Job 42 - Introduction

TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION

Then Job answered the Lord.

Job

2 I know, Lord, that you are all-powerful;

that you can do everything you want.

3 You ask how I dare question your wisdom

when I am so very ignorant.

I talked about things I did not understand,

about marvels too great for me to know.

4 You told me to listen while you spoke

and to try to answer your questions.

5 Then I knew only what others had told me,

but now I have seen you with my own eyes;

6 so I am ashamed of all I have said

and repent in dust and ashes.

CONCLUSION

7 After the Lord has said all this to Job, he told Eliphaz, I am angry with you and your two friends, because you did not speak the truth about me, the way my servant Job did. 8 Now take seven bulls and seven rams to Job and offer them as a sacrifice for yourselves. Job will pray for you, and I will answer his prayer and not disgrace you the way you deserve. You did not speak the truth about me as he did.
9 Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar did what the Lord had told them to do, and the Lord answered Job's prayer.
10 Then, after Job had prayed for his three friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had had before. 11 All Job's brothers and sisters and former friends came to visit him and feasted with him in his house. They expressed their sympathy and comforted him for all the troubles the Lord had brought on him. Each of them gave him some money and a gold ring.
12 The Lord blessed the last part of Job's life even more than he had blessed the first. Job owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 2,000 head of cattle, and 1,000 donkeys.13 He was the father of seven sons and three daughters. 14 He called the oldest daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the youngest Keren-Happuch. 15 There were no other women in the whole world as beautiful as Job's daughters. Their father gave them a share of the inheritance along with their brothers.
16 Job lived 140 years after this, long enough to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 17 And then he died at a very great age.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION 42:1-17

887.

What is meant by saying God's will and power are coterminous?

888.

Job's complaint has never been against God's power, but rather against what?

889.

What is meant by saying there are no -value free-' decisions? Discuss.

890.

The only ones who speak out against God are those who are ignorant of what? Cf. Job 42:3.

891.

Please explain in detail how verse five becomes the heart of Job's restoration.

892.

We are OK only when?

893.

Show how Job's experience and understanding, and commitment can become ours. Cf. Job 42:6.

894.

There is a very important principle to learn from the fact that Job's friends were so very confident that they were speaking on behalf of God. Discuss.

895.

Notice carefully the factors involved in the sacrifice of verse eight. What are the lessons taught by it?

896.

What are we to make of the fact that Elihu is not mentioned by God? In what way does Job become like our Lord? Is all suffering redemptive?

897.

Job's prosperity was restored, but not as a reward. Discuss.

898.

Job's friends (like many today) were really not friends at all. Discuss why.

899.

Why make his daughters so prominent?

900.

It would seem from the names given to these girls they were but representative of a social condition that prevailed in Job's day. Discuss.

901.

How do the scriptures consider grandchildren? Cf. Psalms 128:6; Proverbs 17:6.

902.

Notice the very meaningful statement about life under the comment on Job 42:17. Discuss.

903.

In what way can we see God and be satisfied today?

904.

What part of this grand book has appealed to you the most? Please be specific.

905.

If you were going to add something to this book as a text, what would it be?

906.

Please refer to the further questions for discussion in the section immediately following.