Job

Job 1

Job was a man in Uz who was very wealthy and had 7 sons and 3 daughters. He was a man of integrity.  

Satan (the accuser) came before God and God asked him where he had come from.  Satan said he had come from Earth watching everything that had been going on.  God pointed out Job to him, telling him how good he was. Satan complained that Job was good because God protected him. God allowed Satan to test Job with the stipulation that he couldn’t harm him physically. 

Satan left. 

Then Job, in the period of a couple minutes, loses everything: his cattle are stolen (and farmhands killed), his sheep were killed (along with the shepherds), his camels were stolen (and the herders killed), and his children, who were feasting together, were all killed when a storm blew up and crushed the house they were in. 

Job tore his clothes in grief and worshipped God saying he came into the world naked and he would leave the world naked as well.  

Job didn’t sin by blaming God.

Principles: Satan sees everything going on in the earth.  He is a recognized accuser.  God recognizes integrity in people and when they are ready to be tested. Tests will come. Praise the Lord even when you’re tested.

Job 2

The heavenly court again appears before God and satan, the accuser, is with them.  God asks him again about Job noting that he still didn’t sin of curse God. Satan them says it’s because he was not physically harmed. God than says Satan can physically harm him but can’t kill him. 

Job’s friends heard about his calamities and came to comfort him.  When they saw him they almost didn’t recognize him.  They tore their clothes and the dirt on their heads to show their grief for him.  Then they say with him for seven days without saying anything. 

Principles: Satan remains the accuser of the brethren.  Don’t call your wife a fool if she should act like one.  In this world, you will have trouble.  Sometimes the best and only thing you can do for friends going through hard times is to be with them…and say nothing.

Job 3

In this chapter, Job curses/laments the day he was born in extended prose. He makes mention of being still born, dying at birth, and being buried alive at birth.  He mentions leviathan which we don’t know for sure what it is. 

Principles: I have not been through the level of grief and loss that Job has been through and don’t fully comprehend it.

Job 4

Eliphaz the Temanite speaks after Job. He contends that no one is prefect before God (which is true) but points to the fact that this is Job’s fault. He seems to intimate that a spirit revealed this to him as well. 

Principles: people will come up with their own interpretation of events they don’t understand. 

Job 5

Eliphaz continues. His premise is take your case to God (which is good) but the words feel flippant and the formula oversimplified.  Magic.

Principles: God isn’t in the magic business. 

Job 6

Job defends himself against Eliphaz’s response to him.  In general, Job notes that he’s not looking for other’s wealth or asking for a handout.  He defends his right to note his pain and sorrow.  He says he would rather not ensure it further by dying of need be.  He also says he has not done anything wrong that brought it all on. 

Principles: just because you’re going through trial doesn’t mean you have sinned.

Job 7

Job continues his response to Eliphaz and then switches his conversation to God. Towards the end, it seems to me, that he points to the Messiah when he asks about God just forgiving his sins.

Principles: take your concerns to God. He has big shoulders.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light. 

Job 8

Bildad the Shuhite enters the conversation.  He has very little empathy for Job and a particularly specific perspective on how God will act. In his perspective, God won’t allow bad things to happen to people that are good. It’s almost a prosperity gospel perspective.

Principles: God is not limited to our perspectives of how He would act. 

Job 9

Job responds to Bildad. He recognizes that Bildad has some principles correct. He notes too that God can’t really be taken to court because He can’t be proven at fault.  Our own sin would prove us in the wrong.  He begins to order on showing a side of God that is not true.  Then Job points to the Messiah in the need for a go between. 

Principles: God is not a man that He should sin.  We do need Jesus’ work on the cross. 

[Some chapter reviews were lost in transfer from accounts. They will be recompleted at a later date.]

Job 12

Job responds to Zophar and the others in general. He gets a bit sarcastic with them basically saying that they are “so smart” and that when they die, wisdom will die with them.  

He then goes on to say that true wisdom and power lie in God.

Principles: Recognize the source of your wisdom and strength. 

Job 13

In this chapter, Job says he wants to argue his case with God. He first defends God against his three “friends” and what they’ve been saying about God. Then he pleads with God to tell him what he has done wrong to deserve what he’s gone through. 

Principles: Don’t blaspheme God by putting words in His mouth (as Job’s friends did). Take your concerns to God. He has big shoulders.

Job 14

Job is bringing his points before God. However, his case points are misinformed and don’t hit the mark. 

Principles: our understanding of God is sometimes misinformed. 

Job 15

Eliphaz takes another turn at “comforting” Job in his misery. He is in full on criticism mode.  

Principles: judge not lest you be judged. Actually comfort people in their time of suffering or put a cork in it. 

Job 16

Job responds to Eliphaz again. He responds sarcastically noting how poorly they are doing comforting him.  Then Job goes into talking about how he is being crushed under the pressure. His speech points to the truly sinless Messiah who will go through persection and death for the sins of others so that He can be the mediator that we need. 

Principles: truly comfort those who are in distress.  We have a Redeemer and Mediator with the Father.

[Some chapter reviews were lost in transfer from accounts. They will be recompleted at a later date.]

Job 18

Bildad speaks again.  Again, rather than bringing comfort to a friend, he accuses Job and goes as far as to call him wicked. He lists out things that will happen to the unjust. 

Principles: people will pile on when you’re going through tough times. 

Job 19

Job responds to Bildad. The “friends” are terrible friends. All they have done is abuse and accuse Job. In verse 6, Job does accuse God of wronging him. However, then he goes on to talk about his Redeemer saving him. He also talks about how others respond (or don’t) to him. 

Principles: when you’re down on your luck (as it were) people don’t want to be around you. 

Job 20

Zophar says “his spirit prompts him to reply” because he had had to ensure “Job’s insults.” He then goes on to describe what he feels should happen to Job (those who have been wicked).

Principles: people will make your suffering about themselves. Just because someone says something doesn’t make it valid. 

Job 21

Job responds again to Zophar. He asks him to (shut up and) listen because it is the one courtesy they can extend. He then says his real struggle is with God. He does not understand how people that are sinful and reject God are allowed to live prosperous lives, die with honor, and face no judgment seemingly.  

Principles: we don’t see the judgment of others often. 

Job 22

Eliphaz responds a third time.  His premise is that people can’t help God in His plan.  He says that Job must have sinned and God is punishing him for it.

Principles: people don’t see things from God’s perspective. In this world you will have trouble. 

Job 23

Job responds to Eliphaz again. He notes that he is innocent and he would go to God’s court and present his case to understand what is happening to him if he knew where to find it. There seems a softer tone about this response because Job knows God is faithful. At the end of the chapter, though, Job notes his own fear of his surroundings and what he may still have to face. 

Principles: God is trustworthy.  

Job 24

Job reflects on how the poor are treated and how wicked people seem to go unwatched and unpunished.  The wicked seem to get away with everything and don’t have to account for their actions. The rich, however, are watched closely by God and have to answer for their actions. 

Principles: God sees what no one else sees even if it doesn’t seem that way. 

Job 25

Bildad responds to Job a third time with a short question: is anyone innocent before God? He asks if anyone born of a woman be pure. 

Principles: only One born of a woman was pure. Only One was/is innocent before God.

Job 26

Job begins by sarcastically responding to Bildad for what he had just said. Basically Bildad made general comments and added no help, as if talking to hear himself talk. Job then goes on to expound on God’s power.

Principles: sometimes mockery highlights stupid comments.

Job 27

Job gives a final speech before his friends.  In it he says that he will defend his innocence forever and that the righteous will always be the ones who will prevail despite the wicked dying with lots of money. 

Principles: stand your ground when you know your right before God.

Job talks about how people know where to go to find precious metals and stones. They know how to mine for it and pan for it. He says that people don’t know where to find wisdom though. He recognizes that God alone is the way to wisdom and fearing Him is the way to find it.

Principles: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In all your getting get wisdom.

Job speaks about times when he was still wealthy and honored because of that wealth and the goodness that he shared. He remembers how people looked up to him. He remembers the nice things that he had.

Principles: riches open doors of influence. Don’t put your trust in riches.

Job defends his innocence specifically highlighting how he has not sinned. He had not lusted after other women. He had not failed to care for the poor. He had not lied or deceived. He had not been unfair to his servants or others. He had not been unkind to strangers. He had not put his trust in his wealth. He had not worshipped the sun or moon. He had not wished for or rejoice at the destruction of his enemies. He had not tried to hide his sins.

Principles: It is good to keep yourself accountable.

Elihu, the youngest of Job’s the friends, finally gets upset with the three of them. First, he says that he has held back because the others were older and, he presumed, wiser than him due to age. However, he notes that none of them could answer Job’s arguments when he defended hours innocence.

Elihu goes on to defend his right to speak noting that sometimes older doesn’t mean wiser.

Principles: Older does NOT always mean wiser. Sometimes the case being made by someone defending their position is correct, despite our position to the contrary.

Elihu continues spwaking to Job, claiming that the spirit of God is moving on him to do so. In part, Elihu is correct in his point sarong that Job’s charges should not be against GoD and that God speaks in many ways and users circumstances to purify.

Principles: Just because someone says the spirit of God is speaking through them doesn’t mean that He is…but He might be. Listen to know if He is.

Elihu continues to challenge Job’s comments. He brings up some valid points that our works do not affect God. He also points out that it is wrong to say we are righteous and ask what’s in it for me. He also said God answers if we will wait on Him.

Principles: God does answer our prayers and concerns.

Elihu continues speaking. He is a bit boastful to set up his “credentials” for sharing the arguments he makes. He then makes statements defending God. Some of the statements are right in the way they are shared and some slightly off, in my understanding of God. He almost espouses prosperity gospel at times.

Principles: God does care for His children and leads us through times of difficulty.

Elihu expounds on the greatness of God. He tells characteristics of God that are presumed. He is mocling Job with the God’s greatness at points and at points simply srating his view of God.

Principles: God IS great and wonderful, even when He is being used.  Don’t take His name in vain by using Him.  

God responds to Job from a whirlwind. He challenges Job by questioning him about his role in various features of nature’s and spiritual operation. From God’s questions its clear the Job had no experience with any of the things God asks him about. GoD establishes himself as the authority.

Principles: God is omnipotent and omniscient AND all loving. He knows what is best for us.

God continues his points to Job. He moves on to animals asking Job if he knows characteristics or caused certain things about animals to happen.

Principles: God controls the way animals act.

God asks Job if he still wants to argue with God and Job realizes that he doesn’t. However, God then answers that there are some questions that he has to answer. He points to the behemoth.

Principles: no one is righteous enough to defend themselves against God. No one can do what God can do.

God continues expounding on His creation discussing leviathan (which could potentially be a dragon). He points out that no one can conquer or take leviathan yet it is part of creation that He controls.

Principles: God’s strength is greater than any other strength.

Job apologizes to God, realizing that God has shown Himself to Job in a way Job had never seen. Then God tells Elihu and his two friends that they have misrepresented God and they must offer sacrifices to repent and that Job would pray for their forgiveness. When Job did that, God restored Job, giving him more than he had previously.

Principles: Don’t misrepresent God. Don’t think you know more about God than you do.