Job vs. Psalms

Contrast between Job / Psalms

• Pray

• Job wealthy and feared God – Bible says complete integrity (Job 1:1-12)

• Satan tries to drive wedge btwn Job / God – convinces God to allow

Tests. (I’m always amazed at the access that Satan seems to have to The God Of The Universe. [remember, God is perfect, everything about Him is legal and organized because of His perfection] - supiror)

• Story progresses – Job loses: family’, possessions, health

• people that knew him are convinced that through sin, he brought this on himself
• his wife in essence tells him he may as well “end it”

• 4 friends come to talk – Job didn’t talk for days

Friends just sat with him – (sometimes we don’t have to say anything to someone hurting. Just being there is what they need?)

• when they finally could talk to him tried to convince him to repent – his bad fortune caused by God punishing unrepented sin.

• God rebukes Jobs friend for thinking he had something to do with this – good in us always about Him ~ bag always about us or Satan.

• Job makes the case that he is righteous toward God and better than the unrighteous.

• Job not so concerned about what he’d lost, but why he lost it.

• Job asks God, “why” - (God never answers that question – they want argument not answer)

• God, then rebukes Job tells him don’t worry about it I Am Sovereign – what I say goes – tells Job whats what. 38:1- 41:34 
• Job is restored (chapter 42)

• lessons Job learned

1. God is sovereign – ALL AUTHORITY
2. Bad things will happen to good people – Gen 3, Satan (always testing, hates God and His people, Satan has limitations)
3. not that bad things wont happen, how we act when bad things happen – God want us to rely on Him alone.
4. God then fairness…not fairness then God
   
   

   • Even though Job, as well as his friends had the wrong theology (God causes hardship and bad things to happen to "punish or to teach lessons" to people) Job none the less proves he got the point when he didn't reject God when his own (incorrect) theology told him to (Paraphrased from Gregory A. Boyd's Is God To Blame ? - pp 94).

• Psalms are praise, laments, some wisdom (proverbs) all over the place. Not one story…a collection of conversations from the hart.

• Written mostly through David and son Solomon

• All Psalms put God first – acknowledge His Sovereignty

• They never ask “why me, I’m a good guy”

• Job asks until God sets him straight, “I’m righteous, why me?” – ignore God’s Sovereignty

• Psalms always seem to say “you are God, WHY NOT ME?”

• Psalms will ask for help – in doing so acknowledge God is only help

Ask class to draw conclusions btwn Job and Psalms

Job In Context With Psalms

This is one of my very favorite studies and pieces of Scripture. There is so much in this chapter, I believe we not only get a true, accurate picture of God's Nature, but a very accurate picture of what our relationship with Him should look like.

We learn that God is sovereign, independent and above us in every way. We learn that we know next to nothing and that what we do know we know because of Him. We learn that we can't know everything, but He can,  and that He creates everything for our good.

We learn that bad things do happen to good people, that He doesn’t cause bad things, but in the end, He does use them for our good.

I’ve heard it said the book of Job is like a “mini Bible”. In it, we see creation, fall, redemption, restoration and His Grace we also get a look at what God is like.

_______________________________________________________________________ 

• ·         Job wealthy and feared God – Bible says complete integrity (Job 1:1-12)

• ·         Satan tries to drive wedge between Job & God  (Job 1:6 - Always  surprised Satan has access to God)  Note: in Job 1:7   God asks Satan what he’s been up to – He doesn’t ask the Godly angles because He KNOWS WHAT THEY’VE BEEN UP TO .

• ·         As the story progresses Job loses kids, possessions, health, standing in the community  (prob.)

• ·         People that know him are convinced that he, through sin, has brought his problem on himself.

• ·         His wife tells him he may as well “end it” (thanks honey).  Note: the only family he has left is at worst against him, and at best, ridiculing him.

• ·         4 friends come to talk – Job did not talk to them for days – Note: Sometimes we don’t need to say anything to hurting people, just being there is enough.

• ·         When they finally talk to him, they tried to get him to repent – his bad fortune was a result of unrepented sin.

• ·         God rebukes Jobs friends for thinking He CAUSED this. – The good we do is ALWAYS caused by God - bad is ALWAYS about Satan.

• ·         Job tries to make the case that he is righteous toward God and better than the un- righteous.

• ·         Job not so concerned with what he’d lost, but why he had lost it.

• ·         Job asks God, why has bad happened to him when he’s a good guy? (God never answers that question. When we ask that, we are not looking for an answer – we are looking for an argument. God WILL NOT be drawn into that).

•  God gives Job a theology lesson -

·         God, then gets on Job’s case, tells him not to worry about it – He says don’t worry about it, I’m God - I’m sovereign – what I say goes gets on Job’s case (Job 38:16 – when have you walked through the springs of the seas?,  Job 40:2 "Shall the one who contends with the Almighty correct Him? He who rebukes God, let him answer it.")

·         Job is restored in Chapter 42. (God is good and after Job learned, He made good out of bad experiences because Job loved God and was called according to His Purpose. –  

     (Romans 8:28)

·         Lessons Job learned:

1.       God is sovereign – ALL AUTHORITY

2.       Bad things will happen to good people (what is “bad, what is “good”?)

3.       It’s not that bad things won`t happen, it`s how we treat God and how we react when they do, (Satan has limitations and hates God and His people)

4.       God, then fairness – NOT fairness THEN God

The fact that the Book of Psalms is very next chapter – highlights contrast

·         Psalms are poems and songs of praise, lament, some wisdom (proverbs) – Not one story or account, but a collection of conversations from the heart.

·         Written mostly through David and his son Solomon

·         All Psalms put God first – Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty

·         Never asks “why me, I’m a good guy”

·         Always seem to say, “you’re God, why NOT me?”

·         Psalms will ask for help, in asking with the correct attitude, we acknowledge God is our only help

The God Of Patience

• Pray
• Praise

Patience = Greek word “hupermone” – compound of “hupo” = under and “meno”  =  abide – together, literally means to abide under. The idea is enduring under a load.

Dictionary.com defines patience this way:

1. the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
2. an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: to have patience with a slow learner.
3. quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.

James 2-6(read) out of KJV

Now out of NLT -  2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

• James tells us that the only way for us to develop patience is to go through some stuff. Then he tells us to go ahead and take and let good, (patience) come out of it.

Romans 8:28 tells us this will happen if we love The Lord.

Roman 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, and who have been called according to his purpose. 

(ALL OF US CALLED TO HIS PURPOSE)

Romans 15:5   (God is the God of patience)

 5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus

                       

1. How does God show us show patience?

Encouragement - Jeremiah  33:3, James 1:5

Harmony with others -  1 John 4:8, Rom 8:39

God is telling us that patience, harmony and encouragement (of others) go together. Since love is the most important thing, 1 Cor a3:13 we can draw a parallel on how important patience is.

James 5:11              (Patience Exemplified)

11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

1.    With regard to the definitions we have read, how does point to, and encourage us?

Job

Job 1:21 He said,   “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.
     The Lord gave me what I had and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the   Lord!”

 Hebrews 6:12        

Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance

 Heb 6:15 - Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

1.    How does this show patience?

2.      is faith involved? –

3.      After reading about Job’s trials and Heb 6:12 &15  is faith / trust in God an element of patience?      

·       An example of patient faith:

ACTS 8:26 – 40

·        Phillip had patience with the Ethiopian eunuch to teach and endure his ignorance of The Gospel

·        Phillip patiently waited for the opportunity to fulfill the general calling we all have “to be ready in season and out of season”

 Lamentations 3:26 (New Living Translation)

So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord

Romans 12:12

12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Galatians 6:9  

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.

·       At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. For our own good and well being.

1. Why should we exercise patience?
2. Do we benefit from showing patience?
3. Do others benefit?
4. Do we benefit from other benefiting?
5. How?

Contrast Between Job And Psalms

·         Job wealthy and feared God – Bible says complete integrity (Job 1:1-12)

·         Satan tries to drive wedge btwn Job / God – convinces God to allow

tests

·         Story progresses – Job loses: family’, possessions, health

·         people that knew him are convinced that through sin, he brought this on himself

·         his wife in essence tells him he may as well “end it”

·         4 friends come to talk – Job didn’t talk for days

Friends just sat with him – (sometimes we don’t have to say anything to someone hurting. Just being there is what they need)

·         when they finally could talk to him tried to convince him to repent – his bad fortune caused by God punishing unrepented sin.

·         God rebukes Jobs friend for thinking he had something to do with this – good in us always about Him ~ bag always about us or Satan.

·         Job makes the case that he is righteous toward God and better than the unrighteous.

·         Job not so concerned about what he’d lost, but why he lost it.

·         Job asks God  “why”

·         God then rebukes Job tells him don’t worry about it I Am Sovereign – what I say goes – tells Job whats what. 38:1- 41:34

·         Job is restored (chapter 42)

·         lessons Job learned

1.    God is sovereign – ALL AUTHORITY

2.    Bad things will happen to good people – Gen 3, Satan (always testing, hates God and His people, Satan has limitations)

3.    not that bad things wont happen, how we act when bad things happen – God want us to rely on Him alone.

4.    God then fairness…not fairness then God

    Psalms are praise, laments, some wisdom (proverbs) all over the place. Not
   one story…a collection of conversations from the heart.

·         Written mostly through David

·         All Psalms put God first – acknowledge His Sovereignty

·         They never ask “why me” I’m a good guy

·         Job asks until God sets him straight, “I’m righteous, why me?” – ignore God’s Sovereignty

·         Psalms always seem to say “you are God, WHY NOT ME?”

·         Psalms will ask for help – in doing so acknowledge God is only help

C