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Walking Thru The Bible
JOB
INTRODUCTION
Author: We don't know who is the author of the book of
Job. It may have been handed down by the patriarchs by oral
inspiration until it was put into inspired written format.
Ancient Jewish sources say "The only tradition which has
come down to us with respect to the authorship of the Book
of Job ascribes it to Moses."
The book is named after its principal character. He may
have written it himself.
Date: The date it was written is unsure, with theories
ranging from pre-Mosaic times to the time of Solomon. The
book itself gives no indication as to time of authorship or
date of composition. If Moses wrote the book the date would
fall between 1500-1400 BC.
The events recorded occurred long before Moses' time.
Job probably lived about the time of Abraham.
Key Verses: 1:21, ". . . Naked came I out of my mother's
womb and naked shall I return thither" Jehovah gave,
and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of
Jehovah."
Key Thought: Why do the righteous suffer?
Key Word: Tried.
Key Persons:
Job, a patriarchal chieftain of Uz, a godly man who is
suddenly robbed of his children, his wealth and his
health;
His wife, who unconsciously becomes a tool of Satan urging
Job to renounce God;
Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, his three friends of long
standing. These three being wise men (philosophers)
discuss with Job the reasons for his misfortune. They,
too, inadvertently are used by Satan to try to destroy Job.
Elihu, a youthful observer, who injects himself into the
discussion;
Jehovah in heaven who is proud of Job's righteous life and
allows him to be tested to prove his loyalty;
Satan, the adversary and accuser of God's children who is
determined to discredit and destroy Job.
Type of Literature: It is dramatic poetry with a prose
narrative for introduction and closing. It is based on a true
historical episode (Ezekiel 14:14,20; James 5:11).
Period of History: Internal evidence suggests that the
events took place in the patriarchal period prior to 1450 B.C.
Purposes: To reveal that suffering in itself is not proof of
God's displeasure.
Message: The book teaches that men should be righteous,
not simply to gain peace of mind, health, or wealth. These
are rewards and by-products of righteousness. God wants us
to serve him because we love him and because it is the right
thing to do, not because of what we can get from him.
ABOUT THE MAN, JOB:
Job was a real historic person, not mythical or symbolic
(Ezekiel 14:14; James 5:11). His home was the land of Uz
(Job 1:1), on the border of Edom (Lam. 4:21), Southeast of
Palestine near the Dead Sea. He had seven sons and three
daughters (Job 1:2). It was an age of polygamy but it is
noteworthy that he had but one wife.
Job was wealthy having seven thousand sheep, three
thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five
hundred she asses. He was greatest of all the children of the
east (Job 1:3).
Job's character is described as perfect, i.e., mature and
complete. He was upright, straight in his dwellings. He
feared God with a reverent respect. He turned away from
evil in his moral conduct (Job 1:8). He was sympathetic
toward the unfortunate (Job 30:25).
Job was a "Wise Man" (Job 15:2). This meant far more
than just brilliant; it was an honored title for respected
philosophers and counsellors. The wise men collected the
wisdom of the world and taught it to their fellowman. He
personally feared God and continually led his family in
sacrificial worship (Job 1:5). This indicates the patriarchal
form of worship.
ABOUT JOB'S WIFE AND FRIENDS:
His wife: Satan could have destroyed her with Job's
children. Instead he used her to try to destroy Job. She urged
Job to do just what Satan had said he would (compare 1:11
and 2:9). Her faith was shallow and unable to stand the
testing.
His friends: The three friends represent four kinds of
authority in religion.
Eliphaz claimed a religious experience, basing his
arguments on dreams and visions (4:12-17).
Bildad based his authority on religious traditions.
He did not reflect much originality or independence of
thought.
Zophar was a practical man of common sense who
appealed to human experience and wisdom (20:2-5). His
language was more violent and offensive. He represents the
prejudice and narrow-minded bigotry of mankind, thinking
he knew all.
Elihu claimed to speak for God by inspiration
(32:8). He appears to be a younger man who was an
observer of the discussion (32:6). He was an impetuous
youth. He sought to defend God, arguing that affliction is
the chastisement of a loving Father.
The friends argued that all suffering is the result of personal
sin, therefore Job's great suffering proved him to be a great
sinner.
- - - SERMON - - -
What Do You Weigh?
Job 31:6
Introduction:
1. On the front page of a newspaper sometime ago
appeared a most attractive pen picture. It was an
old-fashioned set of balances, or scales. In the weighing pan
on one side was a picture of very fat sultan of middle
eastern country. His head was adorned with a silk
turban, and a happy smile wreathed his face.
2. As we think of that picture, there are a couple of
passages of Scripture which come immediately to our
mind.
a. Belshazzar gave a great feast. Before the astonished
eyes of his guests, a part of a hand came out from
nowhere and wrote on the wall four words: "Mene,
Mene, Tekel, Upharsin."
b. The other verse is the one in Job 31:6, and this filled
with such a great message for us: "Let me be
weighted in an even balance, that God may know
mine integrity." Job was talking to his so-called
comforters. They had been interpreting his disasters
as the result of his disobedience and sins. His
defense was this magnificent statement: "Let God
weigh me in an even balance [that is, in scales that
are perfectly balanced], and both you and God can
examine my integrity."
FIRST, WHAT DO YOU WEIGH IN YOUR OWN SCALES?
1. This set is individual and belongs to you alone. No one
can see the face of it except you. There are many things
about you that no one else knows. You know yourself
better than anyone else in the world knows you. What
do you weigh in your own little private set of scales?
2. Paul said, "Let a man examine himself." (I Cor. 11:28).
To what do you aspire? What is the purpose of your
life? What kinds of pictures do you hang on the walls of
your imagination?
3. Several years ago a preacher told of young lady that he
and his wife had taken into their home for a few weeks.
4. What you weigh in your own scales is most important.
It can bring happiness and joy. It can add zest to life and
help you face the dawn of a new day with joy and
confidence. On the other hand, what you feel about
yourself can make you feel terrible and rotten and not fit
to live with not caring to live.
5. It can mean having the abundant life that Jesus told us
about or it can mean a miserable existence and even
death. First, what do you weigh in your own scales?
NEXT, WHAT DO YOU WEIGH IN THE SCALES OF OTHERS?
1. These are the scales that you cannot see. They are
turned facing the other way. We are familiar with the
little sentence, "O wad some power the giftie gie us to
see oursels as ithers see us!"
2. These scales are more important than we sometimes
think. Influence is sacred. No Christian has the right to
say, "I don't care what people think of me." "Adorn the
doctrine [gospel of God" (Titus 2:5).
3. "What do you weigh in the scales of other people?" is a
searching question.
4. Illustration from a famous preacher in a
Gospel Meeting in Abilene, Texas.
FINALLY, WHAT DO WE WEIGH IN THE SCALES OF GOD?
1. These are the scales about which Job is talking. His
desire was that God would weigh him in an even balance
so that God might know his integrity.
2. How many of us would want the people we know to look
at God's scales when we are put in that even balance?
3. Of course, God's scales don't weight in pounds and
ounces, and Job wasn't talking about that kind of weight.
He was talking about those scales of God which weigh
the intangible things, the invisible things. God's scales
do weigh such things as integrity, courage, zeal for the
kingdom's work, honesty, sincerity, earnestness, and
especially faith.
4. Friend, if God were to weigh you in his balances, what
kind of a faith would he find? Is yours a trusting
obedient faith?
5. If you want to correct what the Lord knows about you in
his scales make your life right with Him; obey the
Gospel!
Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins.