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THE BOOK OF JOB – chapters 25 to 42.
25:1-6 – Bildad’s third speech. It is a beautiful little talk that does not deal with the real problem. He argues that it is useless for an impure human to try to set up a court hearing with the majestic God.
26:1-14 –Job’s reply begins with biting sarcasm (2-4). Then he “rivals Bildad in magnifying the greatness of God” (Davidson). What we know of God is but a “whisper” compared to the whole (“thunder”).
Job’s friends have failed him, failing to express any sympathy for him, and failing even to pray for him (the LORD will later direct Job to pray forthem, 42:8,9). They talked too much and did not listen well to his emotional and physical agony, belittling instead of encouraging him. All along they incorrectly assumed they knew what lay behind his problems and so presented inaccurate and even argumentative solutions.
27:1 to 31:40 – Job’s closing monologue.
27:1 – Zophar has not spoken a third time, as did the others. Perhaps Job pauses and when Zophar does not speaks, Job continues.
27:2-6 –Job reaffirms his innocence.
27:7-23 – The end of the wicked. “…Job…believes that the wicked will pay for their sins ultimately, though he does not know how nor when. What he does not believe is that one can make up a neat formula in which the right amount of suffering is immediately dealt out to all sinners” (Hesser).
28:1 – 28 – In praise of wisdom. God’s gift of wisdom. “Where can wisdom be found?’ It is as if he looks back on the futility of the wisdom of the friends and points out that God alone has the answer to the mystery they have struggled with.
28:1-14 – Men mine for metals and stones, but wisdom he cannot find in spite of his skill and ingenuity.
28:15-22 – Wisdom cannot be purchased in the human market
28:23-28 – It is God to whom men must go for wisdom. “Truly, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (28). Compare Proverbs 1:7; 2:1-6; 3:7). Such wisdom was from the beginning a part of Job’s character (1:1,8; 2:3).
Chapters 29, 30, and 31 – Like a lawyer arguing his case, Job here presents his final brief. We learn here what it meant for Job to fear God and shun wrong.
29:1-25 – The way it was with Job. He was a God-preserved man (2-4); a domestically happy man (5); a prosperous man (6); a universally respected man (7-10). He describes his righteous life (11-17), his expectations for the future (18-20), and the respect that was accorded him (21-25).
30:1-31 – The way it is with Job now. Note the “But now”(1) and “And now” (9,16). The sad reversal that has occurred in his life. Men of the lowest sort (the type Job once sought to help) revile him (1-15). Disease torments him (16,17). God has turned against him (20-23). He reaches out for help (to God?)(24). His sad state (25-31).
31:1-40 – Job’s oath of innocence. Job had high goals for himself and set a high water mark of Old Testament ethic. He is untainted by immorality (1-12); untainted by thoughtlessness, with a strong social consciousness (13-23); untainted by covetousness (24,25); untainted by a secret hankering after idols (26-28); untainted by bitterness toward enemies (29,30); known for hospitality, untainted by selfishness (31,32); untainted by insincerity, no hypocrite (33,34). He sums up, “Innocent” (35-40).
Chapters 32 to 37 – The Elihu speeches. He is young (32:6; he is angry (32:1-5); he is conceited (36:2-4). He is not inspired and does not really know why Job is suffering, and most of what he says is the same as that of the other friends. Some would consider him at least as the best of the four, but he really doesn’t have the answer. His contribution is the disciplinary value of suffering (33:16-28; 36:8-10,15), which might explain suffering in some cases, but we know it does not apply to Job’s case.
32:1-22 – Elihu introduced. He is given an genealogy, since he has no reputation and place in his own right. He had waited for the wisdom of the aged, but was disappointed. He must speak or will burst from not doing so (17-22)!
33:1-7 – Elihu and Job meet on common terms. He uses Job’s name and even quotes from him.
33:8-13 – A summary of Job’s position. Job is wrong in contending against God. In v. 9 he is wrong, for Job never claimed complete innocence (see 13:26; 14:4).
33:14-33 – God does speak to men. Through chastening by pain and sickness (19-22); through an angel, a messenger (23). The blessings when the sufferer learns the lesson (24-33).
34:1-37 – Elihu defends God’s justice (Job had alleged that God was unfair). Job’s complaints summarized (1-9). The justice or righteousness of God are defended. Here is the right response (31-33). Job has added rebellion to his sin (Elihu, like the others, thinks sin is the cause of Job’s problems) (34-37).
35:1-16 – Elihu answers Job’s “charge” that it “does not pay”to be righteous . Neither sin nor righteousness affects God, only men (how wrong this thought!). Why God does not answer prayer (9-16). He assumes God does not answer Job’s prayer because of his attitude (9:12).
36:8-10 – God uses trouble to gain man’s attention. The result depends on man’s response (11-16). He is wrong in his assessment of the reason for Job’s suffering (21). The exalted God as teacher (22).
36:24- 37:13 – God should be praised for His majesty. Nature witnesses to His might.
37:14-24 – Job is urged to humble submission. The limitations of the human mind (19). Presumption speech is risky (20). God’s justice is such that “he is effectively unapproachable” (Clines); we shouldn’t question His justice for His ways are beyond understanding (23); he should be worshipped, not criticized (24).
38:1 TO 42:6 – THE VOICE OF GOD. Job and his friends got their wish – God spoke – but not in the manner expected. “He does not enter into a judicial dispute with Job, but shows him the true relationship that must always exist between God and man…”(Chapman).
38:1 – 40:5 – THE LORD’S QUESTIONNAIRE. God does not discuss the problem of suffering, or explain what led to it all (chapters 1 and 2, God and satan). Reveals no secret to unravel the mystery. The creative power of God is emphasized, the great Power and Wisdom of God obvious in nature. There are two “science exams” with more than 70 questions, covering ten features of the natural order (38:4-38) and nine examples of animals (38:39-39:30). Where were you?(38:4). Who determined (or did)? (38:5). Have you ? (38:12,16,20,22). Who has? (38:25) Can you? (38:31,34,39,ff). Do you know? (39:1). We should be in awe at the beauty and order of the world (mystery, too!). “…these glimpses of nature hint at a moral order of similar complexity, beauty and mystery”(Anderson). “…just as God is exalted far above the powers of nature and wisdom, so He is also exalted above the moral world which He controls and rules….He does not have to give an account to any of His creatures” (Rogers). “It is surely no unwisdom to trust the Being who ‘made all that’”(McFadyen).
40:1-5 – Your turn, Job! Job is invited to respond. But Job is silenced before the LORD. He is humbled, seeing himself from a new perspective.
40:6-9 – A pivotal passsage. Job had said that no moral order was in evidence; that he had been wronged by God (19:6).
40:10-14 – Okay – you be God awhile! Before a person complains or accuses God as to how He rules the world, they should show they are competent to rule it and correct its evils!
40:15 to 41:34 – BEHEMOTH AND LEVIATHAN, a land and a sea creature beyond man’s power to tame. Please note: the description is highly poetic and hyperbolic. BEHEMOTH — in Hebrew literally “Great Beast” or “beast par excellence.” What is this animal? The wild buffalo or water buffalo? The Elephant? A real, yet now extinct animal? The hippopotamus (the common view)? Some mythic or legendary creature of that day (but God made it, so such would not fit the argument) (40:15,19)? LEVIATHAN (41:1-34) – literally, a large marine animal (see Psalms 104:26). The whale, dolphin or tuna (can be up to 750 pounds)? A marine animal that survived the flood? The crocodile (the general view)? A mythic creature (used figuratively in 3:8, but does such fit here)? The point: “You are ill equipped to hold sway over the material world; you are even less equipped to hold sway over the moral order. Therefore, trust Me completely, even though you don’t understand My ways” (Jensen).
42:1-6 – Job’s repentance. He does not repent of the sins his friends have charged, but rather of rebellious thought and rash speech. The “why” he still does not know, but this personal experience of God means he knows in a new way the God Who has all things in His loving care and will make all things turn out for good.
42:7-9 – Job’s friends are rebuked and Job (who holds no grudges) prays for them. Job had spoken some rash things in his suffering, but did not presume to know, spoke honestly to God and never renounced Him. His friends were arrogant, claiming knowledge they did not possess.
42:10-17 – Job’s latter days. His restoration to wealth and family were not something demanded by Job; such were acts of God’s grace.
The book of Job testifies that there is a blank in the human heart that Jesus alone can fill: A Mediator between man and God; light on the future, beyond the grave; need for a Vindicator or Redeemer; a sense of ultimate justice and righteous judgment; a sense of God’s righteousness and man’s worth, confidence in God’s goodness.
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