Synopsis of s wisdom is for us and for our times, because it speaks realistically of suffering. It explores the limits of our understanding. And it illustrates compellingly our need to trust God. It is these three simple ideas that summarize s message to us, and which we will use to look at the book together. Specifically, we will see that we often suffer; we sometimes understand; we can always trust. The Message of the Old Testament, Location 9506 Without question 's greatest contribution is its theological courage, for it asks hard questions about whether the only God is worth serving. asserts that God merits human service despite the reality of occasional exceptional suffering and loss. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 424 is presented as a nearly perfect example of a wise man. What happens to him in this book and what he learns from it are presented as a model for the life of the people of God We must not read the book as tough knew he was being tested. All that knew he was living a perfectly good life and, all of a sudden, trouble came down on him in heaps It is generally held that the primary purpose of the book is to explain why God's people suffer or why the righteous suffer. Though there are lessons in the book about suffering, it is a mistake to read the book as an explanation for that. Strictly speaking, the book explains only why suffered The central purpose of the book of is to give a practical demonstration of the value of divine wisdom. NIV Compact Bible Commentary, Pg. 312 Introducing and his trial of suffering (1-2) wishes he had never been born (3) s interaction with his three friends (4-31) o Eliphaz (4-5, 15, 22) s response (6-7, 16-17, 23) o Bildad (8, 18, 25) s response (9-10, 19, 26-31) o Zophar (11 & 20) s response (12-14, 21) Elihu claims and his three friends are all wrong (32-37) God sets everyone straight (38-42) o repents (40:3-5, 42:1-6) o is restored (42:10-17) FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 1
I. Meet God s Servant In Times Of Ease And Suffering Scripture introduces us to, a righteous servant of God, who God allows to go through testing to show that does not serve God solely because he is blessed with health and material blessings. God allows Satan to take s wealth, children, servants, and finally his health. a. Key Verses i. A righteous man is the center of the story 1:1 (ESV) 1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. ii. is about the see his faith in God tested 1:6 12 (ESV) 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, From where have you come? Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it. 8 And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered my servant, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Does fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. 12 And the Lord said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand. So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. What this fact means is that Yahweh is totally sovereign over ease and pain, for both divine command and divine permission leave God in charge of human events. It also means that there is no other God to whom sufferers may turn for healing or relief. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 430 iii. Some are willing to only maintain faith in God when things are going well 2:9 11 (ESV) 9 Then his wife said to him, Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die. 10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not sin with his lips. 11 Now when s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 2
Just like, the prophets and many other leaders in the Old Testament experienced suffering. However, this suffering did not lead them to walk away from trusting in God s sovereignty. Though pain and suffering are regular parts of the prophets' lives, they in no way use this fact as evidence that other gods have usurped Yahweh's authority, that God is no longer in full command of the situation or that the Lord's power has diminished or is somehow lacking. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 429 II. The Incomplete Perspective Of s Three Friends & Elihu Scripture introduces us to s three friends and a younger individual, Elihu, who chimes in at the end regarding s plight. s three friends should have been an encouragement to him, but instead added insult to injury., himself, summed up their helpfulness in 13:4 5 (ESV) 4 As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all. 5 Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom! s friends do not make any theologically incorrect statements; rather they assume the basis for God s actions without a full understanding of God s purposes. Incomplete theology has placed the Lord's reputation at risk. Without an appreciation of the fact that Yahweh allows suffering as a means of showing that God is worth serving under all conditions, the friends decide that this seemingly righteous man is actually a terrible sinner. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 435 If we turn back and look at the three long cycles of dialogue, we can summarize all the arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar pretty easily:, what has happened to you is really bad. You must have sinned most extraordinarily, because God is just and punishes sin. And though you deny having sinned, we know you must have. There can be no other explanation. And every time, basically responds, Oh no, I didn t. By that, does not mean he has never sinned; indeed, he confesses his sinfulness along the way. Rather, he is saying that no great, hidden sin has marked his life that would have called for such calamity. The Message of the Old Testament, Location 9595 While God is undoubtedly just, his ordering of the world is broader than a reductionistic human concept of retributive justice in which he can do no more than reward righteousness and punish wickedness. Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament, Location 1858 a. Summary of Eliphaz s position FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 3
Eliphaz summarizes his own theology by declaring that the innocent and upright are never destroyed. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 431 i. has instructed many but can t help himself 4:3 & 5 (ESV) 3 Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands 5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed. ii. is in this condition because of sin 4:7 8 (ESV) 7 Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off? 8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. iii. should thank God for His discipline 5:17 (ESV) 17 Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. iv. is filled with empty words 15:2 4 (ESV) 2 Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? 3 Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good? 4 But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. v. needs to repent from his deceit 15:31 (ESV) 31 Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment. b. Summary of Bildad s position This defense of God's justice properly concludes that the Lord forgives and heals yet also takes sin quite seriously. Ironically, this denunciation of sin fails to take into account that people often suffer for the sins of others. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 432 i. God killed s children because of their sin, but he must repent or face the same demise 8:4 6 (ESV) 4 If your children have sinned against him, he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression. 5 If you will seek God and plead with the Almighty for mercy, 6 if you are pure and upright, surely then he will rouse himself for you and restore your rightful habitation. ii. is not righteous because no one is 25:4 6 (ESV) 4 How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure? FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 4
5 Behold, even the moon is not bright, and the stars are not pure in his eyes; 6 how much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm! c. Summary of Zophar s position At best one can credit Zophar with a correct knowledge of God's sovereignty and wisdom and with a sincere plea for prayer to be offered with pure motives. At worst he makes God more distant and unknowable than do his friends. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 432 i. can no way claim his is righteous before God because no one can speak for God 11:4 6 (ESV) 4 For you say, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in God s eyes. 5 But oh, that God would speak and open his lips to you, 6 and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. ii. is wicked because the wicked do meet punishment 20:4 5 (ESV) 4 Do you not know this from of old, since man was placed on earth, 5 that the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment? d. Summary of Elihu s position Though Elihu does break some new ground by emphasizing the instructional nature of suffering, he hardly sets aside or radically alters the friends' perspective. Like the others, he leaves no place in his theology for a God who allows the righteous, the pure to suffer. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 435 i. s three friends never properly answered 32:12 (ESV) 12 I gave you my attention, and, behold, there was none among you who refuted or who answered his words. ii. only thinks that God is silent 33:13 14 (ESV) 13 Why do you contend against him, saying, He will answer none of man s words? 14 For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. iii. God does not act with injustice 34:10 11 (ESV) 10 Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. 11 For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 5
iv. makes unfounded claims 35:16 (ESV) 16 opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge. v. Man cannot understand God s ways 36:24 26 (ESV) 24 Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung. 25 All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar. 26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable. III. Claims Righteousness But Questions God s Actions We, too, try to understand our suffering, thinking that we can somehow alleviate the pain by comprehending it. The Message of the Old Testament, Location 9610 a. s suffering was so great that he wished he had not been born 3:3 4 (ESV) 3 Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, A man is conceived. 4 Let that day be darkness! May God above not seek it, nor light shine upon it. b. wrongly believes God will never listen to him 9:16 18 (ESV) 16 If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. 17 For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause; 18 he will not let me get my breath, but fills me with bitterness. c. knows he will be vindicated because he is righteous 13:18 19 (ESV) 18 Behold, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be in the right. 19 Who is there who will contend with me? For then I would be silent and die. d. wrongly accuses God of acting towards him in anger 16:9 (ESV) 9 He has torn me in his wrath and hated me; he has gnashed his teeth at me; my adversary sharpens his eyes against me. e. has moments of correct thinking in the midst of suffering i. 13:15 (ESV) 15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face. ii. 19:25 27 (ESV) 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, 27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 6
iii. 28:20 28 (ESV) 20 From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? 21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. 22 Abaddon and Death say, We have heard a rumor of it with our ears. 23 God understands the way to it, and he knows its place. 24 For he looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. 25 When he gave to the wind its weight and apportioned the waters by measure, 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a way for the lightning of the thunder, 27 then he saw it and declared it; he established it, and searched it out. 28 And he said to man, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding. Interestingly, 's desire to prosecute God leads to his walking a pathway of faith that anchors him to the God he had served in the past. By probing the Lord's character he demonstrates a dogged faith that eventually results in his vindication. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 432 IV. God Gives And His Friends Perspective God's comments utilize a series of questions aimed at exposing 's ignorance of God's ways and at reestablishing the Lord's trustworthiness. To achieve these goals, Yahweh emphasizes creation theology in his first speech. Old Testament Theology, Pg. 436 a. God puts things in perspective for through revealing His power in creation 38:1 7 (ESV) 1 Then the Lord answered out of the whirlwind and said: 2 Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 4 Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy? b. God shows that He is still intimately involved in the events of the world 39:1 2 (ESV) 1 Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does? 2 Can you number the months that they fulfill, and do you know the time when they give birth, c. is humbled and speechless 40:3 5 (ESV) 3 Then answered the Lord and said: 4 Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth. 5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further. FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 7
d. repents of wrongly questioning God s justice 42:1 6 (ESV) 1 Then answered the Lord and said: 2 I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me. 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes. e. God restores 42:10 11 (ESV) 10 And the Lord restored the fortunes of, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave twice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold. In the main body of the book of, we see learning deeper lessons about God and one's relationship to him. The lessons that learned all point to the central theme of the book: true wisdom, true godliness, comes from complete submission to God's rule, regardless of temporary rewards or suffering. NIV Compact Bible Commentary, Pg. 313 From the divine perspective, however, we also know that was wrong when, to justify himself, he accused God of being unjust (40:8). Here the lesson of is that a person does not have all the resources nor the right to call God's justice into question The book of thus shows that the truly wise man, like, is one who submits to the will of God and who does not call God's justice into question. God is the Creator, human beings are the creatures, and, in the final analysis, their role is to submit to the divine authority. This is not to say that the book teaches that whatever God does is just, simply because he has a right to do it. It is, rather, to say God always does justice, even though we cannot always see it from our limited perspective. NIV Compact Bible Commentary, Pg. 314 Yet demanding that suffering have a reason and meaning that fits within the narrow scope of our human understanding prejudices the explanation that can be given. As humans, we must see that, given our limited understanding, there are only a few types of solutions that are available to us. When we fail to recognize our limitations, it s like deciding that because our car radio is not picking up any radio broad-casts, then there must be no radio stations sending out a broadcast anywhere. But why assume that? Is that the only possible explanation? And why assume that we must understand what God intends through suffering? The Message of the Old Testament, Location 9623 Takeaways from FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 8
While we can always proclaim God s sovereignty, we must be careful to pronounce a motivation for God s actions in His creation without knowing all of the facts. While true that discipline can come for disobedience, sometimes trials come to test our faith (James 1:2-4). If we find ourselves in the midst of suffering, we should look to God s provision through the suffering and how God wants us to grow through the suffering. We should always work on the presupposition that all of God s actions are just. Starting with that perspective will help us suffer well and properly counsel those going through suffering. Works Cited Dever, Mark. The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2006. ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008. House, Paul R. Old Testament Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1998. Sailhamer, John. NIV Compact Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994. Vanhoozer, Kevin J. Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: a Book-by-Book Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008. FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 9