Book of Job
-In humility of the Lord -Live humbly
How should then we live?
You have not spoken correctly about me --> they labeled him as a form of karma, which he is not.
We then get an epilogue. What is the response of God to Job's friends? Why?
He blatantly states all that has gone bad is Job's fault --> He must have done something really awful to deserve this.
What is Bildad's second argument?
Starts accusing Job of sins of omission --> things he should've done but did not
What is Eliphaz's third argument?
He drops to the ground and praises God -tears his clothes off and shaves his head -never sins or charges God w/ wrongdoing
What is Job's initial response to this sudden reversal of fortune?
The wicked should be the one's suffering, but they are not.
What is Job's response to Zophar's second argument?
-Why do bad things happen to good people? -We really don't know much about God --> can't make judgements about hims -Job's pride --> God's actions are at random, not by reason
What is the book of Job about?
Job is a rich, pious, and upright man. He makes many burnt offerings (animal sacrifices) for his children's partying tendencies
What is the setting that opens the book? How is Job portrayed?
Job curses the day of his birth
When Job's friends hear about his suffering, they travel to him to try to help him out. They sit in silence with him for seven days before Job finally speaks. What does he say?
God, Job never turns away from him. He questions him and wishes to speak to him directly to find answers and find out what he did wrong, but he never considers turning away from God or cursing him as acceptable responses to his lose of fortunes.
Who was ultimately shown to be correct about Job, God or Satan?
To show that Job is still loyal and will continue to be regardless of if he loses all of his good fortune
Why does God allow Satan to destroy Job's good fortune?
He thinks Job has sinned (in secret but God knows) and does not know about it. -Job is sinning currently b/c of his pride
Zophar speaks next. What is his first argument?
Job's kids could be a reason for his punishment, he should repent against them. -Bildad thinks Job is blaspheming and says that Job should fess up to what he has done.
Bildad then speaks (Job 8); what is his first argument?
Job said that God does not execute justice in the realm of humans, which his friends denied but God admitted to. -This shows us God is not concerned with justice between himself and humans
How did Job speak rightly of God when his friends did not? What does this show us about God?
He wants Job to speak, he tells him that he must.
How does God respond to Job's first answer to him?
He is serious about seeing the spirit -Could be Satan coming to "tip the scales (cheat)"
Is Eliphaz serious about the spirit that came to him in the night (4:12-20), or is this something he's adding in for dramatic effect?
God punishes the bad and not the good, so Job must have sinned. If he would just accept his sin and move on things would get better.
Through much of the rest of the poem, Job goes back and forth with his three (and later four) friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu. Eliphaz speaks first; what is his argument?
He says: -Job is being foolish -God does not do injustices --> what he has done is for good reason --> Job should look into himself as to why this is happening -If you don't get an answer from God, you don't deserve one --> Job isn't listening
What does Elihu have to say to Job right after he is angered?
How can a mortal engage God?
What is Bildad's third argument?
He advises Job not to challenge God for his arrogance will not help him, he should remember to have fear of God.
What is Eliphaz's second argument?
He says he in not going to say anything
What is Job's answer to God when he first speaks?
He wants his vindication and laments that he cannot get it.
What is Job's response to Bildad's first argument?
He is suffering now but God will come and redeem Job. He says that God will come down and vindicate him in the dust of Job that is leftover.
What is Job's response to Bildad's second argument?
Ch. 26- Job is bitterly sarcastic Ch. 27- Job mentions trial with God again Ch. 28- Job extols some wisdom Ch. 29- Job directly deals with Eliphaz's 3rd argument and says that he did everything he is accused of not doing Ch. 31- Job has a long elaboration of a very serious curse on God
What is Job's response to Bildad's third argument?
He questions why sufferers continue to live instead of dying -requests for God to kill him -reproves his friends for not being good friends -asks why God is targeting him
What is Job's response to Eliphaz's first argument?
He is very displeased with his friends. He feels that he has been unjustly thrown down, he thinks God is his defender but he has not helped much.
What is Job's response to Eliphaz's second argument?
He does not directly address Eliphaz's accusations, he just wants to speak with God and says the wicked do not receive punishment
What is Job's response to Eliphaz's third argument?
He repents of his pride
What is Job's response to God after he tells him he must speaks?
He wants to file a lawsuit against God for his vindication.
What is Job's response to Zophar's first argument?
It is all your fault, fess up
What is Zophar's second argument?
Not antagonistic, kind of genial and calm and collected. Satan is still an angel at this point.
What is the relationship presented between God and Satan in Job 1?
Satan does the destruction of Job's fortunes. He tells God that he can make Job turn away from him so God tells him "Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him." -Therefore God is not the one who interacts with Job, he gives Satan the power and thus the problem is in his hands, not God's
Who actually does the destruction of Job's fortunes? *MAKE AN ARGUMENT*
God speaks and he says you (Job) don't know anything, you are not the God here, you are not that important.
Who speaks after Elihu's first argument with Job? What does he have to say?
He is mad Job put himself before God and that his friends can't help him find a solution.
Why is Elihu provoked to anger?