AUTHOR,
unknown
DATE,
subject of much discussion. Regarded by many scholars as the oldest book in the
Bible; others place it as late as the exile.
PLACE,
the Land of Uz.
MAIN SUBJECT,
the Problem of Job's affliction. The book is poetical and pictorial in its
descriptions. It may be divided into twelve scenes.
Scene I.
Job and his
family before affliction overtook them. Job appears as a godly father, unspoiled
by prosperity, ministering, as a priest, to his large household
Job
1:5
Scene II.
(a) Satan
enters the divine presence, insinuating that Job serves God because of special
favours
Job
1:9-11
(b) Satan is
permitted to test Job by inflicting the loss of property and children
Job
1:12-20
(c) Job
retains his integrity
Job
1:21,22
Scene III.
(a) Satan
re-enters the divine presence, saying, If Job's own body were afflicted, he
would curse God
Job
2:1-5
(b) Satan is
permitted to smite Job with a horrible disease
Job
2:7,8
(c) The
blasphemous advice of his wife, and the triumphant submission of Job
Job
2:9,10
Scene IV.
The arrival of Job's three friends, and the seven days silent sympathy
Job
2:11-13
Scene V.
Job's patience
being exhausted, he utters his complaint, ch. 3
Job
3:1
Scene VI.
The long and
fruitless discussions between Job and his three friends concerning his
afflictions.
His friends
maintain that suffering is the result of personal sin. Job defends himself and
asserts his innocence, chs. 4-31
Job
4:1 - 31:1
Scene VII.
Elihu enters
into the discussion, chs. 32-37
Job
32:1 37:1
Scene VIII.
The Lord
answers Job out of the whirlwind with words of enlightenment and reproof, chs.
38-39
Job
38:1 - 39:1
Scene IX.
Job's confession
Job
40:3-5
Scene X.
The Lord
speaks the second time ch. 40.7-41
Job
40:7 - 41:1
Scene XI.
(a) Job's second
confession
Job
42:1-6
(b) The Lord's rebuke
of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar for their foolish words, and command for them to
offer sacrifices
Job 42:7-9
Scene XII.
Job prays for his friends, his own prosperity is restored,
and he lives to a great age
Job
42:10-17
SUGGESTED LESSONS.
(1) The malignant power of Satan in human life.
(2) The use of
suffering in the divine plan as a means of perfecting character.
Job ch. 28.
(Outline
from Thompson’s Chain Reference Bible)