[Day #4-Job 1-5]}

[NOTE: I am reading through the Bible chronologically, so it will skip around some.]

Ch. 1
v. 6: "sons of God"
-angels?
"and Satan also came among them"
v. 13: Job's children were at the eldest brother's house; since there were 7 brothers and they went to one a day, this means it was most likely a Sunday.
v. 14: Job loses oxen, donkeys, and servants.
v. 16: He loses sheep and servants
v. 17: He loses camels and servants
v. 18: He loses all 10 of his children (7 sons, 3 daughters)
v. 20: "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshipped."
-Job's response to losing all of his oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, and [nearly all] of his servants? Throw himself into a state of mourning (by tearing his robe and shaving his head) and worship.
v. 21: "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away/Blessed be the name of the Lord."
v. 22: "Through all this, Job did not sin or blame God."
-Does this imply blaming God is not a sin? Or is it simply saying "Job did not sin... [he did not even] blame God."
-Job did not sin or blame God--Wow. How many times have I done both over much much smaller trials.

Ch. 2
v. 7: Satan smote Job with boils all over.
v. 8: Job scraped himself with a potsherd--was this to help the boils? Or was it self-mutilation? My guess is that it helped drain the boils of pus (gross, sorry).
v. 9: Job's wife says to "curse God and die." What an encouraging wife. Not. Would I be any better in this instance? She has lost all of her children and her security--Job's wealth. She had placed her faith in the things they had instead of in God. Why place your hope and faith in things so temporary and fragile? God alone is worthy and capable . I say I place my faith in God, but do I live that way? Or do I live with my faith placed in my husband's job which pays for our house, food, heat, etc.? Do I place my faith in myself? I'm no better than Job's wife many times.
v. 10: "...in ll this Job did not sn with his lips...?
-Does this imply Job sinned in action but not in word? Or is this simply to show that Job did not even sin in word?
-James 3:4 says, "Look at the ships, also though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires." And James 3:2-"...if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well."
v. 11: Job had three friends come visit him.
v. 12: They wept and mourned with Job.
v. 13: They provided companionship and solidarity, but they allowed him to continue to mourn. They didn't "speak...a word to him." No pat answers. No "on the bright side" or "it'll get better" or "at least..." They "saw his pain was very great" and knew nothing they could say would make it better. Yet, they did not abandon him or ignore him or his pain. They stayed in relationsip with him. Relationship does not always require speaking. They stayed with him for 7 day and 7 nights.

Ch. 3
v. 1-26: Job wishes he had never been born. Several phrases throughout this chapter suggest life begins at conception.

Ch. 4 & 5
These two chapters are a soliloquoy by Job's friend Eliphaz. Some of what he says seems to ring true, but not all of it. I'll have to take a closer look at this passage.