NJITS Correspondence Bible School Discussions - Black Preaching Network2024-03-29T08:19:04Zhttp://abcpreachers.ning.com/group/njitscorrespondencebibleschool/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=noWhy Did Job Suffer?tag:abcpreachers.ning.com,2011-01-23:916966:Topic:18489402011-01-23T17:35:29.640ZMark H. Stevens, Th.Dhttp://abcpreachers.ning.com/profile/Mark28
<b>THE PLACE OF JOB IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:</b> Job is the first of five books<br></br>commonly referred to as <b>"The Books Of Poetry"</b>. These include Job,<br></br>Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Called such<br></br>because they are written in poetic style in contrast to the narrative<br></br>style of most other books, they are also often referred to as <b>"Wisdom<br></br>Literature"</b> (especially Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). Oswald<br></br>Chambers (1874-1917) offered this…
<b>THE PLACE OF JOB IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:</b> Job is the first of five books<br/>commonly referred to as <b>"The Books Of Poetry"</b>. These include Job,<br/>Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Called such<br/>because they are written in poetic style in contrast to the narrative<br/>style of most other books, they are also often referred to as <b>"Wisdom<br/>Literature"</b> (especially Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes). Oswald<br/>Chambers (1874-1917) offered this concise summary of the five books:<br/><br/> <b>* Job - How to suffer</b><br/><br/> <b>* Psalms - How to pray</b><br/><br/> <b>* Proverbs - How to act</b><br/><br/> <b>* Ecclesiastes - How to enjoy</b><br/><br/> <b>* Song of Solomon - How to love</b><br/><br/>Now let's take a look at the Book of Job in particular...<br/><br/><b>AUTHOR AND DATE OF WRITING:</b> Who wrote the book, and when? No one<br/>really knows. Jewish tradition attributes the book to Moses, and other<br/>authors have been suggested (Job, Elihu, Solomon, Isaiah, Hezekiah, and<br/>Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe). <b>"All that can be said with certainty is<br/>that the author was a loyal Hebrew who was not strictly bound by the<br/>popular creed that assumed suffering was always the direct result of<br/>sin"</b> (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown). Because the author is unknown,<br/>it's date has been hotly debated among scholars. Some think it was<br/>written before Moses (pre 1500 B.C.). Others put it at the time of<br/>Solomon (ca. 900 B.C.), and some even as late as the Babylonian Exile<br/>or later (post 600 B.C.).<br/><br/>The uncertainty of author and date does not nullify the book's<br/>inspiration, for it is affirmed in the New Testament. Paul quotes from<br/>it on several occasions in his writings (cf. <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/1Co%203.19" class="lbsBibleRef">1Co 3:19</a></b> with <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Job%205.13" class="lbsBibleRef">Job 5:13</a>;</b><br/>and <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Ro%2011.35" class="lbsBibleRef">Ro 11:35</a></b> with <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Job%2041.11" class="lbsBibleRef">Job 41:11</a></b>). For the Christian who accepts the<br/>inspiration of the New Testament, such evidence is sufficient.<br/><br/><b>THE HISTORICITY OF THE BOOK:</b> Even though inspired, are we to take the<br/>events described in it as historically true? There are several reasons<br/>for believing that they are:<br/><br/> * The style of the opening and close of the book certainly conform<br/> to other Biblical narratives that are historical (cf. <b>1:1</b> with<br/> <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/1Sa%201.1" class="lbsBibleRef">1Sa 1:1</a></b> and <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Lk%201.5" class="lbsBibleRef">Lk 1:5</a></b>).<br/><br/> * In <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Ezekiel%2014.14" class="lbsBibleRef">Ezekiel 14:14</a></b>, Job is mentioned along with Noah and Daniel,<br/> two other figures of history.<br/><br/> * James, the Lord's brother, refers to Job as an example of<br/> perseverance (<b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Jm%205.11" class="lbsBibleRef">Jm 5:11</a></b>).<br/><br/><b>THE SETTING OF THE BOOK:</b> The historical events appear to be set in<br/>the "Patriarchal" period (i.e., sometime between Noah and Moses). There<br/>are no allusions to the Law of Moses in the book, but there is a<br/>mention of a flood (<b>22:16</b>). Job functions as a priest in offering<br/>sacrifices for his family (<b>1:5</b>), similar to what we find with Abraham<br/>(cf. <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Gen%2012.7" class="lbsBibleRef">Gen 12:7</a></b>). His longevity is typical of the patriarchs (<b>42:16;</b><br/>cf. <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Gen%2011.22-26" class="lbsBibleRef">Gen 11:22-26</a>,<a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Gen%2011.32" class="lbsBibleRef">32</a></b>). For such reasons I would place him somewhat<br/>contemporary with Abraham (i.e., ca 2000 B.C.).<br/><br/><b>THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK:</b> It is common to suggest that the purpose of<br/>the book is to answer the age-old question, "Why does God allow the<br/>righteous to suffer?" That is certainly the question Job raises, but<br/>it is worthy to note that he himself never receives a direct answer.<br/>Nor is one given by the author, other than to answer Satan's challenge,<br/>"Does Job fear God for nothing?". We are privileged to know of the<br/>challenge of Satan, and that God allows Job to suffer in answer to that<br/>challenge, but Job is never told of this. Therefore, I suggest that<br/>the purpose of the book is:<br/><br/> <b>To answer the question, "How should the righteous suffer?"</b><br/><br/>While Job's questions and complaints often come close to charging God<br/>with wrong, he never crosses the line and humbly submits to God when<br/>told that the answers to his questions are beyond his ability to<br/>understand. Thus the book shows us how the righteous should bear up<br/>under suffering (<b>"You have heard of the perseverance of Job" - <a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Jm%205.%2011" class="lbsBibleRef">Jm 5: 11</a></b>)<br/><br/><b>SOME LESSONS FROM THE BOOK:</b> In his study on the book (The Book Of<br/>Job, Quality Pub.), Wayne Jackson offers the following lessons to be<br/>gleaned:<br/><br/> * <b>The book defends the absolute glory and perfection of God</b> - It<br/> sets forth the theme echoed in <b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Ps%2018.3" class="lbsBibleRef">Ps 18:3</a></b> ("I will call upon the<br/> Lord, who is worthy to be praised"). God is deserving of our<br/> praise simply on the basis of who He is, apart from the blessings<br/> He bestows. Satan denied this (<b>1:9-11</b>), but Job proved him<br/> wrong (<b>1:20-22; 2:10</b>).<br/><br/> * <b>The question of suffering is addressed</b> - Why do we suffer? Who<br/> or what causes it? Why doesn't God do something? Not all<br/> questions are answered, but some important points are made:<br/><br/> - <u>Man is unable to subject the painful experiences of human</u><br/> <u>existence to a meaningful analysis</u> - God's workings are<br/> beyond man's ability to fathom. Man simply cannot tie all<br/> the "loose ends" of the Lord's purposes together. We must<br/> learn to trust in God, no matter the circumstances.<br/><br/> - <u>Suffering is not always the result of personal sin</u> - The<br/> erroneous conclusion drawn by Job's friends is that suffering<br/> is always a consequence of sin. Job proves this is not the<br/> case.<br/><br/> - <u>Suffering may be allowed as a compliment to one's spirituality</u><br/> - God allowed Job to suffer to prove to Satan what kind of man<br/> he really was. What confidence God had in Job!<br/><br/> * <b>The book paints a beautiful picture of "patience"</b> - The Greek word<br/> is "hupomone", which describes the trait of one who is able to<br/> abide under the weight of trials. From the "patience of Job", we<br/> learn that it means to maintain fidelity to God, even under great<br/> trials in which we do not understand what is happening.<br/><br/> * <b>The book also prepares the way for the coming of Jesus Christ!</b><br/> - His coming is anticipated in several ways. Job longs for a<br/> mediator between him and God (<b>9:33; 33:23</b>), and Jesus is one<br/> (<b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/1Ti%202.5" class="lbsBibleRef">1Ti 2:5</a></b>). Job confessed his faith in a Redeemer who would one<br/> day come (<b>19:25</b>); Christ is that Redeemer (<b><a target="_blank" href="http://biblia.com/bible/nkjv/Ep%201.7" class="lbsBibleRef">Ep 1:7</a></b>)!<br/><br/> Should Ordination Require Seminary or Bible College?tag:abcpreachers.ning.com,2009-08-13:916966:Topic:9182472009-08-13T01:22:50.122ZMark H. Stevens, Th.Dhttp://abcpreachers.ning.com/profile/Mark28
I personally say yes! If a doctor or a lawyer must train intensely to care for your physical well being how much more important is the care of ones spirit and soul?
I personally say yes! If a doctor or a lawyer must train intensely to care for your physical well being how much more important is the care of ones spirit and soul?