May not agree with all points but it´s a nice litlle outline

JOB HAD NO BIBLE
Job 31:35

It is generally agreed that the Book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible, perhaps even the oldest book in the world. It was written before Moses was born. Job lived sometime between 1800-1600 BC during the age of the Patriarchs.

The theme of the book of Job is the Mystery of Suffering—Why do good people suffer?

Job was a good man (1:1, 8). Yet, I don’t know of anyone in history that lost so much in so short a time than Job did.

· He suffered FINANCIAL pain—He was a successful farmer. He was the riches person in the east. Yet, his financial empire overnight. Job the blessed became Job the broke.

· He suffered EMOTIONAL pain—His ten children were all tragically killed on the same day. Ten funerals in one day would break anyone’s heart!

· He suffered PHYSICAL pain—His body was suddenly smitten boils from the top of his head to the soles of his feet.

To top it off, everyone turned against Job in his darkest hour—His grief stricken wife and his friends all turned on him.

How does Job respond to these tragic evens in his life?

I. He grieves in a slough of PITY.

ÆJob begins to feel sorry for himself.

A. 3:1-3, 11, 16; 10:18-19—Job wishes he had never been born!

B. 6:8-9—Job wishes God would kill him.

II. He glories a surge of PRIDE.

ÆHe defends himself as an upright man when his friends accuse him of having hidden sin in his life.

A. 12:1-3; 13:1-2

B. In chapter 31 Job displays his self-righteousness by cataloging all the good things he has done. He seeks to justify himself in his own eyes.

1. v. 5—He’s never walked in vanity or deceit.

2. v. 9—He’s never had evil thoughts about another woman.

3. v. 13—He’s never mistreated any of his servants.

4. vs. 16, 19-21—He’s helped the poor.

5. vs. 24-25—He was not a lover of money.

6. vs. 29-30—He never vengeful towards his enemies.

7. v. 32—He was not stingy. He showed hospitality.

8. v. 33—He did not try to cover over his sins.

9. v. 38—He was not wasteful

10. v. 39—He never stole anything without paying for it.

ÆEssentially he is saying he is just as good as anyone else and doesn’t deserve what has happened to him.

III. He gropes in a snare of PERPLEXITY (10:15; 31:35).

The book of Job is a book of questions. There are 324 questions asked in the book of Job. That is more than any other book in the Bible. Job asks 138 questions himself. That is more questions than any other person in the Bible asked.

A. Where does one turn for answers when he goes through times of adversity?

B. How does someone deal with the pains and perplexities of life?

1. When a Christian today suffers tragic losses, he has the Holy Ghost to comfort him.

2. He can get support from the local church to help bear his burdens.

3. He can open his Bible and gain strength and encouragement from the Scriptures.

C. However, Job did not have any of these things. He didn’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit to comfort him. He had no church to turn to for support. Most of all, JOB HAD NO BIBLE. Not even one page to help him understand the mysteries of suffering.

1. He had no Romans 8:28!

2. He had no Psalms 119:92— Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

3. He had no Romans 15:4 – For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

4. He had no 2 Timothy 3:16-17— All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

SUMMATION: We take for granted the great treasure we hold in our hands. If it were not for this Book you might be following Buddha, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy.

· The only difference between you and the heathen is that you have a Bible and they do not.

· The only reason you do not sacrifice your children to crocodiles in the Ganges River is because you have a Bible and they do not.

· To only reason you do not beat yourself with a whip or crawl on stones and glass to purge yourself of sin as they do in the Philippines is because you have a Bible and they do not.

· The only reason you do not kiss the toe of a pot-bellied Buddha in Bangkok in your search for nirvana is because you have a Bible and they do not.

You and I owe our lives to this Book.

Job had no Bible… BUT YOU DO!