HC

Outline of Job

Outline of Job

  • Narrative Frame (1-2)
  • First Discussion Cycle (3-14)
  • Second Discussion Cycle (15-21)
  • Third Discussion Cycle (22-27)
  • Poetic Musing on Human Inaccessibility of Wisdom (28)
  • Job’s Final Protest (29-31)
  • Elihu Attempts to Correct Job and his Friends (32-37)
  • God Speaks (38-41)
  • Job’s response and Restoration (42)

The Lord Speaks (38-41)

  • The Lord questions Job’s understanding of creation and how it functions
  • 39 focuses on the wisdom of God’s design of each animal (39:13-30)
  • The Lord addresses Job and incites his challenge (40:1-2)
  • Job recognizes his folly in contending with God (40:3-5)
  • The purpose of the glory of God is to humble the proud
    • If Job can do that, he can save himself
  • God has made many creatures like behemoth and leviathan. While they are too powerful for man, God can approach behemoth.

Epilogue (42:7-16)

  • God rebukes Eliphaz and the other two friends
    • They have spoken wrongly about God
    • They are all guilty of rigid and simplistic spirituality
    • This means that they should go to Job as their priest and intercessor
  • God prospers Job again
  • Suffering is not always the result of sin
  • The righteous do not always prosper
  • The wicked are not always swiftly punished