1. Job’s status, Satan’s accusation, God’s verdict, and the test (1-2).

2. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar argue with Job. They say all suffering, including Job’s, is because of personal sin (3-31).

3. Elihu speaks to Job. He says that God is infinitely greater in all ways than man. God is right in whatever He does (32-37).

4. God then speaks to Job; Job finally understands that God is indeed just and infinite; after that God restores Job to temporal prosperity (38-42).

1. Job is well known because he endured so much suffering, suffering that was undeserved. In fact, he maintained his innocence throughout the incident (34.5).

2. Job was an outstanding believer and citizen of the ancient middle east. Why should he suffer so (1.1,8; 2.3)?

3. God did not personally make Job suffer, but He did give permission to Satan to cause Job to suffer. It was a test for Job (1.12; 2.6; 19.9).

4. The purpose of Job’s suffering was to demonstrate that Job’s relationship with God was genuine. Job did not remain faithful to God because of temporal prosperity; Job trusted God because he know who God was and what God was like (1.8-10; 2.3).

5. During the period of suffering Job challenged God; he accused God of injustice and silence (33.8-11). He never cursed God as Satan predicted (1.11; 2.5) and as his wife urged (2.9), though he was very close to it. He never renounced God, though he wished he had not been born or else had died at birth, and now wished he would die (3.1-3,11,21;14.13).

6. Job had three prominent friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar-- who did not act like friends at this time) who were quite sure that the cause of Job’s problem was his own sin. They did not help (33.5). They were wrong. At the end of the ordeal God ordered them to offer sacrifices for themselves and told Job to mediate for them (42.7-9).

7. Elihu was a younger man who finally had to speak his mind. The heart of his message was that God is infinitely greater in all ways than man. He is right in whatever He does (33.13; 34.10; 35.5-8; 36.24-26; 37.5,7,13,21-24).

8. The Lord finally spoke to Job (38-41). He asked him a series of questions which proved that man is so finite and insignificant when compared to God that he has no right nor cause to reprove God even if he does not understand why everything has gone wrong (40.1-5; 42.3).

9. In the end Job realized that he did not know everything about what God was doing with mankind. He retracted his brash statements because he realized the greatness of God and the finiteness of mankind (42.1-6).

10. God gave Job prosperity after the ordeal and he lived to be an old man (42.10-17).

1. Suffering is not evidence of God's disfavor or that you sinned : Just because you or someone else experiences suffering or hard times, it does not mean that you have sinned or that God is displeased with you or that you are a spiritual failure (1.1,8,12; 2.6; 19.9; 42.7).

2. Don't quit: A believer who is undergoing intense pressure does not need to renounce God and the Christian life. Job did not. He persevered (1.21-22; 2.10; 6.10; Jms 5.11).

3. It's OK to ask God why: A believer may question God in order to gain insight; to ask why is not wrong. God may answer so that you can better do His will (3.11-12, 16,20).

4. Don't demand that God explain: He may choose not to answer. If so, He has a reason. To demand that God explain everything He does is wrong because to do so is an act of unbelief in the nature of God and the plan of God. It reverses the Creator-creature positions (13.22; 19.7; 31.15).

5. Satan wants you to mistrust God: Satan attacks believers in an attempt to get them to renounce God. Satan wants believers to get mad at God, to mistrust God, and to reject Him. Satan claimed that believers trusted the Lord and followed the Lord only because God prospered them and that they would turn on Him when the prosperity ceased (1.6-2.10).

6. Don't be quick to give advice: The history of Job demonstrates that well-meaning people are often self-righteous and wrong about the suffering of another. They often give wrong advice and make matters worse (42.7-9).

7. Maintain confidence about death and resurrection: Even though he was suffering intensely, Job knew that he would see God after death and that Christ will return and judge (19.25-27).

8. God may do what he wants: Job recognized that God had the freedom to do whatever He wanted to do (23.13).

9. Surprise! You may wish to die: A believer can feel so weighed down that he wishes for death (3.1-3,11,21; 14.13).

10. Don't criticize God: It is wrong to criticize, judge, or renounce God. Our view is very limited and our knowledge, understanding, and insight are limited (40.1-3).

11. God is compassionate: God was compassionate to Job and will be to us (Jms 5.11).

12. We honor God and show our love for Him: We honor God when we trust him during the times that we do not know why things are going so wrong. Our trust demonstrates to Satan our genuine love for God; we do not follow Him because He gives us things (1.1.6-10.21; 2.1-10; 42.1-6).

1. Job 1.8-9

2. Job 1.21-22

3. Job 2.10

4. Job 6.10

5. Job 19.25-27

6. Job 23.13

7. Job 33.13-14

8. Job 37.13

9. Job 38.2

10. Job 40.1-2

11. Job 42.5-6