls hold hands and form a circle. Let one child stand in the center of the circle. Then have a sign on a string labeled “ troubles.” Put it around your neck, and pretend to try to reach through the “ living hedge” to the child in the middle. Point out that God builds a hedge around people who trust Him. The only way we can be touched by troubles is if God opens up the hedge and lets them through. (Act this out too with your living hedge.) Let different children take the protected place in the center. Talk about thanking God for His protection from troubles. Talk too about how Job thanked God even when the Lord opened up the hedge and let troubles in. Job believed that God loved him even in his troubles. We can keep on trusting God even when He permits us to have troubles. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Before your group members come in, write on the chalkboard: “ Satan has only limited power to harm us.” Also have written “ Job 1:1-2:10.” As members enter ask each to read the Job passage and underline phrases that suggest the statement written on the board is true.

The Three Friends: Job 2:11-31:40 Outwardly unmoved by his troubles, Job inwardly was in turmoil. As the days of agony continued, his inner doubts and fears must have been far more excruciating for Job than the physical pain. He was a man who had built his life on piety and honesty. Now the God he had served had turned against him. Certainly the timing and the method of the losses Job suffered made it clear: this was the hand of the Lord. The question that tormented Job was “ Why?” When three friends came from their homes to comfort and console Job, they hardly recognized him. In tears they sat with him for seven days and nights, so moved by his suffering that they could not bring themselves to speak. Then, plagued by the tormenting questions within, Job began a dialogue that continues through the next 28 chapters of the book that bears his name. Because the Book of Job is written in difficult poetry and with unfamiliar imagery, the best way to teach it may be by summarizing the arguments of the participants, and by putting their thoughts in modern language. As we do, we can understand their difficulties as they struggle with the problem of suffering and evil in human experience. For these were people like you and me, who feel the heat of suffering’ s flame and are desperate to at least understand what they cannot avoid. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT To teach this major section of the book, you have permission to make copies of the dialogue that follows. Give members of your group the roles of Job, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad. Then read this as a play, while your group members watch and listen. To help them listen carefully you might ask some to jot down notes on the ideas about God held by these men. Others might jot notes on how they explain suffering, or why the idea that the innocent can suffer is so hard for any of them to accept. Some should listen to Job’ s feelings, to sense just why he was in such inner anguish. Job (Job 3:1-26) “ I’ m sorry I was ever born. Why didn’ t I die at birth? I’ d have been better off. At least there’ s no misery then. “ I knew things were going to no good. I was afraid of something like this all along. “ I’ d be better off dead than suffering all this trouble.”

Eliphaz (4:1-5:27) “ I’ ve got to answer that. Remember how you counseled other people? Remember how you held out hope to those who would walk in integrity? “ After all, the innocent don’ t perish. God punishes the sinner. If I were you, I’ d turn to God. “ God is clearly chastising you, and when you turn to Him, He’ ll restore you.”

Job (6:1-7:21) “ If you only knew how much God is making me suffer! I wish He’ d crush me and get it over with! “ As for you, Eliphaz, you’ re a lot of help. Show me what I’ ve done wrong! I tell you the truth: I just can’ t be suffering chastisement. I’ ve been good. “ Oh, how I’ m suffering! I just can’ t keep quiet any longer. I tell you, I’ m terrified! I’ d rather die in a minute. “ Why does God let this happen? If I’ d sinned He could have pardoned it. What’ s happening to me?”

Bildad (Job 8:1-22) “ That’ s a terrible way to talk! Is God ever unjust? Never! “ If you were pure and prayed to God, He’ d surely pardon you. “ Just think back. Our fathers taught us that the man who forgets God is the one who fails. But God doesn’ t punish the up right. So you’ re bound to come out all right if [aside] you’ re upright.”

Job (9:1-10:22) I know what you’ re saying is true. But how can anyone really have any standing with God? He’ s so far above us. What can I say to Him? How can I reach Him? “ I wish I could. I wish I could plead my innocence in some court. But who’ s going to judge between me and God? I say I’ m righteous, but God still afflicts me. “ And no one can judge, can make Him stop whipping me. “ I wish I could die. “ God, cut it out! “ I didn’ t do anything. Show me where I sinned. You know I’ m not wicked. “ If I were, I’ d deserve punishment. But I don’ t. Why did You ever let me grow up to be mistreated like this, and then just to die?”

Zophar (Job 11:1-20) “ How can you expect to be justified talking like that? “ Why, you’ re full of boasting. “‘ I’ m just,’ you say. ‘ I’ m pure,’ you blab. “ Ha! If God would talk, He’ d tell you! God knows. He sees secret sin. “ But there’ s still hope. Get your heart right with God, and He’ ll still accept you. But watch out. There’ s no escape for the wicked. Their only hope is death.”

Job (12:1-14:22) You guys are so smart. You sure know it all. “ Well, I know just as much as you. “ I know God has all wisdom and power. “ I know He sets people up, and knocks them down. Sure God is working in our lives. “ Oh, I wish I could talk to God about it. You stick up for God, and say I must be wrong. Well, you’ re wrong! You’ re unfair, on His side. “ I know I’ m right. I’ d say it to God’ s face as well as to yours. I’ m right. I haven’ t done wrong. “ O God, it’ s not fair! Men are so frail. So weak. Stop it! Don’ t do this to me. You’ re wearing away all my hope!”

Eliphaz (Job 15:1-35) “ Job, you’ ve been rambling on like a fool. Why, that kind of talk itself condemns you. “ You don’ t know everything. God is wiser than you. “ Remember what we know about God. “ It is the wicked man who suffers. “ It is the proud man God brings low — the man who boasts against God. “ It’ s the godless who suffer in the end.”

Job (16:1-17:16) “ Oh, you’ re a miserable bunch of comforters. “ Whether I talk like this or keep quiet, I still suffer. “ The fact is, God’ s against me. He’ s delivered me to the ungodly. He’ s putting unbearable pressure on me. “ Scoff if you will. But let heaven and earth be my witness. It’ s not happening because of my guilt. “ People spit on me. They mock me. You mock me with your arguments. “ My only hope is to die. Let my moldering body find rest as dust.”

Bildad (Job 18:1-21) “ Why keep on trying to justify yourself? We all know it’ s the wicked man who suffers terrors and falls into calamity. “ And, oh, the wicked will suffer! “ Their families will die — no one will carry on the family name. “ The wicked will dash in terror toward death. Surely this is the horrible fate of the man who doesn’ t know God.”

Job (Job 19:1-29) “ Stop it! Stop it! I’ m not wicked. Oh, for justice — simple justice. “ But there’ s no hope. God’ s crushed me. Even you, even my relatives, have turned against me. “ Everyone says, ‘ God is punishing Job.’ Have pity, friends. Have pity. Why do you persecute me like God does? “ I wish my side were published. Someone would vindicate me. But you — you’ re afraid to take my side!”

Zophar (Job 20:1-29) “ That’ s enough! “ Don’ t you know that ever since men have been on earth that the wicked only get away with sin for a time? “ They might seem to prosper, but in the end the wicked man’ s life is one of gall and bitterness. His possessions will be gone, his children dead. He won’ t keep on prospering. God will unleash all the fierceness of His wrath on him. “ That’ s what always happens to the wicked man. “ Get that, Job? To the wicked man!”

Job (Job 21:1-34) “ Listen. Listen, and then mock. But now listen and be surprised. “ You talk about the end of the wicked. Well, look around. We each know wicked men who do prosper. They get old. They see their grandchildren. Their houses are safe, nothing bad seems to happen to them. “ God doesn’ t use His rod on them. Why, they mock God! They say, ‘ Why serve God? We’ re doing all right without Him. Where’ s the profit in prayer?’ “ How often do folks like this really get what they deserve? “ Oh, you say, they get it in the end. “ But when? Why, God’ s children seem to suffer more than the ungodly! “Who repays the wicked? Your answers are all lies!”

Eliphaz (Job 22:1-30) “ Well, what good is it to God that you’ re so righteous? Do you suppose He’ s clapping and jumping up and down over your goodness? “ Why does He reprove you, then? “ Let’ s face it. This has happened because you’ re a big, wicked, terrible sinner. “ God knows. He sees things we didn’ t, things you’ ve done at night, skulking about. “ But now you’ ve shown your true colors. Who said, ‘ What’ s the profit in prayer?’ Why, that’ s your own heart talking. You hypocrite! “ Listen, Job, seek God now. Listen to Him. If you return to God and put away your sins, He’ ll restore all the good things you had. “ Pray. God will hear you. “ God saves the humble man, the innocent. Turn from your sin. You can still be delivered.”

Job (23:1-24:25) “ I wish I could talk to God. He’ d have to listen. I’ m right. I am innocent. God would have to agree. “ But He’ s hidden — He’ s hiding. “ I’ ve done right. “ I’ ve done His will. “ I’ ve kept His commandments. “ Why does He do this to me? I’ m terrified! “ God knows what’ s happening, but He doesn’ t act. People are murdered. People steal. People commit adultery. And the poor suffer. “ And the wicked prosper! God upholds them. Be honest. It’ s true. “ Prove me a liar.”

Bildad (Job 25:1-6) “ God is always right. We men, how can we be just with God? How could we, worms that we are, explain His actions?”

Job (26:1-27:12) “ How you’ ve helped poor, weak me. Thanks! “ I know God’ s power — His majesty. How far beyond our conception His might is. “ But as God lives, He’ s treating me unjustly. “ I won’ t lie, even for God. “ I won’ t confess sin. “ I have been righteous. I’ ll hold to that fact as long as I live. “ I’ ll never admit it’ s my fault.”

Zophar (27:13-28:28) “ I say it again. God does indeed judge the wicked. “ Wealth is hidden in a mine, deep under ground, out of sight. But it’ s there. God’ s ways aren’ t to be compared with wealth — sapphires, gold, rubies — for value. But God’ s wisdom may be as hard to seek out. “ But remember, Job, He is God! As for us, it is enough to know that ‘ the fear of the Lord is wisdom, to leave evil is understanding.’”

Job (29:1-31:40) “ I’ ve never done any wrong. If I have, convict me. I’ ll take my punishment. “ But I haven’ t. “ I am clean. “ That’ s all I have to say.”

Job’ s morality. Throughout the dialogue Job insisted that he was righteous. Several of Job’ s speeches indicated the principles of right and wrong by which this man lived. When Job served as a judge, seated with other elders at the city gates, he “ rescued the poor who cried for help, and the fatherless who had none to assist him” (Job 29:12). Job searched out any who were defrauding or taking advantage of the poor. He “ broke the fangs of the wicked, and snatched the victims from their teeth” (Job 29:17). Job took an active role in crusading for what we today call social justice. In our modern world he would have been an aggressive enemy of city slum landlords and economic oppression. Job’ s sexual life was also pure. His public and private morality matched. He did not lust after the virgins or envy his neighbor his wife (Job 31:1, Job 31:9). Job rejected falsehood and dealt honestly with all. No thumb on the scales for Job; what he sold he always weighed out fairly, giving full measure. If any of his employees had a complaint, Job listened and never rejected the cause. (If only management and labor had this attitude today!) If any poor had need, if any strangers were hungry, if any were perishing for lack of clothing, Job met their need. Though rich, Job avoided the great hazard of the materialist. He put his confidence in God, not in his wealth. Job even avoided prideful joy in his riches. Never was Job false to God by lifting possession or idols above the Lord. No wonder the Scriptures tell us God pointed Job out to Satan as a unique servant, and affirmed, “ There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 2:3). Job was truly an admirable man. Yet it was a man like this which divine judgment seemed to strike. In Job’ s case, it was not an evil man who suffered at God’ s hand, but a good man. In the face of this mystery, Job and his friends were forced to examine the foundations of their faith, and to question their very concept of God. And this is what the Book of Job asks us to do: to risk confronting mystery. To be willing to admit that perhaps the idea we have of God may not be God at all! LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Today many people like Job’ s friends try to explain suffering as punishment for sin. And they urge the sufferer to confess and get right with God. Ask your group members if they have ever known such “ comforters.” What is wrong with the hasty conclusion that when anything bad happens God is punishing? What other explanations for trouble might there be? How should they respond to a well-meaning but mistaken comforter?

Elihu’ s Contribution: Job 32-37 Job’ s three friends had held fast to their brittle concept of God, sure that God must act to punish sin and reward good — now. Because they admitted no freedom of action for God, they concluded that Job had sinned and his troubles were a divine judgment. The tragedy was that Job agreed with this assessment! He could find no explanation other than sin for suffering. Yet Job knew that he had not sinned. Impaled on the agonizing dilemma, Job was forced to go further and further and to question God’ s justice. Finally he faced the fact that in this world the evil do not always suffer. And that at times believers may have more difficulties than unbelievers! This line of reasoning was fearfully rejected by the three. Job had to be forced to admit he had sinned, or they must change the picture of God they had hung in their hearts to worship. But then a young observer broke in. Elihu had been silent as the older men talked. But Elihu had been frustrated by their circular argument. Finally, about to burst, Elihu broke in. The three friends had reasoned syllogistically: Suffering is punishment for sin; Job was suffering; therefore Job was being punished for some sin. Job rejected the conclusion, but could not reject either premise! Now, what Elihu did was to show that the premises need not be accepted! God may use suffering to instruct as well as to punish (Job 33:19-30). Elihu couldn’ t say just why God had permitted Job’ s suffering. But Elihu had shown that suffering is not necessarily punishment for sin. Elihu went on to point out that no one will be able to really understand God. He simply is too great to fit into our categories. We can, however, be sure that He is great in power and justice, and that His character is marked by a “ great righteousness He does not oppress” (Job 37:23).

God Speaks: Job 38-41 Elihu had prepared the way. Then God spoke. But in speaking God neither reassured His servant, nor explained the reason for Job’ s suffering. Instead God revealed His omnipotence (38:1-40:2), and then compared His power with human frailty (40:10-41:34). No one can demand to meet God on equal terms. God and man simply are not equal. God is the Lord. And human beings mere creatures of the dust. Job suddenly understood. He accepted his position as a creature before the Creator, and asked no more for a confrontation. I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. . . .My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:3-6The confrontation was over. Job had bowed his knee. Job had recognized God as God. Beyond this, the questioning sufferer had received no answer.

Epilogue: Job 42:1-17The conclusion of the story (Job 42:7-16) seems to many to be an anticlimax. Job’ s wealth is restored double. He has seven more sons and three more daughters. And Job is told to pray for his three friends because, God said to them, “ You have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has” (Job 42:7). Thus the Book of Job leaves us with more questions than when we began. But perhaps it suggests answers. How did Job speak what was right, and his friends incur God’ s anger in the dialogue? Perhaps because only Job was willing to test his concept of God against his own experience and observation. True faith is no retreat from reality, but a willingness to face mystery. Job’ s three friends were unwilling to admit the possibility that their understanding of God might be imperfect. Is it possible that their trust was not in God but in an image they had constructed in His likeness? Why did Job suffer? No answer is given in the text. But there are clues. For instance, at the beginning Job cries out that what he feared has come upon him (Job 3:25). Can it be that Job’ s relationship with God was flawed by a fear that blocked full trust and love? Certainly Job’ s meeting with God replaced hearing with sight. Job lost all trust in his own righteousness as the basis for a standing with God (Job 42:6), and simply bowed down before the Lord. Deep release and freedom are available for us too when we let God’ s perfect love cast out our fear and no longer think of what we do as having merit in God’ s eyes. Like Job we need to trust in the Lord and to abandon reliance on any righteousness of ours. What do we learn about our suffering? One message is clear. We wrong God if we fall into the way of thinking of Job’ s three friends. We wrong God if each trial of ours is excused by condemning ourselves for supposed sins. Instead, we need to approach God with trust in His love and His righteousness. His purposes will be just and what He does in our lives will be for our good. The New Testament adds special insight here. In 1 Peter God assures those who suffer for doing right that, when such suffering does come, it is a special purposive act of the Lord. Christ also suffered though He was innocent, and through that suffering accomplished the wonderful purpose of bringing us to God (see 1 Peter 3:13-18). We may not know exactly why Job suffered, or why we sometimes suffer. But we can know that the suffering of God’ s own is purposive, intended for good. Like Job, and like Jesus, when suffering comes we must simply trust.

Teaching Guide Prepare Read through the dialogue section in this unit again, to sense Job’ s feelings. How many in your group may be suffering because they can’ t understand why God is letting them suffer?

Explore

1. Ask, “ Have you ever wondered why God was permitting you to suffer?” Ask two or three who have to tell about the experience. Ask particularly how they felt; why the uncertainty made the suffering even more painful. Then ask what others who wanted to help said or did. What was most helpful? What was least helpful?
2. Or put an outline of Job on the board, and tell briefly what happened in the first and second sections.
3. Or have your group members read Job 1:1-2:10, and write down questions these chapters raise about God, questions they raise about Satan, and questions they raise about suffering. Compare the questions your group has come up with. Be sure someone has noted the most important question: Why did the suffering continue after Job passed the test and Satan met his defeat?

Expand

1. Explain the dialogue section of the book, and pass our copies to those who will take the parts of Job, Elihu, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad. Read the dialogue as a play. After the reading, discuss what the group has noted in listening. Be particularly sensitive to Job’ s feelings and why his experience is marked by such inner torment as well as physical pain.
2. After the play and discussion, summarize Elihu’ s contribution, and Job’ s reaction to God’ s sudden self-revelation, as well as the return of Job’ s wealth.

Apply

1. As a group make a list of insights from Job that might help if and when suffering comes to members of your group. The list might be in a “ to do” and “ not to do” form.
2. Or, based on Job, determine how you might serve as godly comforters to people experiencing tragedy. Again, developing a “ to do” and a “ not to do” list may prove a good way to go about it. If time permits, try role play. Let volunteers try to comfort “ sufferers” from your class as these recall past or present experiences of suffering.