The name job is the english translation of the hebrew name iyov which means persecuted, hated on the surface job is a long, boring, somewhat confusing book and one might question how it ever came to be grouped with the wisdom books as it is hard to ascertain any wisdom in this tale of woe. Not only god but also angels are thrilled when a sinner repents of his worldly ways. This topic of sons of god in the books of genesis and job has sparked a lot of. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of god to be revealed. The book of job is one of the most problematic portions of the bible and has called forth a variety of interpretations. Here the voice of jehovah himself is heard, speaking out of the whirlwind. God goes on, pressing the reversal of charges, covering the ins and outs of creation verses 57, the watering of the earthanswering drought with rain verses 345, 3738, and providing for the cycles of the animal kingdom verses 3931. God originally created the earth with such perfection and beauty that the angels shouted with joy. Tomorrow, if all literature was to be destroyed and it was left to me to retain one work only, i should save job.
Job is a pious believer who is struck by misfortune so great that it cannot be explained in the usual way as a prompting to repentance, a warning, let alone a punishment the arguments later. A major difficulty in understanding the meaning of the book is, what insight leads job to submit so humbly to god at the end. I agree that the phrase morning stars does refer to angels, but as you can see, i have a somewhat different opinion when it comes to the phrase. There are many places in the scriptures where god symbolizes his presence by a wind. The book will conclude with job being humbled but satisfied 42. This book that never refers to israelite history or the land of israel nevertheless identifies the god of israel as the god with whom job is in relationship. Rather, the focus is on what job learns from his suffering.
From the text, i would say the morning stars are the sons of god that are mentioned. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the. When the morning stars sang together either all the stars in a literal sense. Where were you when i laid the foundation of the earth. As we cannot find fault with gods work, so we need not fear concerning it. It should be kept in mind that job is not the author. Applying the words to job is a contradiction of job 42. This increased knowledge is a wonderful and glorious thing, and scientific inquiry is to be applauded. Job has no answer, because there is only one possible answer. The word declare of course refers to the queries in job 38. A survey of the inanimate creation, the wonders of earth and skythe earth, job 38. At last, god fulfills jobs desire for a facetoface encounter. Modern science knows much more about the meteorological and hydrological systems of the earth job 38.
Who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth from the womb. It is what job learns about god through his suffering. Our creator does all things in an organized manner and completes all his works in exquisite splendor. Hes blameless and upright, and he has kids, a wife, land, and a bunch of sheep. In verse 4 god asks job if he was present when god laid the foundation of the world. Rebuking job for darkening counsel by words without knowledge b. You werent there, job, and you dont know how i did it. Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge. In the books first cycle, jobs friends speeches were halted by the revelation of gods wisdom. It is sovereign, it blows where it will, and except a man be. Study job 38 using matthew henrys bible commentary concise to better understand scripture with full outline and verse meaning. Job 38 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Study guide for job 38 by david guzik blue letter bible.
But the earth had somehow become formless and chaotic so that god had to refashion it before man could be created. Modern science knows much more about the nature of light job 38. Also, everywhere the term sons of god is used in scripture it clearly refers to angels e. But the story isnt about what job had and what he lost. Challenging job to answer the questions god will ask of him b.
Jobs life is also one that prompts the common question, why do bad things happen to good people. Prayer for forgiveness brings about joyous repentance and restoration of righteousness in a persons life martin g. Verses 5 and 6 are more questions about the creation. Job 38 bible commentary matthew henry concise christianity. And said, hitherto shalt thou come, but no further. When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of god shouted for joy. When the morning stars sang together this must refer to some intelligent beings who existed before the creation of the. Job 38 then the lord answered job out of the whirlwind.
Then verse 7 asks if job was present when the stars sang and the sons of god. The new element in the second cycle is that elihus speech is interrupted by the dramatic appearance of god himself job 38. Up in the heavens, god brags to the divine assembly about job. The terms morning stars and sons of god are biblical names for angels, who express joy when events in gods plan unfold. While we might expect job, in chapter 38, to answer elihu, chapters 3841 constitute gods answer to job. On the second day, the atmosphere evidently continued to clear, creating a space between the thick clouds above and the ocean below. Addressing the problem of theodicy the vindication of the justice of god in the light of humanitys suffering it is a rich theological work setting out a variety of perspectives. While it is true that suffering is a major theme in the book of job, suffering is not the real meaning of job. It is the ageold question, and difficult to answer, but believers know that god is always in control, and, no matter what. Surely chapters 3841 are the climax of this great book of job.
Yet, considered in context, this passage does not support their beliefs at all. The lord speaks then the lord spoke to job out of the storm. When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of god shouted for joy. The life of job demonstrates that humans are often unaware of the many ways god is at work in the life of each believer. Read commentary on this popular bible verse and understand the real meaning behind gods word using john gills exposition of. The devil had undertaken to prove job a hypocrite, and his three friends had condemned him as a wicked man. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Jesus said to nicodemus, the spirit of god is like the wind. The book of job 3 the book of job introduction to the book the book of job has long been praised as a masterpiece of literature. Job 38, new international version niv the bible app. The book of job tells how one man suddenly awakened to the anarchy rampant in the world, yet his attachment to god outlived the ruin of his tidy system.
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