The context for any passage in the book of job has to begin with chapter 1, which establishes job s excellent character 1. Commentary on job 3842 job meets god through job 37, job has listened to three friends and elihu speak to him about why he is suffering so badly. His direct confrontation with god has caused him to stop asking unanswerable questions and to reject what he has been saying about gods justice. The book of job provides us with our basis for understanding the purpose and course of trial in the lives of believers.
The end of jobs dispute will not come until later, but the end of our dispute with god is available now in jesus christ. And yet it is certain that the whale, after he has been struck and wounded by the harpoon, men approach nearer to him and thrust a long steeled lance or spear under his gills into his breast, and through the intestines, which dispatches him. The author, date, and place of the book of job are all uncertain. You asked, who is this who hides counsel without knowledge. Job 42 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. The new element in the second cycle is that elihus speech is interrupted by the dramatic appearance of god himself job 38.
John hartley the book of job new international commentary on the old testament, 1988. The big picture of job is that there was a man who was, in one sense, blameless in gods sight. Job at the end of the debate of the book of job, it is god versus job in a predictable win for the lord god almighty. The old testament book of job and the 17th chapter. Of these five books, one stands out in bold relief, manifesting significant differences from the other four.
On the contrary, god speaks directly to job, just as he does in the patriarchal age with noah, abraham, isaac, jacob, and other heads of households see job 38 42. What is taught about trial in the new testament is founded on the principles found right here in the book of job. His brethren, who in the time of his affliction kept at a distance from him. But the odious judgments made by his friends caution us against making toocertain application of any model to our own lives. But it is far more natural to regard job as bringing up the words which god had spoken to him, to ponder. The book of job tells how one man suddenly awakened to the anarchy rampant in the world, yet his attachment to god outlived the ruin of his tidy system. They are the books of proverbs, psalms, ecclesiastes, song of solomon, and job. Because the book of job is so often neglected, yet presents a valuable lesson and is so highly praised by even people of the world, christians should certainly take the time to study this portion of gods word. The lord speaks then the lord spoke to job out of the storm. Hard on the heels of the first comes another one, and the messages keep coming in. Job chapter 42 explained discover the 66 books of the bible. In chapter 42, job, after having been questioned by god, responds. Here is part of a parable told by professor basil mitchell.
And even though that was more than 52 weeks ago, this is only the 47th lesson in this series. Read job 42 commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible complete. While we might expect job, in chapter 38, to answer elihu, chapters 3841 constitute gods answer to job. Job, in turn, has responded to each of them, declaring his innocence and demanding that god give him answers. Job is restored job chapter fourty two sermon by tom. Bible track is an online bible commentary and study site plus a bible reading plan. Lo and behold, satan comes out and challenges god on job s goodness. In the first clause he owns god to be omnipotent over nature, as contrasted with his own feebleness, which god had proved job 40. Job chapter 42 coffmans commentary of the new testament.
When the understanding is enlightened by the spirit of grace, our knowledge of divine. The more we see of the glory and majesty of god, the more we shall see of the vileness and odiousness of sin, and of ourselves because of sin. Job 3842 the lord speaks then the lord spoke bible gateway. A person ought to trust god even when his ways are inscrutable job 42. And there, in chapter 16, job had ended there speaking of how he despaired of life. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you 42. So, i feel compelled to try to tie these names to some sort of meaning. The description of the leviathan, is yet further to convince job of his own weakness, and of gods almighty power. We have walked with job the last few weeks through the book that bears his name. The book of job is one of the wisdom books of the bible. Commentary on job 42 by matthew henry blue letter bible.
There are echoes of this sentiment in pauls words about replying against god, in romans. I know that you can do everything, and that no purpose of yours can be withheld from you. When the understanding is enlightened by the spirit of grace, our knowledge of divine things as far exceeds what we had before, as the sight of the eyes excels report and common fame. The satan of the book of job is not the same as the diabolical satan of. The wisdom that is found in the book of job is not communicated in the form of proverb. From the context, properly seeing god involves getting the self out of the way. We have filled in small details around the edges, but there is still a vast gap between the knowledge and wisdom of man and that of god. The description of the leviathan, is yet further to convince job of his own weakness, and of god.
When the understanding is enlightened by the spirit of grace, our knowledge of divine things as far exceeds what. Job 42 commentary, one of over 110 bible commentaries freely available, this commentary is one of the most respected interdenominational commentaries ever written. Now, all these confusions are removed at once if we only allow that a piece of vellum containing the twentyfive lines, 40. It would be helpful to read job chapter 42 before listening to, or reading, the sermon. In the books first cycle, jobs friends speeches were halted by the revelation of gods wisdom.
Job s final speech in his own defense is probably where the book originally ended. Certainly, he did not repent of such sins as his friends had alleged against him. Sep 29, 2015 one of the top commentaries on the book of job. Clines insight on the book is insightful, useful, and explains the book very well. As long as self was in his line of sight, job judged god by his own perspective. This week we read the final chapter of the book and find out what becomes of job in the end. Job is a pious believer who is struck by misfortune so great that it cannot be explained in the usual way as a prompting to repentance, a warning, let alone a punishment the arguments later. The skeptical character of the symposium, with its challenge to timehonored views, most likely would have kept the book of job out of the canon of old testament writings had some additions not been made to the original book. Top 5 commentaries on the book of job ligonier ministries. God often appears to us as a cold, impersonal being, distant from us, uncaring, even ruthless and vindictive, demanding many things from usa powerful being but without compassion. God has all power, as well as all wisdom and understanding. In that regard job is quite representative of the wisdom literature. Job, chapter 42 king james version christian answers webbible.
Study guide for job 38 by david guzik blue letter bible. The book of job 3 the book of job introduction to the book the book of job has long been praised as a masterpiece of literature. His troubles began in satans malice, which god restrained. Job 3842 the lord speaks then the lord spoke bible.
Job chapter 41 explained discover the 66 books of the bible. And therefore, elihu is going to remind job that he needs to think about gods work and magnify it. Yet, each chapter and section contains important and true perspectives on life though they must be carefully evaluated. Seeing god not with his literal eye, but in a way literally real gave job what he so wanted. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, i should save job. Chapter 42 finds job neither questioning god aggressively nor intoning fatalistic sounding pietisms. We studied job, chapter 16 last time where job was responding to eliphaz. In chapter 41 of the book of job, what does god compare to a strong sea monster. The devil had undertaken to prove job a hypocrite, and his three friends had condemned him as a wicked man. Instead of demanding more answers from god, instead of questioning god further, job answers the only way a man can who has seen the living god face to face, with awe and repentance. Study guide for job 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. Furthermore, job offers his own sacrifices and sacrifices for his friends, rather than bringing them to the levitical priests at the tabernacle or temple, etc.
Whether this leviathan be a whale or a crocodile, is disputed. The book of job presents a lofty view of god as one worthy of our worship and trust no matter how enigmatic our circumstances. Study the bible online using commentary on job 42 and more. Resources matthew henrys commentary job chapter 42 verses 16. Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge. The rest of the book is jobs response to the testing. At last, god fulfills jobs desire for a facetoface encounter. You have heard of the patience of job says the apostle, jam. Lo and behold, satan comes out and challenges god on job. The book of job does not espouse an explicit belief. But whatever the explanation, job earlier wanted to speak personally. You can find the best commentary on job for you using the tools on the right side.
This is the conclusion, the climax, of his long and detailed story. Hes blameless and upright, and he has kids, a wife, land, and a bunch of sheep. Commentary on job 3842 job meets god tough questions. We need not confound the time of job and the time of the author of the book that goes under his name. Most people do not realize that in the entire book job never repents of sin.
Concerning all the evil that jehovah had brought upon him job 42. The book of job provides us with our basis for understanding the purpose and course of. Human beings are unable to understand why the righteous suffer job 28. This is the most singular book in the whole of the sacred code.
So, the lord has asked job about 59 questions so far that are all intended to show job that god knows what hes doing both in all creation and in job s specific circumstances. Verses 16 then job answered jehovah, and said, i know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be restrained. Judging by the style of the hebrew it uses, some scholars judge job to be the oldest book of the old testament. Repentance here is the mood of a man who realizes his creaturehood and that god is eternally god. It is plain from the seventh verse of the fortysecond chapter job 42. For though he had said he would answer no more job 40. This epilogue to the book of job is, for many readers, hard to accept.
The commentary set is so useful in moving the reader away from seeing job as simply a book about suffering, and moving us towards the concept of a sovereign and just god. It is a though some western union telegram boy delivers a series of messages to job about terrible catastrophes. Then came unto him all his brethren the author here presents us with a striking view of human friendship. In chapter 1 we read that, one by one, the props are pulled out of job s life. Job 42 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. The greatest theme in this book of job is that it reveals to us the character of god himself. Three things we have met with in this book which, i confess, have troubled me very much.
And the lord answered job and said, whilst yet job had not replied. And there is a reality called satan who challenges god that his man is not as good as he thinks he is. Up in the heavens, god brags to the divine assembly about job. One thing that is absolutely clear in the book of job is the fact that it was satan, not jehovah, who slaughtered jobs children, impoverished him, and reduced him to the utmost suffering and disease. Commentary on the book of job chapter fortytwo by wm w wells. Yet, god never directly answered any of jobs challenges. Instead, beginning in chapter 38, he leads job to see his own insignificance in light of gods greatness. Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house. Enrich your faith and grow in spiritual maturity with the incredible bible study and devotional books listed below. Job 42 bible commentary matthew henry concise christianity. It may be that job himself recorded his experiences in the book, or there may well have been another anonymous author. Job began this chapter with the language of the lawcourt if one wished to contend with him, job 9. Since god is immutable he acts always upon the same principles, and hence his course of action in the olden times to a man of a certain sort will be a guide as to what others may expect who are of like character. Job is the first of five books commonly referred to as the books of poetry.
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