“Lesson 111: Job 1–16,” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018)
“Lesson 111: Job 1–16”
Lesson 111
Job 1–16
Prepare to Learn
Prepare your mind and heart to be taught by the Holy Ghost. You will be ready to learn when your mind is alert and your attention is focused on the learning experience. Be willing to be taught by the Spirit.
Begin your study with prayer.
Have you ever experienced challenges that have changed your whole life?
Watch this video about a woman named Lola Ogunbote from London, England. Sister Ogunbote had planned a course for her life, but an unexpected event forced her to follow a different path. When she looked back later, she could see the blessings that had come as a result of her trial.
A Man Named Job
Think of a time when something bad happened to you and you had done nothing to deserve it. How did you respond?
The book of Job tells about a man who experienced severe trials and afflictions. Some have wondered if Job was a fictional character, but both ancient scripture and modern revelation clarify that Job was a real person who went through very real suffering (see Ezekiel 14:14, 20; James 5:11; D&C 121:10). As you study Job 1–16, look for principles that can help you when you or those around you experience trials.
Read Job 1:1–3, looking for words or phrases that describe Job.
Satan’s Claim about Job
The word perfect in Job 1:1 does not mean Job was without sin. Rather, it implies that Job faithfully kept the commandments of God.
Job 1:6–12 contains a poetic conversation between the Lord and Satan as an insightful literary device. Contrary to the way it appears in Job 1:6–12 (and a similar account in Job 2:1–6), the Lord does not really make agreements with Satan. The Lord has power over Satan and has no need to bargain with him. During Job’s trials, Satan was trying to destroy Job’s faith. Satan is a Hebrew word meaning “adversary”; these verses in Job 1 use the form hassatan, meaning “the Adversary,” which describes the devil’s role here.
Read Job 1:6–12, looking for what Satan claimed about Job.
Quiz 1
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According to verses 9–10, what did Satan claim about Job?
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Job was wicked and unwilling to help others in need.
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Job was perfect and without sin.
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Job worshipped the Lord only because the Lord had blessed and protected him.
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What did Satan propose, according to verse 11?
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If the Lord stopped blessing Job, then Job would curse the Lord.
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If Job lost everything, he would be more willing to help others.
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Because Job was so righteous, he should die.
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According to verse 12, what did the Lord allow Satan to do?
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Kill Job and leave his family to suffer
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Afflict all that Job had but not harm Job
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Inflict a terrible disease upon Job
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Job’s Loss
Read Job 1:13–19, looking for all that Job lost. You may want to mark what you find.
If you had been in Job’s situation, what questions or feelings would you have had after experiencing these losses?
Job’s Example
Read Job 1:20–22, looking for how Job responded to these trials.
How did Job demonstrate faith in God during these trials?
What principle can we learn from Job’s example as he experienced these trials?
Faith in God
From Job’s example we can learn that we can choose to have faith in God even in the midst of our trials.
Read Job 2:3–9. In this poetic story, what did the Lord and Satan each say about Job? What happened to Job next?
Quiz 2
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In the poetic story, what did the Lord say about Job, as recorded in verse 3? Select all that are correct.
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He is an upright man.
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He escheweth (avoids) evil.
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He despises the Lord because of his trials.
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What did Satan claim about Job, according to verse 5?
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If Job lived in a different time, then he would not be as faithful as he is.
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If Job’s family suffered, then he would not worry about them.
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If Job were afflicted physically, then he would curse the Lord.
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According to verse 7, what was Job’s next trial?
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He lost his ability to see and hear.
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He was afflicted with boils all over his body.
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He was injured in an accident and could not walk.
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Who encouraged Job to “curse God, and die” (verse 9)?
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Satan
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A friend
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His wife
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Our Trials
Like Job’s wife, sometimes we may be tempted to curse God, or blame Him and turn away from Him, during our trials.
Read Job 2:10, looking for how Job continued to show faith in God during his trials.
1. Answer one of the following questions:
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What can we do to show faith in God during our trials?
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How can we increase our faith in God now so that when trials enter our lives we will be strong?
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Who is someone you admire for choosing to have faith in God during trials? How does this person show faith in God?
Job’s Friends
Has a friend ever helped you during a difficult time?
We read in Job 2:11–13 that three of Job’s friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—came to Job to comfort him in his afflictions. Job expressed some of his thoughts and feelings to his friends.
Read Job 3:1–4, 25; 6:1–3, looking for thoughts and feelings Job had because of his trials.
The Responses of Job’s Friends
We read in Job 4–16 that each of Job’s friends expressed his belief that Job’s afflictions had come upon him because of something wrong Job had done. The following verses include portions of these friends’ responses.
Bildad: Job 8:1–6, 20
Zophar: Job 11:1–6
2. Select one of Job’s friends from the list. Read the friend’s response, looking for phrases that indicate why this friend believed Job deserved his afflictions. Summarize why Job’s friend believed Job deserved his afflictions.
False Beliefs
Job’s friends were wrong about him and falsely accused him. They believed that only the wicked are made to suffer. They did not understand that Job was a righteous man and his afflictions were not a result of his sins.
From Job’s experience, what truths can we learn about trials and difficulties?
Both the Righteous and the Wicked
From Job’s experience, we can learn that trials and difficulties come upon the righteous as well as the wicked.
3. Why do you think it is important to know that trials and difficulties come upon the righteous as well as the wicked?
Job’s Example
We read in Job 10:2, 15 that Job said he did not know why his afflictions had come upon him.
Read Job 13:13–16, looking for what Job said he would do no matter what happened to him. You may want to mark what you find.
Based on Job’s example, how would you complete the following statement?
Although we may not know the reasons for our trials, we must …
Helpful Questions
From Job’s response in Job 13:13–16 we can learn that although we may not know the reasons for our trials, we must continue to trust in the Lord.
Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles provided counsel about what questions are helpful and which ones are not when we face trials. You can read the text for this video here: “Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17.
4. According to Elder Scott and your own experience, what are some questions we can ask during times of trial that can help us develop greater trust in the Lord? Share at least three.
The Lord’s Help
We each have times of difficulty and trial. What is your greatest trial right now?
What can you do to increase your trust in the Lord while you endure this trial?
Remember that although the Lord may not always remove trials from our lives, He will help us through them as we remain faithful to and trust in Him.
Answer Key
Quiz 1: (1) c; (2) a; (3) b
Quiz 2: (1) a, b; (2) c; (3) b; (4) c