All his brothers, sisters, and former acquaintances came to his house and dined with him in his house. As god appointed to adam another seed instead of that which. And so, weve studied through the entire book of job. And saw his sons, and his sons sons though his children were not doubled to him, yet in his childrens children they were more than doubled. For an entertaining example of this approach, see chapter thirty one of. It is very remarkable however that there are distinct hints as to the coming redeemer in the book of job. Introduction to the book 3 prologue job is tested 12 8 job s soliloquy 3 14 the great debate. Job 42 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the church of christ, presents a verse level look at the bible. He pleaded for the opportunity to put god on the witness stand so he could answer for jobs innocence and explain to him and others why his hurt and pain were. And even though that was more than 52 weeks ago, this is only the 47 th lesson in this series and so, weve studied through the entire book of job. Job is not being chastised for disobedience as job s counselors had suggested. Commentary on job 3842 job meets god tough questions.
It broke down the book of job and explained things so well. Indeed, god angrily rebukes jobs friends for speaking erroneously about god job 42. A book which will one day, perhaps, be seen towering up alone far above all the poetry of the world. As the first poetic book of the english bible, job introduces the reader to the idea of hebrew poetry, which involves the repetition and combination of ideas more than sounds.
The whole book up to this point has been apparently an argument against the doctrine of retributive justice. Then came unto him all his brethren the author here presents us with a striking view of human friendship. The book of job is included among the wisdom writings precisely because it teaches man that pain and suffering are a mystery of divine wisdom. The reference poetical books denotes form rather than imaginative or capricious content. Most importantly for the message of the book, job was still diseased and without his children and possessions, and god had not changed anything except for the. Indeed the prologue is more completely the solution than the ending is. Moreover the lord answered that is, the lord continued his discourse with job. God blesses and restores job to his prosperity, ver. Oct 28, 2012 this week we read the final chapter of the book and find out what becomes of job in the end. At the opening we are handed certain program notes that explain to us. The book of job is one of the literary masterpieces of all time, and provides a profound discussion on the suffering of a just man. In fact, some scholars believe that job requires and understanding of the book as a whole more than any other book of the old testament. After this job lived a hundred and forty years some conjecture that he was seventy when his troubles came upon him.
However, we do see in job a man who lacks an understanding of gods ways. God reproves his friends, for whom job intercedes, and god accepts them, ver. For this job 3 summary lets start by reminding ourselves of the message of the book of job. Job went through one of the most difficult seasons i think recorded in the bible. This answer is never given to job, at least while he lives. This week we read the final chapter of the book and find out what becomes of job in the end. Job 42 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on the. This epilogue to the book of job is, for many readers, hard to accept. Three of jobs friends, eliphaz, bildad, and zophar, come to visit him, sitting with job in silence for seven days out of respect for his mourning. Above all, job now knows that god owes him only what he determines that he owes him. In the second phase of the concluding encounter between god and job see job 38. When we cant understand gods ways, we must trust his wisdom. Identifying behemoth and leviathan in the book of job. During the course of time the following authors have been supposed.
These concluding words take the reader back to where the account began 1. Five truths for sufferers from the book of job the gospel coalition. And even though that was more than 52 weeks ago, this is only the 47 th lesson in this series. Addressing the problem of theodicy the vindication of the justice of god in the light of humanitys suffering it is a rich theological work setting out a variety of perspectives. His troubles began in satans malice, which god restrained.
When yahweh appears at the end of this book, he no more agrees with job s theology than he agrees with the theology of his friends job 38 42. The conclusion of the book of job reveals, now the l ord blessed the latter days of job more than his beginning 42. Therefore i have uttered what i did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which i did not know. It is the first of the poetical books which also include psalms, proverbs, ecclesiastes, song of solomon, and lamentations.
Commentary on the book of job chapter fortytwo by wm w wells. Whole chapters of the book are devoted to speeches by job s counselors. Eliphazs statements illustrate the remarkable capacity some people. In chapter 42, job, after having been questioned by god, responds. Next chapter of job the book of job, chapter 42 we hope that you find the content of the book of job, chapter 42 from the douay rheims version of the catholic bible helpful to your bible studies and for references which allow you to read the books and individual verses of this chapter. In the fifth verse of the fortieth chapter, job says, once have i spoken. My servant job will pray for you, and i will accept his prayer and not deal. Verse 7 and it was so, that, after jehovah had spoken these words unto job, jehovah said to eliphaz the temanite, my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends. Lo and behold, satan comes out and challenges god on job s goodness. See also greg parsons excellent article on job guidelines for understanding and proclaiming the book of job from bibliotheca sacra 151, 1994, pages 3934 introduction the reader who desires to unlock the rich theological treasures contained in the book of job should assume its literary unity. The book of job is not only one of the most remarkable in the bible, but in literature.
As was said of goliaths sword, there is none like it, none in ancient or in modern literature. Well be studying the last chapter of the book of job today. Job proves faithful to god in prosperity and in adversity. One verse toward the end of this book has caused many to miss the point that this work intends to refute jobs theology as well as that of his friends. Job 42 nkjv jobs repentance and restoration bible gateway. The author, date, and place of the book of job are all uncertain. According to the sacred writer, the truly wise man should realize that the fear of the lord, that is wisdom. Hes blameless and upright, and he has kids, a wife, land, and a bunch of sheep. This begins a long section in the book of job where jobs friends counsel him and he answers them. Job 42 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Jobs faith in god has become the object of a test by satan, in which god is. The images job held both of god in his relationship with job and of himself in his relationship with god and fellow man are shattered into an unrecognizable mass of pulp. Moreover the lord answered job, and said, the lord having discoursed largely of the works of.
God speaks to hard hearts and they listen the lord said to eliphaz. And after all of that fortyone chapters that have taken us over a year to study job gives his final response to the lord in verse 1 of chapter 42. Job with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Lets open our bibles to the third chapter of the book of job.
The close of the book of job must be taken in connection with its prologue, in order to get the full view of its solution of the mystery of pain and suffering. When yahweh appears at the end of this book, he no more agrees with jobs theology than he agrees with the theology of his friends job 3842. Gods people are convicted of their sin i abhor myself. The wisdom that is found in the book of job is not communicated in the form of proverb.
When the understanding is enlightened by the spirit of grace, our knowledge of divine. Let us try to spell out the implications of this remarkable statement for the. Answered does not refer to any thing said by job, or any question asked. On the seventh day, job speaks, beginning a conversation in which each of the four men shares his thoughts on jobs afflictions in long, poetic statements. On the contrary, god speaks directly to job, just as he does in the patriarchal age with noah, abraham, isaac, jacob, and other heads of households see job 38 42. Solomon says, better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, eccl. Aug 14, 2015 god gives job a taste of this power when he brings jobs earthly suffering to an end job 42. Furthermore, job offers his own sacrifices and sacrifices for his friends, rather than bringing them to the levitical priests at the tabernacle or temple, etc. The book of job is a true story set in poetry, which delves into the feelings and emotions of the human mind when faced with trauma and suffering since poetry is the language of the heart, job reveals the innermost thoughts of men more so than outward deeds irving jensen, jensens survey of the old testament, p. Job asks why god hides from him, and does not reveal his sins. He still did not know why he suffered so profoundly, but he was done complaining, questioning and challenging gods wisdom and justice. This must refer to the declaration above, in the beginning of this chapter, 42. The setting for this narrative is in patriarchal times. To understand the full impact of the book of job the book must be read and understood as a whole.
In the book s first cycle, job s friends speeches were halted by the revelation of gods wisdom. But the odious judgments made by his friends caution us against making toocertain application of any model to our own lives. Then job answered the lord, and said, for though he had said he would answer no more job. And when god gives job exactly twice what he lost compare with job 1. When the understanding is enlightened by the spirit of grace, our knowledge of divine things as far exceeds what we had before, as the sight of the eyes excels report and common fame. Job 42 nrsv job is humbled and satisfied bible gateway.
Job was a man who was tormented by great physical affliction. And it is written that he will rise again with those whom the lord raises up the companion bible, appendix 62. Gods people pray for others and god answers job shall pray for you. Godly hatred of ones own defilement is the natural accompaniment of a believers confrontation with the holy god. In the long poem at the centre of the book of job, we encounter a decidedly. In job chapter 1 the author states that job was a righteous man and that satan wanted to test his. I know that you can do everything, and that no purpose of yours can be withheld from you. Gods people are broken and repentant repent in dust and ashes. Lo and behold, satan comes out and challenges god on job. You asked, who is this who hides counsel without knowledge. Job died in prosperity and his days were counted as a blessing. The underlined word here is not in the text, having been supplied by the translators.
This book is filled with the prayers of job, but the remarkable thing is that job is the only one who prays. In the long run, there are blessings for obedienceentrance into the kingdom of god is the greatest of all blessingsand curses for disobedience. And in the first chapter of the book of job we saw that job could fairly well understand gods ways. As used there these are the words of the almighty, uttered as a reproof of job for the manner in which he had undertaken to explain the dealings of god. In addition to the foregoing, there is that context in the book of job regarding behemoth that must be taken into consideration. His brethren, who in the time of his affliction kept at a distance from him. He was tortured too by three tiresome old windbags who told him that the cause of his problems was his own personal sin. What is taught about trial in the new testament is founded on the principles found right here in the book of job. The book of job provides us with our basis for understanding the purpose and course of trial in the lives of believers. Instead of demanding more answers from god, instead of questioning god further, job answers the only way a man can who has seen the living god face to face, with awe and repentance. The book of job 3 the book of job introduction to the book the book of job has long been praised as a masterpiece of literature.
Study guide for job 4 by david guzik blue letter bible. Up in the heavens, god brags to the divine assembly about job. Job chapter 42 coffmans commentary of the new testament. I believe a key to interpreting the book of job is found early in the first chapter in the. And god again challenges him by a display of his power and judgments, 614. Wisdom which does not grasp the book of job, is doomed to falter, as did solomon. It says as much in chapter one and i think we cant argue with scripture.
Rather, the book of job deals with questions of wisdom in the context of a narrative dealing with job s profound anguish and excruciating pain. I realized job didnt lose them he had 10 in heaven and 10 on earth. The book of job provides us with our basis for understanding the purpose and course of. In the books first cycle, jobs friends speeches were halted by the revelation of gods wisdom.
The new element in the second cycle is that elihus speech is interrupted by the dramatic appearance of god himself job 38. In job chapter 1 the author states that job was a righteous man and that satan wanted to test his righteousness to prove that it was because he obeyed only because he was blessed, which wasnt true. The prose prologue chapters one and two and the epilogue 42. The point of the book of job is to teach us that the mystery of evil is a. Jobs repentance and restoration then job answered the lord and said. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, i should save job. My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends. Job chapter 42 kjv king james version notice the bible tells us that god gave job twice as much as he had back in ch. Perhaps the best ending to job is included in this line added to chapter 42, verse 17, which some versions of the septuagent include in an appendix.
One verse toward the end of this book has caused many to miss the point that this work intends to refute job s theology as well as that of his friends. At the end of these speeches, god answers job and his friends and settles the matter. His friends speak in more or less three rounds, with each speech followed by a reply from job. Yhwhs praise of his servant is quite remarkable, for the phrase none like him in. God indeed could do everything, including bring comfort and assurance to job, even when job still did not understand the origin or meaning of his crisis. Study guide for job 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. We misunderstand jesus parable about lazarus, for example, if we. This begins a long section in the book of job where job s friends counsel him and he answers them. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house. This is why this so very special book cannot be arranged in precise historical order. The gripping and challenging book of job is perhaps one of the most. Then, in chapters 38 through 40, you have one of the most remarkable.
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