Wisdom Class 1: Job 1:1-2:13 (Answers)

Answers to Wisdom Class 1 Questions
1. What other term is used to classify the books we are referring to as the Wisdom Literature?

Poetic books. (Read commentary from prior blog post)

2. How does Hebrew poetry differ from our poetry today?

Poetry today uses rhyming words and meter, but Hebrew poetry  uses rhyming thoughts. (Read commentary from prior blog post)

3. What is the purpose/theme of the 5 books of wisdom?

Job: Explores why men serve God.
Psalms: The Jewish hymnal of songs and praise
Proverbs: Collection of principles and wisdom of the ages
Ecclesiastes: Ponders the meaning of life
Song of Solomon: A love song

4. Why did Satan choose to cause these problems to Job?

God presented him as a "blameless and upright man" and Satan accused him of only serving God because of his blessings. (Job 1:6-12 and 2:1-7)

5. Why did God allow Satan to bring these curses to Job?

In order to prove false Satan's accusation that Job only served God due to his blessings.

6. What terrible things happened to Job? ALL IN ONE DAY!!!

• Five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred female donkeys (Job 1:3) raided by Sabeans and Job's servants watching them killed (Job 1:14-15).

• Seven thousand sheep (Job 1:3) and servants watching them burned by fire from heaven (possibly lightning) (Job 1:16)

•  Three thousand camels (Job 1:3) raided by Chaldeans and killed servants watching them (Job 1:17)

• Seven sons and three daughters (Job 1:2) killed when their house fell on them (Job 1:18-19)
  

7. When all of the bad news had reached Job, what did he do?

Tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell to the ground and worshiped (Job 1:20)

8. Would we react like Job if this happened to us today? Could this happen to us today?

I would hope we would have the attitude of Job to know that "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."
This could certainly still happen to us today. We probably know people who have suffered trials who did nothing to deserve them. Consider people affected in drinking and driving accidents who are hit by a drunk driver and were doing nothing wrong or sinful. They still have to live with the pain and suffering though they had not sinned.

9. What excuse did Satan give for Job's faithfulness?

That man will curse God if their skin is afflicted.  A man will give all for his life. (Job 2:4-5)

10. How did Satan make Job's life worse? 

By covering his body from head to toe with painful boils. (Job 2:7)

Wisdom Class 1: Job 1:1-2:13

The required reading for Sunday, May 2 is Job chapters 1-2 and the following points.

Introduction to the Wisdom Literature
The section of books we are reviewing this trimester (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon), are often referred to as the poetic books. As you'll see below in the following excerpts, Hebrew poetry differs from our poetry today:

"Hebrew poetry did not have metre or rhyme, like the poetry of our language. It consisted rather of parallelisms, or thought rhythm, in synonymous or antithetical couplets, 'The sentiment of one line echoed in the next.' 'Sometimes the couplets being doubled, or trebeld, or quadrupled, making 2-liners, 4-liners, 6-liners, or 8-liners.'" (Haley's Bible Handbook, 24th Edition. p240)

"English poetry has rhyming words, it usually has a rhythm or meter in the syllables of each line. But Hebrew poetry is not like that. If it were the rhyming sounds and rhythm of their language that made it poetry, then its beauty would have been lost when it was translated into other languages. Instead, Hebrew poetry has rhyming thoughts. A thought is expressed, then it is repeated in different words with perhaps a little more intensity in the meaning. Or a thought is expressed, with the second line expressing an opposite contrast." (Give Us A King, The United Kingdom; by Bob and Sandra Waldron. p135)

The reason we are referring to these books as the Wisdom Literature has more to do with the content of the books since we see the poetic form of writing (as described above) used in other areas of the bible when conveying wisdom. These books deal with man's approach to living successfully on earth, a truly wise topic indeed.

Most of these books were written during the "Golden Age" (Haley, p240) of Hebrew history that we call the United Kingdom (during the era of David and Solomon) except Job is generally assigned to an earlier date, and some of the Psalms are later.

Although there is overlapping subject matter, each book has it's own purpose. "The dialogues of Job explore why men serve God: is it for gain, or is it because of devotion and commitment?" "The book of Psalms was the Jewish hymnal. It contains praise and prayers couched in the most beautiful language imaginable." "Proverbs is a collection of principles and axioms containing the distilled wisdom of the ages. Such principles and axioms are found among all civilizations, but the ones included here are the principles and wisdom that God's Spirit deemed of enough value to save for guidance of all generations." "Ecclesiastes is the most philosophical of the books of wisdom literature. The author looks for meaning in life under the sun, that is, life on earth." "The Song of Solomon is a love song." (quotes from Give Us A King, p136)

Introduction to the Book of Job
"The book of Job begins and ends with a section of Prose. The first two chapters set the stage for the rest of the book by describing Job as a righteous man who had been blessed by God, and then by telling of the slander Satan made against his character. The poetic section begins in chapter 3 and continues through all the speeches that were made, through the first half of the last chapter. The last half of the last chapter returns to the style of prose, as Job is vindicated." (Give Us A King, p138)

We will review the book of Job by the following outline:
1) Satan’s Challenge: “Will Job serve God for naught?” (1:1-2:10)
2) Job’s friends come to comfort and stay to accuse (2:11-31:40)
     a) The first round of speeches (3-14)
     b) The second round of speeches (15-21)
     c) The third round of speeches (22-31)
3) Elihu speaks (32:1-37:24)
4) God challenges Job (38:1-42:6)
5) Job is vindicated (42:7-17)

Bible Reading Assignment
For Sunday, we'll be reviewing the foundation for the rest of the book:
1) Satan’s Challenge: “Will Job serve God for naught?” (1:1-2:10)
    a) His possessions and family are taken away.
    b) His health is taken away.
    c) But Job remains faithful to God.
2) Job’s friends come to comfort and stay to accuse (2:11-31:40)
    a) Job’s friends come to comfort him (2:11-13)

Questions to prepare you for class
1. What other term is used to classify the books we are referring to as the Wisdom Literature?
2. How does Hebrew poetry differ from our poetry today?
3. What is the purpose/theme of the 5 books of wisdom?
4. Why did Satan choose to cause these problems to Job?
5. Why did God allow Satan to bring these curses to Job?
6. What terrible things happened to Job? ALL IN ONE DAY!!!
7. When all of the bad news had reached Job, what did he do?
8. Would we react like Job if this happened to us today? Could this happen to us today?
9. What excuse did Satan give for Job's faithfulness?
10. How did Satan make Job's life worse?

Wisdome Literature Schedule

We will be working through the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon over the next few months. Listed below is the reading schedule for the trimester indicating what you should read prior to each class. This is subject to change as we get going. Be sure to keep up on the reading assignments. We are covering a lot of material each class and won't be reading it during class, just discussing and making application. A new blog post with the assigned reading and additional information will be posted as we are in class each Sunday and Wednesday as a reminder and to provide preparatory questions to make you a better contributor during class. Your first post with class readings will appear during evening worship.

Job - May 2-23
May 2: Introduction and Job 1-2
May 5: Job 3-14
May 9: Job 15-21
May 12: Job 22-31 (I will be out of town and miss this class)
May 16: Job 32-37
May 19: Job 38-42:6
May 23: Job 42:7-17 and Review

Psalms - May 26-July 11
May 26: Introduction and Psalms 1-7
May 30: Psalms 8-18
June 2: Psalms 19-29
June 6: Psalms 30-40
June 9: Psalms 41-51
June 13: Psalms 52-62
June 16: Psalms 63-73
June 20: Psalms 74-84
June 23: Psalms 85-95
June 27: Psalms 96-106
June 30: Psalms 107-117
July 4: Psalms 118-128
July 7: Psalms 129-139
July 11: Psalms 140-150 and Review

Proverbs - July 14-August 15
July 14: Introduction and Proverbs 1-4
July 18: Proverbs 5-9
July 21: Proverbs 10-13
July 25: Proverbs 14-17
July 28: VBS, no bible class
August 1: Proverbs 18-21
August 4: Proverbs 22-24
August 8: Proverbs 25-27
August 11: Proverbs 28-30
August 15: Proverbs 31 and Review

Ecclesiastes - August 18-25
August 18: Introduction and Ecclesiastes 1-5
August 22: Ecclesiastes6-8
August 25: Ecclesiastes9-12 and Review

Song of Solomon - August 29-September 1
August 29: Introduction and Song of Solomon 1-3
September 1: Song of Solomon 4-7 and Review