Job Summary

Thanks to http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/job.htm and Marilyn Hickey Ministries for portions of this.

Location = Uz, southeast of the Dead Sea, 2000 BC, before Israel's exodus from Egypt

El Shaddai (Almighty God) is used 29 times in this book.

Prologue - Job Is Tested (1-2), heaven; testing satan's theory: Job served God because God blessed him.

1. Character and wealth; satan allowed to test Job

2. Job loses his health

3. Job’s lament/soliloquy; his 3 friends arrive, see below.

Chapters 3-31 are a controversy/discussion about a hypocrite or a sinner

The Great Debate: First Cycle Of Speeches (4-14); Job's suffering was because he was a sinner.

4. Eliphaz: The innocent don’t suffer (FALSE!).

5. God is just.

6. Job’s friends are no help.

7. Job’s life seems futile.

8. Bildad says God rewards the good and calls Job a hypocrite.

9. Job says there is no arbitrator between God and man (he didn’t know Jesus).

10. Job despairs of God’s dealings.

11. Zaphar rebukes Job, calling him a liar.

12. Job chides his accusers and speaks of God’s power.

13. Job says his friends’ proverbs are ashes and is sure he’ll be vindicated.

14. Job speaks of death’s finality.

The Great Debate: Second Cycle Of Speeches (15-21)

15. Eliphaz says Job presumes much; what has he seen of life?

16. Job says friends are not good. God shattered him.

17. Job has become a byword.

18. Bildad speaks of the wicked sternly.

19. Job feels insulted; everything is against Him. My Redeemer Lives (great song!) (v.25)

20. Zaphar says the triumph of the wicked is short.

21. Job says God will deal with the wicked.

The Great Debate: Third Cycle Of Speeches (22-31)

22. Eliphas accused Job of infinite iniquities. The innocent don't suffer.

23. Job longs for God.

24. Job says God seems to ignore wrongs.

25. Bildad – man is terror.

26. Job rebukes Bildad.

27. Job reaffirms his righteousness and the state of the godless.

28. Job tells of earth’s treasure.

29. Job’s past was questionable?

30. Job’s present state is humiliation.

31. Job asserts his integrity.

Young Elihu Speaks (32-37), his opinion, many words of man; the dubious vale of suffering. Elihu stood by and listened. Then he stated that suffering is remedial. He believed Job accused God unjustly. Some suffering is penal and remedial.

32. Elihu, in anger, rebukes Job.

33. Elihu claims to speak for God.

34. Elihu vindicates God’s justice.

35. Elihu sharply reproves Job.

36. Elihu speaks of God’s dealing with people.

37. Elihu says God is back of the storm?

God Speaks To Job (38:1-42:6) "Who are you?", asking questions

38. God speaks to Job; God’s mighty power

39. God speaks of nature and its beings

40, 41. Job: What can I say? God questions Job; God’s power is shown in creatures. Job didn't need to know why if he knew God.

42. Job’s confession; God is displeased with Job’s friends; God restores Job’s fortunes (reward)

Epilogue - Job Is Blessed (42:7-17), which God delights to do, like a Father and His child

Rabbi Kushner’s book “When Bad Things Happen To Good People” has sold over 4 million copies. It has the following chapter titles, which may help us process what is happening:

1. Why do the righteous suffer? We may never know why. The following may help.

2. The Story of a man named Job. satan’s theory was that Job served God because blessed him. Therefore, God allowed Job to be tested. 3 of his so-called friends gave him advice – we have to be careful re: to whom we listen. They thought Job’s suffering was because he was a sinner. One called him a hypocrite, another called him a liar. One said suffering is punishment.

Job 38:1-7 states, “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man (MAN UP!) and I will ask you, and you instruct me! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding? Who set its measurements? Since you know.” God was being very direct that we are the creation, not the Creator. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving, and everywhere.

Job 42:7 states, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your 2 friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.”

God gets angry at us if we do not follow Ephesians 4: 15 “but [a]speaking the truth in love, [b]we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ.” We need to be mature and professional as we work here.

3. Sometimes there is no reason. There is cause and effect; we aren’t always in control.