Reading with Ben

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job.

This is episode #18 chapters 33 and 34.

Job Chapter 33, Now, Elihu tells Job to hear his speech; his words will demonstrate his uprightness. The spirit of God compels him to speak, and Job must answer him if he can. Elihu summarizes Job’s claim to be sinless and unjustly persecuted by God. He then asserts that Job’s argument isn’t right. God, he says, is greater than mortals, and it isn’t right to argue with him.

Job Chapter 34, Elihu continues speaking, saying that the group of men must determine among themselves what’s right. Elihu says that Job “drinks up scoffing like water” and consorts with evildoers. He also says that God repays people according to their deeds and never perverts justice. Because God is in control of the whole world, if he were to “gather to himself his breath,” all mortal creatures would die.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job.

This is episode #17 chapters 31 and 32

Job Chapter 31, Job goes on, saying that he’s made “a covenant with [his] eyes” not to look at a virgin. If he’s done anything wrong—false, deceitful, or unclean—then others should reap and enjoy whatever he’s sown. If other women have enticed him, then it would be only fair if his wife had sex with another man. If Job has ever dealt unjustly with his slaves, what will he do when God judges him? After all, God created both Job and his slaves alike.

Job Chapter 32, Job’s three companions stop answering him, because Job is “righteous in his own eyes.” Then, another man speaks up—Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite. Elihu is angry at Job for “justifying[] himself rather than God.” He’s also mad at Job’s three friends for failing to give Job a satisfactory answer.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job.

This is episode #16 chapters 29 and 30.

Job Chapter 29, Job isn't happy with the pain and embarrassing nature of his position. He reminisces about the good ol' days and tries to understand why he's being punished.

Job Chapter 30, He concludes that he has done all God asked, and that God owes him an explanation. Wait, where have we heard that before? Oh yeah, that's right—everywhere in this entire book.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job.

This is episode #15 chapters 27 and 28.

Job Chapter 25, We're not sure who's talking, but it's a discussion of divine justice and how the evildoers (nonbelievers) will get what's coming to them by God.

If this is Job speaking, it's probably an ironic speech, given that he's been yammering on about how divine justice has wronged him, a righteous man.

Job Chapter 26, Getting tired? Good. It's time to shake things up. In this unsigned interlude, the speaker riffs for a while about where the seeker can find wisdom. Answer? We're still not sure.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job

This is episode #13 chapters 25 and 26.

Job Chapter 25, This chapter is short but punchy. Bildad asks Job, "How can a mortal be righteous?"

Job Chapter 26, Job's ready with an answer. He declares that of course, God is the master of the universe, but it doesn't matter. He still deserves some explanation. God may be within everyone and everywhere, but he's still as mysterious as they come.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job

This is episode #12 chapters 23 and 24.

Job Chapter 23, Job reflects on what he would do if he were actually allowed to present his case to God. 

Job Chapter 24, He makes the call: he would "heed" him but not "contend" with him. God is, after all, God. Contending may not be the best idea.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job

This is episode #11 chapters 21 and 22.

Job Chapter 21, The wicked, he says, go unpunished all the time. Not that he's cool with that. He prays for the sinners' destruction, and then tells Zophar to stop being so depressing.

Job Chapter 22, Eliphaz won't back down. He tells Job that he definitely messed up somehow to merit such a crazy punishment.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job

This is episode #10 chapters 19 and 20.

Job Chapter 19, Apparently no one is listening, so Job reaffirms his desire to plead his case before God. He's so worked up about it, he wants to etch his complaint in something more permanent than his mortal voice. Maybe on a rock or—surprise, surprise—in a book.

Job Chapter 20, Zophar decides to beat a dead horse. Not literally. He tells Job that the wicked get what they deserve from God.

For good measure, he adds that the venom of asps will poison people's stomachs and kill the sinners. Well, that's graphic.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job

This is episode #09 chapters 17 and 18.

Job Chapter 17, Why shouldn't he, a penitent man, get a fair hearing?

Job Chapter 18, Guess what he's saying this time? That's right: God punishes the wicked.

This time, though, he adds (in a possible reference to Canaanite lore) that the Firstborn of Death will visit the evil.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Job

This is episode #08 chapters 15 and 16.

Job Chapter 15, Eliphaz is back on the scene. He says that that Job is undermining God by questioning his ways, which are both unknowable and infinitely powerful. We feel like we've heard that one before….

Job Chapter 16, In case we didn't get the picture already, Job reiterates how uncool his friends are. Then he—yep, again—confirms that he has done nothing worthy of this punishment.