Know: Examine the rationale for Job’s hope as provided in the historical fact of Christ’s resurrection.
Feel: Appreciate the relationship between faith and hope, especially within the context of desperate suffering.
Do: Choose words of hope rather than words that discourage when talking to suffering people.
Learning Outline:
Know: Resurrection Hope
A How could Job speak about hope and, at the same time, talk about death?
B What does Christ’s resurrection have to do with Job’s suffering? What does it have to do with our suffering?
Feel: Hope and Faith
A How can you find hope in a situation in which there does not seem to be any way out and all the solutions have failed?
B Why does James 2:20–22 speak about the works of faith? Don’t faith and works contradict each other? Explain.
Do: Speaking Hope
A What can we learn from Job’s friends in terms of how we should or shouldn’t speak to people who are suffering?
B How can we find words of hope in a situation in which there does not seem to be any hope?
Summary: Through the seemingly endless dark speeches of Job’s friends and his desperate replies, there are sudden rays of hope. This lesson dwells upon these rays, which point to a hope in the resurrection that Job called his own. Ultimately, the reason for this hope can be found only in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Proverbs 17:28
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The tongue is a powerful tool or, in some instances, a highly destructive weapon. It is the selfsame body part that can issue a fatal blow to a person’s last grip on life. Or it can infuse a word of hope that can mark the beginning of recovery from suffering and pain.
Job’s interaction with his friends shows the detrimental power of the tongue. But it also shows that, amid all the judgmental theological gibberish, Job found hope that was not grounded in human words but a hope in Yahweh and in the resurrection of the dead. We should learn from the friends’ anti-example.
Just for Teachers: The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not immune to indulging in gossip, judgmental talk, and even slander. As a matter of fact, every close-knit community of people who share their joys, sorrows, and personal struggles with one another is susceptible to unhealthy chitchat and backbiting. It might be a good opportunity to discuss with the class how backbiting and gossip affect your church or congregation, even if such a discussion can turn out to be a painful exercise.
Opening Discussion: A father frequently reminded his children that there were two things that could not be taken back: a launched arrow and a spoken word. He usually mentioned these proverbs to his children in the context of their saying something that should have been thought through a bit more carefully or when they had said a hurtful word to another person. It is almost impossible to undo the damage that a harshly spoken word can cause in somebody else’s soul. The comparison with an arrow is most appropriate. It can pierce through the last bit of self-worth a person still has or quench the only glimmer of hope he or she desperately clings to. Job’s friends successively seem to specialize in this kind of verbal warfare, and Job’s resistance to their continuous battering of him almost seems superhuman.
When have you experienced the destructive power of negative words? Or, on the positive side, when have you felt the hope-infusing impact of a good word spoken at the right time (compare Prov. 25:11)?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Hope is the golden thread that runs through Scripture. From the moment of the Fall, in Genesis 3, God responds with a message of hope in verse 15. The seed of the woman, in the singular, has been taken as a reference to the Messiah. While being hurt by Satan (“bruise His heel”), the Messiah would, at the same time, destroy the power of the enemy (“bruise your head,” NKJV) through His death and resurrection. Interestingly, the most ancient translation of the Old Testament before the Christian era, the Septuagint, already understood this reference as pointing to an individual, the Messiah, as there is a grammatical disagreement in the Greek between the seed, sperma (neuter gender), and the personal pronoun autos (masculine gender). Thus, from the very beginning, hope in future salvation was the remedy for the darkest moments of humanity. It still is.
Bible Commentary
It is interesting to note the traces of hope that also run through the book of Job. While they appear sparsely within the generally desperate tones of the main protagonists, they are there nevertheless, connecting Job’s fate with the future Messiah, as He becomes the guarantee for humanity’s hope.
“Though He Slay Me” (Review Job 13:1–16 with the class.)
Following Zophar’s speech in chapter 11, Job 12–14 concludes the first cycle of speeches. Chapter 13 begins with a response of Job to his friends in which he finally characterizes their words as “proverbs of ashes” (Job 13:12, NKJV)—not a very flattering comparison. Sitting in ashes, scraping his sores, is exactly how they find Job when they come to visit. He very well may have accompanied his words with a handful of ashes, thrown into the air and dispersed by the wind.
But after dismissing his friends’ counsel, Job now turns to God. It is the last verses of chapter 13 especially that have a powerful message. The reading of the Hebrew text in Job 13:15 has provided some confusion, as reflected in certain modern translations that reverse the meaning negatively: “See, he will kill me; I have no hope” (NRSV; compare also NLT; NKJV is positive). This reversal is the result of two different readings in the original text, suggested by a group of ancient Hebrew scholars called the Masoretes. However, the continuation of Job’s words in verse 16 provides some clarification as to the reality of his hope. He refers to God as his salvation, pointing to the stubborn hope he has, despite his circumstances, which motivates him to press on until he can find vindication before the Judge of the universe (Job 13:17–19). Job longs for God’s response as the only way to understand his situation.
Consider This: How did Job find some hope, despite the hopeless words of his friends?
II. Stubborn Hope (Review Genesis 22:8, Daniel 3:16–18, James 2:20–22, and 1 Corinthians 15:11–20 with the class.)
Scripture is full of stories that display the incredible power of a hope that is stubbornly fixed on God, against all odds. There is Abraham, who soothes his son’s perturbed question with a resounding “ ‘God will provide’ ” (Gen. 22:8), which prepares Isaac to lie down in faith on the altar on top of Mount Moriah. There are Daniel’s three friends standing before an enraged Nebuchadnezzar, issuing an unheard-of challenge to the most powerful man on earth during Babylonian times, as he threatens them with the fiery furnace: “ ‘But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods’ ” (Dan. 3:18, NKJV). There is the thief on the cross who, recognizing the divine Majesty hanging next to him between heaven and earth, timidly expresses a humble wish at the end of a futile life: “ ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom’ ” (Luke 23:42, NKJV).
The list could go on, but the question really is: Where did these people find the basis for such a stubborn hope that could withstand the deathly threats of their current circumstances? Whatever they understood at the time, the ultimate answer needs to be located in the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that provides the basis for all our hopes and specifically for those that let us look beyond the confines of death. Paul hinges the truth of his whole preaching on the fact of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:11–20). James points to the delicate relationship between faith and works in reference to Abraham, which really becomes tangible in the hope held amid dire circumstances. Job had the same hope that was grounded in a just (though, for the moment, not understandable) God who could see him through even beyond the grave (compare Job 19:25, 26).
Consider This: What is the basis for your hope?
III. Hypocrites (Review Job 13:16 and Proverbs 11:9 with the class.)
A popular definition of a hypocrite is somebody who preaches one thing but does another. Especially in the religious sphere, hypocrites can cause a lot of damage, though we are all susceptible to hypocrisy.
Job’s usage of the Hebrew word chanaf in 13:16, as an implicit reference to his friends, is very strong, and it also could be translated as “profane, irreligious, godless, perverted.” As a matter of fact, as an adjective, it is most frequently attested in the book of Job (eight times, versus five other times in the rest of the Old Testament). So, hypocrisy is actually more than just failing to do what one preaches; it is a form of ungodliness, which perverts the character of God. This ungodliness is what Job detects in his friends (compare Job 8:13, 15:34, 17:8, 20:5, 27:8, 34:30, and 36:13). We can only pray to God to protect us from being guilty of the same.
Consider This: Why does it seem so easy to fall into the trap of hypocrisy?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Job’s hope is a hard-earned one, and this week we see a bit of the deep struggles he is going through in order to attain this hope. But he stubbornly holds on to it.
Thought/Application Questions:
How do you understand the expression of “stubborn faith”?
Can you recall any situations in your life when your hope was a hardearned one? If so, share your experience.
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Hope in the midst of the storm is something that often defies human logic. We can only marvel at it.
Class/Individual Activities:
Share the inspiring story of the circumstances that accompanied the writing of the famous hymn, “It Is Well With My Soul,” whose words were written down by Horatio Spafford at the exact location where his four daughters had drowned on a voyage from America to England in 1883.
Sing the hymn and then talk about the incredible hope we have as Seventh-day Adventists. You might also still want to sing “We Have This Hope.”
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Key Texts: Job 13:15, 16; 14:7; James 2:20–22
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Summary: Through the seemingly endless dark speeches of Job’s friends and his desperate replies, there are sudden rays of hope. This lesson dwells upon these rays, which point to a hope in the resurrection that Job called his own. Ultimately, the reason for this hope can be found only in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Proverbs 17:28
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The tongue is a powerful tool or, in some instances, a highly destructive weapon. It is the selfsame body part that can issue a fatal blow to a person’s last grip on life. Or it can infuse a word of hope that can mark the beginning of recovery from suffering and pain.
Job’s interaction with his friends shows the detrimental power of the tongue. But it also shows that, amid all the judgmental theological gibberish, Job found hope that was not grounded in human words but a hope in Yahweh and in the resurrection of the dead. We should learn from the friends’ anti-example.
Just for Teachers: The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not immune to indulging in gossip, judgmental talk, and even slander. As a matter of fact, every close-knit community of people who share their joys, sorrows, and personal struggles with one another is susceptible to unhealthy chitchat and backbiting. It might be a good opportunity to discuss with the class how backbiting and gossip affect your church or congregation, even if such a discussion can turn out to be a painful exercise.
Opening Discussion: A father frequently reminded his children that there were two things that could not be taken back: a launched arrow and a spoken word. He usually mentioned these proverbs to his children in the context of their saying something that should have been thought through a bit more carefully or when they had said a hurtful word to another person. It is almost impossible to undo the damage that a harshly spoken word can cause in somebody else’s soul. The comparison with an arrow is most appropriate. It can pierce through the last bit of self-worth a person still has or quench the only glimmer of hope he or she desperately clings to. Job’s friends successively seem to specialize in this kind of verbal warfare, and Job’s resistance to their continuous battering of him almost seems superhuman.
When have you experienced the destructive power of negative words? Or, on the positive side, when have you felt the hope-infusing impact of a good word spoken at the right time (compare Prov. 25:11)?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: Hope is the golden thread that runs through Scripture. From the moment of the Fall, in Genesis 3, God responds with a message of hope in verse 15. The seed of the woman, in the singular, has been taken as a reference to the Messiah. While being hurt by Satan (“bruise His heel”), the Messiah would, at the same time, destroy the power of the enemy (“bruise your head,” NKJV) through His death and resurrection. Interestingly, the most ancient translation of the Old Testament before the Christian era, the Septuagint, already understood this reference as pointing to an individual, the Messiah, as there is a grammatical disagreement in the Greek between the seed, sperma (neuter gender), and the personal pronoun autos (masculine gender). Thus, from the very beginning, hope in future salvation was the remedy for the darkest moments of humanity. It still is.
Bible Commentary
It is interesting to note the traces of hope that also run through the book of Job. While they appear sparsely within the generally desperate tones of the main protagonists, they are there nevertheless, connecting Job’s fate with the future Messiah, as He becomes the guarantee for humanity’s hope.
Following Zophar’s speech in chapter 11, Job 12–14 concludes the first cycle of speeches. Chapter 13 begins with a response of Job to his friends in which he finally characterizes their words as “proverbs of ashes” (Job 13:12, NKJV)—not a very flattering comparison. Sitting in ashes, scraping his sores, is exactly how they find Job when they come to visit. He very well may have accompanied his words with a handful of ashes, thrown into the air and dispersed by the wind.
But after dismissing his friends’ counsel, Job now turns to God. It is the last verses of chapter 13 especially that have a powerful message. The reading of the Hebrew text in Job 13:15 has provided some confusion, as reflected in certain modern translations that reverse the meaning negatively: “See, he will kill me; I have no hope” (NRSV; compare also NLT; NKJV is positive). This reversal is the result of two different readings in the original text, suggested by a group of ancient Hebrew scholars called the Masoretes. However, the continuation of Job’s words in verse 16 provides some clarification as to the reality of his hope. He refers to God as his salvation, pointing to the stubborn hope he has, despite his circumstances, which motivates him to press on until he can find vindication before the Judge of the universe (Job 13:17–19). Job longs for God’s response as the only way to understand his situation.
Consider This: How did Job find some hope, despite the hopeless words of his friends?
Scripture is full of stories that display the incredible power of a hope that is stubbornly fixed on God, against all odds. There is Abraham, who soothes his son’s perturbed question with a resounding “ ‘God will provide’ ” (Gen. 22:8), which prepares Isaac to lie down in faith on the altar on top of Mount Moriah. There are Daniel’s three friends standing before an enraged Nebuchadnezzar, issuing an unheard-of challenge to the most powerful man on earth during Babylonian times, as he threatens them with the fiery furnace: “ ‘But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods’ ” (Dan. 3:18, NKJV). There is the thief on the cross who, recognizing the divine Majesty hanging next to him between heaven and earth, timidly expresses a humble wish at the end of a futile life: “ ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom’ ” (Luke 23:42, NKJV).
The list could go on, but the question really is: Where did these people find the basis for such a stubborn hope that could withstand the deathly threats of their current circumstances? Whatever they understood at the time, the ultimate answer needs to be located in the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that provides the basis for all our hopes and specifically for those that let us look beyond the confines of death. Paul hinges the truth of his whole preaching on the fact of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:11–20). James points to the delicate relationship between faith and works in reference to Abraham, which really becomes tangible in the hope held amid dire circumstances. Job had the same hope that was grounded in a just (though, for the moment, not understandable) God who could see him through even beyond the grave (compare Job 19:25, 26).
Consider This: What is the basis for your hope?
A popular definition of a hypocrite is somebody who preaches one thing but does another. Especially in the religious sphere, hypocrites can cause a lot of damage, though we are all susceptible to hypocrisy.
Job’s usage of the Hebrew word chanaf in 13:16, as an implicit reference to his friends, is very strong, and it also could be translated as “profane, irreligious, godless, perverted.” As a matter of fact, as an adjective, it is most frequently attested in the book of Job (eight times, versus five other times in the rest of the Old Testament). So, hypocrisy is actually more than just failing to do what one preaches; it is a form of ungodliness, which perverts the character of God. This ungodliness is what Job detects in his friends (compare Job 8:13, 15:34, 17:8, 20:5, 27:8, 34:30, and 36:13). We can only pray to God to protect us from being guilty of the same.
Consider This: Why does it seem so easy to fall into the trap of hypocrisy?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Job’s hope is a hard-earned one, and this week we see a bit of the deep struggles he is going through in order to attain this hope. But he stubbornly holds on to it.
Thought/Application Questions:
How do you understand the expression of “stubborn faith”?Can you recall any situations in your life when your hope was a hardearned one? If so, share your experience.STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Hope in the midst of the storm is something that often defies human logic. We can only marvel at it.
Class/Individual Activities: