THE WHOLE BIBLE JOB. We pray these lessons will help God s people grow in faith and in service to his kingdom.

Transcription

1 THE WHOLE BIBLE JOB This Bible study, one of 66 studies covering the entire Bible, is made up of one-page lessons covering short sections of the book. The electronic format (student s and leader s guides) allows adaptation to individual needs. Benefits of one-page lessons: Hand out only what you need, relative to the length of the class session and how much content you wish to cover. Taken at a steady pace, a page can be covered in about 20 minutes. See at a glance all the material that pertains to the section being covered. Use the discussion questions as your basic outline and draw in material from the and sections as you wish. Suggestions for using these lessons: Teach an entire book, or teach just part of a book. Use a single lesson sheet for a 19 Minute style Bible study. Use a single lesson sheet as a meeting opener, either as a devotion or a short Bible study. Build your own Bible studies. The possibilities are endless. For example: Assemble all the lessons on the penitential psalms, psalms of praise, or David s early years. Assemble sections that deal with predestination, and teach the pertinent passages in their context. Study all references to mountains, cities, nations, etc., pointing out their importance in the lives of God s people. Note: The appropriate pages in The People s Bible commentary volumes are referenced. However, the authors were given the freedom to develop their own studies, so these lessons are not, in a strict sense, study guides to those volumes. We pray these lessons will help God s people grow in faith and in service to his kingdom. The following authors participated in writing for this project: John Beck, Allen Beyersdorf, Jeffrey Bonack, Matthew Crass, Charles Degner, Steven Degner, Michael Feuerstahler, William Fischer, Aaron Frey, Stephen Geiger, James Getka, Eric Hartzell, Robert Hochmuth, James Janke, Paul Janke, Armin Keibel, Brian Keller, John Kelly, Geoffrey Kieta, Thomas Kock, Robert Koester, David Kolander, Brian Kom, Arnold Kunde, James Langebartels, Lyle Luchterhand, Harry Marks, Peter Panitzke, James Pope, Joel Prange, David Reichel, John A. Schroeder, John P. Schroeder, Snowden Sims, Philip Spaude, Carl Voss, Robert Voss, Keith Wessel, Mark Wilde, James Witt, James Ziesemer. The material on this disk may be adapted, printed, and copied by the purchaser of this kit. However, the following notice must appear at the bottom of each page of the student lessons: Ownership of this material belongs to either a congregation or an individual, but not both. Purchase by a congregation: Purchase of this material by a congregation gives Bible study leaders of that congregation permission to adapt and copy this material for use in one or more

2 groups within that congregation. (Dual parishes may purchase one copy for use in both congregations.) Purchase by a pastor or other Bible study leader: Purchase of this material by an individual gives the buyer permission to adapt and copy this material for Bible classes he or she teaches or supervises. Buyer has permission to use this material only in the congregation he or she is currently serving or attending. Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society. Northwestern Publishing House 1250 N. 113th St., Milwaukee, WI Northwestern Publishing House Published 2006 Printed in the United States of America ISBN:

3 Verse 1 Verse 6 1 suffers his first losses (The People s Bible,, pages 11-23) The land of Uz This land is somewhere in the Near East, but we cannot be more specific. was the greatest man among all the people of the East (verse 3). Blameless and upright was not sinless. However, he lived in a spirit of repentance and faith, and by faith he served the Lord in everything he did. Satan The literal meaning of this name is enemy, adversary. 1. How does show his love and concern for his children? offers sacrifices on behalf of his children for any sins they may have committed. 2. Sometimes we assume that Satan took the initiative in challenging God to put to the test. Who, however, took the initiative? What did he want to prove? The Lord took the initiative. If we may put it this way, he expressed pride in. The Lord held before Satan as an example of someone who by grace served him with his whole heart. God wanted to prove to Satan the power of his grace, which was active in s life. 3. In response to God s challenge, Satan accused both God and. Of what did he accuse them? What challenge did he make? Satan accused of being a phony, that he served God only because God gave him wealth and honor. Satan accused God of spoiling to buy his loyalty. Satan challenged God to take away s possessions and watch deny him. 4. What did God allow Satan to do? What did God not allow? Use this question to quickly overview all that lost. At this time the Lord did not allow Satan to afflict s body. 5. Who was in control here, Satan or the Lord? Explain your answer. It is clear that the Lord did more than allow Satan to do various things. The Lord is in direct control of everything. He used Satan as his agent. Satan knew God was in control, so he could only challenge God to stretch out [his] hand and strike. In the last verse, confessed that the Lord gave and the Lord took away his possessions. The Lord was the active agent in all of this. 6. Many preachers today preach prosperity theology. They suggest that following Christ will ensure prosperity and success in this life. Why are such promises misleading and dangerous? The Bible doesn t teach prosperity theology. Our faith always brings a certain amount of suffering into our lives. If you believe in the health-and-wealth gospel and do not find health and wealth, you will find yourself wondering why. Invariably, you will begin looking for something you are doing wrong for the answer. This is precisely the thought found himself tempted to give in to. God challenged Satan to a test. God afflicted. remained firm in his faith.

4 Verse 3 Verse 4 2 suffers the loss of his health (The People s Bible,, pages 23-31) Though you incited me against him In Hebrew incited can mean entice, allure, instigate, or misdirect. Skin for skin! A person is usually willing to give up almost anything else, including family, in order to save his or her own skin. (Or at least that s Satan s reasoning here with.) 1. What similarity do you see between Satan s answer to God in verse 2 and the apostle Peter s description of Satan in 1 Peter 5:8? The devil roams and prowls over the earth constantly looking for someone to devour. 2. How does the Lord again challenge Satan? What is Satan s response? He points to the fact that held on to his faith in spite of losing everything. Satan responds by saying that if God took away s health, would curse God. 3. Once again, consider who is in control. How does each of the three parties involved in this confrontation answer this question? God (verse 3) God tells Satan that held on to his integrity though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason. Satan incited God to take away s possessions. Satan did not take them away. Satan (verse 4) Satan says that if God would stretch out his hand and strike s flesh and bones, would curse him. With these words, Satan confesses that the Lord is in control and that the Lord himself performed these deeds against, even though the Lord used Satan as his agent. (verse 10) repeats what he said in 1:21. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? confesses that the trouble in his life came from God. God is in control. 4. What is remarkable about s answer to his wife in verse 10? While not mincing words, he shows great gentleness and patience. 5. Verse 12 states that the friends could hardly recognize. How would you explain that? s physical condition had changed greatly. 6. s three friends were of little help to him. When you go to visit someone who is suffering great afflictions, what are some important things to keep in mind so that your visit will have beneficial results? Don t go there to harass the sufferer! Give him or her words of hope and comfort. Speak up. Say something. Silence can imply that you are judging the person. In addition to all his other losses, now lost his health. His three friends came to visit.

5 Verse 12 Verse 13 Verse 23 3 s first speech: a complaint (The People s Bible,, pages 32-39) Knees to receive me In Old Testament times, it was customary for a father to place a newborn baby on his knees to show that he had accepted the child as his own (see Genesis 50:23). This would then correspond to the mother s love and acceptance in letting the child nurse. In peace... asleep and at rest is looking at death as a time of rest, which he so sorely yearns for in the midst of his suffering. Hedged in In 1:10 Satan accused God of putting a hedge around him to shield from trouble and disaster. was still hedged in, but now in the sense that God confined him so that he was helpless and in pain. 1. What points does make in this chapter? In view of his sufferings, wishes he had not been born (verse 3). He curses the day of his birth and wishes he had been cast out and left to die (verses 11,12). The sleep and rest of death is much to be preferred over his present suffering (verse 13). 2. Contrast s words in chapter 3 with what he said in 1:20,21 and 2:10. How do you explain the difference? is not a robot! He has feelings, and the more he suffers, the more his sinful nature sees a reason to complain. He may have complained, but he never denied his initial confession of faith. He does not curse God. 3. How does feel about God s attitude toward him? says that God s way is hidden from him and that God has hedged him in. It seems to as if God has forsaken him and given him over to suffering. 4. Is it wrong for a person to wish to die as does in chapter 3? Defend your answer. s friends will pick up on s complaint and explain why God seems to have forsaken him. They consider s complaints to be but one symptom of his completely wicked life. As Christians, though, we can still be holding on to our faith and yet be filled with complaints in the midst of suffering. We are saints and sinners at the same time. 5. What would you say to a suffering Christian who expressed thoughts similar to s? We should always give a Christian the benefit of the doubt and assume he or she is simply venting frustration. We should quickly respond with comfort and the reminder that God loves us in Christ and cares for us. Let that message, and not judgmental statements about the person s lack of faith, soothe his or her spirit. complained: I wish I had never been born. His extreme duress was showing itself in the great struggle he was undergoing.