AUTHOR, unknown

DATE, subject of much discussion. Regarded by many scholars as the oldest
book in the Bible; others place it as late as the exile.

PLACE, the Land of Uz.

MAIN SUBJECT, the Problem of Job’s affliction. The book is poetical and pictorial
in its descriptions. It may be divided into twelve scenes.

Scene I. Job and his family before affliction overtook them. Job appears as a godly father, unspoiled by prosperity, ministering, as a priest, to his large household # Job 1:5

Scene II.
(a) Satan enters the divine presence, insinuating that Job serves God because of special favours # Job 1:9-11
(b) Satan is permitted to test Job by inflicting the loss of property and children # Job 1:12-20
(c) Job retains his integrity # Job 1:21,22

Scene III.
(a) Satan re-enters the divine presence, saying, If Job’s own body were afflicted, he would curse God  # Job 2:1-5
(b) Satan is permitted to smite Job with a horrible disease # Job 2:7,8
(c) The blasphemous advice of his wife, and the triumphant submission of Job # Job 2:9,10

Scene IV. The arrival of Job’s three friends, and the seven days silent sympathy # Job 2:11-13

Scene V. Job’s patience being exhausted, he utters his complaint, ch. 3 # Job 3:1

Scene VI. The long and fruitless discussions between Job and his three friends concerning his afflictions.

His friends maintain that suffering is the result of personal sin. Job defends himself and asserts his innocence, chs. 4-31 # Job 4:1 – 31:1

Scene VII. Elihu enters into the discussion, chs. 32-37 # Job 32:1 37:1

Scene VIII. The Lord answers Job out of the whirlwind with words of enlightenment and reproof, chs. 38-39 # Job 38:1 – 39:1

Scene IX. Job’s confession # Job 40:3-5

Scene X. The Lord speaks the second time ch. 40.7-41 # Job 40:7 – 41:1

Scene XI.
(a) Job’s second confession # Job 42:1-6
(b) The Lord’s rebuke of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar for their foolish words, and command for them to offer sacrifices # Job 42:7-9

Scene XII. Job prays for his friends, his own prosperity is restored, and he lives to a great age  Job 42:10-17

SUGGESTED LESSONS.
(1) The malignant power of Satan in human life.
(2) The use of suffering in the divine plan as a means of perfecting character.

CHOICE SELECTION, Job’s discourse on wisdom ch. 28 # Job # 28.1