Job

[Tom Tighe]

You will notice the style of writing in Job is different. I think this is because God told Moses what to write for the history in Genesis as Moses was able to record it, but Job was probably passed orally from generation to generation until someone could write it down. Job is written more like a poem or song that could be memorized without omission. For me that makes it a little harder to read.

[Tom Tighe]

The interaction between God and Satan always surprises me.

First we see the term "Sons of God" referring to angels or heavenly beings. The last time we saw this was just before the flood in Gen 8 when mankind was becoming corrupted. It seems like they are having a staff meeting. Then Satan shows up? At God's staff meeting? I once heard it theorized that Satan was a job (not Job) title for a tester or tempter that was at that time held by the being Lucifer. I'm not really up on the theories or ideas of Angels or demons (Fallen angels?). Most people today think of demons as myths or ailments, like epilepsy, that science had not yet explained back then. This passage shows Satan as a distinct being, created by God. I don't think Satan is interjecting evil at God's direction, but this would indicate he is operating on the Earth. This makes me think the evil in the world today as more than the unrighteous ambition of man. Evil is a real force.

[Tom Tighe]

We see Job and his friends trying to figure out the reason for Job's bad fortune. What do you think of their arguments? Have you ever heard these same arguments for tragedy in our lifetimes?