INTRODUCTION TO JOB Victor Hugo

INTRODUCTION TO JOB

• Victor Hugo said, “The book of Job is perhaps the greatest masterpiece of the human mind. ” • Tennyson called it “The greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature. ” • Thomas Carlyle wrote, “I call this book… one of the grandest things ever written… There is nothing written, I think, of equal literary merit. ” • Philip Schaff said, “The book of Job rises like a pyramid in the history of literature, without a predecessor and without a rival. ”

Keywords: Suffering, trials, tested, patience, trust, and sovereignty of God.

Job 13: 15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Job 23: 10 But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 28: 28 And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding. ' " Job 37: 23 As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, In judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress. 24 Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart. "

Key phrase: “For I know that my redeemer lives”

Key chapter is chapter 42

4 hints that it happed in the patriarchal period: • The Law of Moses is never referred to. • Job takes on the role of a priest and offers up sacrifices for his family. • Job’s long lifespan is typical of the patriarchs as he lived another 140 years after God blessed him. • The Hebrew word qesiytah, which is translated as a “piece of money” in Job 42: 11 is only used in reference to the patriarchal period (Gen. 33: 19; Jos. 24: 32).

• Paul quotes from Job 5: 13 in 1 Cor. 3: 19 and he quotes Job again in Rom 11: 35. • James talks about the patience of Job in James 5: 11. • Ezekiel mentions Noah, Daniel, and Job as being real people (Ezek. 14: 14).

2 Corinthians 12: 9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. " Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Brief outline of Job: 1 -2 God allows the devil to test Job. 3 -31 Job and his 3 friends discuss why he is suffering. 32 -37 Elihu gives his assessment of the situation. 38 -41 God speaks and shows His sovereignty. 42 Job humbles himself before the Lord and is blessed.

The devil tempts Job with a series of loses: 1. He loses all his material possessions. 2. All 10 of his children are killed and many of his servants. 3. He is given painful boils all over his body. 4. His wife forsakes him and tells him to curse God and die. 5. He has to endure the false accusations of his 3 friends.

Job 1: 21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD. “ Job 2: 10 You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity? " In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 13: 15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

3 different areas Job failed: 1. He cursed the day of his birth (Job 3). 2. He doubted God’s justice (Job 7: 20; 16: 11 ff). 3. He became self-righteous in answering his friends’ false accusations (Job 31: 35 ff; 33: 8 -12).

James 5: 11 Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance (KJV patience) of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord -- that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

Eliphaz was the oldest and he spoke from his experience. He backed up his arguments by a supposed vision he received (4: 12 -21). His experience had taught him that the innocent do not suffer like Job (4: 7 -8).

Bildad was the traditionalist and he drew many of his arguments from what their forefathers had searched out. He was more direct than Eliphaz. He told Job that his words were like a strong wind and if he was pure and upright, God would increase his prosperity instead of taking it away (8: 1 -3, 6 -7).

Zophar is the extremist. He only spoke twice as where the other 2 friends spoke 3 times. He accused Job of lying and mocking and said know therefore that God exacts from you Less than your iniquity deserves (Job 11: 6). Zophar also asked some great questions such as: Job 11: 7 "Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?

Elihu was younger than the others and he remained silent out respect for these older men. When they finished speaking, he couldn’t wait to share with them his thoughts. In fact, he felt like he would burst open if he kept his words to himself (Job 32: 18 -19). First, he rebukes Job’s friends for their lack of wisdom (32: 12 -14). He said Job’s sin was his selfrighteousness (33: 8 -12). He said Job’s pride caused him to question God’s goodness (34: 9 -10). He told him that God would have already removed his afflictions if it had not been for his pride, presumption, and wrath (36: 16 -18).

The purpose of the book: book 1. God is all powerful, all knowing, and is worthy of praise just for being God. Psalm 18: 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

2. We do not always understand why we suffer certain things Romans 8: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

3. The importance of endurance and patience.

4. Prepares the way for the coming of the Messiah. “Questions are raised, great sobs of agony are heard, which Jesus alone can answer. The book takes it place in the testimony of the ages that there is a blank in the human heart which Jesus alone can fill. ”

The anticipation of Christ: • Job longed for a mediator (9: 33; 33: 23) and Jesus is our mediator (1 Tim. 2: 5). • Job said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth” (Job 19: 25). Jesus is that Redeemer (Lk. 1: 68). • Job asked, “If a man dies, shall he live again? ” (Job 14: 14).

1 Corinthians 15: 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.

Romans 3: 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

• Jesus suffered like us and therefore He can sympathize with us (Heb. 4: 15). • Jesus is our redeemer, mediator, intercessor, and advocate (Eph. 1: 7; 1 Tim. 2: 1, 5; 1 Pet. 1: 1819; 1 Jn. 2: 1). • Thanks to Jesus, we can cast all cares on God. because He cares for us (1 Pet. 5: 7). • Jesus assures us of eternal life: John 11: 26 "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

Job 14: 1 "Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. 2 He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. Job 7: 6 "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, Job 9: 25 "Now my days are swifter than a runner; Job 24: 22 … no man is sure of life.

Six truths that we learn from this grand book: 1. Satan’s power is inferior to God’s power and his knowledge is less than God’s knowledge. 2. Suffering is not always the result of sin. 3. The righteous can and do suffer. 4. The ones who are really poor and wretched are those who reject God and trust in themselves or things.

Luke 12: 15 "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. " Revelation 3: 17 "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' -- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked -- 18 "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

5. Momentary problems must not turn us from eternal values. 2 Corinthians 4: 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

6. Material possessions and earthly ties do not endure. Matthew 6: 19 " Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.