Bible Study Snacks, Job 15:1-21:34

Hi, everyone!

Happy Friday! Welcome again to Bible Study Snacks. I sincerely hope everyone had a nice week! As always, I thank you so much for joining me as we walk together through the richness of God's spoken word, and wisdom. I pray that today finds you in good health and strong in faith!

This week, we will continue with our study on the Book of Job, specifically Chapters 15:1-21:34. I've designed these studies to be brief, yet packed full of good information for everyone regardless of your level of biblical knowledge. I might add that these quick studies make perfect small group discussion starters, as well!

As always, I whole-heartedly believe in the importance that any Bible study should begin with prayer. If you have your Bible ready, let's pray together...

"Heavenly father, please guide us as we study your Word today; I pray that our hearts and our minds will be open so that we will not only receive your Gospel, but learn from it as well; you are the Light of the world, Lord, and your Spirit will illuminate our path as we journey through your teachings. In the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen"

If you are taking notes for yourself, or using this for a bible study with others, here are the objectives for this week's lesson...

OBJECTIVES: This week, the reader will...

1) Observe the progress of the "great debate", in which Job's friends are unable to convince Job that he is some great sinner who deserves his suffering.
2) Note how Job continues to vent his complaint, and while losing hope for anything in this life, he does reveal his faith in a Redeemer and in seeing God after death.

For your convenience, here is a summary of Job 15:1-21:34

The second cycle of speeches continue in the same format, with the three friends speaking and Job responding to each one in turn. The speeches are shorter, and it appears that their tempers are becoming short, as well. Eliphaz begins this round with an attack on Job, ridiculing his wisdom. Like Bildad, he too appeals to the wisdom of others as he repeats his main thesis: suffering comes to the wicked, therefore Job must be wicked (15:1-35).

Job's response to Eliphaz commences with a strong criticism of his friends as "miserable comforters." Job continues to view his suffering as an attack by God for reasons unknown to him. Wishing there was someone who could plead for him, he cries out for relief as he resumes his complaint. With no wisdom from his friends, he is losing hope for anything in this life but death (16:1-17:16).

Bildad angrily wonders "how long" will Job keep speaking this way, and why does he regard his friends as beasts and stupid? In what appears as an attempt to get Job to confess he is a sinner, Bildad provides a lengthy description of the suffering of the wicked (18:1-21). Job responds by asking "how long" would they continue to torment him? While they accuse him of being a great sinner, they have yet to point out his errors.

As Job resumes directing his complaint to God, he mourns his loneliness and abandonment by friends and family. And yet, while Job feels God is treating him as an enemy, he affirms his faith in a Redeemer who would one day stand on the earth and in seeing God after his death (19:1-29).

Zophar speaks in what will be his last contribution to this "great debate." While he offers very little that is really new to the discussion, he does describe the short-lived triumph of the wicked, to whom the sweetness of sin becomes a bitter curse and whom God will sweep away into darkness. There's only one problem. Like his friends, he assumes that such is always the case in this life (20:1-29).

Job's rebuttal provides examples in which some wicked do prosper in this life, and die an easy death. Therefore his friends' words have proven to be empty and without comfort (21:1-34).

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) How does Eliphaz view Job's attempts to justify himself? (Job 15:2-3)
2) In rebuking Job, what does Eliphaz ask of him? (Job 15:9)
3) In responding to Job's claim of innocence, how does Eliphaz describe man? (Job 15:16)
4) In his description of how the wicked suffer, what point is Eliphaz making? (Job 15:17-35)
5) As Job responds to Eliphaz, how does he describe his three friends? (Job 16:2)
6) What does Job say he would do if they were in his place? (Job 16:4-5)
7) How does Job feel God has treated him? (Job 16:7-14)
8) For what does Job cry out? (Job 16:21)
9) What does Job say God has made him? (Job 17:6)
10) While Job has not lost his faith, what has he lost? (Job 17:11,15)
11) When Bildad responds, how does he feel Job has regarded them? (Job 18:3)
12) In his second speech, what does Bildad provide? (Job 18:5-21)
13) In response to Bildad's second speech, what does Job ask him? (Job 19:2)
14) As Job resumes his complaint to God, what does he say God has done? (Job 19:7-11)
15) Who else does he feel has now forsaken him? (Job 19:13-19)
16) What does Job ask of his friends?  Why? (Job 19:21)
17) While suffering, in what three things does Job affirm his faith? (Job 19:25-29)
18) As Zophar begins his second speech, what troubles him? (Job 20:2-3)
19) What does Zophar then describe? (Job 20:1-11)
20) What does Zophar believe concerning the wicked? (Job 20:12-29)
21) In response to Zophar, what does Job say about the wicked? (Job 21:7-26)
22) While they may prosper in this life, what does Job know concerning the wicked? (Job 21:30)
23) As the second cycle of speeches ends, what does he say concerning his friends? (Job 21:34)
 
After completing this week's study, I encourage you to go back and read through the material again. Take your time and read each topic and scripture reference as many times as you feel necessary. Keep in mind that by doing this, you just might see something new that you overlooked the first time around!

As we journey through the Bible together, I will continue to pray that God’s message will come through to you loud and crystal clear. Until next time, I wish everyone a blessed week!

God bless you!

Sheri