←Job→

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Purpose To reflect on the issue of human suffering, primarily by questioning the commonly believed connection between moral goodness and prosperity
Author Unknown
Date Unknown
Setting The time when the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his sons) lived, possibly in the land of Edom

Overview Article

When suffering comes to us, we often ask why. People sometimes say it’s because the sufferer did something wrong. The book of Job examines the suffering of one man who suffered precisely because he was blameless. Job’s friends supposed that he was guilty of some unknown sin. They tried to persuade him to repent, but Job knew he hadn’t sinned, so he questioned God. Finally, God appeared, but he did not give Job the answers he sought. Instead, God confronted Job, changed his perspective, and blessed him.

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Key People, Places, and Terms

People 13

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Places 11

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Key Terms 97

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Themes

Job’s Innocence 26 Job’s comforters could not accept the idea that any human could be truly innocent ( Job 4:17–19 ; 15:14–16 ; 25:4–6 ). They believed suffering was a direct result of sin. So, Job must have done something wrong to dese... Life After Death 24 Writers in the Old Testament describe the place where dead people are as beneath the earth's surface ( Ezekiel 26:20 ). Sometimes, the earth swallows them alive ( Numbers 16:31–33 ; Psalm 55:15 ). But usually, "the co... Darkness and Light 13 Darkness means there is no light. There was no light until God commanded it to appear. He then separated light from darkness ( Genesis 1:2 , 4–5 , 18 ). The ninth plague he sent against Egypt was three days of deep da... Understanding Job 13 The story of Job presents a tension between good and bad aspects of his character. The beginning of the book clearly approves of Job ( Job 1:1 , 8 ; 2:3 ). But later, God questions Job directly: “ Who is this who obsc... Complaints 6 The Bible teaches that complaining is often wrong. For example, God judged the Israelites for complaining about their difficulties in the wilderness ( Numbers 14:27–37 ). The Job complained a lot and received God's re... Counsel from Others 6 The book of Proverbs teaches that having many advisors are good because they provide safety ( Proverbs 11:14 ; 24:6 ). They increase our chances of success ( Proverbs 15:22 ). The book of Job shows that advisors can a... Material Reward 6 Some people in the Old Testament period believed that righteous people would usually prosper in material ways. They treated the wisdom sayings found in books like Proverbs as general rules for life. Other biblical boo... Death 4 Humans are mortal, and death is the natural end of life on earth ( Psalm 90:1–6 ). Human identity began when God breathed life into the dust of the earth and made a man ( Genesis 2:7 ). This state reverses at death wh...
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The Righteous Suffer 3 The book of Job invites readers to examine why we have faith in God. Job lost his possessions, family, and friends. This deeply tested his faith. Yet, he kept trusting God and proved that when Satan accused him, Satan... The Son of God 3 Jesus' healings, exorcisms (casting out demons), raising the dead, and teachings resulted in wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (for example, Mark 1:22 , 27 ; 4:41 ; 5:15 , 20 , 33 ; 7:37 ; 9:15 ; 10:24 , 26 , 32 ; 12:1... Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility 2 The Bible shows that everything is under God's control. In other words, God is sovereign over everything. For example, rain falls on both good and bad people as part of God's plan ( Matthew 5:45 ). God is not responsi... God or Satan? 2 Who is responsible for trials and difficulties? It might see strange, but Scripture sometimes says God, sometimes Satan, and sometimes both. How is this possible? Understanding this requires looking at these situation... Jesus and Satan 2 Satan is a personal agent of sin and evil who opposed Jesus ( Matthew 4:1–11 ). The Gospel of Matthew refers to this being as: Resurrection in the Old Testament 2 Many Old Testament passages suggest that the place where dead people are is a location from which people do not return (see, for example, Job 7:6–21 ; Psalm 6:5 ; Isaiah 38:18–19 ). Yet, some passages suggest the idea... Wisdom 2 Wisdom helps us know how to speak and act in various situations. It allows us to avoid problems and manage them when they happen. Wisdom is more than just intelligence. Proverbs mentions that even animals like ants, r... God’s Uniqueness 1 As Creator, God is separate from what he has made. God is not part of nature. He created nature and governs it. He has always existed as the living God. God planned how everything in the universe would work according... All Is “Vapor” 1 A key word in the book of Ecclesiastes is the Hebrew term hebel. This word means "vapor." Often it is translated as "meaningless." This word captures the main view about life in this world of the Teacher. The Teacher,... Apostasy 1 Sadly, opposition to God is not limited to those outside the community of faith. The Bible tells of many who seemed to know God but turned away (see Numbers 16 ; Deuteronomy 13 ; 2 Kings 17:5–23 ; Ezekiel 8 ). God bri... Calling up the Dead 1 The Old Testament forbids magical practices like spiritism, divination, and necromancy. Necromancy involves contacting dead spirits, usually to seek future guidance (see Deuteronomy 18:9–12 ). Practicing necromancy an... Fear of the Lord 1 As Moses gives his final instructions to the people of Israel before his death, he repeatedly urges them to "fear the LORD" (see, for example, Deuteronomy 6:1–13 ; 10:12–21 ; 31:9–13 ). Joshua gives the same advice ne...

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Outline

Use of Job in the New Testament

Quoted 2 times across 2 New Testament books

Total quotations 2
Connected books 2
Most-connected book Romans 1

All References

Job bookOverview.connections.ntReference Compare
Job 5:13 1 Corinthians 3:19
Compare
OT Text
  • He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.
NT Text
  • foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness
Job 41:11 Romans 11:35
Compare
OT Text
  • Who has given to Me that I should repay him? Everything under heaven is Mine.
NT Text
  • Who has first given to God, that God should repay