It’s a Task Interpreting Job

[Quasiblogo]

I get it that Chapters 38-42 show how God straightens out Job and his three friends. However, is it correct to conclude that the errant statements of Job & friends are intertwined with truths that can be extracted and taught for the purposes of building up the flock?

I ask this because, as an example, if I had never read Chapters 38-42 before, there are some real gems to teach from, for the good of others—despite the many rashly spoken statements that surround. But in suddenly factoring in the final five chapters, I’m left to wonder if it would be imprudent to approach teaching this way. In other words, would I be cherry-picking in a way that is not valid?

 

[timf]

When the bible says that someone said something, it is true. However, what the person said may not be true. One might think of it like a tape recorder. It is an accurate representation of what was said. However, what was said might not be true.

If you are teaching, you should know what presents God's word accurately.

 

[Clare73]

I get it that Chapters 38-42 show how God straightens out Job and his three friends. However, is it correct to conclude that the errant statements of Job & friends are intertwined with truths that can be extracted and taught for the purposes of building up the flock?

I ask this because, as an example, if I had never read Chapters 38-42 before, there are some real gems to teach from, for the good of others—despite the many rashly spoken statements that surround. But in suddenly factoring in the final five chapters, I’m left to wonder if it would be imprudent to approach teaching this way. In other words, would I be cherry-picking in a way that is not valid?

Job may be food for the mature.

I see Job's theme to be about "fairness" in the sovereignty of God, a major question for man, which at some point should be addressed.

To man's view of "unfairness" in Job, I see God's response to be:
Your ways are not my ways,
My ways are higher (better) than your ways (Isa 55:8-9, 29:16).
I do no wrong (Dt 32:4),
All my ways are just (Da 4:37, 9:14, Ps 145:17),
and what I do is right (Da 4:37, see v.35)

Paul reflects the same kind of response, regarding God's sovereign choice not to grant faith to Israel, his covenant people (Ro 11:7-8),
but to cut them off (Ro 11:17, 29-20, 22) and instead, grant faith to the Gentiles who were foreigners to the covenant (Eph 2:11-12), in
Ro 11:33-36:
". . .How unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways beyond finding out!
Who is wise enough that he should instruct God? (Isa 40:13)
And who has given to God that God should owe (repay) him? (Job 4:11)."

Job 38-42 is the counterpoint for the above.

 

[Rose_bud]

The chapters between Job and his friends is their response and understanding to his predicament and God's "hand in it". The dialogues are based on their worldview and understanding of God. Which as stated, according to the end chapters are not necessarily an accurate reflection of God. Job 42:7-8.

To preach the dialogues from Job as nuggets of truth, without the context would be eating the cherries off the cake.

There are universal nuggets, that should be applied correctly. But should not be used to justify wrong conclusions. Wisdom literature should be applied wisely.


Like Job 5:17, blessed is the one the Lord disciplines... A nugget according to Proverbs 3:11-12.

Paul finds the right application for it in Hebrews 12:5-6. One that aligns with the situation and Gods character.

 

[Quasiblogo]

The chapters between Job and his friends is their response and understanding to his predicament and God's "hand in it". The dialogues are based on their worldview and understanding of God. Which as stated, according to the end chapters are not necessarily an accurate reflection of God. Job 42:7-8.

To preach the dialogues from Job as nuggets of truth, without the context would be eating the cherries off the cake.

There are universal nuggets, that should be applied correctly. But should not be used to justify wrong conclusions. Wisdom literature should be applied wisely.


Like Job 5:17, blessed is the one the Lord disciplines... A nugget according to Proverbs 3:11-12.

Paul finds the right application for it in Hebrews 12:5-6. One that aligns with the situation and Gods character.

Thank you, Rose_bud. Your answer gets to the “bud” of the perspective of what I was hoping to see.

A side observation: and then there are those useful but not to be taken so literally observations: like not needing to forsake eating the white of an egg, Job 6:6

What prompted my post was a read of Job, Chapter 8—good stuff, despite Bildad being admonished later.

I’ll also have a better lense when reading Ecclesiastes.

 

[TruthInLight]

Job may be food for the mature.

I see Job's theme to be about "fairness" in the sovereignty of God, a major question for man, which at some point should be addressed.

To man's view of "unfairness" in Job, I see God's response to be:
Your ways are not my ways,
My ways are higher (better) than your ways (Isa 55:8-9, 29:16).
I do no wrong (Dt 32:4),
All my ways are just (Da 4:37, 9:14, Ps 145:17),
and what I do is right (Da 4:37, see v.35)

Paul reflects the same kind of response, regarding God's sovereign choice not to grant faith to Israel, his covenant people (Ro 11:7-8),
but to cut them off (Ro 11:17, 29-20, 22) and instead, grant faith to the Gentiles who were foreigners to the covenant (Eph 2:11-12), in
Ro 11:33-36:
"How unsearchable are his judgments,
and his ways beyond finding out!
Who is wise enough that he should instruct God? (Isa 40:13)
And who has given to God that God should owe (repay) him?" (Job 4:11).

Job 38-42 is the counterpoint for the above.

There's other things to take from the story of Job.

I'll point to this particular one. In Job 2:9-10, when Job responds to what his wife was saying and about the suffering that is coming upon him. In Ephesians 5:15-17 it talks about wise and redeeming the time.

The chapters between Job and his friends is their response and understanding to his predicament and God's "hand in it". The dialogues are based on their worldview and understanding of God. Which as stated, according to the end chapters are not necessarily an accurate reflection of God. Job 42:7-8.

To preach the dialogues from Job as nuggets of truth, without the context would be eating the cherries off the cake.

There are universal nuggets, that should be applied correctly. But should not be used to justify wrong conclusions. Wisdom literature should be applied wisely.


Like Job 5:17, blessed is the one the Lord disciplines... A nugget according to Proverbs 3:11-12.

Paul finds the right application for it in Hebrews 12:5-6. One that aligns with the situation and Gods character.

Job had his time in prosperity. He was going through his time of adversity for most of the book. Ecclesiastes 7:14 speaks about this. That's what job went through.

In the new testament Paul talks about suffering with Christ and the rewards that come with it. This was shown with Job.

 

[com7fy8]

"answering to people instead of answering to God" comes to mind.

One of the special things of the Book of Job is he actually spent time in personal sharing with Jesus. How beautifully wonderful and marvelous that was, and yet look at how so much attention goes to all the suffering Job went through.

And, yes > once Job was with Jesus . . . there was not getting Jesus to answer to Job about why he went through all that. But Jesus was asking the questions and Job was answering to Jesus!

And best of all was how Job was so blessed to see and appreciate how beautifully wonderful and righteous Jesus is, so that he just repented of how he was . . . seeing how he was, in comparison with Jesus. *That* got his attention!

And then, what had Jesus' attention? Not answering to Job and explaining why things happened that way. But Jesus first dealt with correcting Job, then correcting his three friends about how they had been relating with Job.

And we can consider how Satan also had time to be with Jesus, in a personal conversation, and how Satan spoiled and wasted such a wonderful opportunity to so appreciate and benefit from being with Jesus who is God's own Son. How horrible and sad!!

And now we can grow in Jesus so we are with Him all the time.

 

[Laodicean60]

When I first read those chapters, I got the impression that God was telling a man, You think you know everything, but let me tell you.... To sum it all up, we don't have the mind of God.

 

[Quasiblogo]

"answering to people instead of answering to God" comes to mind.

One of the special things of the Book of Job is he actually spent time in personal sharing with Jesus. How beautifully wonderful and marvelous that was, and yet look at how so much attention goes to all the suffering Job went through.

And, yes > once Job was with Jesus . . . there was not getting Jesus to answer to Job about why he went through all that. But Jesus was asking the questions and Job was answering to Jesus!

And best of all was how Job was so blessed to see and appreciate how beautifully wonderful and righteous Jesus is, so that he just repented of how he was . . . seeing how he was, in comparison with Jesus. *That* got his attention!

And then, what had Jesus' attention? Not answering to Job and explaining why things happened that way. But Jesus first dealt with correcting Job, then correcting his three friends about how they had been relating with Job.

And we can consider how Satan also had time to be with Jesus, in a personal conversation, and how Satan spoiled and wasted such a wonderful opportunity to so appreciate and benefit from being with Jesus who is God's own Son. How horrible and sad!!

And now we can grow in Jesus so we are with Him all the time.

Amen!

 

[Aseyesee]

Unlike Adam and Abraham, Job did not harken unto his wife ...

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I have an issue with a common interpretation of Job. It is often taught that God carried out Job's "captivity."

One such passage used to promote this idea is found in chapter 42.

Job 42:
11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

I suggest that this is an accurate statement of why these people acted in this manner, not a statement of fact regarding who brought Job his troubles. They thought God perpetrated this evil, but they were wrong. God did not carry out the evil.

There is a true story about a man who was convicted of killing his wife and sent to prison for 25 years. But he really did not do it. The rest of the movie is about the long struggle to prove his innocence and how he got released. The newspaper headline read:

"Mr. Smith gets 25 Years for the Murder of His Wife"

It is true that he got 25 years, but it is not true that he murdered his wife.

So too Job's friends and relatives thought God had directly afflicted Job. But they were wrong.

Throughout the book, people make statements attributing actions to God. This revealed the error of their hearts and beliefs, and it was not the actual truth.

Take, for instance, the several statements made by Job's servants.

Job 1:
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Job's wife also thought God was the source of Job's troubles, and called on him to curse God:

Job 2:9
9. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.


Two verses before, we see the true perpetrator:

Job 2:
7. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

 

[Clare73]

I have an issue with a common interpretation of Job. It is often taught that God carried out Job's "captivity."

God did not carry out Job's "captivity," God permitted Job's "captivity" to test his faith.

One such passage used to promote this idea is found in chapter 42.

Job 42:
11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

I suggest that this is an accurate statement of why these people acted in this manner, not a statement of fact regarding who brought Job his troubles. They thought God perpetrated this evil, but they were wrong. God did not carry out the evil.

There is a true story about a man who was convicted of killing his wife and sent to prison for 25 years. But he really did not do it. The rest of the movie is about the long struggle to prove his innocence and how he got released. The newspaper headline read:

"Mr. Smith gets 25 Years for the Murder of His Wife"

It is true that he got 25 years, but it is not true that he murdered his wife.

So too Job's friends and relatives thought God had directly afflicted Job. But they were wrong.

Throughout the book, people make statements attributing actions to God. This revealed the error of their hearts and beliefs, and it was not the actual truth.

Take, for instance, the several statements made by Job's servants.

Job 1:
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Job's wife also thought God was the source of Job's troubles, and called on him to curse God:

Job 2:9
9. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die.


Two verses before, we see the true perpetrator:

Job 2:
7. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.