 "Behold, we call those happy who were 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. "

 God Sets Job Up for Trouble  Job's Reverent Response (1:20-21)  God allows Satan to give Job a disease.  Job's Victory of Faith (2:10) 1. Satan's aim is to destroy our joy in God. 2. God aims to magnify his worth in the lives of his people. 3. God grants to Satan limited power to cause pain. 4. Satan's work is ultimately the work of God.

 Cycle 1 Eliphaz―4 & 5 Job―6 & 7 Bildad―8 Job―9 & 10 Zophar―11 Job―12—14  Cycle 2 Eliphaz―15 Job―16—17 Bildad―18 Job―19 Zophar―20 Job―21  Cycle 3 Eliphaz―22 Job―23—24 Bildad―25 Job―26—31 Zophar― ( silence) Elihu's Speech and God's Speech

 Chapter 3:1-3. Job curses the day of his birth.  Eliphaz’s theological principle. 4: 7—8, Suffering is the result of sin, and prosperity is the result of righteousness.  Job protests his innocence.  Bildad and Zophar agree with Eliphaz.  Job becomes sarcastic.  His “friends” run out of things to say.  19:25-27 Job changes his tune.

 True theology can be used inappropriately. Proverbs 26:9.  Suffering and blessing are not given in proportion to the evil or good people do. Job 12:4, 21:30.  God reigns supreme! Job 12:  There is a hidden wisdom behind the seeming “heartlessness” of the world. 1 Cor 13:12  Because of this we must hold fast to our faith in God!

5 reasons/suppositions to accept his words.  It is presented as something new. He disagrees with them all.  The author gives him six whole chapters.  Job doesn’t argue with him.  God doesn’t rebuke him (Job 42:7)  He offers a new perspective that begins to answer the question, “Why do the righteous suffer?”

 Job 33:8-12, "Surely, you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words. You say, " I am clean, without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me. Behold [ God] finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy; he puts my feet in the stocks, and watches all my paths." Behold in this you are not right. “  In the end, Job repents. Job 42:6 :" I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Job 33:14-19 "For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men, and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed, and cut off pride from man; he keeps back his soul from the Pit, his life from perishing by the sword. " "Man is also chastened with pain upon his bed, and with continual strife in his bones. "

 Job 33:17 :" That he may turn man aside from his deed, and cut off pride from man, and keep back his soul from the Pit.“  Doctor, not Executioner.  Job 36:6-15. The “righteous sinner”.  Suffering refines like gold in a furnace. Psalm 119:71.

 Job 36: 13—15 "The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them. They die in youth, and their life ends in shame. He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear by adversity. "  Sufferings aim is that our faith might be refined, our holiness might be enlarged, our soul might be saved, and our God might be glorified as we turn to Him not away from Him in the sight of all the world.

 1 Peter 1:6-7  Hebrews 12:10-11  2 Corinthians 1:8-9  James 1:2-4  God is sovereign.  You are allowed to cry.  There is a purpose.  Help the sufferers, don’t judge.  Trust in the goodness of God.

 Pray that God would give us conviction so we will believe with all our hearts that everything He does is right and good.  Pray that God will give us assurance so we can repent of all the times we have questioned God or found fault with Him in the way He has treated us.  Pray that God would humble us to see these complaints as sinful.  Pray that we will turn to Him and surrender!