Job 31 - Introduction

TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION

1 I have made a solemn promise

never to look at a girl with lust.

2 What does Almighty God do to us?

How does he repay human deeds?

3 He sends disaster and ruin

to those who do wrong.

4 God knows everything I do;

he sees every step I take.

5 I swear I have never acted wickedly,

and never tried to deceive others.

6 Let God weigh me on honest scales,

and he will see how innocent I am.

7 If I have turned from the right path,

or let myself be attracted to evil,
if my hands are stained with sin,

8 then let my crops be destroyed,

or let others eat the food I grow.

9 If I have been attracted to my neighbor's wife,

and waited, hidden, outside her door,

10 then let my wife fix another man's food

and sleep in another man's bed.

[11 Such a sin would be wicked and would be punished by death. 12 It would be like a destructive, hellish fire, destroying everything I have.]
13 When one of my servants complained against me,

I would listen and treat him fairly.

14 If I did not, how could I then face God?

What could I say when God came to judge me?

15 The same God who created me

created my servants also.

16 I have never refused to help the poor,

never let widows live in despair,

17 or let orphans go hungry while I ate.
18 All my life I have taken care of them.
19 When I found someone in need, too poor to buy clothes,
20 I would give him clothing made of wool that had come from my own flock of sheep.

And he would praise me with all his heart.

21 If I have ever cheated an orphan,

because I knew I could win in court,

22 then may my arms be broken;

may they be torn out of my shoulders.

23 Because I fear God's punishment,

I could never do such a thing.

24 I have never trusted in riches,
25 or taken pride in my wealth.
26 I have never worshiped the sun in its brightness,

or the moon in all its beauty.

27 I have never even been tempted to do it.
28 Such a sin would be punished by death;

it denies Almighty God.

29 I have never been glad when my enemies suffered,

or pleased when they met with disaster;

30 I never sinned by praying for their death.
31 All the men who work for me know

that I have always welcomed strangers.

32 I have welcomed travelers into my home,

and never let them sleep in the streets.

33 Other men try to hide their sins,

but I have never concealed mine.

34 I have never feared what people would say;

I have never kept quiet or stayed indoors

because I feared their scorn.

35 Will no one listen to what I am saying?

I swear that every word is true.
Let Almighty God answer me.
If the charges my opponent brings against me

were written down so that I could have them,

36 I would wear them proudly around my neck,

and hold them up for everyone to see.

37 I would tell God everything I have done,

and hold my head high in his presence.

38 If I have stolen the land I farm

and taken it from its rightful owners

39 if I have eaten the food that grew,

but let the farmers that grew it starve

40 then instead of wheat and barley

may weeds and thistles grow.

The words of Job are ended.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 31:1-40

625.

Making a covenant or taking an oath was so very important. Should we do such today?

626.

Job is as proud of what he did not do as he is of what he did. Our eyes have a large responsibility in both areas. Explain.

627.

Are we indeed the master of our eyes? Discuss.

628.

Is Job telling the truth in his statement of Job 31:1 b?

629.

Was fornication permissible in Job's day? Discuss.

630.

What is the connection between verse one and two?

631.

Did Job agree with the major premise of his three friends? Cf. Job 31:2.

632.

How does Job express his friendship with God and God with him? Cf. Job 31:4.

633.

A series begins in verse five. What series? What is the first of the series?

634.

Had Job been weighed in God's balance before? What is he saying now?

635.

The covenant with his eyes in verse one has extended to a broader sphere in verse seven. Discuss.

636.

Is Job referring to his children in verse eight. Discuss.

637.

There is a vivid picture in verse nine. What is it?

638.

Job's wife would suffer for his sin of adultery. Is this fair? Discuss.

639.

We have come a long way in America from the moral code of Job 31:11. Discuss.

640.

How is adultery associated with fire?

641.

There is revealed in Job 31:13 a remarkably advanced moral consciousness as related to slaves. Discuss.

642.

Job believed that God would make a call upon him. For what purpose? Cf. Job 31:14.

643.

Job declares that men are one because of what? Cultural stratification can be overcome only by what?

644.

Job denies the charge of Eliphaz made in Job 22:7-9, but the charge was irrational. Show how.

645.

Job really had a practical and compassionate program for the poor. What was it? Cf. Job 31:17-18.

646.

Are some of our acts of charity mere tax write-offs? Discuss.

647.

What action is viewed in Job 31:21?

648.

Job calls a drastic result upon himself if what he has said is not true. What was it?

649.

How does the greatness of God relate to morality?

650.

Job denies that he has had any other gods. Name two he has rejected.

651.

The worship of the sun and moon was a real threat to the worship of God. Do we have this problem today?

652.

What was involved in kissing the hand? Cf. Job 31:27.

653.

If chapter 31 is the crown of all the ethical development of the O.T., then Job 31:29 is the jewel of that crown. Explain.

654.

How easy (natural?) it is to rejoice in the destruction of those who hate us. How is such rejoicing done? Job didn-'t, a. Job 31:30.

V.

RESISTING THE RESTRAINTSBREAKING OF SILENCE (Job 32:1, Job 37:24)

A.

ELIHU CANNOT REMAIN SILENT. (Job 32:1-22)

1.

Introduction in prose: Elihu is angry with Job and with the three friends. (Job 32:1-6 a)