The Book of Job
Author	Unknown. (However, suggestions include Job, Elihu, Moses, and Solomon.)
Date Written	Scholars place the date of the authorship of Job anywhere from the time of Abraham to the time the Jews return from their Babylonian exile.
Time Span	Not specified.
Title	From the book's chief character: Job.
Background	As the book of Job begins, Job is one of the wealthiest and most prosperous men on the face of the earth. He fears God and lives an upright life during the ancient patriarchal period in the land of Uz (region of northern Arabia).
Where Written	Unknown (possibly the Palestinian area).
To Whom	To no specific people.
Content	Why do the righteous suffer? This is the question raised after Job loses his family, his wealth, and his health. Job's 3 friends-Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar-come to comfort him and to discuss his crushing series of tragedies. They insist his suffering is punishment for sin in his life. Job, though, remains devoted to God through all of this and contends that his life has not been one of sin. A fourth man, Elihu, tells Job he needs to humble himself and submit to God's use of trials to purify his life. Finally, Job questions God Himself and learns valuable lessons about the sovereignty of God and his need to totally trust in the Lord. Job is then restored to health, happiness, and prosperity . . . even beyond his earlier state.
Themes	Satan cannot bring financial and physical destruction upon us unless it is God's permissive will, and God will set the limits. It is beyond our human ability to understand the "why's" behind all the suffering in the world. Rest assured . . . the wicked will receive their just dues. We cannot blame all suffering on the sin in a sufferer's life. Suffering may sometimes be allowed in our lives to purify, to test, to teach, or to strengthen the soul by showing us that when we have lost all, and only God remains . . . but that is enough. God deserves and requests our love and praise regardless of our lot in life. God will deliver all suffering believers either in this life or in that which is to come.
Key Words	"Perseverance"; "Suffering"; "Sovereign." To live a life of faith requires "perseverance." Despite torment and trials, Job was steadfast in his belief in God. Christians today are not exempt from broken hearts or "suffering," either, but through it all we, like Job, can rest in the fact that God is fair, omnipotent, omniscient, and "sovereign."
Outline	1:1- 2:13  Job's background and assaults from Satan. 3:1-31:40  Job's debates with his 3 friends. 32:1-37:24  Elihu's speaking out for God's fairness. 38:1-41:34  God's intervention. 42:1-42:17  Job's restoration.
More	Audio of the Book of Job

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