THE BOOK OF JOB
Birth of Job 2027
Time of Job's Trial 1843
"You have heard of the patience of Job," remarks the Epistle of James, The land of Uz was perhaps made most famous by Job, a very righteous man, as described by God Himself (Job 1:8), who lost everything - his family, his health and his great wealth - in a severe test that God allowed Satan to inflict upon him. After it was over, God restored it all, and much more, back to him.
The Land of Uz
While living in the midst of great prosperity, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a series of sore trials that fell upon him. Amid all his sufferings he maintained his integrity. Once more God visited him with the rich tokens of his goodness and even greater prosperity than he had enjoyed before. He survived after the period of trial for one hundred and forty years, and died in a good old age, an example to succeeding generations of integrity (Ezek. 14:14, 20) and of submissive patience under the sorest calamities (James 5:11)
The Book of Job is considered one of the earliest books of the Old Testament.and is the first of five books called "The Books of Poetry" (the others are Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and The Song of Solomon). The story of Job takes place sometime between Noah and Moses. Job was an Arabian patriarch who resided in the land of Uz.
MAIN CHARACTERS :.....God .... Satan ....Job ....Eliphaz the Temanite ....Bildad the Shuhite ...Zophar the Naamathite ....Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite of the children of Ram
LESSER CHARACTERS :....Job's wife ...His seven sons ...His three daughters ...His servants ...His brethren ...His sisters ...The seven sons and three daughters in his second family
First action :Job 1:7-22: When the sons of God appear before God 1:6-12, Satan is among them. God calls attention to Job as being perfect and upright; Satan counters by saying that Job only serves God for what God does for him. God gives Satan the right to strip Job of his wealth and children. Job maintains his integrity, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Second Action :...Job 2:2-10: Satan again appears before God with the sons of God; God again calls attention to Job's integrity. Satan again accuses Job of serving God for the benefits it brings him, and is given permission to afflict him but not to take his life. Job is so afflicted with a skin disease, here called "boils," that he cannot be around people. He sits on the ash heap, and uses broken pieces of pottery to scrape off the dried pus that oozes from his sores....His wife suggests that he curse God and die. Job replies, "Thou speakest as one of the foolish women...Shall we receive good at the hand of God;, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this did not Job sin with his lips.
Third Action : Job's three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad & Zophar) visit him, and sit on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, saying nothing at all to Job. After the seven days, Job cursed the day he was born, 3:1-26. The three friends deliver their speeches and Job answers, calling his friends "miserable comforters. 16:2 At the end of Bildad's third speech Job answers at length, summarizing and repeating his claims of innocence, 26:1 through 31:40....... "The words of Job are ended." ...When the older men no longer attempt to refute Job, a younger man, Elihu, continues their case against Job for a lengthy speech. 32:1 through 37:24.
Fourth Action : Then God takes over, Job briefly answers, 42:1-6, ending with, "I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. ...I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eyes seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." And the LORD said to Job's three friends, :
"Take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job."........... And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 42:10 And God gave him a new family as numerous as the first.
Mining for Minerals and Precious Stones....Chapter 28
MINERALS: Silver, 1,15...Gold, 1,6,15,17,19...Iron, 2...Copper (brass), 2 He brings these to the surface, 11.
CONTRAST OF THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH AND ITS INTERIOR: Bread (wheat and barley grain on the surface), Volcanic action under the surface, 5
THE PROBLEM OF WATER IN MINES: "forgotten of the foot" (not used for irrigation) ,4... Cuts out rivers among the rocks, 10,.. He bindeth floods from overflowing, 11
WILD ANIMALS AND BIRDS, will not penetrate deeply into caves or mines, even the all seeing of the vulture cannot see the mine, 7
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MINER: "He turns up mountains by the roots," 9
FOR ALL HIS SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE, THE MINER DOES NOT KNOW WHERE TO GET THE TRUE RICHES, Where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? 12
WISDOM CANNOT BE COMPARED WITH PRECIOUS STONES: Sapphires, 6, .Onyx, 16...Crystal, 17...Coral, 18...Pearls, 18...Rubies, 18...Topaz (of Ethiopia), 19
SUMMARY: 28, "Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding."