1. Job
“Making Sense of God
When Life Does Not”

2. The Book of Job Prologue 1-2 Dialogues: Job and his three friends 3-27
Cycle
Cycle
Cycle
Poem on Wisdom
Monologues :1-42:6
Job
Elihu
God
Job 42:1-6
Epilogue :7-17

3. The Retribution Principle
The righteous will prosper,
the wicked will suffer.

4. The Retribution Principle: An Inference
The righteous will prosper,
the wicked will suffer.
If you see someone prospering,
they must be righteous.
If you see someone suffering,
they must be wicked.

5. God's
justice
Retribution
principle
Job's
righteousness

6. God's
justice
Questioned??
Assumed?
Retribution
principle
Job's
righteousness
Established!

7. Job
“Making Sense of God
When Life Does Not”

8. Prayer Play video after Short Prayer
Play Video #1 – Man Dying of Cancer

9. Job
“Making Sense of God
When Life Does Not”

10. THE PATTERN OF JOB 3-27
Job breaks the seven days of silence by cursing the day he was born. After this Job’s friends try to explain why Job is experiencing this suffering. Eliphaz goes first, and then Job replies to him. Bildad goes next and Job replies to him. Zophar goes last and Job replies to him. The entire cycle is repeated two more times. Neither side is willing to be persuaded from their original position.

11. The accusation from Job’s friends
Eliphaz’s first speech sums this up well.
Job 4:7-8 NLT
  “Stop and think! Do the innocent die? When have the upright been destroyed? My experience shows that those who plant trouble and cultivate evil will harvest the same.”

12. Job’s friends believe he is suffering because of unconfessed sin in his life. They believe if he repents God will restore him to his former comfort (5:17-27).
5:27 - “We have studied life and found all this to be true. Listen to my counsel, and apply it to yourself.”

13. Job 42:7
“ After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job has.”

14. Three
friends
God's
justice
Retribution
principle X
Job's
righteousness

15. Job’s response Job repeatedly calls on God to explain himself.
Job - 13:22-24 NLT
  Now summon me, and I will answer!       Or let me speak to you, and you reply. Tell me, what have I done wrong?       Show me my rebellion and my sin.   Why do you turn away from me?       Why do you treat me as your enemy?

16. Job isn’t claiming to be perfect, but he is saying that he hasn’t done anything that warrants what he has been forced to go through (27:2-6).

17. Job 27:2-6 NLT
“I vow by the living God, who has taken away my rights, by the Almighty who has embittered my soul— As long as I live, while I have breath from God, my lips will speak no evil, and my tongue will speak no lies. I will never concede that you are right; I will defend my integrity until I die. I will maintain my innocence without wavering. My conscience is clear for as long as I live.”

18. Job
God's
justice
Questioned
Retribution
principle
Job's
righteousness

19. Job rages, protests, moans and even vacillates between confidence and despair, but he never gives up. He does not curse God, and he does not make a false confession of guilt in the hope that God will then let up on him. Although Job could not understand his situation, he knows that his answer will be found in God.
(NLT Study Bible)

20. Job
“Making Sense of God
When Life Does Not”

21. John 9

22. John 9:3
“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

23. Matthew 9:1-8

24. Matthew 9:5-6
Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”

25. Job 19:25-27

26. Job 19:25-27
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,       and he will stand upon the earth at last.  And after my body has decayed,       yet in my body I will see God!
I will see him for myself.        Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.        I am overwhelmed at the thought!

27. Next Video Clip – Follow Up

29. God is still God and God is still good. To God be the Glory!