JOB – Job answers the question, “Why does our gracious Lord allow His people to suffer?” All the chapters except the first 2 and last one consist of Hebrew poetry. Dr. Luther said of Job, “The speech of this book is powerful and imposing as no other book in all of Scripture.” The author may have been Job himself, or maybe Moses or King Solomon.
Monday, October 11, Job 1
- 1, 5 – Job appears as an outstanding Christian. However, his faith would be tested to the breaking point.
- 9-11 – Satan’s argument was that Job loved God not because of His mercy and love, but because of the riches God had given him.
- 12 – Notice that Satan can only do what God permits.
- 14-19 – In these verses you see the awesome power Satan has in manipulating the Sabeans, Chaldeans, and the forces of nature. That’s why Luther wrote in his great Reformation hymn: “The Old Evil Foe now means deadly woe! Deep guile and great might are his dread arms in fight. On earth is not his equal.”
- 21 – Underline Job’s wonderful confession of faith in spite of his heavy cross.
Tuesday, October 12, Job 2
- 9 – Job’s wife and his three friends all offer him no real help or comfort with the severe crosses he had to bear. They actually made things worse for him instead of better. That points out to us the fact that we need a partner in marriage and friends who are solid Christians.
Wednesday, October 13, Job 3
- 11, 16 – These verses again prove to us that we have a dual nature as Christians. The new man you see active in Job in chap. 2:10. Here in chapter 3 you see the Old Adam, or his sinful flesh, holding forth. Read Rom. 7:18-25.
Thursday, October 14, Job 4
- 7-8 – In these verses Eliphaz is implying that Job must have committed some particular sin. Did he? Read chap. 1:22 and 2:10.
- 13-17 – Where Eliphaz got his information was not from God, but from a mystical vision. In our spiritual life, everything we need to know is found in God’s Word. Read Ps. 119:105, John 20:31, Rom. 15:4, and II Tim. 3:16, 17.
Friday, October 15, Job 5
- 17-27 – Eliphaz’s words in vv. 17-27 must have left Job deeply depressed. Because Job wasn’t experiencing the blessings described by Eliphaz, for Eliphaz that meant Job was deserving of what he got because of some sin. Reread Job 1 and 2 for the correct reason God permitted Job’s suffering. Job’s suffering was a test of faith. Its purpose was to strengthen his faith. Read Rom. 5:3-5.
Saturday, October 16, Job 6, 7
Is Job a despairing man? In these 2 chapters, he does show weak faith. He makes the claim “God is against me” (6:4) and “God is picking on me.” (7:20) God, however, is always just and correct in what He does. That’s because He’s a perfect God and always loves the Christian(Heb. 12:5,6,11). How heavy was Job’s cross? You can see that in chapter 7:4,5. People in this condition need comfort and hope from the Gospel, not bashing from friends and relatives.