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Through Christ, Who taught us the way to Love: David Buffaloe, Didaskalos Ministries

1. Job
2. Solomon
3. Proverbs
4. Ecclesiates
5. Psalms

1. If you read the Poetical Books in your Bible, you wouldn't necessarily recognize them as poetry. That's because there's a big difference between Hebrew poetry and what we regard as poetry.
1. In our poetry RHYME is determined by sounds. In Hebrew, rhyme is determined by similar ideas represented throughout the passage.
1. We would consider (yes, this is lame, but I'm not a poet) this to be poetry: "I went to the moat, to sail my boat. But I forgot my sail, so I hooked up to a whale."
2. But Hebrew poetry matches ideas, as in the following: (Job 27.2-3) As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
2. Rhyme as similarity in sounds or repeated sounds in the text didn't come into use until the 7th century AD.
2. A feature of Hebrew poetry often lost in English translation is it's METER. Meter in Hebrew poetry is based on emphasized syllables found in the text.
3. Hebrew poetry also uses a great deal of imagery from nature. We see, all throughout the Book of Job, how God's power is expressed in His control over the world in which we live.
4. Three of the Biblical Poetical Books are also recognized as Books of Wisdom, these being Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiates.
1. A Wisdom Book is one that gives basic precepts and principles for a life successful in God.
2. There were numerous Wisdom Schools functioning during Solomon's reign. These schools taught their students how to live righteously before God.

1. "Job" can be translated either of two ways:
1. One who comes back. This is appropriate, because Job did waiver in his faith somewhat, but at the end of the Book returned to unity with his Father.
2. One who is under enmity. This is also an appropriate translation, for Job was under direct Satanic attack throughout the majority of the Book.

1. The human author of the Book is uncertain, though we know it's Divine Author was God.
2. Based on the fact that it is a Wisdom Book, it's almost certain that it was written during Solomon's reign.
3. Traditional Jewish belief (found in Talmudic writings) state that the Book was written by Moses. We cannot disprove this, though see #2 above.

1. Job was a historical character, not a myth as liberal theologians would have us believe.
1. Ezekiel 14.14, 20 and James 5.11 present Job as a real person, not a parable.
2. When you read through the Book of Job there's no indication that Job was anything other than real. When you come to a parabolic (fictitious, with teaching as it's major goal) passage in Scripture it's always referred to as such: "And Jesus spoke a parable..."
3. In the very first section of Job we are told about his homeland, again, an indication that he was real.
2. Job lived to about 210 years old. He was alive during the time of the Patriarchs (when people were long lived), but prior to the time when Israel became a national entity.
1. This is emphasized throughout the Book. At no time is there any reference to the Law of Moses, the Temple, nor to the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. The events of Job occur prior to these events.
2. Throughout Job the clan-like way of life of the Patriarchs is evident. People in the time of the Patriarchs lived in tribes, each tribe isolated from the next, with the head of the family acting as High Priest over the tribe. Job as the head of his tribe offers sacrifices to God several times throughout the Book, an act only committed by Levite Priests under nationalized Israel.
3. Job's wealth was calculated by the number of cattle he owned, another indicator that this was the Patriarchal Age.
3. The events of Job took place, not in Canaan (the Promised Land of Israel), but in UZ, which is in our present day Northern Arabia.
4. The names used for God throughout Job show that the Book was written prior to nationalized Israel. It is extra-Israelitic.
1. YHWH, the name that the Israelites usually used for God, is only used 13 times in Job.
2. The name the Gentiles usually used for God, ELOHIM, is found numerous times.
3. The name EL SHADDAI, another common name for God among the Gentiles, is found 31 times.

1. PROLOGUE (Job 1-2)
1. The prologue is written in Hebrew prose, not poetry.
2. Job is noted as being the most righteous man of his day.
3. Job was the first man to be personally and physically attacked by Satan in the Bible. Satan made his attacks only via God's permission.
1. In the first series of attacks Satan is allowed to take Job's family, but not allowed to touch Job himself.
2. In the second set of attacks Satan is allowed to harm Job physically, but not allowed to take Job's life.
2. DRAMA (Job 3-42.6)
1. Lamentation of Job (Job 3)
2. Appearance of Job's so called friends and how they added to his suffering by judging him (Job 4-31)
1. First cycle of judgment and answer (Job 4-14)
2. Second cycle of judgment and answer (Job 15-21.34)
3. Third cycle of judgment and answer (Job 22-31.40)
1. There are three so called friends. One criticizes, Job answers, the next criticizes, Job answers, the last criticizes, Job answers. Once all three friends complete that topical series of judgment/ criticism, a "cycle of judgment" is completed.
3. Intervention of Elihu (Job 32-37)
1. Elihu is the spokesman for God, preparing the way for God to speak. He always speaks in cycles, first to Job, then to Job's friends.
3. The REVELATION OF GOD (Job 38-42.6)
1. God speaks (Job 38-40), demonstrating His power in Creation.
2. Job speaks, confessing he was wrong in losing faith in God.
3. God speaks again (Job 40.6-41), demonstrating His wisdom in governing the universe.
4. Job speaks again, submitting himself to God.
4. EPILOGUE (Job 42.7-17). When Job submits to God there is great prosperity and peace once more.

1. Satan literally means "The Accuser". This is not his name (he is, in reality, Lucifer), but it is a title that recognizes his function. Satan continues to be the accuser of the Brethren before God.
1. In Satan's attacks on Job he often slurred the integrity of God, and used this as his vindication for attacking Job.
2. Please note that all of Satan's activities are subordinant to God's Will. Satan cannot touch Job (or us) without God's express permission.

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