Please read through Chapters 1-5, 19 and 37-42 of the Book of Job. In addition to addressing the problem of evil, what other wisdom does Job offer? Cite a verse or two you think would be particularly good to include in an anthology of ancient wisdom, and explain why you think this verse or these verses are particularly worth including.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Job
Please read through Chapters 1-5, 19 and 37-42 of the Book of Job. In addition to addressing the problem of evil, what other wisdom does Job offer? Cite a verse or two you think would be particularly good to include in an anthology of ancient wisdom, and explain why you think this verse or these verses are particularly worth including.
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Job’s case is a very interesting one, and one I believe that is very relatable today. God puts Job up on this pedestal as being this great example. Satan enters and simply states that Job is this great example because he is blessed and things are going well for him. Things change greatly for Job. What happens? (1:22) “In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” I think we are more apt to commit evil when things maybe are not going so well for us. There are many versus in Job that could be put an anthology. My favorite verse out of this reading would have to be chapter 1:21, “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job is there by Gods grace and the things that he has our there by Gods grace and can be taken away at any time. Happy Blogging!!!
Job’s situation summarizes what many people deal with, maybe not the same kind of suffering – they may have watched someone they love suffer through a violent illness. In any case, the age-old question is asked… “Why, God? Why do bad things happen to good people?” What Job does here, is realize that in his suffering will be something greater than he or any of us will ever be able to begin to understand. Many times when Job speaks, he speaks of God’s goodness. Even in his suffering, he see’s the Glory of God shine through – how many of us can say that? Perhaps, that is what makes the book of Job so intriguing to me, I wish I could be more like Job with his patients, understanding and acceptance of God’s will in his life – even if that involves immense suffering.
I would include - Chapter 37: 5-16 “He does great things beyond our knowing; wonders past our searching out.” “…Stand and consider the wondrous works of God!” “…the wondrous work of him who is perfect in knowledge”
and Chapter 37: 22-24 “From the North the splendor comes, surrounding God’s awesome majesty! The Almighty! we cannot discover him, pre-eminent in power and judgment; his great justice owes no one an accounting. Therefore men revere him, though none can see him, however wise their hearts.”
These verses sum up the idea that God is too great for human understanding and that some things will never be completely understood, they can only be accepted.
Job is a wonderful read that inspires me every time I read it. I am reminded that Satan cannot touch us without God's acknowledgement. Even though Job lost everything family and material possessions, he still maintained his faith. Job prayed diligently for his children, 1:5 And it was so, When the days of (their) feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early on the morning and offered burnt offerings (according) to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts, Thus did Job continually. I pray for my children everyday and have prayed a hedge of protection around them.
When times are good most people don't have a problem with God. When times are bad, what do you hear? How could God do this to me,or my personal favorite, what kind of God would allow this to happen to me? Even after affliction came upon Job and his wife told him to curse God and die, what was Job's response? Job 2:10, But he said to her, " 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. "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" That is real wisdom. That should be put on t-shirts and people should wear it once a week as a reminder. Real wisdom.
Job 19:28-29 are interesting. I think that they could've shown the ancient world danger in judging. We've all heard the saying "you be the first to cast the stone against the sinner, you has not yourself sinned"
When we assume that we know the 'root of the trouble lies in him'. We see seem to judge. How can we in ourselves judge anothers heart and devotion to the Lord? When we do this and assume we bring the chance that indeed we "fear the sword yourseves; for wrath will bring punsihment by the sword, and then you will know judgement"
Commonly throughout the ancient world they seeemed to easily blame and judge others. These verses are simply stating that when you assume judgement and blame that you will too bring the wrath of the sword/Lord upon you.
In the beginning of the Book of Job, Job is a prosperous and wealthy man. He is said to be a valued and trusted follower of the Lord. God allows Job’s virtue to be put to the test when he permits Satan to take away all of Job’s physical possessions. Throughout Job’s struggle he remains unwavering in his faith. Satan eventually damages Job’s body; he gives him boils. Job’s faith still stays strong.
Then three friends of Jobs appear. Their basic message is that Job did something wrong, which is the reason for his punishment. After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day (Job 3:1).
This quote demonstrates how easily people may be swayed by their acquaintances, friends, or family. Until this point Job was steadfast in his faith. The Lord went even boasted to Satan that Job was an upright man. It’s important to see how even people that are closest to us may not always know what is in our best interest, and ultimately it is we as individuals who may determine that.
I would use the verse from Chapter 34 verse 12 for a contribution to wisdom in ancient works. This verse says "surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment". I choose this verse because it seems to touch on one of the themes of the book. That is that God will be just and will not be wicked to those people who follow his wisdom, justice will be final judgment of the righteous.
job story is one that people can identify with. theres the saying "bad things happen to good people" and thats kinda what this is. job is truly being tested to see if he is this great person, or if he only is beocuse life is easy for him. its something many people feel, we feel like we are good people but then horible things happen with no explination and it seems like it could be so easy to turn and blame god to curse god, and this story is a reminder to stay away from such a temptation. like job says in 2:10 to his wife who tells him to just curse god he says " you are talking like a foolish woman. shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
that statement alone holds alot of weight about job charector, and pure human nature. life wouldent be as sweet if everything was always perfect. we need the darkness and the sadness and the hardtimes. one cant exist without the other, and we should accept that.
I found Job's story to be very interesting and I'd even go as far to say very inspirational. In Chap. 2 I thought it was particularly interesting that God had so much faith in Job that God told Satan that he could do whatever he wanted to Job (but had to spare his life) and that Job would never turn against him.
Satan took Gods bet and inflicted Job with great pains from head to foot.
In Job 2:7-10, Job's wife came to see him she said to him, "do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die." But Job replied, "You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?" And not once did Job "sin with his lips". He remains faithful to God.
This lesson is particularly crucial to todays society. When things are going great we take them for granted, but as soon as the smallest thing goes wrong we blame God for doing this to us. Although things may seem horrible, they could always be worse. We are too quick to blame anyone but ourselves for our misfortunes instead of being patient and keeping our faith. Job on the other hand showed great faith and devotion to God, even when Satan had inflicted great pains upon him... he never caved; Job's faith in God never faltered.
The book of Job is one of great conflict. Here God has stripped everything - for basically no reason - from one of his most faithful servants and yet Job refuses to forsake God. He does not understand why these things have been done to him but he still has faith. This can be seen in Job 19:25 - "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth." These may not be the most powerful words in the Bible, but when taken in context of this chapter they are very significant. Before this verse, Job writes for twenty four verses how the Lord has hurt him but this does not dampen his faith. Job still knows that God is still with him and that one day God will prevail. The other bit of wisdom that I would offer from Job is 42:2 - "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." This is the verse when Job finally sees the light. He finally comes to the understanding that God and his purposes reign supreme. He just a mere man can not question his God.
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