The Voice from the Whirlwind Interpreting the Book of Job Session 4 Shirley Fong

The Voice of Wisdom Psalm (Ch 28) vv 1-11 Gold, silver, iron, copper have their places Birds and animals cannot but man can find the ways to dig them out vv12-19 Where can wisdom be found? Wisdom appears inaccessible and nothing can be compared with it vv20-28 Where can wisdom be found? Only God understands the way to find it Fear the Lord and shun the evil is the key to find wisdom and understanding it.

The Voice from the Whirlwind/Storm Job’s understanding of the present of God: 29:2-6 God watched over him in good days 30:16-20 God distances him when he was in suffer The Lord answered and spoke to Job out of the storm/whirlwind 38:1, 40:6. What kind of impression do you have about whirlwind or storm? Why did God speak to Job out of the storm?

Job’s struggles 1)19:6b-20; 23:13-17 Job thought God had wronged him and terrified him 2)21:6-21; 24:1-12 Why? Why have the wicked prospered and the poor being treated unfairly? Why didn’t God do anything? Job brought his case before God and asked God to answer him: 23:3-5; 31:35-37

38: 1 God answered Job out of the storm 38:2 “… darken my counsel … without knowledge.” 38:3 “Brace yourself… and you shall answer me.” 38:4-38:38 Questions about cosmos 38:39-39:30 Questions about animal kingdom 40:1-2 God asked Job that how he could challenge the Almighty?” 40:3-5 Job’s response to God 40: 6 God spoke to Job out of the storm 40:7 “Brace yourself… and you shall answer me.” 40:8-14 “Do you challenge my justice?” 40:15-24 God used behemoth to challenge Job 41:1-34 God used leviathan to challenge Job 41:10b-11 God asked that who could stand before Him 42:1-6 Job’s response to God

The speech of God What is the purpose of God’s speeches Did God answer Job? Remember Job still had no idea of the heavenly scene. Why did Job have a total change in his attitude? Did he find the answer? Where was the turning point? Was Job satisfy with God’s answer? What is the main purpose of suffering?

Christian life  Formation  Reformation  Transformation (spiritual characters)  Construction  Deconstruction  Reconstruction (theology/understanding of God)

Epilogue What is the purpose of Epilogue? Why did God ask Job to pray for his friends? What had happened in Job’s community? What kind of picture the Epilogue is trying to portrait? What is the purpose of it? If God did not give back anything to Job or remove his suffering at the end, then what do you think Job’s response will be? Why?

Reflection  What is your initial respond to suffering? Have you gained new insights/perspectives after studying the Book of Job?  What is/are the most important thing(s) in helping you to go through difficult stages of life?