Content of the Teacher S Manual s1

CONTENT OF THE TEACHER’S MANUAL

I. APPENDICES TO JOB

Appendix to Job 32:1-33:33

The Person and Place of Elihu in the Book of Job

At certain points in the appendices Hebrew or Greek words are incorporated into the text. In order to retrieve these words it is necessary to download Teknia Hebrew and Teknia Greek. The facilitator may contact MINTS for free downloads of these fonts by clicking Biblical Language Fonts.

Note: All Scripture texts will appear in Comic Sans MS font; all extended quotations

from other authors will appear in Courier font.

II. ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY THE LESSONS

III. FINAL EXAM (STUDENT AND FACILATOR COPIES)

IV. GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A BOOK REPORT AND AN ESSAY

Appendix to Job 32:1-33:33

The Person and Place of Elihu in the Book of Job

1. Elihu seems to claim some sort of divine inspiration, whereas Job’s three friends tend to offer the wisdom of the elders (cp. Job 32: 8; 32:18; 36:1-2; 36:3-4)

But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him insight. (Job 32:8)

Since the phrase, the spirit in man, is paralleled by, the breath of the Almighty, it seems to be referring to the insight that the human spirit receives from the Spirit of God; i.e., the breath of the Almighty, which gives human beings life, also inspires the human spirit with insight. …Thus Elihu seems to be asserting that having been inspired by the Spirit of God he has insight that may be trusted despite his youth. (Hartley, p. 434)

I am full of words, the Spirit within me compels me (Job 32:18)

Elihu continued to speak: 2Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf. (Job 36:1-2)

I receive my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker. 4Be assured that my words are not false; one who possesses full knowledge is with you. (Job 36:3-4)

2. Elihu is not rebuked by God, as are Job’s three friends (cp. Job 42:7-9)—no further mention is made of Elihu.

After Jehovah had spoken these words to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger burns against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. 8So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a whole burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you—because I accept him—so that I will not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” 9So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did what Jehovah told them to do; and Jehovah accepted Job’s prayer. (Job 42:7-9)

3. Elihu’s speeches and counsel to Job anticipate that of the Lord Himself

· compare the words of Elihu recorded in Job 34:17 with the word of the Lord recorded in Job 40:8

Elihu: Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? (Job 34:17)

the Lord: Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me so that you might be justified? (Job 40:8)

· again, compare the words of Elihu recorded in Job 34:35 and Job 35:16 with the word of the Lord recorded in Job 38:2

Elihu: Job speaks without knowledge, his words lack insight (Job 34:35); Job therefore opens his mouth with worthless speech—he multiplies words without knowledge. (Job 35:16)

the Lord: Who is this who darkens deliberations with words that lack knowledge? (Job 38:2)

· note, too, that whereas Job makes a rebuttal to each of the speeches of his three friends, he makes no response to Elihu’s speeches; he is reduced to silence, such will be the same response he has in the presence of the Lord (cp. Job 40:3-5)

Then Job answered Jehovah by saying, 4“I am insignificant, how can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth. 5I have spoken once, but I cannot answer—twice, but I will say nothing more.” (Job 40:3-5)

4. Note that Elihu, unlike Job’s three friends, does not charge that Job is suffering because of some unrepented sin he has committed; rather, Elihu is warning Job to beware that he does not allow himself to respond to his suffering in a sinful way

· Job is especially in danger of putting greater trust in his own righteousness than in the Lord and thereby developing an attitude of self-righteousness by which Job views himself as being more righteous than God

5. Elihu serves the function of preparing Job to meet God, he is a sort of Elijah who prepares the way of the Lord (cp. Malachi 3:13-18; 4:5); indeed, immediately following Elihu’s speeches, the Lord Himself suddenly appears out of the tempest (38:1)

“You have said harsh things against me,” says Jehovah. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ 14“You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before Jehovah of hosts? 15But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’” 16Then those who feared Jehovah talked with each other, and Jehovah listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared Jehovah and honored his name. 17 “They will be mine,” declares Jehovah of hosts, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. … 5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of Jehovah comes. …” (Malachi 3:13-18; 4:5)

· in Malachi 3:13-15 we find that the people are wrestling with the same question as Job, Where is God’s justice?

· in Malachi 3:16-18 we find that despite the questions that perplex them, like Job, those who fear the Lord remain steadfast, and the Lord pledges to honor them in the day of His appearing

· then, from Malachi 4:5, we learn that prior to the day of His appearing, and in preparation for it, the Lord promises to send “Elijah”

6. Because of who Elihu is, we are to receive his counsel as accurately revealing the mind of God; unlike the counsel of Job’s friends which meets with a stern rebuke from God (cp. Job 42:7)

ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY THE LESSONS

Background Information on the Book of Job

1. Complete the following sentences that discuss the authorship and date of composition of the Book of Job.

a. One opinion current among the ancient rabbis held that Moses was the author of the Book of Job.

b. It seems most likely that the Book of Job was written during the time of Solomon.

c. The textual evidence indicates that the author of the Book of Job was a highly educated man.

2. How does the author of the Book of Job assure us that, although Job may for a time be experiencing both spiritual and emotional turmoil in his life, there is a divine overarching order to God’s universe?

a. He does so by the use of poetic dialogues.

b. He does so by the use of a prose framework.

c. He does so by the use of symmetry.

3. What is the overarching theme of the Book of Job?

a. The Problem of Suffering

b. The Motivation of True Devotion

c. The Essence of Wisdom

4. What does the Book of Job teach us about suffering?

a. God employs suffering in a way that is incomprehensible to mortal men.

b. God employs suffering to punish the guilty.

c. God employs suffering in a capricious manner that defies justice.

d. God employs suffering to prove the devotion of the righteous.

5. The Book of Job does not come to any resolution concerning the justice of God because God’s ways are beyond the comprehension of mortal men. True or False

Be Prepared to Face Spiritual Challenges

Job 1:1-2:10

1. How is Job described? See Job 1:1 (printed below)

There lived a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and turned away from evil. (Job 1:1)

Job is described as being "blameless and upright." The meaning of "blameless" is explained in such a passage as Psalm 19:12-13, where the Psalmist prays, "Hold your servant back from committing willful sins...then I shall be blameless." Job conscientiously sought to live in submission to God's will. He is further described as being a man who "feared God and turned away from evil." What motivated Job to lead a blameless life was his godly fear, a deep reverence for the holy majesty of God. When speaking to Satan, Jehovah identifies Job as "my servant," and repeats the declaration that Job is “a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.” Thus, God Himself acknowledges Job's righteousness and godly devotion.

2. What accusation does Satan bring against Job? See Job 1:9-11 (printed below)

Then Satan replied to Jehovah, Does Job fear God for no reason? (10) Have you not put a hedge all around him, as well as around his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his flocks spread out over the land. (11) But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and I swear that he will renounce you to your face. (Job 1:9-11)

Satan's contention is that Job's motivation in serving the Lord stems from selfish, self-centered reasons, his service and commitment are not motivated by true love and devotion to the Lord. Job serves the Lord only because the Lord has blessed him and only for the Lord's blessing (1:9-10). Satan maintains that if the Lord were to remove His blessing from Job's life, Job would "renounce you to your face" (1:11); i.e.; as soon as the blessing ceased, Job's devotion would cease, being replaced by the same blasphemous defiance of the Lord as that exhibited by the devil himself. Satan’s argument: remove the divine blessing and you remove the reason/the motivation for Job's devotion, thereby demonstrating that his devotion is no true devotion at all, it is not motivated by genuine love and reverence for the Lord his God, it is motivated only by self-interest.

3. How does the Lord respond to Satan's accusation? See Job 1:12 (printed below)

Jehovah said to Satan, Look; everything that he has is in your power; only do not lay your hand upon the man himself. So Satan went out from the presence of Jehovah. (Job 1:12)

The Lord grants Satan permission to test Job's devotion (1:12). Satan's purpose is to disprove the Lord's claim that Job is a true servant of the Lord. The Lord's purpose is to have His claim about Job demonstrated to be true and thereby verified—and this can only be accomplished by subjecting Job to trial and testing. It is God's divine prerogative to test and verify the genuineness of His servant's devotion, and He exercises this prerogative as He sees fit.

4. What advice does Job's wife offer him? See Job 2:9 (printed below)

Then his wife said to him, Are you still maintaining your integrity? Renounce God and die! (Job 2:9)

Job's wife wonders, "Why do you still maintain your integrity? You are not receiving any benefit from it; on the contrary, you are receiving the direct opposite: calamity!" She therefore tells Job, "Renounce your integrity and die." She is counseling Job to severe his covenantal relationship with God, even though she is aware that to do so means death. Her position is self-centered and utilitarian, as opposed to being God-centered and truly pious. From her perspective, devotion is to be rendered unto God, not as an end in itself, not as the supreme purpose of man's existence; rather, devotion is to be rendered unto God as a means of deriving temporal benefits from God: if God withholds the blessing, one should renounce his devotion to God, even if it means incurring God's divine judgment.

5. What does Job say in response to his wife's counsel? See Job 2:10 (printed below)

But he said to her, You are speaking like one of the foolish women. Shall we only accept good from the hand of God, and shall we not accept calamity? In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)

Job identifies the counsel offered by his wife as being foolish (or, impious); it is the attitude of the ungodly who only view their relationship to God from a self-centered, utilitarian perspective and motivation (cp. Job 21:14-15). Job maintains that we are completely at the disposal of God our Maker: we readily accept the good we receive from His hand (many times without thanksgiving), should we not also accept calamity/hardship from His hand if He sees fit to bestow such things to accomplish His sovereign purpose? Job's devotion to the Lord is not utilitarian, it is truly pious: Job serves the Lord because He is God and He has revealed Himself to be the faithful God.

6.Job is a man characterized by outstanding piety and godliness, yet he is subjected to great spiritual challenges: his faith is subjected to severe trials. Why? Choose the correct answer or answers.

a. Job is subjected to great spiritual challenges because God possesses the right to test our devotion in order to verify its genuineness, and He exercises His divine prerogative as He sees fit.