Bible Study 4 -- inc Job

To quickly review:

The Old Testament has been divided into the following divisions:

 In earlier lessons, we briefly touched on the books of law and history, and stated that these cover most of the time period of the Old Testament.

 There is also what is called the inter-testamental period; that is, the time between the testaments. 

 It’s a period of about 400 years, also called the silent years.  There was no prophet during those years.

During this period, there were the Maccabees, and there are the books of I and II Maccabees.  These books are part of the Apocrypha books.  They are part of the Catholic Bible, but not accepted by protestant churches as being inspired. 

 They are interesting, and probably accurate historically, but not considered inspired by most Christians.

 In this lesson, we want to focus our attention first on the 5 book of Poetry:

 How can we summarize these books?

Job

  Job has everything

(Job 1:1-3 NKJV)  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. {2} And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. {3} Also, his possessions were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East.

Job loses everything

(Job 1:13-20 NKJV)  Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house;

{14} and a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, {15} "when the Sabeans raided them and took them away; indeed they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

{16} While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

{17} While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

{18} While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, {19} "and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!"

 {20} Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21  And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD."  22  In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

 (Job 2:7-8 NKJV)  So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. {8} And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.

(Job 10:1-3 NKJV)  "My soul loathes my life; I will give free course to my complaint, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Job 10:2 I will say to God, 'Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend with me. {3} Does it seem good to You that You should oppress, That You should despise the work of Your hands, And smile on the counsel of the wicked?

(Job 23:1-7 NKJV)  Then Job answered and said:

{2} "Even today my complaint is bitter; My hand is listless because of my groaning.

{3} Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! 

{4} I would present my case before Him, And fill my mouth with arguments.

{5} I would know the words which He would answer me, And understand what He would say to me.

{6} Would He contend with me in His great power? No! But He would take note of me.

{7} There the upright could reason with Him, And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

It’s best not to talk to God like that, even if you are Job!

(Job 38:1-3 NKJV)  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: {2} "Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? {3} Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.

 He begins with the construction of the earth!

 (Job 38:4-6 NKJV)  "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. {5} Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? {6} To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

(Job 42:1-6 NKJV)  Then Job answered the LORD and said: {2} "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. {3} You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. {4} Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' {5} "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. {6} Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

(Job 42:12-13 NKJV)  Now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. {13} He also had seven sons and three daughters.

(Job 42:15 NKJV)  In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

 (Job 42:16 NKJV)  After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. 17  So Job died, old and full of days.

 So ends the book of Job

It is a book that deals with the suffering of a righteous man.

We do not know the exact date it was written.

 The Book of Psalms

·         It is a collection of Psalms by different authors.

·         It is not told as a story—One Psalm does not have to follow the other.

·         It is written as Hebrew Poetry.  It doesn’t rhyme!  It never did!  It’s poetry because the second part of a verse retells, or reinforces the first part.

 (Psa 1:1 NKJV)  Blessed is the man

Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

Nor stands in the path of sinners,

Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

 All three statements express closely related thoughts.

 That’s what you can watch for as you read the Psalms.

·         I hope I can give you a better overall view of the Old Testament.

·         I hope I can help you some with understanding some of the time lines of the Old Testament.

·         I hope I have given you a better understanding of where you might go to study parts of the Old Testament.

·         I hope I may encourage you to begin somewhere and read a chapter, or chapters, with understanding and enjoyment.

·         One last challenge to think about.  In eternity, if you meet Hezekiah, won’t it be nice to know who he was?