by Paul Apple | Jun 17, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DEFENDING THE JUSTICE OF GOD INVOLVES WRESTLING WITH DIFFICULT QUESTIONS INTRODUCTION: This is going to be a sermon of Questions rather than Answers. Roy Zuck: Job’s Complaint: God is unconcerned. He does not reward me for my innocence (10:7; cf. 35:3). . ....
by Paul Apple | Jun 16, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: BOTH THE CHARACTER AND GOVERNANCE OF GOD REFUTE ANY CHARGE OF INJUSTICE INTRODUCTION: Roy Zuck: Job’s Complaint: God is unjust; He does not relieve me of my suffering (19:6-7; 27:2; cf. 34:5-6). Francis Andersen: Elihu’s defense of the justice of God, which...
by Paul Apple | Jun 15, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: GOD USES DREAMS, PAIN AND MEDIATION TO COMMUNICATE HOW ONE CAN AVOID THE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF SIN AND ENJOY HIS GRACE INTRODUCTION: Roy Zuck: Job’s Complaint: God is silent; He does not respond to me (13:22; cf. 33:13). David Atkinson: Elihu argues that...
by Paul Apple | Jun 14, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE BURDEN FOR IMPARTING WISDOM FALLS ON THOSE TRULY INSPIRED BY GOD REGARDLESS OF AGE OR EXPERIENCE INTRODUCTION: John Hartley: Job’s avowal of innocence is so audacious and final that it leaves the comforters speechless. All are terrified, waiting for an...
by Paul Apple | Jun 11, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: EVEN JOB’S DRAMATIC OATH OF INNOCENCE CANNOT FORCE GOD TO BREAK HIS SILENCE AND ADDRESS HIS UNJUST SUFFERING INTRODUCTION: John Hartley: After having reminisced about the glory of his former days and having lamented his present disgrace, Job swears an oath...
by Paul Apple | Jun 10, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: UNJUST SUFFERING AND DERISIVE SOCIAL ATTACKS UNLEASH PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, PSYCHOLOGIAL AND SPIRITUAL AGONY WHEN GOD REMAINS SILENT INTRODUCTION: Tremper Longman: Chapter 30 continues on from Job’s comments in the previous chapter. There he remembered the...
by Paul Apple | Jun 9, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: PAST BLESSINGS INSPIRE WISTFUL REFLECTIONS INTRODUCTION: David Clines: This speech has a clear tripartite structure, corresponding to the three chapters, 29–31. The three movements are differentiated by their temporal focus: chap. 29 looks entirely to the...
by Paul Apple | Jun 8, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WISDOM CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN COMMUNION WITH GOD BY DIVINE REVELATION AS WE FEAR HIM AND TURN AWAY FROM EVIL INTRODUCTION: David Atkinson: Job 28 is about Wisdom, human and divine. Many commentators regard this chapter as an addition to the flow of the text....
by Paul Apple | Jun 7, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: JOB REAFFIRMS HIS RIGHTEOUS INTEGRITY, THE VANITY OF HYPOCRISY AND THE DOOMED DESTINY OF THE WICKED INTRODUCTION: Derek Kidner: Commentators are in disagreement as to whose words recorded in chapters 25-28. Some are of the opinion that Bildad’s speech,...
by Paul Apple | Jun 6, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: WORTHLESS COUNSEL FAILS TO DRAW OUT RELEVANT APPLICATIONS FROM THE AWESOME POWER OF THE MAJESTIC GOD INTRODUCTION: Francis Andersen: The speech is in two parts. – First there is a sarcastic response to Bildad’s dismal last speech (verses 2–4). –...
by Paul Apple | Jun 6, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: INSIGNIFICANT MAN SHOULD FORGET ABOUT SEEKING VINDICATION AND PURITY FROM THE MAJESTIC GOD WHO REIGNS ABOVE INTRODUCTION: John Hartley: Thus Bildad, in quoting from the hymns of the congregation, impugns Job’s speculation that a human being could even...
by Paul Apple | Jun 5, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DON’T DENY THAT GOD AFFLICTS THE RIGHTEOUS SINCE WE CAN SEE THAT GOD ALLOWS THE WICKED TO PROSPER FOR NOW INTRODUCTION: John Hartley: Now he puts forth multiple examples of civil injustice (24:13, 9, 4–8, 10–11) and criminal injustice (24:12–17). God’s...
by Paul Apple | Jun 3, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL INTEGRITY FORTIFIES FAITH IN GOD’S SOVEREIGN WORKING DESPITE THE FRUSTRATION OF PERPLEXING SUFFERING INTRODUCTION: John Hartley: In his first speech of the third cycle Job ignores the friends. With great confidence he focuses his...
by Paul Apple | Jun 2, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CALL TO REPENTANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF A RESTORED RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD INTRODUCTION: David Clines: The function of the speech seems to be ultimately to encourage Job to believe in a future restoration to his wealth and status. But before he offers...
by Paul Apple | Jun 1, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE OBSERVABLE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED REFUTES THE RIGID APPLICATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF RETRIBUTIONINTRODUCTION:John Hartley: On this occasion Job addresses his remarks entirely to the friends. In the style of a wisdom disputation he challenges their...
by Paul Apple | May 31, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE HORRIBLE FATE OF THE WICKED, WHILE TRUE, BEARS NO APPLICATION TO THE RIGHTEOUS IN THEIR SUFFERINGINTRODUCTION:Tremper Longman: Zophar concludes the second cycle of the friends’ arguments with his second speech of the debate. He is offended at what he...
by Paul Apple | May 29, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: CERTAINTY OF FINAL VINDICATION EASES THE PAIN OF PRESENT REJECTION AND PUTS FALSE ACCUSERS IN ULTIMATE JEOPARDYINTRODUCTION:Francis Andersen: In this speech Job’s audacious faith reaches its climax in the famous words, I know that my Redeemer lives (verse...
by Paul Apple | May 27, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE DESTINY OF THE WICKED CANNOT BE THE DESTINY OF THE RIGHTEOUSINTRODUCTION:David Clines: The strophes may be outlined thus:2–4 (3 lines) address to Job5–7 (3 lines) the end of the wicked8–10 (3 lines) he is trapped11–14 (4 lines) he is brought to the...
by Paul Apple | May 26, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: DESPONDENCY SETS IN AS THE TIME FOR VINDICATION EVAPORATESINTRODUCTION:David Clines: The structure of this fifth speech of Job is not so clear as in other speeches. As often, the direction of address is a helpful clue to structure.We may then perhaps display...
by Paul Apple | May 25, 2022 | Bible-OT
BIG IDEA: THE REBUKE FOR IMPIETY ESCALATES TO A FULL-SCALE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DEMISE OF THE WICKEDINTRODUCTION:Francis Andersen: As Job becomes more vehement, his friends become more severe. At first Eliphaz was gentle and courteous (4:2). Now his politeness...
