Introduction to Job 1-5
Why do bad things happen?
Fate? Chance? Punishment? Punishment for personal sin? Result of “the fall”? The devil? We’re cursed? We’re pieces in a cosmic game? God is bored? God lets the universe run on its own? No reason at all?
Chapters 1-3
The Prologue
The book of Job is one of the oldest stories ever told. The main core is made up of ancient Hebrew poetry with possibly pre-Israelite origins. The prose prologue and epilogue were added later after the Jews were destroyed by Babylon. The prologue gives a glimpse into the spiritual realm that Job never sees, in which God sits in his heavenly court room and the accuser, the “shatan” (the prosecuting attorney) places God and God’s goodness on trial.
Job’s Perspective
Now, Job is a good man. The story-teller insists that Job is the greatest man in his whole part of the earth. Job is also a wealthy man, with land, crops, animals, servants, and a house full of kids. But in this story everything falls apart for Job. Much of his wealth is stolen. The rest is consumed in a fire. His children are tragically killed.
But Job’s response is, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked will I depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. May the name of the LORD be praised.”
After all this, he ends up with painful sores all over his body. He sits in ashes mourning and scrapes his skin with a piece of broken pottery. His wife says to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Job’s Friends’ Perspectives
They sit in silence for seven days with Job, a practice known as “sitting shiva.” They all have their own opinions about why Job is suffering the way he is. They take turns trying to come up with explanations.
Job breaks the silence first, saying, “May the day of my birth be cursed! Why was I born if God is only going to give me a life of misfortune? Why is light given to him who suffers? I have no rest, only turmoil?”
Job’s Perspective
Now, Job is a good man. The story-teller insists that Job is the greatest man in his whole part of the earth. Job is also a wealthy man, with land, crops, animals, servants, and a house full of kids. But in this story everything falls apart for Job. Much of his wealth is stolen. The rest is consumed in a fire. His children are tragically killed.
But Job’s response is, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked will I depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. May the name of the LORD be praised.”
After all this, he ends up with painful sores all over his body. He sits in ashes mourning and scrapes his skin with a piece of broken pottery. His wife says to him, “Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
Job’s Friends’ Perspectives
They sit in silence for seven days with Job, a practice known as “sitting shiva.” They all have their own opinions about why Job is suffering the way he is. They take turns trying to come up with explanations.
Job breaks the silence first, saying, “May the day of my birth be cursed! Why was I born if God is only going to give me a life of misfortune? Why is light given to him who suffers? I have no rest, only turmoil?”
Chapters 4-5
Eliphaz said, "Will you become impatient? When did the innocent ever perish? I heard a voice: 'Can a man be more righteous than God?' Who will answer you? Man is born to trouble. As for me, I would seek God. Do not despise his discipline. He wounds, but he binds up."
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