Why Is This Happening?

Why Is This Happening?

Theme: When God doesn't make sense.

Scripture: Job 19:1-27

A1 Outline--Job's reply to Bildad

B1 Questions why his friends hate him so. Job 19:1-7

B2 Questions why God has does this to him. Job 19:8-22

B3 States that someday God will come and help him, even raise him from the dead. Job 19:23-29

A2 Notes and Questions

B1 Job 19 is Job's response to Bildad's words in Job 18 (Summary given below)

• C1 Why are you so angry with us? Do you think we are stupid?
• C2 You are wicked. Wicked people are eventually caught, just like wild animals are.
• C3 God punishes these very wicked people with death, and people want to forget about them.

B2 Job 19 summary

• C1 Why are you insulting me?
• C2 You think you are better than me.
• C3 Can't you see that God has done this?
• C4 God has taken everything from me, even hope.
• D1 My family hates me.
• D2 My friends and relatives have deserted me.
• D3 My servants treat me like a stranger.
• D4 My wife thinks I stink.
• D5 Children despise and laugh at me.
• D6 My closest friends have turned against me.
• D7 My skin just hangs on my body.
• C5 Why don't you have pity on me? You are my closest friends.
• C6 God is in heaven and will come to my defense.
• C7 Even if I die, God will raise me up some day.
• C8 God is judge, not you miserable people.

B3 Did Job understand why these things were happening?

B4 Do we understand why everything happens to us?

B5 What are we to do in times like that?

B6 Can cheering up someone be wrong?

B7 What do we say to someone who is going through suffering?

• C1 Listen to them.
• C2 Don't make a rash judgment.
• C3 Stay silent.
• C4 Try to understand the situation.
• C5 If we don't know the cause, don't assume one.
• C6 A number of Psalms express the pain of a situation.
• C7 Consider this list from Nave's Topical Bible

AFFLICTIONS

Psalm 3; 4; 5; 7; 11; 13; 16; 17; 22; 26; 27; 28; 31; 35; 41; 42; 43; 44; 54; 55; 56; 57; 59; 60; 61; 62; 63; 64; 69; 70; 71; 74; 77; 79; 80; 83; 84; 86; 88; 89; 94; 102; 109; 120; 123; 129; 137; 140; 141; 142; 143

DIDACTIC

Psalm 1; 5; 7; 9; 10; 11; 12; 14; 15; 17; 24; 25; 32; 34; 36; 37; 39; 49; 50; 52; 53; 58; 73; 75; 82; 84; 90; 91; 92; 94; 101; 112; 119; 121; 125; 127; 128; 131; 133

HISTORICAL

Psalm 78; 105; 106

IMPRECATORY

Psalm 5:10; Psalm 6:10; Psalm 9:20; Psalm 10:2; Psalm 10:15; Psalm 25:3; Psalm 28:4; Psalm 31:17; Psalm 31:18; Psalm 35:4; Psalm 35:8; Psalm 35:26; Psalm 40:14; Psalm 40:15; Psalm 54:5; Psalm 55:9; Psalm 55:15; Psalm 56:7; Psalm 58:7; Psalm 59:5; Psalm 59:11; Psalm 59:15; Psalm 68:1; Psalm 68:2; Psalm 69:23; Psalm 69:24; Psalm 69:27; Psalm 69:28; Psalm 70:2; Psalm 70:3; Psalm 71:13; Psalm 79:10; Psalm 79:12; Psalm 83:13-17; Psalm 94:2; Psalm 109:7; Psalm 109:9-20; Psalm 109:28; Psalm 109:29; Psalm 119:78; Psalm 119:84; Psalm 129:5; Psalm 140:9; Psalm 140:10; Psalm 143:12; Psalm 144:6

INTERCESSIONAL

Psalm 20; 67; 122; 132; 144

MESSIANIC

Psalm 2:1-12; Psalm 16:7-11; Psalm 67:1-7; Psalm 68:28-35; Psalm 69:1-36; Psalm 72:1-19; Psalm 93:1-5; Psalm 96:1-13; Psalm 97:1-12; Psalm 98:1-9; Psalm 99:1-9; Psalm 110:1-7; Psalm 118:19-29

PENITENTIAL

Psalm 6; 25; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143

PRAISE

For God's attributes

Psalm 8; 19; 24; 29; 33; 47; 50; 65; 66; 76; 77; 93; 95; 96; 97; 99; 104; 111; 113; 114; 115; 134; 139; 147; 148; 150

PROPHETIC

Psalm 2; 16; 22; 40; 45; 68; 69; 72; 87; 97; 110; 118

THANKSGIVING

Psalm 21; 46; 48; 65; 66; 68; 76; 81; 85; 98; 105; 124; 126; 129; 135; 136; 149

For God's goodness to good men

Psalm 23; 34; 36; 91; 100; 103; 107; 117; 121; 145; 146

For God's Mercies to Individuals

Psalm 9; 18; 30; 34; 40; 75; 103; 108; 116; 118; 138; 144

Source: Study Light

B8 Job 19:1-5

• C1 What is Job's main complaint against Bildad?
• C2 Can words torment?
• C3 Is this a form of verbal abuse?
• C4 What do we do when we face this?
• D1 The Lord Jesus--Luke 13:32, Luke 23:6-9, John 19:9-11, 1 Peter 2:23
• D2 Counsel from the Apostles--1 Peter 4:9, 1 Peter 4:12-16, 1 Peter 3:17,

B9 Job 19:6-12

• C1 Is it wrong to complain to God? See Psalm 73 and Jonah 4
• C2 Why are Job's friends in essence falsely accusing Job?

B10 Job 19:13-20

• C1 How do we help others when everyone has forsaken them? Read Psalm 22 and Mark 15:34 (Matthew 27:46).
• C2 Do bad things happen to "good" people?
• C3 Why do people blame God when everything becomes tragic?
• C4 What is some of the things we can do to help others when this happens?
• D1 Pray
• D2 Listen to that person. Stay quiet. Let them talk.
• D3 Do not say harmful things that we often think help but only makes matters worse.
• E1 "Things could be worse."
• E2 "You'll get over it."
• E3 "Stop pitying yourself."
• E4 "Get over it."
• E5 "You already have 3 children."
• E6 "You know you could have avoided this."
• D4 Say and do some things that are helpful.
• E1 "How are you doing. I really mean that." Now stop and listen intently.
• E2 "I really don't know what to say, but I can see your grief. Is there something I can do for you?"
• E3 Stop by in a few weeks. Bring something nice with you. Stay to chat.
• E4 "I sure do appreciate you loved one. I remember how she/he helped me with..."
• D5 What are some other things to say and do and things not to say or do?

B11 Job 19:21-22

• C1 How did Job's friends fail him?
• C2 What is Job asking his friends to do?

B12 Job 19:23-27

• C1 Was Job's request in verses 23 and 24 answered?
• C2 What is Job's hope? (Job 19:25-27)
• C3 Our resurrection
• D1 Here, Daniel 12:2-3, Daniel 12:13, Matthew 22:29-33, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, etc.
• D2 The resurrection is important see 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
• D3 For explanations of the resurrection's importance see here and here

B13 Job 19:28-29, what is Job saying to his friends?

B14 Have you ever struggled with the feeling that God has abandoned you? What did you do? How can you use this experience to help others?