Mark A. Copeland
While Job’s questions and complaints often come close to charging God with wrong, he never crosses
the line and humbly submits to God when told that the answers to his questions are beyond his ability to
understand. Thus the book shows us how the righteous should bear up under suffering (“You have
heard of the perseverance of Job” - Ja 5:11).

SOME LESSONS FROM THE BOOK

In his study on the book (The Book Of Job, Quality Publications), Wayne Jackson offers the following
lessons to be gleaned:

w The book defends the absolute glory and perfection of God - It sets forth the
theme echoed in Psa 18:3 (“I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised”).
God is deserving of our praise simply on the basis of who He is, apart from the
blessings He bestows. Satan denied this (1:9-11), but Job proved him wrong (1:20-
22; 2:10).
w The question of suffering is addressed - Why do we suffer? Who or what causes it?
Why doesn’t God do something? Not all questions are answered, but some important
points are made:
� Man is unable to subject the painful experiences of human existence to a
meaningful analysis - God’s workings are beyond man’s ability to fathom. Man
simply cannot tie all the “loose ends” of the Lord’s purposes together. We must
learn to trust in God, no matter the circumstances.
� Suffering is not always the result of personal sin - The erroneous conclusion
drawn by Job’s friends is that suffering is always a consequence of sin. Job proves
this is not the case.
� Suffering may be allowed as a compliment to one’s spirituality - God allowed Job
to suffer to prove to Satan what kind of man he really was. What confidence God
had in Job!
w The book paints a beautiful picture of “patience” - The Greek word is
“hupomone”, which describes the trait of one who is able to abide under the weight of
trials. From the “patience of Job”, we learn that it means to maintain fidelity to God,
even under great trials in which we do not understand what is happening.
w The book also prepares the way for the coming of Jesus Christ! - His coming is
anticipated in several ways. Job longs for a mediator between him and God (9:33;
33:23), and Jesus is one (1 Ti 2:5). Job confessed his faith in a Redeemer who would
one day come (19:25); Christ is that Redeemer (Ep 1:7)!
BRIEF OUTLINE (adapted from Warren Wiersbe)

I. JOB’S DISTRESS (1-3)

A. HIS PROSPERITY (1:1-5)


The Book Of Job 5
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