THE ROAD TO EMMAUS Job

POP QUIZ Where was Job from? What were the names of Job’s friends? What type of literature is Job? How long did Job’s friends sit in silence before speaking?

QUICK OVERVIEW The book of Job tells the story of a good man overwhelmed by troubles. He is stripped of his wealth, his family, his health. He does not know why God has done this to him. Only the reader knows that God is trying to prove to the Devil that Job’s faith is genuine. Three friends come to console him in his misery, and the four engage in a long discussion.

QUICK OVERVIEW The friends try to explain what has happened by connecting Job’s sufferings with his sins. Job rejects their theory. Instead of accepting their advice to repent and so make peace with God, Job insists on his own innocence and questions the justice of God’s treatment.

QUICK OVERVIEW At this point a new character, Elihu, appears and makes four speeches which he thinks will solve the problem; but this does not seem to make any difference. Eventually the Lord Himself addresses Job. These speeches change Job’s attitude, for he responds with contribute submission. In the end God declares Job to be in the right and restores his prosperity and happiness.

QUICK OVERVIEW Upon this simple plot an unknown writer of superlative genius has erected a monumental work. The most persistent questions of the relationship of men to God have been given powerful theological treatment in verse whose majesty and emotions are unsurpassed in any literature, ancient or modern.

PURPOSE The purpose of the Book of Job is to show that the proper relationship between God and man is based solely on the sovereign grace of God and man’s response of faith and submissive trust.

PURPOSE The purpose of the Book of Job is to show that the proper relationship between God and man is based solely on the sovereign grace of God and man’s response of faith and submissive trust. The issue of the suffering of the innocent propels the story and is theologically important, but the question “Who is wise?” takes precedence in the unfolding of the plot.

CONTEXT Literary Wisdom Literature Poetic Literature

Historical CONTEXT Job is a Gentile patriarch. He is also the head of a large family for whom he serves as priest much as Abraham did for his family. Job offers sacrifices, an act unthinkable after the formal priesthood was established at Sinai. Job’s age exceeds those of the patriarchs. He lived 140 years after his restoration.

CONTEXT Historical In terms of the progress of redemption, Job is best understood as having lived before the Abrahamic Covenant, which narrows the covenant community to a particular family.

CONTEXT Historical Is Job a Historical figure?

CONTEXT Historical Is Job a Historical figure? Ezekiel 14:12-14  12And the word of the LORD came to me: 13 "Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, 14 even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord GOD.

CONTEXT Historical Is Job a Historical figure? James 5:10-11 10As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Job is Innocent UNDERSTANDING JOB Job 1:1 – no less than four descriptions given to illustrate his character. Affirmed by God himself in 1:8, 2:3. Completely sinless? Not the case.

Job Suffers UNDERSTANDING JOB The great listing of his wealth in 1:2-5 is swiftly taken away after Satan is given permission to afflict Job. The news comes suddenly, “the intensity of Job’s trial is shown in the introduction with the successive reports of calamity punctuating his peace like pistol shots in the night.”

Job Suffers UNDERSTANDING JOB In addition to losing wealth, health, and family, Job is tormented further by his babbling friends and his silent God. Job is innocent, and the innocent Job suffers. Why, God? We await an answer.

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Affirms God’s Sovereignty 1:21 – “the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away.” 6:4 – “the arrows of the Almighty are in me.’ 9:17 – “he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause.” In this situation we witness the use of human agents, natural phenomena, and demonic influence – yet all is attributed to God by Job.

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Asserts his own righteousness 6:10 – “I have not denied the words of the Holy One.” 9:21 – “I am blameless” 16:17 – “There is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure” 27:6 – “I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.”

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Asserts his own righteousness 32:1 – “So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.”

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Asserts his own righteousness The accusations of the friends:

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Asserts his own righteousness The accusations of the friends: Eliphaz – 4:7-8 “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Asserts his own righteousness The accusations of the friends: Bildad – 8:4 “If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.”

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Asserts his own righteousness The accusations of the friends: Zophar– 11:6b “know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.”

Job’s Attitude UNDERSTANDING JOB Appeals to God in distress 13:3 – “I would desire to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God” 19:11 – “He has kindled his wrath against me and counts me as his adversary.” 13:15 – “Though he slay me, I will hope in him, yet I will argue my ways to his face.” 31:35 – “Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!”

God Answers UNDERSTANDING JOB 38:4 – “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” 39:26 – “Is it by your understanding the hawk soars?”

God Answers UNDERSTANDING JOB Alvin Plantinga aptly writes, “If indeed there is such a person, a God, an omniscient, omnipotent, eternal person, then in many situations it would be probably difficult for us to see what his reason for what he does would be.” “Indeed, a little reflection shows there is no reason to think we could so much as grasp God’s plans here, even if he proposed to divulge them to us.”

UNDERSTANDING JOB God Answers Job knew nothing of the cross, yet believed God, how much more then is it true of a Christian that, when he sees himself as a creature and a sinner in the presence of his incarnate creator crucified, he knows that he can neither understand nor doubt.