Speeches
Eliphaz
His theology insists that God blesses us when we live righteously (4:1-6) and curses us when we live wickedly (4:7-11). He claims to have spiritual insights on this subject (4:12-21). Job is a fallen human being (5:1-7) and should just admit whatever wrong he has committed (5:8-16). God will forgive and restore Job if he will only take his friends’ advice (5:17-27).
Job
He admits his words have been harsh, but they are his true feelings (6:1-7). Job wants to die before his emotions get the better of him and cause him to curse God (6:8-10). He feels powerless and hopeless (6:11-13). Eliphaz’ speech was not helpful (6:14-23) in that he seemed more interested in philosophy than in actually considering Job’s situation (6:24-30). Job feels like he has worked and served for nothing (7:1-5). Since he will soon die and be forgotten (7:6-10), why shouldn’t he cry out and long for death (7:11-16). Job has no idea why God has brought such suffering into his life (7:17-21).
Bildad
Bildad also believes that suffering is the consequence of sin and that blessing will come if seeks after God (8:1-7). He believes his view is tested and true (8:8-19). If Job gets back to righteousness, things will get better soon (8:20-22).
Job
Job tends to agree with the ancient wisdom, but is baffled as to how to measure up to God’s standards (9:1-20). Disaster ultimately happens to everyone and Job can’t figure out who could be behind this other than God (9:21-24). Life feels short, but not so sweet (9:25-26). Pretending like everything is OK doesn’t work (9:27-29). Nor can he make himself righteous before God (9:30-31). The only solution, as Job sees it, would be if God were a man or if there was a mediator between he and God (Job 9:32-35). In the absence of that, Job simply wants to hear what charges God has against him (10:1-2). He has questions about God’s goodness and greatness (10:3-17). If He’s not going to reveal the reasons for His wrath, God should remove his wrath and let Job die in peace (10:18-22).
Zophar
Zophar is very upset that Job is questioning conventional wisdom (11:1-6). If God is punishing Job, surely He must be doing so because Job has sinned (11:7-12). If Job would simply repent, everything would get better (11:13-20).
Job
Job has heard all this conventional wisdom time and time again, but it doesn’t ring true in his situation (12:1-6). Job and his friends were in agreement that God was in complete control of all of earth’s happenings (12:7-25). But Job thinks his friends should stop speaking. Their cookie-cutter theology doesn’t match the real world circumstances (13:1-12). Job would much rather face God in a trial setting than endure this seeming silence (13:13-28). Apart from this, he wishes God would just leave people alone (14:1-6). He wishes there were such a thing as life after death (14:7-17). But, alas, he doesn’t believe in such a thing (14:18-20). Living through his children is not an option for him and doesn’t really work anyway (14:21-22).
Eliphaz
Eliphaz is offended by Job’s speeches and insists that Job is in the wrong (15:1-6). Job is going against ancient wisdom that was considered to be of divine origin (15:7-13). Job should humble himself (15:14-16). Eliphaz concedes that wicked men may temporarily prosper, but he states with certainty that the wicked will face punishment in this life and have no hope for the future (15:17-35). Eliphaz is implying that this is the case with Job.
Job
Job is beginning to realize that it may be his friends’ fear that is prompting them to argue against him (16:1-5). All these words are getting him nowhere since, from Job’s perspective, God is still targeting him without cause (16:6-17). Even still, Job persists in prayer and believes that there must be an advocate for him in heaven (16:18-21), but will he be vindicated from his accusers before it’s too late (16:22-17:9)? Job sarcastically suggests that his friends should start their speeches over since nothing they have said so far has actually addressed his hopelessness (17:10-16).
Bildad
Bildad doesn’t see why they should abandon long-held beliefs for the sake of one man’s circumstances (18:1-4). He simply reiterates that what has happened to Job must have come as a consequence of sin (18:5-21).
Job
Again, Job is recognizing that more is at stake for his friends than just proving him wrong (19:1-4). The bigger issue is reconciling the sovereignty and goodness of God with the severity of pain (19:5-7). Indeed, in Job’s case it seems like God is his attacker (19:8-13). And to add insult to injury, God has turned everyone against him (19:14-20). Job just wishes his friends had pity on him (19:21-22). He disagrees with Bildad and believes his circumstances do in fact merit a re-writing of long-held beliefs (19:23-24). Even still, Job is beginning to hope and long for some form of life after death (19:25-27). His friends, though, should consider the possibility that their wrath against Job is itself a sin worthy of judgment (19:28-29).
Zophar
Zophar sees Job pointing the finger back at him and isn’t happy about it (20:1-3). Like Bildad, all that is left for him is to insist that disaster comes upon the wicked as a form of punishment from God and seeing how Job has experienced disaster he must fit in the category of wickedness (20:4-29).
Job
Job just wants his friends to truly listen to him (21:1-3). If they would just look around they would see that many wicked people actually prosper despite their rejection of God (21:4-16). God’s justice is not timely and is, therefore, practically irrelevant (21:17-26). Word on the street doesn’t match the words coming from Zophar’s mouth (21:27-34).
Eliphaz
Eliphaz’ last speech begins by claiming that man is too insignificant to be the apple of God’s eye (22:1-3). He can’t fathom that Job would be suffering because of his righteousness (22:4). It makes much more sense to suggest that Job must have sinned and so Eliphaz begins to speculate about what Job might have done (22:5-11). The wicked shouldn’t be surprised when God sends punishment (22:12-20). If Job will simply submit to God then he will begin to prosper once again (22:21-30).
Job
Job feels stuck. His suffering isn’t subsiding (23:1-2) and he has no access to God to figure out why it has come upon him in the first place (23:3-9). His only hope is that God will vindicate him when/if the suffering ends (23:10-12), but he still sees the source of his suffering as God (23:13-17). Job wonders why God doesn’t judge evil in a timelier manner (24:1-17). His only hope is to trust that justice will eventually be done (24:18-25).
Bildad
Bildad’s final speech is very short. He emphasizes that God is great and compares people to maggots and worms (25:1-6). His point seems to be that the human race is of no special significance to God. This basically contradicts his own earlier statements that God blesses the righteous. His argument is falling apart.
Job
Job says that his friends have said nothing helpful (26:1-4). God is all-powerful and beyond figuring out (26:5-14). Job continues speaking instead of letting Zophar give a third speech (27:1). Job was willing to go to the grave while insisting on his innocence (27:2-10). He trusts that God, in His power, will eventually judge the wicked (27:11-23).
Job considers how humanity is able to successfully mine for precious resources (28:1-11). Wisdom, however, is more valuable and harder to come by (28:12-19). It comes only to the person who realizes that it belongs to God (28:20-28).
Job longs for the former days when God’s blessing was over him (29:1-11). Job had been a righteous man who looked out for those who were suffering (29:12-17). He had thought that life would go on like this for the rest of his life (29:18-20). But Job has experienced a complete reversal. Now, instead of being the most respected man in his community (29:21-25), Job was being mocked by the lowest of the low (30:1-10). He is being terrorized and is on the brink of death (30:11-19).
Job prayed to God for help and the reply was silence and, worse yet, further attack (30:20-30)! All this despite the fact that Job has searched his life and found no areas of sin. He has not sinned sexually, socially, or spiritually (31:1-34). Job has nothing left to but to restate his desire to state his innocence directly to God (31:35-40).
Introduction to Elihu
When the dialogue between Job and his three friends had reached an impasse a younger man named Elihu spoke out in anger (32:1). He was angry with Job for attempting to justify himself rather than God (32:2). He was angry with the three friends for condemning Job without having any genuine evidence or argument against him (32:3). Elihu had waited before speaking because of his age, but his frustration with how the conversation had ended stirred him to speak (32:4-5).
Elihu’s Justification for Joining In
Elihu begins by explaining why he should be listened to. He had humbly waited his turn (32:6-7), but wisdom comes from the Lord and not necessarily from age (32:8-10). Indeed, their words had failed (32:11-15) and he felt compelled to bring the conversation to completion (32:16-20). Elihu sees himself as an impartial witness in these proceedings (32:21-22). He speaks with sincere integrity (33:1-4) and suggests he is an ideal dialogue partner for Job (33:5-7, 31-33).
Elihu Appraisal of Job
Elihu had listened well and understood Job’s arguments. Job believed he was innocent, under attack from God, and that God was silent (33:8-11). But Elihu insists that God was not silent in Job’s situation, rather, he was speaking through Job’s pain (33:12-22). Job could be restored by grace (33:23-28), but would need a new and improved view of pain and suffering (33:29-30).
Elihu’s Appraisal of the Dialogue
Elihu invited the friends to listen to him (34:1-4). Job had put into question God’s justice (34:5-9), so Elihu felt the need to defend God (34:10-28). Who are we to question God when He seems silent (34:29-30)? Job should repent, not only for his previous sins, but also of the accusatory nature of his speeches against God (34:31-37).
Elihu’s Own Argument
Elihu doesn’t like the conclusions that Job has reached (35:1-4). He seems to repeat an earlier argument that God is too big to be overly concerned with man’s behavior (35:5-8). Wicked people don’t credit God when things are going good, and then they get mad at God when things go badly. Why should God respond to such people when they cry out to Him? And why should God respond to Job when he accuses Him of injustice and indifference (9-16)?
Elihu’s Big Conclusion
Elihu is very confident that his words are true (36:1-4). God is just (36:5-7), and because of this justice He must discipline people before they are acceptable to Him. We should view this discipline as God’s word to us. We can either learn the lesson or suffer the consequences (36:8-15). Job’s problem is that he doesn’t seem to be growing through his trials (36:16-21). Elihu insists that God’s ways are mysterious and beyond our complete comprehension (36:22-37:24).
Introduction to the LORD
It may be the case that, as Elihu was finishing his speech, a storm was emerging (36:27-37:13). The LORD answered Job out of the storm (38:1, perhaps meant both literally and symbolically). He rebukes Job for speaking in ignorance (38:2). God, not Job, will ask the questions (38:3).
LORD of the Land (Creation)
The LORD begins by asking Job rhetorical questions about the creation. Where was Job when God created the earth (38:4-7)? How about when He set the limits of the sea (38:8-11)? Does Job control when the day dawns (38:12-15)? Has he discovered the depth and the breadth of the earth (38:16-18)? Does he control light and darkness (38:19-21)? Is he in charge of the weather (38:22-30)? Is he sovereign over the stars and skies? (38:31-35)? Is Job the source of wisdom (38:36-38)?
LORD of the Living (Creatures)
The LORD continues by asking Job rhetorical questions about living creatures. Does Job provide food for the animals (38:39-41)? Does he watch over their cycle of reproduction (39:1-4)? Is Job the one in charge of the wild (39:5-12)? Did he endow even the dumb animals with skills to survive (39:13-18)? Did Job design the horse for battle (39:19-25)? Did he teach the birds to fly and find food (39:26-30)?
A Brief Exchange with Job
The pointed questions in the previous section seem to be aimed at humbling Job. He’s not the source and Sovereign over creation. He’s not the one who cares for and equips the animals. Is it really Job’s place to give God advice (40:1-2)? Job realizes his humble status and silences himself before the LORD (40:3-4).
The Largeness of the LORD
The LORD begins a second round of questions for Job (40:6-7). In defending himself, Job had essentially put God on trial (40:8). But God is the judge and Job isn’t qualified to sit in that seat (40:9-14). If the first speech was meant to humble Job (give him a proper view of self), then the second speech is meant to exalt God (give Job a proper view of the LORD). God is even bigger than the biggest creatures known to man (40:15-41:34).
Job’s Response to God’s Speech
In response to God’s speech, Job exalts God (42:1-2). He confesses that he had been speaking in ignorance and had failed to leave room for mystery (42:3). Previously, Job had held a high view of God in theory, but now he realized how great God truly was in practice (42:4-5). The only proper response was repentance (42:6).
His theology insists that God blesses us when we live righteously (4:1-6) and curses us when we live wickedly (4:7-11). He claims to have spiritual insights on this subject (4:12-21). Job is a fallen human being (5:1-7) and should just admit whatever wrong he has committed (5:8-16). God will forgive and restore Job if he will only take his friends’ advice (5:17-27).
Job
He admits his words have been harsh, but they are his true feelings (6:1-7). Job wants to die before his emotions get the better of him and cause him to curse God (6:8-10). He feels powerless and hopeless (6:11-13). Eliphaz’ speech was not helpful (6:14-23) in that he seemed more interested in philosophy than in actually considering Job’s situation (6:24-30). Job feels like he has worked and served for nothing (7:1-5). Since he will soon die and be forgotten (7:6-10), why shouldn’t he cry out and long for death (7:11-16). Job has no idea why God has brought such suffering into his life (7:17-21).
Bildad
Bildad also believes that suffering is the consequence of sin and that blessing will come if seeks after God (8:1-7). He believes his view is tested and true (8:8-19). If Job gets back to righteousness, things will get better soon (8:20-22).
Job
Job tends to agree with the ancient wisdom, but is baffled as to how to measure up to God’s standards (9:1-20). Disaster ultimately happens to everyone and Job can’t figure out who could be behind this other than God (9:21-24). Life feels short, but not so sweet (9:25-26). Pretending like everything is OK doesn’t work (9:27-29). Nor can he make himself righteous before God (9:30-31). The only solution, as Job sees it, would be if God were a man or if there was a mediator between he and God (Job 9:32-35). In the absence of that, Job simply wants to hear what charges God has against him (10:1-2). He has questions about God’s goodness and greatness (10:3-17). If He’s not going to reveal the reasons for His wrath, God should remove his wrath and let Job die in peace (10:18-22).
Zophar
Zophar is very upset that Job is questioning conventional wisdom (11:1-6). If God is punishing Job, surely He must be doing so because Job has sinned (11:7-12). If Job would simply repent, everything would get better (11:13-20).
Job
Job has heard all this conventional wisdom time and time again, but it doesn’t ring true in his situation (12:1-6). Job and his friends were in agreement that God was in complete control of all of earth’s happenings (12:7-25). But Job thinks his friends should stop speaking. Their cookie-cutter theology doesn’t match the real world circumstances (13:1-12). Job would much rather face God in a trial setting than endure this seeming silence (13:13-28). Apart from this, he wishes God would just leave people alone (14:1-6). He wishes there were such a thing as life after death (14:7-17). But, alas, he doesn’t believe in such a thing (14:18-20). Living through his children is not an option for him and doesn’t really work anyway (14:21-22).
Eliphaz
Eliphaz is offended by Job’s speeches and insists that Job is in the wrong (15:1-6). Job is going against ancient wisdom that was considered to be of divine origin (15:7-13). Job should humble himself (15:14-16). Eliphaz concedes that wicked men may temporarily prosper, but he states with certainty that the wicked will face punishment in this life and have no hope for the future (15:17-35). Eliphaz is implying that this is the case with Job.
Job
Job is beginning to realize that it may be his friends’ fear that is prompting them to argue against him (16:1-5). All these words are getting him nowhere since, from Job’s perspective, God is still targeting him without cause (16:6-17). Even still, Job persists in prayer and believes that there must be an advocate for him in heaven (16:18-21), but will he be vindicated from his accusers before it’s too late (16:22-17:9)? Job sarcastically suggests that his friends should start their speeches over since nothing they have said so far has actually addressed his hopelessness (17:10-16).
Bildad
Bildad doesn’t see why they should abandon long-held beliefs for the sake of one man’s circumstances (18:1-4). He simply reiterates that what has happened to Job must have come as a consequence of sin (18:5-21).
Job
Again, Job is recognizing that more is at stake for his friends than just proving him wrong (19:1-4). The bigger issue is reconciling the sovereignty and goodness of God with the severity of pain (19:5-7). Indeed, in Job’s case it seems like God is his attacker (19:8-13). And to add insult to injury, God has turned everyone against him (19:14-20). Job just wishes his friends had pity on him (19:21-22). He disagrees with Bildad and believes his circumstances do in fact merit a re-writing of long-held beliefs (19:23-24). Even still, Job is beginning to hope and long for some form of life after death (19:25-27). His friends, though, should consider the possibility that their wrath against Job is itself a sin worthy of judgment (19:28-29).
Zophar
Zophar sees Job pointing the finger back at him and isn’t happy about it (20:1-3). Like Bildad, all that is left for him is to insist that disaster comes upon the wicked as a form of punishment from God and seeing how Job has experienced disaster he must fit in the category of wickedness (20:4-29).
Job
Job just wants his friends to truly listen to him (21:1-3). If they would just look around they would see that many wicked people actually prosper despite their rejection of God (21:4-16). God’s justice is not timely and is, therefore, practically irrelevant (21:17-26). Word on the street doesn’t match the words coming from Zophar’s mouth (21:27-34).
Eliphaz
Eliphaz’ last speech begins by claiming that man is too insignificant to be the apple of God’s eye (22:1-3). He can’t fathom that Job would be suffering because of his righteousness (22:4). It makes much more sense to suggest that Job must have sinned and so Eliphaz begins to speculate about what Job might have done (22:5-11). The wicked shouldn’t be surprised when God sends punishment (22:12-20). If Job will simply submit to God then he will begin to prosper once again (22:21-30).
Job
Job feels stuck. His suffering isn’t subsiding (23:1-2) and he has no access to God to figure out why it has come upon him in the first place (23:3-9). His only hope is that God will vindicate him when/if the suffering ends (23:10-12), but he still sees the source of his suffering as God (23:13-17). Job wonders why God doesn’t judge evil in a timelier manner (24:1-17). His only hope is to trust that justice will eventually be done (24:18-25).
Bildad
Bildad’s final speech is very short. He emphasizes that God is great and compares people to maggots and worms (25:1-6). His point seems to be that the human race is of no special significance to God. This basically contradicts his own earlier statements that God blesses the righteous. His argument is falling apart.
Job
Job says that his friends have said nothing helpful (26:1-4). God is all-powerful and beyond figuring out (26:5-14). Job continues speaking instead of letting Zophar give a third speech (27:1). Job was willing to go to the grave while insisting on his innocence (27:2-10). He trusts that God, in His power, will eventually judge the wicked (27:11-23).
Job considers how humanity is able to successfully mine for precious resources (28:1-11). Wisdom, however, is more valuable and harder to come by (28:12-19). It comes only to the person who realizes that it belongs to God (28:20-28).
Job longs for the former days when God’s blessing was over him (29:1-11). Job had been a righteous man who looked out for those who were suffering (29:12-17). He had thought that life would go on like this for the rest of his life (29:18-20). But Job has experienced a complete reversal. Now, instead of being the most respected man in his community (29:21-25), Job was being mocked by the lowest of the low (30:1-10). He is being terrorized and is on the brink of death (30:11-19).
Job prayed to God for help and the reply was silence and, worse yet, further attack (30:20-30)! All this despite the fact that Job has searched his life and found no areas of sin. He has not sinned sexually, socially, or spiritually (31:1-34). Job has nothing left to but to restate his desire to state his innocence directly to God (31:35-40).
Introduction to Elihu
When the dialogue between Job and his three friends had reached an impasse a younger man named Elihu spoke out in anger (32:1). He was angry with Job for attempting to justify himself rather than God (32:2). He was angry with the three friends for condemning Job without having any genuine evidence or argument against him (32:3). Elihu had waited before speaking because of his age, but his frustration with how the conversation had ended stirred him to speak (32:4-5).
Elihu’s Justification for Joining In
Elihu begins by explaining why he should be listened to. He had humbly waited his turn (32:6-7), but wisdom comes from the Lord and not necessarily from age (32:8-10). Indeed, their words had failed (32:11-15) and he felt compelled to bring the conversation to completion (32:16-20). Elihu sees himself as an impartial witness in these proceedings (32:21-22). He speaks with sincere integrity (33:1-4) and suggests he is an ideal dialogue partner for Job (33:5-7, 31-33).
Elihu Appraisal of Job
Elihu had listened well and understood Job’s arguments. Job believed he was innocent, under attack from God, and that God was silent (33:8-11). But Elihu insists that God was not silent in Job’s situation, rather, he was speaking through Job’s pain (33:12-22). Job could be restored by grace (33:23-28), but would need a new and improved view of pain and suffering (33:29-30).
Elihu’s Appraisal of the Dialogue
Elihu invited the friends to listen to him (34:1-4). Job had put into question God’s justice (34:5-9), so Elihu felt the need to defend God (34:10-28). Who are we to question God when He seems silent (34:29-30)? Job should repent, not only for his previous sins, but also of the accusatory nature of his speeches against God (34:31-37).
Elihu’s Own Argument
Elihu doesn’t like the conclusions that Job has reached (35:1-4). He seems to repeat an earlier argument that God is too big to be overly concerned with man’s behavior (35:5-8). Wicked people don’t credit God when things are going good, and then they get mad at God when things go badly. Why should God respond to such people when they cry out to Him? And why should God respond to Job when he accuses Him of injustice and indifference (9-16)?
Elihu’s Big Conclusion
Elihu is very confident that his words are true (36:1-4). God is just (36:5-7), and because of this justice He must discipline people before they are acceptable to Him. We should view this discipline as God’s word to us. We can either learn the lesson or suffer the consequences (36:8-15). Job’s problem is that he doesn’t seem to be growing through his trials (36:16-21). Elihu insists that God’s ways are mysterious and beyond our complete comprehension (36:22-37:24).
Introduction to the LORD
It may be the case that, as Elihu was finishing his speech, a storm was emerging (36:27-37:13). The LORD answered Job out of the storm (38:1, perhaps meant both literally and symbolically). He rebukes Job for speaking in ignorance (38:2). God, not Job, will ask the questions (38:3).
LORD of the Land (Creation)
The LORD begins by asking Job rhetorical questions about the creation. Where was Job when God created the earth (38:4-7)? How about when He set the limits of the sea (38:8-11)? Does Job control when the day dawns (38:12-15)? Has he discovered the depth and the breadth of the earth (38:16-18)? Does he control light and darkness (38:19-21)? Is he in charge of the weather (38:22-30)? Is he sovereign over the stars and skies? (38:31-35)? Is Job the source of wisdom (38:36-38)?
LORD of the Living (Creatures)
The LORD continues by asking Job rhetorical questions about living creatures. Does Job provide food for the animals (38:39-41)? Does he watch over their cycle of reproduction (39:1-4)? Is Job the one in charge of the wild (39:5-12)? Did he endow even the dumb animals with skills to survive (39:13-18)? Did Job design the horse for battle (39:19-25)? Did he teach the birds to fly and find food (39:26-30)?
A Brief Exchange with Job
The pointed questions in the previous section seem to be aimed at humbling Job. He’s not the source and Sovereign over creation. He’s not the one who cares for and equips the animals. Is it really Job’s place to give God advice (40:1-2)? Job realizes his humble status and silences himself before the LORD (40:3-4).
The Largeness of the LORD
The LORD begins a second round of questions for Job (40:6-7). In defending himself, Job had essentially put God on trial (40:8). But God is the judge and Job isn’t qualified to sit in that seat (40:9-14). If the first speech was meant to humble Job (give him a proper view of self), then the second speech is meant to exalt God (give Job a proper view of the LORD). God is even bigger than the biggest creatures known to man (40:15-41:34).
Job’s Response to God’s Speech
In response to God’s speech, Job exalts God (42:1-2). He confesses that he had been speaking in ignorance and had failed to leave room for mystery (42:3). Previously, Job had held a high view of God in theory, but now he realized how great God truly was in practice (42:4-5). The only proper response was repentance (42:6).
posted by matthew at 12:27 PM
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