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Job's Summary

October 25, 2015 Preacher: Series: Job: Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

Scripture: Job 29:1–6, Job 30:16–31, Job 31:1–40

Key Truth: Though Job’s theology is confused by his suffering, he longs most for the friendship and presence of God and is clear about how to live in integrity.

 

Introduction:

 

Q: Do you fear the Lord? What does this look like in your life?

“Chapters 29-31 grow out of 28:28, for Job is the wise man, and here we learn in detail what it meant to fear God and shun wrong.”

Francis I. Andersen, Job: Tyndale Old Testament Commentary

 

Job’s Look Back: Of the Light and Friendship of God

Job 29:1-6:

“Scholars who find (Job’s) volcanic outbursts in the dialogue utterly different from his tranquility in the prologue overlook the fact that nowhere does Job bewail the losses of chapter 1 nor the illness of chapter 2. In this he is utterly consistent. His concern from beginning to end is God; not his wealth or health, but his life with God. It is because he seems to have lost God that he is in such torment.”

David Atkinson, The Message of Job

Q: How important is God’s friendship and presence to you? Have you ever experienced what felt like the loss of God’s friendship and presence?

 

 

Job’s Present Circumstance: Of Racked Bones and Jackal Brothers:

Job 30:16-31

“The book (of Job) is teaching us about God and his policies, not offering Job as a biblical paradigm for how we approach suffering. …we will learn more about surviving crises by understanding God than by imitating Job. Therefore we ought to be more discerning and allow Job his weaknesses: a flawed theology and deficient view of God. Such allowance is essential because we often share these shortcomings.”

John H. Walton, Job: The NIV Application Commentary

Q: Have you ever cried out to the Lord only to feel like He was ignoring you? How did you respond?

 

 

Job’s Closing Defense: Of If’s and Curses:

Job 31:1-40

“Man can never comprehend the absolute wisdom but the Most High has, in condescending mercy, revealed to him all that is necessary for his practical guidance. He may not presume to know how God governs the world, or what rules he prescribes for his own procedure; but he has been sufficiently taught how to direct his own conduct and to govern his own life.”

William Henry Green, Conflict and Triumph: The Argument of the Book of Job Unfolded

Q: Could you defend your own integrity this thoroughly and call down curses upon yourself if you were guilty?

 

 

Application:

Job 29-31 teaches us that:

- our greatest gift and desire should be the friendship of God

-suffering can confuse our theology

-how we are to live with integrity is clear

“Job knows in his heart that his problem will be relieved not by theological dispute, nor by penitence for sins which he has not committed, nor by pulling his socks up, but by the gift of communion with God.”

David Atkinson, The Message of Job

 

Benediction:

Romans 8:26-27

More in Job: Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

November 15, 2015

Redemption and Restoration in Job

November 8, 2015

God Speaks (Part 2)

November 1, 2015

God Speaks (Part 1)