Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master[a] that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.  Romans 15:4

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.  James 5:11

A. Why Study Job? Its Themes

1. Suffering and the believer

2. Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

3. Suffering and Satan

B. Why Study Job? Its Lessons for the Christian Life

1. Patience in suffering: James 5:11, Romans 12:12

2. Submission to suffering: Job 1:20-22

3. Humility from suffering: Job 40:3-5

4. Activity of Satan in the believer’s life: Job 1:7, 1 Peter 5:8

5. God’s sovereignty over all things: Job 42:1-2

6. God’s good work in us through suffering: Job 13:15, Psalm 119:67, 71, 2 Cor. 12:7-10

7. True knowledge of ourselves: Job 42:3-6

Outline of Job

Job 1-2 Prologue to Job’s story and unknown to him cosmic activity
Job 3 Job’s intense self-revelation of his intense suffering.
Job 4-27 Three defensive dialogues between Job and three friends.
Job 28-31 Summary and conclusion of the defensive dialogues.
Job 32-37 Elihu’s dialogue with Job in the form of rebukes.
Job 38-41 God has the final word
Job 42 Epilogue of Job’s story; God’s dealing with him/his friends

The Unfolding Scenes

1. Scene # 1 – The Main Character: A Man named Job (Job 1:1-5)
2. Scene # 2 – The Conversation in Heaven: God and Satan (Job 1:6-12)
3. Scene # 3 – Satan’s activities, Job’s Responses (Job 1:13-22)
4. Scene # 4 – Back to heaven: God and Satan, Pt. 1 (Job 2:1-6)
5. Scene # 5 – Satan’s activity, Job’s responses, Pt. 2 (Job 2:7-10)
6. Scene # 6 – Job’s Friends and the Unfolding Story (Job 2:11-13)