The Sovereignty of God When We Suffer: A Look At the Book of Job

Here is the audio to the following sermon:
DivShare File - Job Sermon - 11308.wma

Here are my sermon/Bible Study Notes. I haven't had a chance to put it in manuscript form.


"Jury Duty," - Supertones

5am on Tuesday, why am I up so early?
Drive out to Santa Ana, cause I’ve got jury duty
No breakfast, short tempered, and I cut my head shaving
10 miles out I hit traffic, some days just aren’t worth saving.
At the courthouse, I waited, and waited, then I waited
At lunchtime, my car stalled out, I couldn’t get it started.
Had a book by CS Lewis, I finished the last page
Slept on my desk for 3 hours, just like my high school days.
Got home and decided I’d be in a bad mood.
My shying quit wife said she didn’t like my attitude.
Got a call from my mother, forgot my sisters birthday.
I’m a lousy older brother, safe to say I’ve had a bad day.
You know I haven’t had the best of days. But I want to stop and thank you anyway.
Every single moment whether sleeping or awake is your creation, and what you made is good.
I don’t always thank you for the rough days and the hard times in my life, even though I should.

Background

• Author - unknown, but perhaps Moses. Exodus 2, Moses goes to Midian, a land near Uz (Jobs hometown). Story could have been passed down. Others have suggested, Solomon, Elihu, Isaiah, Hezekiah, Jeremiah, and Ezra, but with little evidence.
• Date - unknown. Job may have been a early descendant of Abraham/Esau. Lived for 200 years which fits with Abraham (175) time period. Other hints are - Chaldeans, wealth measured by land and livestock, no mention of Israel, etc.

1:1-2:10 - THE ATTACK

1:1-5 - Jobs character. Declared: "blameless" "upright" "feared God" "shunned evil"

1:6-12 - God and Satan, part 1 - Job is unaware of the conversation b/t God & Satan. The attacks upon him are unexpected.

1:13-22 - First Attack.
vs. 13-19 - property and family destroyed/murdered.
vs. 20-22 - Job’s reaction: He wept, asked for repentance, and mourned.

2:1-6 - God and Satan, part 2 - Satan can now attack his health. He wasn’t allowed to before. And he does just that.

2:7-8 - Second Attack
Job’s health is attacked & boils fill his body. He scrapes the boils so to release the infection.

2:9-10 - Reactions of Job and His Wife
vs. 9 - his wife tells Job to curse God and commit suicide. Remember she has lost everything too
vs. 10 - Job remained faithful to God despite his circumstances.

2:11-37:24 - JOB’S FRIENDS

Starting in 2:11, Job’s closest friends visit him in the midst of his distress and offer their advice. Their basic argument as to why this has happened to Job was because he had committed some sin.

• 22:4-11 - Eliphaz accuses Job of sinful living.
• Job always retaliates defending his blamelessness. 31:1-30

38:1-41:34 - GOD ANSWERS

• Since Job’s friends provide ignorant advice, Job seeks to speak to God Himself. God answers him.
• 38:1-40:2 - God’s argument, Who are you to question my Sovereignty and rule. 38:1-12, 31-39:4-

42:1-17 - JOB’S REPENTANCE AND CONCLUSION

• 40-1-5 - Job realizes that he is an ant questioning the Almighty. He is left silent!
• 42:1-6 - Job’s response? He repented. This seems unusual. Job wanted to complain to God, seek justice, and ask why. God never answered why. God simply pointed out that He was in control, and aware of the situation, and was allowing it for His own glory. Job’s only response was to repent in awe of God.
• Afterwards, Job’s friends are rebuked and repent. Job, and God, forgive the friends.
  C God blesses Job & restores his previous wealth & health. He lives to see his children to the 4th generation

Lessons from Job

• There are many things going on in heaven we don’t know about yet, but they affect our lives.
• God’s people do suffer.
• Not all suffering is the result of sin.
• God is always aware and in complete control.
• The answer to all human suffering is trust in a God’s Sovereignty.

Conclusion

• John Piper’s "The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God."
  pg. 69-71
  pg. 78