THROUGH THE BIBLE (Job)

By Bishop Elijah H. Hankerson III, BA, MA, DD

LESSON NOTES:

I.                  THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE ENTIRE BIBLE. If you understand that the Bible is written to show us how humanity was created for God, fell into sin, was reconciled through Christ (who was the product of a family) and God will restore everything through His sacrifice on the Cross; then you have the message of the entire Bible.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ¹⁸And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. ²¹For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

                                           A.                  JESUS AND THE EARLY CHURCH TAUGHT THAT THE ENTIRE OLD TESTAMENT TEACHES ABOUT JESUS. You can preach the Gospel from ANY Old Testament book; just as well as you can the New Testament.

John 5:39-40 ³⁹You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Luke 24:44-47 ⁴⁴He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 18:24-28 ²⁴Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵He had been instructed in the way of the LORD, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. ²⁷When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

Acts 13:13-39 New International Version

¹³ From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

¹⁶ Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! ¹⁷ The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country; ¹⁸ for about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness; ¹⁹ and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. ²⁰ All this took about 450 years.

“After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. ²² After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

²³ “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. ²⁴ Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

²⁶ “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. ²⁷ The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. ²⁸ Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹ When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead, ³¹ and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

³² “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors ³³ he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son;
    today I have become your father.’

³⁴ God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

³⁵ So it is also stated elsewhere:

“‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’

³⁶ “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. ³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

³⁸ “Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. ³⁹ Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

II.                  THE AUTHOR OF JOB. Some scholars believe that Job himself wrote the book. Whether he did or did not, we believe that it is the inspired Word of God; even though we do not know who the earthly writer was.

2 Timothy 3:16 ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

III.            WHAT IS THE THEME AND PURPOSE OF JOB? The book gives consolation (not necessarily an answer) to why bad things happen to good people. Many times it does not make sense at all. Nevertheless God is behind the scenes in control. He not only watches over our lives; but He also has the reins to any force whose sole purpose is to destroy us. The book of Job shows an innocent man that suffers unmentionable things. This is a portrait of how Jesus the Savior (an innocent man) suffered shamefully for you and me.

                   A.                  JOB WAS INNOCENT.

Job 1:8 ⁸Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."

2 Corinthians 5:21 ²¹God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

                   B.                  JOB WAS STRUCK AND FOUGHT AGAINST.

Job 16:10 ¹⁰People open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me.

John 11:49-53 ⁴⁹Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish." ⁵¹He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵²and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. ⁵³So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

John 18:19-22 ¹⁹Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. ²⁰"I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. ²¹Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said." ²²When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded.

                   C.                  JOB SUFFERED SO BAD YOU COULD NOT RECOGNIZE HIM.

Job 2:12 ¹²When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.

Isaiah 52:14 ¹⁴Just as there were many who were appalled at him- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness-

                   D.                  JOB WAS PUT TO AN OPEN SHAME. Crucifixion was designed to be the most brutal and shameful execution of a criminal. Contrary to popular belief, Jesus was not crucified with a loin cloth on. Criminals were crucified completely naked to place them in an open shame.

Job 1:21 ²¹and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

Hebrews 6:6 ⁶If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

                   E.                  JOB HAD FAITH THAT GOD WOULD RAISE HIM FROM HIS SUFFERING.

Job 23:10 ¹⁰But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Matthew 20:18-19 ¹⁸"We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death ¹⁹and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"

                    F.                  JOB HAS FAITH THAT THE LORD LIVES.

Job 19:25 ²⁵I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.

Luke 24:33-34 ³³They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴and saying, "It is true! The LORD has risen and has appeared to Simon."

IV.            WHAT DOES THE NAME JOB MEAN? It means one who is persecuted and hated. Job is actually a long poem. This has led some to believe that the book is a work of fiction; not being meant to be taken literally. My prejudice is that I believe it is the Word of God and is a literal story (told in poetic form). Job is a type (symbolic) of Jesus; in that Jesus was hated for no reason.

Isaiah 53:3 ³He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

John 1:11 ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

V.                  GOD BRINGS A RIGHTEOUS MAN BACK FROM DEATH’S DOOR. For nine months out of Job’s life; it was a living Hell. Jesus (the righteous God/Man) went to Hell itself and came back to life for our sins.

                         A.            JOB IS A RIGHTEOUS MAN.

Job 1:1 ¹In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

Job 2:3 ³Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."

                         B.            JOB IS THE PRIEST OF HIS HOUSE. This is the oldest book in the Bible. At this time there is no official priesthood. There is no mention of the Covenants.

Job 1:5 ⁵When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular custom.

Job 42:8 ⁸So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has."

                         C.            SATAN MOVES GOD AGAINST JOB. Satan is not in Hell. He is loose. He has access to Heaven. He is the accuser against God’s people.

Job 1:6-12 ⁶One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. ⁷The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it." ⁸Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." ⁹"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. ¹⁰"Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." ¹²The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Job 2:2-6 ²And the LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it." ³Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." ⁴"Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. ⁵But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face." ⁶The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

Zechariah 3:1-2 ¹Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. ²The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"

Luke 22:31-32 ³¹And the LORD said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³²But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

1 Peter 5:8 ⁸Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Revelation 12:10 ¹⁰Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

                         D.            JOBS FRIENDS ARE NO COMFORT. Job has friends to comfort him. But, mostly they feel that he had to have done something wrong to cause all of his trouble. Job declared he was innocent and accuses them of being horrible friends.

Job 16:2 ²"I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you!

Job 34:5 ⁵"Job says, 'I am innocent, but God denies me justice.

                         E.            JOB CONFESSES HIS FAITH IN GOD.

Job 1:21 ²¹and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."

Job 14:14 ¹⁴If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

Job 19:25 ²⁵For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Job 23:10 ¹⁰But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

1.            HE CONFESSED HOPE IN AN AFTER LIFE.

Job 3:17 ¹⁷There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

                                      F.                        JOB DESIRES TO QUESTION GOD.

Job 13:3 ³But I desire to speak to the Almighty and to argue my case with God.

                        G.            GOD DOES NOT ANSWER. God never gives him an answer to his question. God speaks of His awesome own power. The KJV refers to these verses as a “whirlwind.” It is amazing, however, in the NIV, that it is a, “storm.” God spoke to Job out of a storm. Even as he is able to do for us. As the next passage of Scripture proves.

Job 38:1-4 ¹Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: ²"Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? ³Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. ⁴"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

Nahum 1:3 ³The LORD is slow to anger but great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

                        H.            GOD RESTORES JOB.

Job 42:10-17 ¹⁰After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. ¹²The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. ¹⁶After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

VI.                  A LITTLE SIDENOTE ABOUT JOB’S WIFE.

                         A.            JOB’S WIFE DEMONIZED. Job’s wife has been demonized for the following passage. But, remember, she suffered these nine months with Job as well. That was her possessions gone. That was her children gone. That was her husband near death. That was her security gone. She spoke out of her humanity and flesh.

Job 2:9-10 ⁹His wife said to him, "Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!" ¹⁰He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

                         B.            A SAVIOR THAT UNDERSTANDS. But isn’t it good to know that we have a Savior that can relate to every experience that we have had. He loves us and has compassion on us.

Hebrews 4:15 ¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

VII.               PRAYER FOR SALVATION. As we close, if you have not received this Jesus pray this simple prayer:

"Father, I know that I have sinned against You. Please forgive me. Wash me clean. I promise to trust in Jesus, Your Son. I believe that He died for me—He took my sin upon Himself when He died on the cross. I believe that He was raised from the dead. I surrender my life to Jesus today.

"Thank You, Father, for Your gift of forgiveness and eternal life. Please help me to live for you. In Jesus' name, Amen."