Job's Argument: Intro, Chapters 1–7


	His Word and Mine

Job's Argument: Job
Introduction The Story Study Questions
Intro, Chapters 1–7 Chapters 8–14 Chapters 15–21 Chapters 22–28 Chapters 29–37 Chapters 38–42 Study Questions Next
Introduction
The Bible book of Job (“Job” rhymes with “robe”) is a discussion of reward and punishment among God-fearing friends. In Chapter 1, the reader receives a glimpse of God and Job that the other characters do not. Thus, the reader can understand the folly of the arguments that the characters cannot. Not all scholars agree as to whether this work is based on an actual person and events. Job is included in the Old Testament as one of the Hebrew books of Wisdom. Job's Argument is not intended to substitute or replace the original work of Job. It is this author's opinion that this work summarizes the intent of each character's argument. To receive the full intent of Job's story, read chapters of the Bible version with those of Job's Argument. Use Job's Argument only as one possible synopsis of Job.
Job's Argument
Characters: Job: an upright, God-fearing, wealthy citizen of Uz God: creator of heaven and earth Satan: a heavenly being who chose earth over heaven Eliphaz: Job's Temanite friend Bildad: Job's Shuhite friend Zophar: Job's Naamathite friend Elihu: Job's Buzite friend; youngest friend and waits the longest to speak Chapter 1 After having studied people of the earth, Satan comes before God. God points out the righteousness of Job, but Satan argues that human righteousness wouldn't exist if God did not reward the righteous with his protection. Satan presumes that the only reason any humans love God is to get something in return. Satan predicts Job would actually curse God if God allowed him to lose all he had worked for. God gives Satan the power to test that theory. All on the same day, Satan wipes out Job’s children, servants, and livestock. Job grieves as he receives the news and bows before the Lord saying, “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.” Satan lost this argument. Chapter 2 God points out to Satan that Job is still his faithful servant. So Satan wants to run a second experiment. Satan predicts Job's faith would vanish if Job himself were afflicted. God again allows Satan to test Job but to spare his life. Satan inflicts painful sores all over Job's body, including the souls of his feet and the top of his head. Job’s wife is repulsed by the sores and begs him to give up, to curse God so God would end his life. But Job says he must bear the bad with the good. His faith remains stable. Job's friends go to console him. At first, they don't recognize him, and, after the initial shock wears off, they sit together in silence a full week as a compassionate gesture typical of that day's culture. Chapter 3 Job says: I am so miserable that I wish I had never been born, I wish the day of my birth would somehow disappear. Why can I now do nothing but groan? Why can I neither die nor be healed? I'm a righteous man, blameless before God. Why must I suffer so much when others who don't even know God skip merrily through life knowing relatively little distress? There is no escaping anything that God sanctions. Chapters 4–5 Eliphaz says: No one knows more than God knows. All people suffer. Yes, you have comforted others in their distress. Now it’s your turn to be the one comforted. Don't lose patience. Your faith has always given you confidence. The innocent and upright never perish. What goes around comes around. The thought occurs to me that we are all sinners. Even the angels are not perfect. How much less perfect are we humans here on earth? But don't let your vexation kill your spirit. If I were you, I would seek God and commit my cause to him. God provides all good things. Just commit fully to God’s cause and he will make your life right again. Let me warn you to welcome God's discipline and not despise it. God saves those in trouble. If God relieves you of even one of your ailments, he will completely restore everything you ever had before this happened. Chapters 6–7 Job says: My suffering is way too great, and I do have every right to complain. I'd stop if I just knew why this was happening to me. I have not denied God, yet here I am without resource. For the love of God, why can’t you support me? Why should I be a target for your criticism? Have I asked for anything from you this week? Why do you want to make me even more miserable than I am now? Death would be more of a comfort than you. If I've done something wrong, then teach me. How am I sinning? I have to tell you, when you ignore what I say, I feel hopeless. Look at me. I have sores all over my body. As soon as one sore heals, another replaces it. I look awful and feel worse. I just want this to end, because I'm feeling insignificant and worthless this way. Am I to be judged like this the rest of my life?

Intro, Chapters 1–7 Chapters 8–14 Chapters 15–21 Chapters 22–28 Chapters 29–37 Chapters 38–42 Study Questions Next

Home | Today's Thought | Daily Devotion | Pray | Bible Stories | Lessons | Gift Shop | Daily Devotion Archive | Today's Thought Archive | Prayer Archive | Donations | About | Contact | Site Map

©2010 Jan Heller. All rights reserved.