Book: The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2   

Title: INTRODUCTION

The Story

The book of Job is first and foremost a story. Whether it is factual history or a fictional story with great lessons is not stated. It is essentially about a good man, Job, who suffers loss of his property and family and then his health. Three friends come to console him and the bulk of the book is made up of the speeches of all of them. The crucial thing about this crisis of Job's life, is that none of them know that it is, in fact, a test devised by God and Satan to prove Job's faith. Thus there are a variety of arguments about why this has happened to Job.

The Value of the Book

While we consider it to be one of the harder books of the Bible to really take in and understand, we will also suggest that it is immensely rewarding to work through the poetic-prose style to discern the depths of the arguments about righteousness and sin in the world. You are advised to only attempt these studies if you really want to learn the depths of the wisdom of God and the ways of mankind. It will require hard work, perseverance and prayer.

The Structure of the Book

The Structure of these Studies

This set of 32 studies covers chapters 1 to 14 as follows:

Part 1 – Ch. 1 & 2

In this first part we will observe the courts of heaven, the conversation between God and Satan and the two tests of Job that are agree upon, their application and how Job responds. Crucial chapters to take in!

Book: The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2       

Title: Our Style & Approach in these Studies

Each Section & Designations

The design of these studies always means we try to do about seven studies and then have a Recap. In this particular set of studies we will, after the ‘Courts of Heaven' episode in chapters 1 & 2 (taking us to the first Recap), cover two speeches per section, except the last one which is a particularly long speech by Job. We will designate each speech by the speaker and a number that indicates which number speech it is. In this particular set Job speaks 4 times and his ‘friends' speak only once each.

Style of Writing and our Approach

The writing is in poetic style from chapters 3 onwards. There is lots of poetic language, words pictures painted to convey truth. Much of the time that is quite clear and easy to understand once you take in the picture. Where pictures are repetitious we may simply ask you to list the things that are being said, to save time and space. Where meanings are more difficult we will tend to work verse by verse through our commentary. Thus you may find the numbers of verses covered by particular studies, vary – but this, we hope, simply indicates the ease or otherwise of the passage.

Understanding the Speeches

The speeches form the bulk of the book and so it is important to understand what each person is saying. To that end, at the end of each few studies covering any person, we take what has been written previously and represent it in shortened form to create a summary or synopsis of that speech. In such a way we hope they will be more memorable.

Depth of Understanding

Having written these studies, and also meditations that appear elsewhere on this site, we are convinced that for a full appreciation of Job it needs studying three or four times. We accept therefore that these studies will serve only as an introduction, but even in this, they need hard work and perseverance. We hope you enjoy them and find the challenge fulfilling.

Book: The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2

Study No.1                  Passage: Job 1:1-5         

Title: A Rich but Blameless Man

 A. Find Out

1. How is Job described? v.1

2. How many family members did he have? v.2

3. What did he own? v.3

4. What did his family do regularly? v.4

5. What would he do for his family? v.5a

6. Why? v.5b

B. Think:

1. What was Job's relationship with God?

2. How did Job lead his life?

3. In what practical way did he bring the two together?

C. Comment:

Uz (v.1a) is thought to be north of Arabia , near the Euphrates river. There lived a prosperous, affluent, godly and upright man by the name of Job. Observe the first description given of him: blameless and upright (v.1b). To be blameless means that you cannot be declared guilty of any wrong. To be upright means to be morally good. We must remember in all that follows Job is NOT being punished for his wrongs; there are none! He fears God (v.1c) so he has an awareness of God and has a reverential attitude toward Him. Perhaps it might be said that at the moment he knows little of grace, but for that you can't fault him because at that time revelation was strictly limited. He shuns evil, i.e. he positively steers clear of wrong. This is a good man by every standard!

Note also that he is a very prosperous man. By any standard it is an impressive list of the creatures he owned (v.3). When he is described as “the greatest man among all the people of the East” (v.3), this says he was very rich!

He is also mindful of the potential sin of his children (v.4,5). He cares for them and seeks to protect them from God's anger by sacrificing on their behalf after parties. In every way he is a good man, so why did disaster fall on him? We will see in the ensuing studies. It certainly wasn't because he deserved it!

D. Application:

1. Do we equate disasters with our having done wrong?

2. Can we trust in God's love even when things go wrong?

Book: The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2

Study No.2                  Passage: Job 1:6-12         

Title: Test No.1 is set up

A. Find Out

1. Who came where, to do what? v.6 

2. What did the Lord ask & what answer was given? v.7 

3. How did the Lord describe Job? v.8 

4. Why did Satan say that was? v.9,10 

5. How did he say things might change? v.11

6. What parameters did the Lord set? v.12

B. Think:

1. Who instigated this test? 

2. What sort of man is Job according to God? (Remember this!)

3. What was going to happen to happen in this first test?

C. Comment:

We see here a conversation between the Lord and Satan. It happens when God has all the angels (including Satan, the accuser) in His presence for a time of accounting (v.6). The Lord knows everything and so His questions are simply to allow the angels to contribute to the heavenly gathering. When He questions Satan (v.7), Satan reveals he has been on the earth (which the Lord knew) and so the Lord focuses the conversation on Job (v.8a).

It is important to note God's description of Job in all that follows: blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil (v.8b). He is a good man – and that's God's assessment of him. Now I would suggest that the Lord knew exactly how Satan would respond. He snidely suggests that Job is only like that because God has protected him (v.10) and blessed him, but if He removed all that, it might be very different (v.11). Very well, says the Lord, take away all his possessions (v.12) and see what sort of person he is (implied). It is never specifically stated but the clear and obvious test is to see that Job remains righteous – blameless, upright, fearing God and shunning evil in the face of having everything taken away

D. Application:

1. Testing of our faith produces perseverance (Jas 1:2,3) and develops

    maturity.

2. Successfully passing the test also glorifies the Lord.

3. Satan tempts to get us to fail, God tests to get us to pass!

Book: The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2

Study No.3                  Passage: Job 1:13-22         

Title: Test No.1 is applied

A. Find Out

1. What first happened? v.14,15

2. What next happened? v.16

3. What third thing happened? v.17

4. What fourth thing happened? v.18,19

5. What was Job's immediate response? v.20

6. What did he declare? v.21,22

B. Think:

1. What do the four catastrophes tell us about Satan's power?

2. Yet how was he limited?

3. What does Job's response tell us about him?

C. Comment:

From the previous verses we know that all that follows is at Satan's instigating. First of all he provokes some Sabeans to steal Job's oxen and donkeys (v.14,15). Next he provides lighting to kill all Job's sheep (v.16). Third, he provokes Chaldeans to steal all Job's camels (v.17). Finally he provides a mighty wind that collapses the house where all Job's children are feasting and they are killed (v.18,19). Thus we see two instances of his provoking hostile peoples to rise against Job and two instances of Satan being able to change the weather for his purposes. This is power to provoke people and power to change nature.

Now what is very important to remember is that he is only allowed to exercise this power at God's discretion and he can only go as far as God allows him – and it is all in accordance with God's plans and purposes that he is working out on the earth.

Job's response is quite remarkable: first he mourns his loss and then he worships God (v.20). It is right to mourn but he holds himself in a right place by worshipping God – despite whatever happens! He recognises (v.21) that everything he has in the world is a gift from God and if the Lord decrees it should be taken away, then he will rest in the Lord's will!

D. Application:

1. Can we rest in the sovereignty and love of God, knowing that whatever

    happens, He is supreme and works for us? (Rom 8:28 )

2. Can we worship the Lord, whatever happens in life?

Book: The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2

Study No.4                  Passage: Job 2:1-6       

Title: Test No.2 is set up

A. Find Out:

1. How did the conversation start again? v.1,2

2. How did the Lord again describe Job? v.3a

3. What did He add in His description of him? v.3b

4. What did Satan say a man would do? v.4

5. When did he say a man would curse God? v.5

6. So how far did the Lord allow him to go? v.6

B. Think:

1. How was this time in heaven similar to the previous time?

2. How did it differ?

C. Comment:

The practice of the angels coming before the Lord to account for their activity seems a regular thing for they come in the same way as had previously been recounted (v.1) and again the Lord enquires of Satan what he has been doing (v.2), and again points out Job to him (v.3a), again commenting how blameless and upright he is but is able to add, despite all that has happened to him (v.3b).

Yes, that's all very well, replies Satan, but you haven't attacked his very life yet (implied v.4), but if you attack him physically you may find a very different response – he'll curse you! (v.5). Very well, says the Lord, do what you will but spare his life.

Now this raises an interesting question because the Bible indicates that God knows everything – including the future – and so He surely knows the outcome, so why go through all this? The answer surely has to be for our benefit and for Satan's. The Lord knows that Job may say some silly things but essentially will remain righteous and will not curse God. But he has to go through it to prove the point. There is no good God just saying that Job would stand up to it; we have to see that in the every experience of it, he overcame. Moreover, along the way, we are going to be able to examine some key issues in respect of life, sin, humanity, the Lord, righteousness and forgiveness. There are going to be lots of valuable lessons to be learnt in this book.

D. Application:

1. When the Lord tests us it is for our benefit, not his.

2. Satan can only go as far as the Lord permits for His perfect will.

The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2

Study No.5                  Passage: Job 2:7-13       

Title: Test No.2 is applied & his friends arrive

A. Find Out:

1. What affliction did Satan bring to Job? v.7

2. What did Job's wife counsel? v.9

3. What was Job's response? v.10a

4. How are Job's responses summarised? v.10b

5. What was the intention of the three friends? v.11

6. What was their response when they saw him? v.12

7. What did they do for the next week? v.13

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise the response of Job's wife?

2. How would you summarise Job's response?

3. What do you feel about the intentions and response of the friends?

C. Comment:

  Satan proceeds with the next attack and Job is afflicted with sores from head to toe and is in great physical anguish (v.7). He tries to alleviate his plight by scraping the sores (v.8). His wife (v.9) unwittingly we hope, sides with Satan and provokes Job to give up and just curse God. She seems to have no ‘fear of the Lord'. But Job, even in his anguish, rebukes her for silly talk. We're quite happy to take all good things from God. Why shouldn't be take the bad as well? The Biblical testimony is clear: he did not sin in his responses.

  Then come the three ‘friends' (v.11) who have heard of what has happened and who had agreed to come and sympathise and comfort him. Now if that was all they had done that would have been good but, as we shall see, they went far beyond that. When they come to his home and see his plight they weep and anguish with him (v.12) and then sit with him in silence for the next week (v.13). In this they show their empathy and the start of their activity is really good. When we are in similar circumstances, more than anything else, we want understanding. How often do we plough in with good advice when all that is wanted is empathy and understanding?

D. Application:

1. The mouth of a wife can lift up or pull down. Think about it!

2. When friends are in anguish they first of all want to know that we are

    simply there for them. Think how you can do that.

Book: The Anguish of Job (Job, chapters 1-14)

Series 1 of 3 in Job: Part 1 of 5: Chapters 1 & 2

Title: RECAP 1: Plans in Heaven - Ch. 1 & 2

SUMMARY :  

In this first group of 5 studies we have seen :

- Job living a righteous life

- Satan coming to heaven & being questioned by God

- The Lord allowing him to take all Job's possessions

- Job worshipping and responding well.

- The Lord allowing Satan to afflict Job with sores

- Job responding well – despite his wife

- Job's three friends coming to comfort him.

COMMENT:

The revelation of these two chapters is the key to understanding the rest of the book. Two tests are brought to Job – first the removal of all his possession and then his heath – by Satan at God's instigation. In both of these Job refuses to curse God and in this, his responses are excellent.

Satan is seen as a grief bringer, Job's wife is seen as a discourager and, at first sight, his three friends are seen as those who empathise and understand what he is going through.

LESSONS?

1. It is possible to live a righteous life.

2. God reigns over all that happens in heaven.

3. Satan seeks destruction and is given power by God.

4. The Lord looks for us to remain faithful in whatever happens.

5. Discouragement may come from those closest to us.

PRAY:

Thank the Lord that we know that in all things He is working to bring good to us who are his children (Rom 8:28 ).

PART 2: "Job & Eliphaz"

In this next Part there are two sections. In the first (Ch.3), we will start to catch something of the reality of what Job feels. It is important to understand the reality of what he felt, the measure of his anguish. In the second (Ch.4 & 5) we will see Eliphaz claiming special revelation, declaring that life is just full of trouble, but maintaining that the Lord will restore us if we call on Him.