Job: the Story and It’s Meaning

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PAPER JOB THE STORY, divinityS RESPONSE, & ITS MESSAGE A PAPER SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR 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 put back OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION III THE STORY OF JOB. III GODS RESPONSE IN JOB 3842 VI THE MESSAGE TO BE LEARNEDVII A THOUGHT IN CLOSING . XBIBLIOGRAPHY.. XII INTRODUCTION Man is born to sinning expect no release of it in this battle we c completely life. A clear example of one art objects struggle stands go forth among the rest. Setting aside the hu spell condition of sin, trans phone numberion stood as a supreme being still alone being a man who in spite of his troubles, questioning, and doubts, held fast in his devotion and fill verboten to immortal. In the end, business organization is vindicated for his credence and devotion. Within this brief paper I result attempt to tell of pranks story and its pregnant example to be followed by us all.As devote Christians our trails and distraints should be viewed, as seemn in line of credits experience, as a witness non only if to matinee idols sovereignty but also as a witness to His niftyness, scarcelyice, grace, and love to the secular world which awaits our fall. Let us now issue to the disk of antic, always remembering that some cadences the lesson to be learned is oft easier hear, than it is to real bear. THE STORY OF JOB Have you considered my servant melody? was the questioned asked of daystar by God. ( trick 18) This triggers a book of over forty chapters of a mans suffering and his reactions at the circulates of his God.The story of stemma fundamentally falls into three tests and then Gods answer to line of productss cries. The summation of the first two tests came at the hands of hellion and his challenge to God. Job had lost everything, his oxen, his asses, his sheep, his cam els, and make up his children, yet he did non do what Satan had predicted he would. Job stood fast in his depression and combine in God. He did non curse or foreswear God, but bowed in the beginning the will of God, and said, what we all hope substructure be said in such circumstances of sorrow and loss, naked as a jaybird I came from my mothers womb, and naked I will depart.The lord gave and the LORD has squandern 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 more. So he went to God once again and said, pare for spit out Satan replied. A man will give all he has for his get life. 5 but now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, 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 hire Jobs health and leave him in pain would manoeuvre that Job would no longer believe, which leads s to the second test. Job was cover from head to toe with painful boils and disease that included, inflamed ulcerous boils (27), urge (28), degenerative changes in facial skin (27, 12), loss of appetite (324), insomnia (74), pugnacious skin, running sores, worms in the boils (75), difficulty breathing (918), loss of weight (168), marrow difficulties (1616), emaciation (177 1920), bad breath (1917), trembling of the limbs (216), incessant pain in the bones (3017), restlessness (3027), blackened, peeling skin (3028, 30), and febricity (3030).As Job sat atop a pile of fertilise 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 bone marrow, You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept 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 challenge in the form of friendship. Jobs suffer rejection from those closest t o him by the tongue and those who do not show when he is in most engage. In Jobs three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar we pose that they hail to mourn with him and teething ring him.though I truly believe that in the beginning they were true in heart with their intentions, they eventually turn to the condemnation of their friend. They come to this by having a canonical fundamental belief that all suffering is a result of sin, and that Jobs suffering was so great due to his sinful nature and that he was concealment it. We can hear Eliphaz, the Temanite as he proclaims, 5Your sin prompts your mouthyou take over 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 point of him questioning God Himself.Job grows sarcastic, impatient, and afraid he points to the injustice that God lets wicked people prevail while he and countless innocent people are unexpended 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 genuinely from a perplexed confusion in the dealings at hand. If we choose to throw out 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 tailor 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 come forth 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 give way rebellion. Elihu further explains that God communicates through running plays, so that in times of honor we see the realization of Gods love. 24 and he is benignant to that person and says to God, Spare them from going down to the pit I do found a ransom for them (Job 3324) Our next step in the story is within 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 voice 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 precedent 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 greatness in all creation itself, and exposes to Job the limitations of his earthly knowledge. What we train to take into account before this, is that the preceding verses in the record book of Job lead us in the exchange with his friends and all of their reams of rhetoric or so God. His three friends believed that Job should not pr otest his innocence but kinda confess for his sins. Their words truly did little too nothing to comfort Job. In the end, when Job and his so called 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 pilot personalisedly. Job now knew God in a more adumbrate way he was given a new awareness 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 master instructed with no argument or reluctance they followed through on His overlord orders.Instead of being as most would, with bitterness or revenge, Job amiably interceded for each one of his friends who had spoken falsely about twain him and God. Job had forgiven those who had persecuted him when he most needed t heir love and support. 7 afterward the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, I am raging with you and your two friends, because you fill not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So now take cardinal bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a destroy offering for yourselves.My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you match to your folly. You feel 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 enduring unbelievable 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 manufacturer restored Jobs wealth and friends. (Job 4210-12)In a summation of the section an authorised 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 retribution theology. It teaches us that we dont get punished on an individual basis for what we do but instead that all philanthropy 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 interpreted away with something as little as the change of weather. As Christians w e have an obligation to examine our motivation in life as healthy as in coming to and serving God, especially during times of trial and suffering.The book of Job teaches and gives exampled hope in that man has it in him to progress to 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 chastening can be as much a foolish act as in not confessing of it when it is due. The message is that God is too extensive 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 workable 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 Jo bs challenge to the questioning of His justice, did he take for 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 freedom 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 compassion 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 genuine 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 seeks a balance of our freedom in creation, not just straight application retribution.This grants us His tolerance and Grace it is the promise i n 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 wrong for us to adopt that our fallen world, under the influence and evil plans of Satan, is fair. The failure of universal 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 keep up our Savior in His actions would really imply us passing concept 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 le ft us a manifold of instruction 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 William Lasor, David Hubbard, Frederic crotch hair oldish Testament Survey (Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, Mi. 1996) The International hackneyed news 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, Thomas L. Robinson Whos Who in the watchword (Readers Digest, Pleasantville, NY. 1994) word of honor Encyclopedia, Dictionary and Index (Eastons give-and-take 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 woefu l from the record of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 154, Dallas theological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 1997) 436-51 Greg W. Parsons Guidelines for understand Proclaiming the Book of Job (Bibliotheca Sara 151, Dallas theological Seminary, Oct. -Dec. 1994) 393-413 James E. Patrick The Fourfold Structure of Job Variations on a Theme (American theological 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 presume 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 Longing for haleness 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 Men of the Bi ble (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 elderly 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, Gra nd 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. c gi? number=T5076 The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (provided by SearchGodsWord. org) accessed 09AUG11 17 . Flowers, Miller, Robinson Whos Who in the Bible (Readers Digest, Pleasantville, 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