The Book Of Job - Job's Soliloquy (3)

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                           "THE BOOK OF JOB"

                          Job's Soliloquy (3)

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS SECTION

1) To consider Job's soliloquy, which starts the "great controversy"
   between Job and his friends

2) To appreciate the depth of Job's complaint, why he wished that he
   had never been born

3) To note the questions he raised as he sought to understand the
   problem of suffering

SUMMARY

Having sat in silence for seven days in the presence of his friends who
had come to comfort him, Job finally speaks.  In the form of a 
soliloquy, he begins by cursing the day of his birth and the night of
his conception for failing to prevent his sorrow (3:1-10).  He then
bemoans why he did not die at birth or even be stillborn, for then at
least he would be at rest, just like those who were great in their
lifetime, or like those who had been oppressed (3:11-19).  Job also
wonders why the suffering who long for death are allowed to linger.  He
concludes by stating that what he most greatly feared has now come upon
him:  trouble, from which there seems to be no rest (3:20-26).

OUTLINE

I. JOB'S CURSE (3:1-10)

   A. HE CURSES THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH...
      1. Not just the day of his birth, but also the night of his 
         conception
      2. Because of the sorrow that has come his way
      -- I.e., he wished he had never been born

   B. IN THIS HE RESEMBLES JEREMIAH...
      1. Who had an unpopular ministry  - Jer 20:14-18
      2. Who experienced much suffering like Job

   C. AN IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER...
      1. Both expressed a desire never to have been born
      2. Yet neither Job or Jeremiah for a moment considered the 
         possibility of suicide
      3. They might have questioned the Lord's wisdom, but they did not
         dare take the precious gift of life with which He endowed them
         (Wayne Jackson)

II. JOB'S QUESTIONS (3:11-19)

   A. WHY DID HE NOT DIE AT BIRTH?
      1. Then he would have been at rest
      2. He would be with those who were great and powerful in their
         lifetime

   B. WHY WAS HE NOT STILLBORN?
      1. Then he would have been at rest, free from those who trouble
         him
      2. He would be like those at rest, who were troubled in their
         lifetime

   C. JOB VIEWS DEATH AS AN ESCAPE FROM EARTH'S MISERIES...
      1. Job's view of death applies only to those who die in the Lord
         - cf. Re 14:13
      2. For the wicked, death is no rest! - cf. Lk 16:19-31

III. JOB PONDERS THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING (3:20-26)

   A. WHY THE SUFFERING ARE ALLOWED TO LINGER...
      1. Why is life given to those who linger in suffering?
      2. Even to those who long for death?

   B. WHAT JOB FEARED HAS NOW HAPPENED TO HIM...
      1. He dreaded the suffering that has come to him
      2. And now he is troubled and no longer at ease

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION

1) What are the three main points of this section?
   - Job's curse (3:1-10)
   - Job's questions (3:11-19)
   - Job ponders the problem of suffering (3:20-26)

2) As Job begins his soliloquy, what two things does he curse? (1-3)
   - The day of his birth
   - The night of his conception

3) Why did he did he curse the day of his birth? (10)
   - Because it did not keep him from experiencing sorrow

4) Why did he wish he had died at birth? (11-15)
   - Then he would be at rest, just like those who had been great in 
     their lifetime

5) Why did he wish he had been stillborn? (16-19)
   - Then he would be at rest, like those who had been oppressed in 
     their lifetime

6) As Job ponders the problem of suffering, what does he ask? (20-21)
   - Why is life given to those who suffer and long for death?

7) What had come upon Job? (25)
   - That which he greatly feared and dreaded (i.e.,  trouble and
     suffering)
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