10/11/2024 – Day 110 – Job – Chapters 31 – 32 / Let’s take a look back at last cycle post dated 06/07/22
Call this a premature summary of the book of Job, but we have five Fridays left in our study. I believe these six lessons to the book of Job are priceless. But at the bottom, I am adding two important footnotes I believe from our two chapters.
I will in this case copy and paste much of that post here:
https://catholic-link.org/6-lessons-book-job/
And, one of the six really seems to go against the grain: “Do not anesthetize the pain”.
Yes, Job is defending himself with his colleagues. We can interpret it as a whine against God. But look at 20:12 , Zophar’s flippant venomous accusations amidst his suffering: “Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him.” That to a man that is going through horrific physical suffering.
And he has testified a faith and a hope redeemer in spite of the suffering, by the grace of God. Again, this is 1,500 years before Yeshua’s incarnation and many years before the prophecies of the messiah. Look at an earlier pronouncement of amazing faith declared by Job to his colleagues: “Keep silent and let me speak; then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands? Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.” Job 13: 13-15.
So, we need to cut Job some slack if he sounds like Soloman in Ecclesiastes, my summary: Life is futile, only a breath, and we return to the dust. Do some people suffer from God’s justice of their sins here! Yes. But the ancients here in Job can’t get off the track that is the only root cause for suffering. It fell flat on life’s observation though: there was no shortage of souls who thrived on earth here , regardless of leading a terrible sinful life against their fellow souls.
A 2nd root cause then , is suffering leads mysteriously to our highest calling as imitators of Christ. And that gives glory to God! And this is substantiated in the story in Job through our readings and the summaries of these two link articles.
And the 3rd cause: random. Jesus asked the people : Were the people that were killed from the tower collapse at Silom due to their sin? The question suggests his answer is it doesn’t fall under the 2nd cause below. Plus, none of them may have lived long enough to even begin to give glory to God, for it may have been instantaneous death.
Let’s keep solidfying these themes in our study through this lengthy ancient of ancients in books.
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And here are the footnotes to our two chapters today that I promised:
“31: 40. ‘The words of Job are concluded’ who’ll not be construed to indicate that the subsequent chapters were added later to bring closure to the story line. Similar editorial notes are found in Psalm 72:20 and Jeremiah 51: 64. The remark indicates that Job had made his case before God and would allow him to respond.”
“32:1 Critics view the speeches of Elihu (chapters 32 – 37) as a later interpolation into the text, and they offer the following reasons:: (1). Elihu is not mentioned in the prologue or epilogue. (2). These chapters contain an unusual proportion of Aramaic words in the Hebrew text. (3). These speeches contain fewer metaphors than the preceding ones and have vocabulary differences. (4). Elihu’s speeches are more philosophically / theologically reasoned than those of Job’s three friends.
But these charges lack validity. First, Elihu’s absence from the prologue is understandable, if he arrived after the dialogue begun. His absence from the epilogue is no more inexplicable than that of Satan or Job’s wife. Second, Elihu’s speeches give allusions to all three rounds of the dialogue. Third, the presence of 12 Aramaic words is scarcely disproportionate to the 26 Aramaic words found elsewhere in the book. Arguments based on style are subjective; Elihu should be allowed his own style. Fourth, the failure of Job’s friends to convince him necessitates Elihu’s philosophical and theological approach. Elihu’s speeches were a preparatory bridge between Job’s summation of his case and God’s reply.”
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Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.
Soli Deo Gloria!