That each would be able to understand how to deal with suffering in ones own life and also in the lives of others. The suffering servant of isaiah and the suffering of job. However, during his ordeal of loss and suffering, job gradually came to resent god. Unfortunately, most western christ ian cul tures hold an inadequate theology of suffering also. Patience in suffering 3 lessons by rob harbison and so then in this marvelous book we are privileged to gather the facts for a more complete cosmology. This is why the book of job is considered the most theological book of the old testament. Suffering forces us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in gods resources. This would include job s three friends, young elihu, job s wife, job, and, of course, god himself.
The most puzzling thing is, job was a righteous man. The book of job dramatically sets forth a colossal war between god and satan, and we are. God, for a reason, answered job indirectly and so this left a gap in job s story. Carl jung wrote his response as an answer to job jung, 1952, which he wrote in one burst of energy during an illness. Jobs three friends had taken the position that the severity of jobs suffering must be the sign of some grievous sin in his life. Download pdf job and the mystery of suffering free.
Jobs three friends, however, were certain that god was punishing job for some secret sin, something job could hide from everyone but god. Job does not believe he has sinned and doesnt understand why he is suffering. The name job is the english translation of the hebrew name iyov which means persecuted, hated on the surface job is a long, boring, somewhat confusing book and one might question how it ever came to be grouped with the wisdom books as it is hard to ascertain any wisdom in this tale of woe. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, i should save job. You can find the entire text, if you have the fortitude, on our website. Reflections on suffering from the book of job 3 undeserved suffering, therefore, serves as a dependable, useful model12 for the believer of any generation in dealing with the problem of theodicy. The book of job has long been praised as a masterpiece of literature. In the poem, tabuutulbel, age 52, an official of the city of nippur, cries out that he has been afflicted with various pains and injustices and, asserting his own righteous. Suffering is a tool god uses to get our attention and to accomplish his purposes in our lives. Suffering may be allowed as a compliment to ones spirituality god allowed job to suffer to prove to satan what kind of man he.
The basic concept of wisdom has always been connected with skill and knowhow,15 for wisdom was the art of achieving, and the emphasis was on competence. The book of job is often upheld as an example of godly patience while suffering. Job is heralded for his righteousness, being compared with noah and daniel ezek. The debate is about god, his attributes and how he interacts with humankind. The book of job describes a long and difficult trial he experienced. The book of job is a book in the ketuvim writings section of the hebrew bible tanakh, and. The occasion and events that follow jobs sufferings present significant questions for the faith of believers in all ages. At the same time, it also asks the question we rarely. The book of job, one of the wisdom books of the bible, deals with two issues crucial to every person. God tests his people that they may learn to rely upon him, and him alone for all things. Suffering and the silence of god how can a good god be allpowerful and allow suffering. 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. The suffering of job study i strongly suggest that you begin this study by going to the suffering of job study questions and print the 2 pages if possible and read them.
Learning from the suffering of job united church of god. The thing that prompts jobs friends to make their speeches is his outburst in chapter 3. How the book of job confronts the problem of suffering. Job is one of the most famous people in scripture, yet he is rarely listed as a favorite bible character. Job certainly did suffer, but there is more to his story than just his suffering. Bastiaens, entitled, the language of suffering in job 1619 and in the suffering servant passages of deuteroisaiah. It is designed to build our trust in the almighty, but suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing gods purposes.
It has been reported that during this illness a figure sat on his bedpost. What the book of job teaches us about unexplainable suffering. The book of job is an obvious place to turn when a christian suffers, but it is not easy to discern what god means to teach his people through this difficult book. Jobs friends believed he had sinned, and they tried to get. The suffering of the righteous the church of christ in. Condensed shorten notes prologue chapters 1 2 setting of the council drama with god and satan in heaven challenged to test job limits of satans power chapters 1 2 satans reasoning and challenges attacks jobs character basic argument. The makers of the bible project have made an animated video that explains the theme behind one of the most complex books of the bible. Patience in suffering 2 lessons by rob harbison introductionintroduction lesson 1 background information author. Job explores the difficult question of gods relationship to human suffering, and invites us to trust gods wisdom and character. Who ridicule the teachings of christ as foolishness 2.
Job had 10 children who appear to be adults at the time his suffering began. The central figure in the book of job, jobs intense suffering supplies the framework for the primary theme of the book, which deals with the role of suffering in the life of a believer. This book will attempt to give the real reason job suffered and to thereby fill in this gap. In every generation protests arise saying that if god is good, then there should be no pain, no suffering or death in this world.
In the following video, the book of job is examined and the theme is presented that even though we dont understand why some suffering and hardship exist, god is still wise and just. The ludlulbelnimeqi is a babylonian poem which chronicles the lament of a good man suffering undeservedly. Why would god let a good man go through that kind of suffering. Job pronounced jobe, was a rich farmer living in the land of uz, somewhere northeast of palestine. Set in uz, an obscure land far from israel, during an unknown time period, the book of job focuses on questions about gods justice and why good people suffer. The grace of god in suffering 7 gods grace and your. Saint 6 the sovereignty of god and ethnicbased suffering 123 carl f. Who say we are christians only for what good we can get out of it. The burden of the book of job is to answer this question. Is god to be held to a strict set of regulations based on human inter. Job lived southeast of israel, perhaps east of edom and north of arabia see lamentations 4. Job vehemently denied that such was the case, and he was right. Christ told his apostles that, if they loved him, they would keep his.
This overview and outline of job is intended to assist you as you seek god by studying his word. Elihus theology and his view of suffering gordon college faculty. Toward a biblical view of suffering sufferi ng is gods plan for us. He is described by god as being a blameless and upright man, one who fears god and shuns evil job 1. A study of jobs suffering, with special attention to chapter 3, the processes leading to the restoration of jobs relationship with god, and christian use of the book of job in counseling and soul care. Job and three of his friends debate the cause of jobs tremendous loss and illnesses. Job s suffering took him to the very edge of rejecting the god hed always served, always loved.
Rephrased into todays vernacular we would ask, why do good men suffer bad things. Old testament various authors, the book of job kjv 1885. It shows the images with a short description of what is happening in each scene. The suffering of job study whole person counseling. Jungs authentic response the book of job has inspired many interpretations and commentaries. Victor hugo the greatest poem, whether of ancient or modern literature. Download job and the mystery of suffering ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. After seven days of silence with his friends and probably weeks of suffering before they came, job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. People often speak about suffering in a certain way. The book of job 2 the book of job table of contents introduction to the book 3 prologue job is tested 12 8 jobs soliloquy 3. Click download or read online button to job and the mystery of suffering book pdf for free now.
Likewise, god desires that we silence foolish men 1 pe 2. The book of job is essentially about gods relationship with humankind, specifically with a man named job. The pain and suffering of job a free story planner pdf can be downloaded. Discuss your questions surrounding suffering and dig into gods word to find the truth. Nothing about your present circumstances be they good or bad have changed the first thing about the. My wife and i were staying a few days at palo duro canyon state park when i saw this lizard sunning himself on a warm rock after a cool night. We are given a unique behindthescenes look at the battle that goes on for our loyalty and souls. Beyond that, job learned a lesson that must be remembered in a time of suffering. Suffering may be allowed as a compliment to ones spirituality god allowed job. Job was completely turned around as god opened his heart up to him. The authorship of this book has been attributed to many different men including moses, elihu, elijah, solomon, hezekiah, jeremiah, baruch, ezra, isaiah, and others. This textbased pdf or ebook was created from the html version of this book and is part of. Does god have the right to control events according to. The issue of suffering is used to demonstrate the authority of god in his universe.
Job was wise enough to know that god had controlled the good days, and the success of his life, just as surely as god was now controlling the bad days. On top of that, he was stricken with boils that caused him physical misery. This article interprets jobs teaching on suffering from five broad perspectives. Certainly, job had known god formerly, but his recent experienceboth in his suffering and in his seeing godled job into a far greater knowledge of and relationship with god that seemed to make the former experience a mere hearing about him. Job suffered more hardship in a single day than most people have faced in a lifetime. It teaches humility as god reminds job who is really in control, steadfastness as job refuses to curse god despite his circumstances, and joy and reward when the latter part of. He demanded a hearing, with god called as the defendant. In western cultures suffering is seen as very bad, to be avoided at all costs, and sometimes even an indication that something is very wrong. Job recognizes his mistake of falling into distress because of his suffering. Job s very public grieving led to that kind of change in him. Reflections on suffering from the book of job 439 job is truly a wisdom book. In any case, at the heart of the message of the book of job is the wisdom with respect to answering the question as to how god is involved in the problem of human suffering.