This week we are continuing our study through the book of Job. Many scholars believe that the book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible and occurs somewhere during the period of, or just before, the patriarch Abraham. We will explore the author, audience, dating and purpose for the book in some detail this week.

Defending our faith and developing a Biblical worldview based on our understanding of God’s Word takes time and practice, and must be part of a lifetime commitment we make to the LORD. It should form our purpose and identity in everyday life as we grow closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, modeling Him to our family, friends and neighbors. As Christians, it is more important than ever to know what we believe, and why we believe it, and then apply that to who we are on a consistent basis, and this can only be done if we know Jesus and what His Word teaches.

All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, a presentation, and a Bible study section. You will find the presentation overview and Bible study questions below, with basic answers for your review and, or to use as a leader’s guide.

Watch this week’s class presentation:

Presentation

Foundations Bible Study: The Hermeneutics for the book of Job

Review and Reflection

At your table groups, do the following:

Prayer cards: Take a minute and write your name on the index card provided, and add any special prayer request you might have. Exchange cards at the end of the class.
Review: Reflect on the timeframe, major events and major players from the book of Genesis chapters 1-11.
Focus verse: Practice memorizing the following new focus verse…

FOCUS VERSE

“For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.”

Job 19:25 (ESV)

The Book of Job – Study Questions and Basic Answers

AUTHOR

The text does not explicitly mention the author, but the following are thoughts by scholars:

Job: Many scholars and theologians argue that the detailed, personal nature of the suffering and conversations suggests an eyewitness account by Job.
Jewish tradition attributes the book to Moses, and because other narratives set in the time of the patriarchs were written by Moses it is reasonable to assume Moses wrote Job as well.
Elihu: An eyewitness to the events, and he was the only one of Job’s friends who truly emphasized God and His greatness rather than focus on the human response to Job’s problems (Job 32—37); and he’s the only one who is not rebuked by the Lord at the end of the book.
Another suggestion is King Solomon, who is credited with a large portion of other wisdom literature.
Other less common candidates mentioned in historical traditions include Isaiah, Jeremiah, and
Anonymous Israelite Scribe(s): Some modern biblical scholars believe the book is a composite work written or edited by one or more Hebrew authors, possibly during or shortly after the Babylonian exile (around the 6th century BCE), based on linguistic clues and themes.

AUDIENCE

The people of that day were living in the “Land of Uz” which is described as a wealthy, non-Israelite territory located “in the East,” likely during the patriarchal era (roughly 2100–1900 BCE) characterized by a mix of stable agrarian wealth and the constant threat of nomadic raids, and these would have been the original hearers of the narrative.
Later on, depending on who the author is, the audience would be the people receiving it from him at the time, not necessarily the people in the day of the event, although the narrative was probably passed down originally in oral tradition.
The book has historically been part of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), and still is today, in the section of historical writings (Ketuvim), so the people of Isreal became the main audience.
Ultimately it was written for all believers as a timeless teaching from God’s Word.

DATING

Most scholars distinguish between when the story took place (its setting) and when the text was written (its composition):

1) Traditional View: The Patriarchal Period (c. 1400–900 BCE)

- A long-standing tradition—found in the Babylonian Talmud—holds that the book is the oldest in the Bible, potentially written by either [Job], Moses (c. 1440 BCE) or Solomon (c. 950 BCE).
- Cultural Indicators: Job acts as a family priest and his wealth is measured in livestock rather than coins, matching the era of Abraham.
- Lack of National Context: There is no mention of the Mosaic Law, the Temple, or the nation of Israel, which suggests it was written before those institutions existed.

2) The Persian Period (550–330 BCE)

- - A more recent modern/secular view based on language, theme, and person of Satan.

3) The Composite Theory

- - - A later secular view that has multiple dates and multiple authors over a longer period of time.

PURPOSE

The book of Job will address and attempt to help answer the question: To what extent do the circumstances of Job’s life on earth reveal what is true about him before God?
Another purpose for the Book of Job is to challenge the “Retribution Principle”—the common ancient belief that God always rewards the righteous with prosperity and punishes the wicked with suffering; and while it is often called a book about “why people suffer,” it doesn’t actually provide a definitive answer to why Job is suffering, instead, it addresses deeper questions:

Is there such a thing as “Disinterested Piety”?

The book opens with a challenge from the Accuser (Satan): Does Job love God for who He is, or only because God protects and blesses him? A central purpose is to demonstrate that a human can maintain faith and integrity even when there is no benefit to doing so.

Can God be Trusted When Life is Unfair?

Job’s friends argue that since God is just, Job must have sinned. Job argues that he is innocent, so God must be unjust. The book serves to show that:

1) Human wisdom is limited: We cannot see the “cosmic perspective” or the full complexity of the universe.

2). Justice isn’t a simple equation: God’s governance of the world is based on His infinite wisdom rather than a mechanical system of rewards and punishments.

Redefining the relationship with the Divine: The book moves the reader from a transactional relationship with God (obeying to get blessings) to a relational one. By the end, Job doesn’t get an explanation for his pain, but he gets a “vision” of God’s majesty, which leads him to trust God’s character despite his circumstances.
In short, it was written to comfort those in pain by validating their struggle and shifting the focus from “What did I do wrong?” to “Who is God in the midst of this?”

Chapter Reading for Step #3: Context – What does it say?

Chapter 1

1:1-5
1:6-12
1:13-22

Chapter 2

2:1-6
2:7-13

Chapter 3

3:1-10
3:11-19
3:20-26

Discuss (summarize) the chapters

HOMEWORK: The Book of Job

As an early narrative, chronologically, we will keep in mind the story in the book of Job is said to have happened after the flood and the other events of Genesis 1-11, but prior to the time of Abraham in Genesis 12.

Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD (especially since this narrative deals with the problem of evil and suffering).

Reading and reflection:

Read through the book of Job (or listen to an audio version) in one sitting to get the big picture of the narrative. Use this framework as the lens for your reading:

God’s Kingdom, sovereignty and perfect character throughout the story
God’s restorative power and hesed (love, grace and mercy beyond comprehension)
Humanity’s fallen nature and imperfect interaction with each other and with God – showing the need for a Savior (Jesus)
A picture of the Redeemer and Promised Messiah of Genesis 3:15 (Jesus)
Keep in mind two important questions: What is God teaching the reader; and where is Jesus pictured or foreshadowed in the people or events?

THE BOOK OF JOB: STUDY QUESTIONS

(continue these from this week…)

6. Interpretation: What does it mean? Always focus on these two main questions:

a. What do you learn about God’s character and what He was teaching the reader?

b. How does the chapter or passage point towards Jesus?

7. Going Deeper: Re-read and review chapters 1-3

a. What is the interaction between God and Satan, and why?

b. How do we see God’s sovereign control in these first three chapters?

c. What happens to Job and how does he respond to these circumstances?

New for next week…

Read, for context, Job chapters 4-14

Go deeper for step four, Interpretation, by answering the study questions for these chapters…

1. Who were the three people that came to talk to Job after Satan had afflicted him? List a few of the good things they did to help Job, and some of the bad things they said or did that actually hurt Job in the first round of conversations.

2. How did Job respond to each of his friends’ comments or accusations?

Note: You can make a list or chart of their interaction this first round with the main points each were trying to make.

3. Also, for each section we study look for the two foundational interpretation points:

1) How do we see God’s character and His teachings

2) How does it point towards Jesus?

4. Application: How do I use what I have learned so far (in Job chapters 1-14)?

Please continue to join us each week for Foundations Bible Study and the book of Job!

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You will not find this material in the public school curriculum even though it is based on solid evidence and grounded in research. It is ironic that following the evidence to where it leads stops at the door of our public schools as they will not let a “Divine footprint” in! Join us as we examine evidence for Christianity and learn how to become a thoughtful defender and ambassador of your faith.

Click into the resource page of this website to view many of the top Christian thinkers and apologists along with some of their work; connecting to these types of resources is essential in your Christian growth.

Please let me know what you think: Give feedback, ask questions or send concerns in the comment section of the blog.

Teri Dugan

TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com

1 Peter 3:15