A. Man is incapable of being righteous. "What is man, that he could be pure?" (15:14, cf 15-16) Romans 3:23

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1 Explore the Bible Lesson Preview June 18, 2006 "Acknowledge That Life Seems Unfair" Background: Job 15:1-21:34 Lesson: Job 18:5-6; 9-10, 20; 16:19-21; 19: ; 21:7-9 Motivation: Why do good things happen to bad people? This is the flip side of the question we've been asking. In response to the critics, Job shares his testimony. Examination I. Eliphaz's Second Speech and Job's Response (15:1-17:16) Basically ignoring everything Job said, Eliphaz continues with the party line: unrighteousness brings suffering. Although probably ill-timed and judgmental, Eliphaz's speech does make three very important points: A. Man is incapable of being righteous. "What is man, that he could be pure?" (15:14, cf 15-16) Romans 3:23 B. God will punish unrighteousness. "The wicked man writhes with pain all his days" (15:20, cf ) Romans 1:18; Jude 15 C. Unrighteousness is ultimately not profitable. "Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, for futility will be his reward" (15:31, cf ) Prov. 3:5-10, 12:8; 1 Tim. 6:17 Job's Response 1. No Comfort (16:l-6) Job's friends are "miserable comforters" (2); Job 1 / 6

2 suggests that if the roles were reversed, he would at least try to offer some words of relief (5). 2. No Justice (16:7-22) Job's words are based on incomplete knowledge. He is reacting to circumstances rather than trusting God. God has chosen not to reveal Himself at this time; therefore, Job feels that he has been turned over to wicked men (11) and has been punished by God (12). Gen. 3:2 3. No Hope (17:1-16) "Where then is my hope?" (15) Job sees the only alternative left to him is death. Rom. 15:4-13; Titus 2:13 II. Bildad's Second Speech and Job's Response (Job 18:1-19:29) - A. Listen (18:1-4) Bildad reprimands Job for not listening to his friends' wisdom. It is human nature to defend oneself against reproof. - B. Look (18:5-15) Observe the wicked and see their end. Unrighteousness does create a snare (8) for the offender. - C. Learn (18:16-21) Results of disobedience include spiritual dryness (16), a poor name (17), dark living (18), and no inheritance to grant (19). Prov. 10:28, 22:1 Job's Response (Chapter 19) 1. The Plight of Railings (1-6) "break me in pieces with words..." (2) We must be very careful as parents, spouses and friends to respect the power of the words we say. James says that the "tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity" (James 3:6) "...an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (3:8). Ecc. 5:2; Eph. 4:29, 5:6 2 / 6

3 2. The Pity of Rejection (7-22) Job feels rejected by God and his friends. "Have pity on me" (21) is his cry. 3. The Power of the Redeemer (23-29) Believers Study Bible comments on this key passage: " 19:25 - Job believes that his claim to be innocent of sin can stand the test of time (vv. 23, 24), and he wants his name to be vindicated. Then he emphatically says that there is something even better than a written record in the rock. Using the first person, he emphatically affirms that his Kinsman-Redeemer (Go'el, Heb.) lives (cf. Lev. 25:25; Ruth 2:20, 3:9, 4:3, 4) God is Israel's go'el (Ex. 6:6, 15:13; Ps. 74:2; Is. 41:14, 43:1). Because Job has surely given up on any possible human "redeemer," this must be interpreted as a divine Redeemer. This goes beyond his earlier reference to God as a mediator (9:33) or a heavenly witness (16:19) and recognizes Him as a vindicator or living "Redeemer." The "earth" is more literally translated "dust," which is a figure for the "grave" (cf. 17:6; 20:11; 21:26). This becomes clear in the NT when we learn that Jesus is a resurrected, ever-living Redeemer. 19:26 - The grave is not the end. Even after death then Job's "skin," i.e., body will be completely destroyed, having returned to dust, Job expects to see God. Job believes that he personally will be present; he will not simply be represented by another (v. 27). The phrase "in my flesh" is literally "from my flesh I shall see God"; i.e., this is Job's affirmation that his vindication will certainly take place, even if his physical body has already disintegrated in the grave. 19:27 - He will stand before God, not by proxy, not in a vision, and not just in the experience of faith, but he will see his Redeemer for himself. Some scholars see vv. 26, 27 as expressing Job's confidence in being vindicated before his death. Only a bodily resurrection can fulfill and accomplish this divinely inspired affirmation (vv. 26, 27). Furthermore, this is the answer to the crucial question, "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (14:14) p. 704" 1 Cor. 3 / 6

4 15:54-57; Jude III. Zophar's Second Speech and Job's Response (Job 20:1-21:34) A. Sin is Short-lived (20:1-11) The timing of God's judgment is a major issue of contention between Job and his friends. Job argues that God's judgment may not be as quick as they think. Heb. 9:28 B. Sin is Sweet at First (20:12-13) Hebrews 11:25 speaks of the "pleasures of sin for a season." The word picture used here is very powerful: sin is like a sweet in the mouth (12) but turns to cobra venom in the stomach (14). C. Sin is Surely to be Judged (20:14-29) All of the punishments described in these verses are the wicked's "portion from God" (29). Job's Reply to Zophar (21:1-34) Chapter 21 begins Job's direct refutation of the accepted theology of suffering. While the friends' wisdom was logical, Job's reply was subjective. "Look around you", Job says, "real life does not always fit into your narrow theological box!" 1) Ungodly People Do Prosper (1-16) Ungodly people have no time for God (15); still they are sometimes blessed materially. (Rom. 3:9-21; 1 Tim. 6:5-12) 2) Ungodly People Are Not Always Punished Through Their Children (17-21) This accepted wisdom was not always true. 3) Ungodly People Eventually Die (22-26) 4 / 6

5 4) Ungodly People Will Be Judged (27-34) Believer's Study Bible comments on verse 30: "Having traveled abroad, Job's friends attest that the wicked person is often spared from calamity, escaping the day of fury. At the end of this second cycle of speeches, Job realizes that his friends had no room for exceptions in their theology. Yet many cases, including his own, contradicted their theological assumptions. The preacher in the Book of Ecclesiastes reviews this same problem and concludes that from all that a person can see, God must be indifferent (Eccl. 9:1-12; cf. Matt. 5:44, 45). God's nature is to be patient and kind, but His promises of judgment are not false, whatever the evidence may seem to be in one's limited historical experience. Equally, God's promises of blessing for the righteous will ultimately be found to be true. One must trust God's Word rather than his own experience. Job never discovers in this life why the righteous suffer" (p. 706). Phil. 3:10; Rom. 8:18; 1 Pet. 4:19 Application 1. God is a perfect judge; eventually all accounts will be settled. 1 Cor. 3:11-23; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 10:10, 12, 14, God acts toward us in grace; His pleasure or displeasure will not be found in circumstances. 3. Theology must be based on God's word rather than our circumstances. Adult Teachers Packet: Item 6: Handout: "It's Not Fair" Item Chart: 7: When Life Seems Unfair Biblical Illustrator (no article) Notes & Dates: June 23 - CSI Houston, July Houston Project, July 25 - Women's 5 / 6

6 Ministry Event, July Student Outreach, July First Place Leadership Summit, July 29-4 Him KSBJ Concert, 7/29-8/1 - Children's Camp, Aug Adult Leadership Training, Aug Bible Study Promotion Day, Aug Teacher Training Track 103, Aug Share Your Faith Workshop, Sept. 3 - Full Schedule (Labor Day Weekend), Sept Marriage Conf./ Rosbergs, Oct Luis Palau City Fest, Nov INSPIRE Conference, Nov Christmas Store donations, Nov Full Schedule (Thanksgiving), Dec. 2 - MTC Christmas Store, Dec Christmas Eve - (two am services, SS opt; 5 & 11 pm), Dec New Year's Eve (Full Schedule) 6 / 6