Job: the Story and It’s Meaning

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PAPER line of products THE STORY, GODS RESPONSE, & ITS MESSAGE A PAPER SUBMITTED TO prof WAYNE POPLIN IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE OBST 592 LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY BY DAN S. LESLIE STUDENT ID 3675885 LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 14 AUG 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION III THE STORY OF JOB. III GODS RESPONSE IN JOB 3842 VI THE MESSAGE TO BE LEARNEDVII A conceit IN CLOSING . XBIBLIOGRAPHY.. XII INTRODUCTION Man is born to sin expect no release of it in this battle we c every life. A clear example of one mans struggle stands step up among the rest. Setting aside the serviceman condition of sin, pipeline stood as a authoritative being still solo being a man who in spite of his troubles, questioning, and interrogative sentences, held fast in his devotion and love to God. In the end, moving in is unclouded for his assent and devotion. Within this brief paper I go away attempt to tell of arguments story and its nu bful example to be followed by us all.As devote Christians our trails and sufferings should be viewed, as seen in Jobs experience, as a witness not only(prenominal) to Gods sovereignty but also as a witness to His goodness, justice, grace, and love to the secular world which awaits our fall. Let us now turn to the phonograph record of Job, always remembering that sometimes the lesson to be versed is much easier heard, than it is to actually bear. THE STORY OF JOB Have you considered my consideration Job? was the questioned asked of Satan by God. (Job 18) This triggers a book of over forty chapters of a mans suffering and his reactions at the hands of his God.The story of Job basically falls into three tests and then Gods answer to Jobs cries. The summation of the first two tests came at the hands of Satan and his altercate to God. Job had lost everything, his oxen, his asses, his sheep, his camels, and even his children, yet he did not do what Satan had predicted he would. Job stood fast in his belief and faith in God. He did not curse or let go God, but gesticulate before the will of God, and give tongue to, what we all hope can be said in such circumstances of sorrow and loss, Naked I came from my mothers womb, and naked I will depart.The LORD gave and the LORD has government issuen away may the name of the LORD be praised. (Job 121) By doing this, Job only angered Satan, which in turn made him want to disprove Jobs faith that much to a greater extent. So he went to God once once again and said, Skin for skin Satan replied. A man will give all he has for his have life. 5 but now stretch emerge your hand and strike his flesh and swot, and he will surely curse you to your face. (Job 24) It was Satans plea that losing all of his possessions was not enough, but to take Jobs health and leave him in pain would show that Job would no longer believe, which leads s to the second test. Job was covered from judgement to toe with painful boils and diseas e that included, inflamed ulcerous boils (27), itching (28), degenerative changes in facial skin (27, 12), loss of appetite (324), insomnia (74), hardened skin, running sores, worms in the boils (75), difficulty breathing (918), loss of weight (168), eye difficulties (1616), emaciation (177 1920), bad breath (1917), trembling of the limbs (216), continual pain in the bones (3017), restlessness (3027), blackened, peeling skin (3028, 30), and fever (3030).As Job sat atop a pile of dung outside the city his wife begged him to renounce his faith as he scrapped at the sores covering his body. Jobs answer was pure in heart, You talk like a foolish woman. Should we don only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 210) At this Satan fades out but instead is replaced by another scrap in the form of friendship. Jobs suffer rejection from those closest to him by the tongue and those who do not show when he is in most need. In Jobs three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zop har we find that they come to mourn with him and comfort him.Though I sincerely believe that in the beginning they were true in heart with their intentions, they at long last turn to the condemnation of their friend. They come to this by having a basic fundamental belief that all suffering is a result of sin, and that Jobs suffering was so outstanding due to his sinful nature and that he was hiding it. We can hear Eliphaz, the Temanite as he proclaims, 5Your sin prompts your mouthyou adopt the tongue of the crafty. 6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mineyour own lips testify against you. (Job 155-6) Job shows that after all, he is still only a man when he comes to the brain of him questioning God Himself.Job grows sarcastic, impatient, and afraid he points to the injustice that God lets wicked bulk prosper while he and countless innocent people are left to suffer. In this, Job is confronting God in complaint, but he never curses God nor renounces him. Nor were his questions to shield himself from his moral responsibilities, but they were more rightfully from a perplexed confusion in the dealings at hand. If we choose to ignore Jobs questions as to why? (Job 311, 12,20 1018 1324 241) in his search for Gods answer, it would be nothing less han to ignore many basic issues of lifes struggles that everyone of us must face. Job was a real person, just as we are, with struggles of emotions and feelings. With this another character is prompted to appear as Gods forerunner (Elihu). Elihu very quickly dismisses Jobs friends and points out that Job has spent too much time in defense to himself and in question to God. Elihu sees this as an act of open rebellion. Elihu further explains that God communicates by means of footraces, so that in times of rewarding we see the realization of Gods love. 24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God, Spare them from going plenty to the pit I have found a ransom for them (Job 3324) Our next step in the story is w ithin the discussion between Job and our Father, but that in itself leads us to the next portion of the paper. GODS & JOBS RESPONSE 3842 A pure interpreter comes out of the whirlwind setting aside Jobs condemners and answering Job with questions. They come in the form in the majesty of God as former and Ruler of the Universe where was he when the foundations of the earth were laid, when the morning stars sang together, and when all the sons of God shouted for joy. Job 384-7) Through this Father God establishes his broadness in all creation itself, and exposes to Job the limitations of his earthly knowledge. What we need to take into account before this, is that the preceding verses in the adjudge of Job lead us in the exchange with his friends and all of their reams of rhetoric about God. His three friends believed that Job should not protest his innocence but rather confess for his sins. Their words truly did little too nothing to comfort Job. In the end, when Job and his so cal led wise friends finally finished in their critique of it all.God spoke. (Job 382-4) When this happened Job acknowledged that he had not truly known God in His omnipotence. It took Gods revelation of Himself to Job, in the eye of the storm for Job to recognize his Master personally. Job now knew God in a more intimate way he was given a new consciousness of God, with a deeper insight into His character and attributes. (Job 421-6) We see in Job 427-9 that he is interceding before God. Jobs three friends were doing as the schoolmaster instructed with no argument or reluctance they followed through on His divine orders.Instead of being as most would, with bitterness or revenge, Job affably interceded for each one of his friends who had spoken falsely about both him and God. Job had forgiven those who had persecuted him when he most needed their love and support. 7 After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves.My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the LORD told them and the LORD accepted Jobs prayer. In this final plea in prayer. for his friends, after digest unthinkable losses, through endless pain, stretched to days and weeks of misperception and desolation, the condemnation of himself and his friends, came to an end. Our Lord restored Jobs wealth and friends. (Job 4210-12)In a summation of the section an grievous function of the remarkable ending to this book is to show the reality that not all suffering is the direct result of the suffering individuals sins. The book of Job contests retrib ution theology. It teaches us that we dont get punished on an individual basis for what we do but instead that all humanity gets punished for what all humanity does. That through it all Job came to see the point of this, and in this realization he humbled himself and repented for his lack of faith and submission, but even more so for the lack of humility in the acceptance for the actions of God.The lessons in suffering may be mysterious, but it need not give us challenge in our faith, nor should they rob us of our faith in our sovereign, loving God. THE MESSAGE TO BE LEARNED What lessons should we take from the book? Like in life, there are trails to stand before and face, that material goods are only that, material and can be taken away with something as little as the change of weather. As Christians we have an obligation to examine our motivation in life as well as in coming to and serving God, especially during times of trial and suffering.The book of Job teaches and gives exampl ed hope in that man has it in him to make his life an un-bought loyalty to the Father in this we have purpose and meaning. It is of no doubt that our Father will find the nature of our hearts and in doing so to confess uncommitted sin in the face of adversity can be as much a foolish act as in not confessing of it when it is due. The message is that God is too abundant to be explained, debated about, or for our human minds to try to analyze. God can do all things. Nothing is too hard for him. All things are possible with Him. God is omnipotent, all-powerful.Our Father is to be followed and trusted, we are to have total faith in Him. We are to be even as Job. 15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.. (1315) God was not required nor did He address Jobs suffering directly, even in Jobs challenge to the questioning of His justice, did he defend His actions? God taught Job the error in assuming that the universe operated according to the principles of human rationale. What the book of Job reveals to us is the sovereignty and emancipation of God, whatever please God, He does, and not one thing can be said or done to make things different.As James reminded us, 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Jobs perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of blessing and mercy. The needed underlying purpose of our Father in our lives should be seen as to produce and hold high the spiritual rewards and developed moral qualities. Our Christian faith teaches us that all who love God and stand the trails of both life and time will be rewarded in the end. God examines a balance of our freedom in creation, not just straight application retribution.This grants us His tolerance and Grace it is the promise in true Christian faith for those that earnestly seek him, will be held high and rewarded, though He chooses the time and place. A THOUGHT IN CLOSING Job shows us while God is just, it is defam e for us to adopt that our fallen world, under the influence and evil plans of Satan, is fair. The failure of customary wisdom to answer Jobs complaints reveals that the world operates by the plan of our Fathers fallen son, and only by taking up a personal relationship with God can we as fallen humanity find meaning and purpose within the injustices of this world.We should accept the fact that our own understanding of it all is very imperfect. We are not required to justify God, as Jobs friends attempt to do. Any such attempt to defend our Savior in His actions would really imply us passing judgment on Him. This is not only an impossibility, but also would be impudence. As Job did, we also only need to acknowledge mans limitations in ourselves and have faith in Him. Job is a book that has left us a manifold of counsel it is profitable for doctrine, a tool to be reproofed, not for correction, but for new understanding for instruction in righteousness. (2 Tim. 16) Bibliography Willia m Lasor, David Hubbard, Frederic Bush superannuated Testament Survey (Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mi. 1996) The International Standard countersign Encyclopedia (provided by SearchGodsWord. org) http//www. searchgodsword. org/enc/isb/view. cgi? number=T5075 http//www. searchgodsword. org/enc/isb/view. cgi? number=T5076 http//www. searchgodsword. org/enc/isb/view. cgi? number=T607 Charles Flowers, Stephen M. Miller, doubting Thomas L. Robinson Whos Who in the Bible (Readers Digest, Pleasantville, NY. 1994) Bible Encyclopedia, Dictionary and Index (Eastons Bible Dictionary)http//www. iblicalproportions. com/modules/wfsection/article. php? articleid=2637 http//www. biblicalproportions. com/modules/wfsection/article. php? articleid=2639 Larry J. Walters Reflections on Suffering from the Book of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 154, Dallas theological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 1997) 436-51 Greg W. Parsons Guidelines for Understanding Proclaiming the Book of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 151, Dallas The ological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 1994) 393-413 James E. Patrick The Fourfold Structure of Job Variations on a Theme (American Theological subroutine library Association, Cambridge, UK) 185-206Bernard Ehrlich The Book of Job as a Book of Morality (Jewish Bible Quarterly, Vol. 34, No. 1, 2006) 30-38 David Shepherd Strike his bone and his flesh Reading Job from the Beginning (Sage Publications, L. a. , Ca. 2008) 81-97 Alec Basson Just Skin and Bones The passion for Wholeness of the Body in the Book of Job ( American Theological Library Association, Vetus Testamentum Vol. 58, 2008) 287-99 Larry J. Walters Missio Dehn the Book of Job (American Theological Library Association, Bibliotheca Sara 166, Dallas Theological Seminary, Jan. -Mar. 2009) 19-35 Clarence E.Macartney The Greatest custody of the Bible (Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, NY) 1 . Walters Larry J. Missio Dehn the Book of Job (American Theological Library Association, Bibliotheca Sara 166, Dallas Theological Seminary, Jan. -Mar. 2009) p. 19 2 . Lasor, Hubbard, Bush Old Testament Survey (Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mi. 1996) p. 471 3 . Flowers, Miller, Robinson Whos Who in the Bible (Readers Digest, Pleasantville, NY. 1994) p. 229 4 . Walters Larry J. Missio Dehn the Book of Job (American Theological Library Association, Bibliotheca Sara 166, Dallas Theological Seminary, Jan. Mar. 2009) p. 23 5 . Walters, Larry J. Missio Dehn the Book of Job (American Theological Library Association, Bibliotheca Sara 166, Dallas Theological Seminary, Jan. -Mar. 2009) p. 24 6 . Basson, Alec Just Skin and Bones The Longing for Wholeness of the Body in the Book of Job (American Theological Library Association, Vetus Testamentum Vol. 58, 2008) p. 293 7 . Lasor, Hubbard, Bush Old Testament Survey (Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mi. 1996) p. 327 8 . Parsons, Greg W. Guidelines for Understanding & Proclaiming the Book of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 151, Dallas Theological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 994) p. 394 9 . Ibid, p . 397 10 . Lasor, Hubbard, Bush Old Testament Survey (Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mi. 1996) p. 485 11 . Ehrlich, Bernard The Book of Job as a Book of Morality (Jewish Bible Quarterly, Vol. 34, No. 1, 2006) p. 32-33 12 . Flowers, Miller, Robinson Whos Who in the Bible (Readers Digest, Pleasantville, NY. 1994) p. 229 13 . Parsons, Greg W. Guidelines for Understanding & Proclaiming the Book of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 151, Dallas Theological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 1994) p. 397-98 14 . Ehrlich, Bernard The Book of Job as a Book of Morality (Jewish Bible Quarterly, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2006) p. 34 15 . Walters,Larry J. Reflections on Suffering from the Book of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 154, Dallas Theological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 1997) p. 449 16 . http//www. searchgodsword. org/enc/isb/view. cgi? number=T5076 The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (provided by SearchGodsWord. org) accessed 09AUG11 17 . Flowers, Miller, Robinson Whos Who in the Bible (Readers Digest, Pleasantvill e, NY. 1994) p. 230 18 . Walters,Larry J. Reflections on Suffering from the Book of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 154, Dallas Theological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 1997) p. 446 19 . Ibid, p. 447