Purpose

To address the problem of suffering and demonstrate that faith in God is worthwhile even without understanding His ways.

Author

The author is unknown, though some suggest Job himself, Moses, or Solomon. The writer was clearly a master poet with deep theological insight and knowledge of ancient Near Eastern culture.

Historical Context

Written: Unknown (possibly 2000-1500 BC). The story of a righteous man's extreme suffering and his journey to understand God's ways.

Significance

Addresses one of humanity's deepest questions: Why do good people suffer?

Key Themes

Suffering, Faith, God's Sovereignty, Wisdom, Justice

Interesting Facts

• Job is probably the oldest book in the Bible - possibly written before Moses
• Job lost 10 children, all his wealth, and his health in a single day
• Job's friends spoke for 35 chapters but were wrong - sometimes silence is better

Prophecies

• Job's declaration: 'I know that my Redeemer lives' (Job 19:25) Fulfilled: Jesus Christ as the living Redeemer (2000 years later)

In Job Chapter 2, the narrative delves deeper into the suffering of Job, a man described as blameless and upright. The chapter opens with a scene in the heavenly court where the 'sons of God' present themselves before the Lord, and Satan appears among them. The Lord brings Job's faithfulness to Satan's attention, highlighting Job's integrity despite his previous losses. Challenging Job's steadfastness, Satan argues that a man will sacrifice everything for his own life, suggesting that if God allows physical suffering, Job will surely curse Him. The Lord permits Satan to afflict Job but forbids him from taking Job's life. Satan's subsequent attack is severe, afflicting Job with painful sores from head to toe. In this state of agony, Job's wife urges him to curse God and die, reflecting despair and a lack of understanding of Job's resolve. However, Job responds with remarkable wisdom, asserting that one should accept both good and evil from God's hand without sinning in his thoughts or words. The chapter then introduces Job’s three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—who come to offer sympathy. Upon seeing Job in his afflicted state, they are overwhelmed with grief, tearing their robes and weeping. They sit silently with him in a profound display of solidarity for seven days and nights, illustrating the depth of Job's suffering and the initial intention of his friends to console him before engaging in conversation about his plight. This chapter emphasizes the depth of Job's physical suffering and the loyalty of his friends, setting the stage for the dialogues that will follow as they attempt to make sense of Job's situation.

Purpose

To address the problem of suffering and demonstrate that faith in God is worthwhile even without understanding His ways.

Author

The author is unknown, though some suggest Job himself, Moses, or Solomon. The writer was clearly a master poet with deep theological insight and knowledge of ancient Near Eastern culture.

Historical Context

Written: Unknown (possibly 2000-1500 BC). The story of a righteous man's extreme suffering and his journey to understand God's ways.

Significance

Addresses one of humanity's deepest questions: Why do good people suffer?

Key Themes

Suffering, Faith, God's Sovereignty, Wisdom, Justice

Interesting Facts

• Job is probably the oldest book in the Bible - possibly written before Moses
• Job lost 10 children, all his wealth, and his health in a single day
• Job's friends spoke for 35 chapters but were wrong - sometimes silence is better

Prophecies

• Job's declaration: 'I know that my Redeemer lives' (Job 19:25) Fulfilled: Jesus Christ as the living Redeemer (2000 years later)

In Job Chapter 2, the narrative delves deeper into the suffering of Job, a man described as blameless and upright. The chapter opens with a scene in the heavenly court where the 'sons of God' present themselves before the Lord, and Satan appears among them. The Lord brings Job's faithfulness to Satan's attention, highlighting Job's integrity despite his previous losses. Challenging Job's steadfastness, Satan argues that a man will sacrifice everything for his own life, suggesting that if God allows physical suffering, Job will surely curse Him. The Lord permits Satan to afflict Job but forbids him from taking Job's life. Satan's subsequent attack is severe, afflicting Job with painful sores from head to toe. In this state of agony, Job's wife urges him to curse God and die, reflecting despair and a lack of understanding of Job's resolve. However, Job responds with remarkable wisdom, asserting that one should accept both good and evil from God's hand without sinning in his thoughts or words. The chapter then introduces Job’s three friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—who come to offer sympathy. Upon seeing Job in his afflicted state, they are overwhelmed with grief, tearing their robes and weeping. They sit silently with him in a profound display of solidarity for seven days and nights, illustrating the depth of Job's suffering and the initial intention of his friends to console him before engaging in conversation about his plight. This chapter emphasizes the depth of Job's physical suffering and the loyalty of his friends, setting the stage for the dialogues that will follow as they attempt to make sense of Job's situation.