I. Background
   A.  Chapter 1 first test - Job loses everything but his wife and his health ; he blesses not curses God
   B.  Chapter 2 second test - Job loses his health and his wife tells him to curse God and die ; he tells her no and said we accept God's blessings and adversities
   C. Chapter 3 - Job is severely depressed
   D. Chapters 4-37 Job and his friends discuss his situation trying to comfort him
 
II. Three Cycles Of Their Discussion
   A. Cycle 1 Ch. 4-14 Console Him
      i) his friends tell him bad things happen to people and there are benefits to the trouble 5:17-22
      ii) Job responds that they are lying about him and asked them to be silent 13:1-6
   B. Cycle 2 Ch 15-21 Accuse Him Generally
      i) your sin comes from your mouth 15:2-6
      ii) Job responds you are sorry comforters; you lie and if I were comforting you I would strengthen you 16:2-5
   C. Cycle 3 Ch 17 -37 Accuse Him Specifically
      i) you stripped others , you withheld food , and sent widows away empty-handed 22:6-9
      ii) Job responds if I could talk to God I could convince him I am innocent 23:1-6
   D. His friends were trying to rewrite history by their opinions
 
III. Parallel Story About Jesus Jn 9 : 1-25
   A. Jesus saw a blind man and his disciples asked who had sinned the man or his parents
   B. Jesus said - neither but that the works of God be worked through Jesus
   C. Like Job - every bad thing is because somebody did a particular sin

IV. Observations
   A. 3 ways to suffer
      i) caught doing wrong - David & Bathsheba
      ii) teach us a lesson - Jonah & whale
      iii) suffer but did no wrong - Lord & Job
   B. good is rewarded and evil punished but not necessarily on Earth
   C. we do not have the skills or intellect to convince God
   D. no matter how hard it is our suffering is for a while compared to eternal glory - II Cor. 4:17
   E. God does not owe us an explanation or a schedule
   F. God knows every detail of our lives and is the only one who can put the pieces together