"THE BOOK OF JOB"

                          Job’s Soliloquy (Job 3)
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS SECTION
1) To consider the beginning of the "great controversy" between Job and

   his friends, which started with Job’s soliloquy
2) To appreciate the depth of Job’s complaint, why he wished that he

   had never been born
3) To note the questions he raised as he sought to understand the

   problem of suffering
SUMMARY
Having sat in silence for seven days in the presence of his friends who

had come to comfort him, Job finally speaks.  In the form of a

soliloquy, he begins by cursing the day of his birth and the night of

his conception for failing to prevent his sorrow (3:1-10).  He then

bemoans why he did not die at birth or even be stillborn, for then at

least he would be at rest, just like those who were great in their

lifetime, or like those who had been oppressed (Job 3:11-19).  Job also

wonders why the suffering who long for death are allowed to linger.  He

concludes by stating that what he most greatly feared has now come upon

him:  trouble, from which there seems to be no rest (Job 3:20-26).
OUTLINE
I. JOB’S CURSE Job 3:1-10
   A. HE CURSES THE DAY OF HIS BIRTH…

      1. Not just the day of his birth, but also the night of his

         conception

      2. Because of the sorrow that has come his way

      — I.e., he wished he had never been born
   B. IN THIS HE RESEMBLES JEREMIAH – Jer 20:14-18 

      1. Who had an unpopular ministry

      2. Who experienced much suffering like Job
   C. AN IMPORTANT POINT TO REMEMBER…

      1. Both expressed a desire never to have been born

      2. Yet neither Job or Jeremiah for a moment considered the

         possibility of suicide

      3. They might have questioned the Lord’s wisdom, but they did not

         dare take the precious gift of life with which He endowed them

         (Wayne Jackson)
II. JOB’S QUESTIONS Job 3:11-19
   A. WHY DID HE NOT DIE AT BIRTH?

      1. Then he would have been at rest

      2. He would be with those who were great and powerful in their

         lifetime
   B. WHY WAS HE NOT STILLBORN?

      1. Then he would have been at rest, free from those who trouble

         him

      2. He would be like those at rest, who were troubled in their

         lifetime
   C. JOB VIEWS DEATH AS AN ESCAPE FROM EARTH’S MISERIES…

      1. Job’s view of death applies only to those who die in the Lord

         – cf. Re 14:13 

      2. For the wicked, death is no rest! – cf. Lk 16:19-31 
III. JOB PONDERS THE PROBLEM OF SUFFERING Job 3:20-26
   A. WHY ARE THE SUFFERING ALLOWED TO LINGER?

      1. Why is life given to those who linger in suffering?

      2. Even to those who long for death?
   B. WHAT JOB FEARED HAS NOW HAPPENED TO HIM…

      1. He dreaded the suffering that has come to him

      2. And now he is troubled and no longer at ease
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION
1) What are the three main points of this section?

   – Job’s curse Job 3:1-10

   – Job’s questions Job 3:11-19

   – Job ponders the problem of suffering Job 3:20-26
2) As Job begins his soliloquy, what two things does he curse? Vs 1-3

   – The day of his birth

   – The night of his conception
3) Why did he curse the day of his birth? V 10

   – Because it did not keep him from experiencing sorrow
4) Why did he wish he had died at birth? Vs 11-15

   – Then he would be at rest, just like those who had been great in

     their lifetime
5) Why did he wish he had been stillborn? Vs 16-19

   – Then he would be at rest, like those who had been oppressed in

     their lifetime
6) As Job ponders the problem of suffering, what does he ask? Vs 20-21

   – Why is life given to those who suffer and would rather be dead?
7) What had come upon Job? V 25

      – That which he feared was manifest in his life

        (i.e., trouble and suffering)

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