Bible Study Snacks, Job 23:1-31:40

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 22:1-31:40. 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) Examine the conclusion of the "great debate", and the feeble efforts of Job's friends to convince him that he is deserving of his great suffering.
2) Observe how Job maintains his claim to innocence while stating his complaint that God is not hearing him.

For your convenience, here is a summary of Job 22:1-31:40

Eliphaz once again takes the initiative, rebuking Job for his claims of innocence. Accusing Job of great wickedness, for the first time he specifies sins of which he believes Job must be guilty to have suffered so greatly. Charging Job of cherishing wicked ways and trusting that God doesn't see it, Eliphaz ends with another appeal for Job to return to God that he might enjoy renewed prosperity (Job 22:1-30).

Job's response is to once again express his longing to find God so he can present his side. While maintaining his claims of integrity and how he has treasured God's words, he admits he is awed by God's dealings. He wonders why the wicked often sin with impunity, but then says what he thinks should and will eventually happen to them. He concludes his response to Eliphaz with a challenge to show him where he has spoken falsely (Job 23:1-24:25).

Bildad's third speech is short, adding little. Speaking briefly of God's greatness, he posits how anyone can be righteous before God (Job 25:1-6). Job replies with questions which imply that he considers
Bildad's counsel to have been of no help. Perhaps to illustrate how they have not been much help, Job demonstrates his own ability to describe God's greatness (Job 26:1-14).

Zophar remains silent in this third cycle of speeches, so Job continues with his discourse. Though he feels that God has taken away his justice and made his soul bitter, he refuses to accept his friends' counsel and maintains his innocence. He accuses them of nonsense and describes what God will do with the wicked (Job 27:1-23).

Job then says where true wisdom is to be found, that it comes from God Who has revealed it to man (Job 28:1-28). As his words draw near to their end, Job recounts how it was in the past when he blessed by God and respected by men (Job 29:1-25). In contrast, the present finds him being mocked by others, suffering in pain, with God not answering his plea to be heard (Job 30:1-31).

He concludes by listing various sins, which if he had committed them, he agrees he would have been guilty of punishment. In this way he again maintains his claim to innocence and not deserving his great suffering (Job 31:1-40). For Job and his three friends, this ends the "Great Debate."

REVIEW QUESTIONS:

1) Of what wickedness does Eliphaz accuse Job? (Job 22:6-9)
2) What does Eliphaz accuse Job of saying? (Job 22:13-14)
3) What does Eliphaz ask Job? (Job 22:15)
4) What does Eliphaz counsel Job to do? (Job 22:21-22)
5) What does Eliphaz promise Job if he will repent? (Job 22:23)
6) What does Job ask for as he begins his response to Eliphaz? (Job 23:3)
7) What is Job's response to Eliphaz' charge of wickedness? (Job 23:11-12)
8) And yet what does Job feel God has done to him? (Job 23:16)
9) In Bildad's final speech, how does he respond to Job's claim of innocence? (Job 25:4-6)
10) In replying to Bildad, what does Job ask him? (Job 26:3)
11) As Job continues his discourse, what does he steadfastly maintain? (Job 27:5-6)
12) What does he then describe to his three friends? (Job 27:13-23)
13) As his discourse describes the difficulty of finding wisdom, to what does Job attribute its true source? (Job 28:20-28)
14) As he described the days gone by when he was respected by all, what things had he done? (Job 29:12-17)
15) In the present, though, who mocks him? (Job 30:1)
16) As he draws near to the end of his discourse, what does Job cry out to God? (Job 30:20-21)
17) In summarizing his plight, what sort of things does he say? (Job 30:26-31)
18) What kind of covenant had Job made with his eyes?  Why? (Job 31:1-4)
19) List the things that Job says would make him deserving of God's punishment (Job 31:1-40)
20) What is Job's final request as he ends his words? (Job 31:35)

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