I need some help
- Thread starter MrsHdrLe
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Here you are. I hope this helps. Although this is a 5 week course by the author, this is a lesson plan that you can fit into the 'flow' of the class and the student's responses. Blessings and Happy Teaching :Rose:
http://www.drbilllong.com/TeachingJob/MeetingJob.html
Introducing the Book of Job
Bill Long 3/27/06
Five Lessons on Job
Let us assume that you or someone you love has been asked to teach a biblical study on the Book of Job. You might say that this is improbable, since most people don't spend their time trying to understand this classic. You would be right, of course, but that doesn't mean that there aren't lots of people who really want to probe the issues raised by this book. I have prepared many essays on this site which should help you gain general and very specific knowledge of the book, but the essays on this page are intended to provide a guide to those who are leading only a five-week study on the book. Here is what I would do:
Week 1: The Book of Job as Ancient and Modern Book; Meeting Job.
Week 2: Job's Loss and First/Second Reactions to Loss
Week 3: The Book of Job and the Notion of Friendship
Week 4: The Contours of Job's Funk ("Distress" in more conservative surroundings)
Week 5: Reconstructing Hope
In addition, I would have people get a copy of my book A Hard-Fought Hope: Journeying with Job through Mystery (Upper Room Books: Nashville, TN, 2004), which is intended for study groups and individual study of the Book of Job.
I. Ancient and Modern Book
In the first session I would emphasize two major points: (1) The Book of Job as an ancient book and a modern book; (2) Meeting Job. First, let's explore Job as an ancient book. For Job to be an ancient book means that it must be understood in the context of the wisdom literature of ancient Israel. This literature (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes) was ancient "advice-book" literature. It, especially Proverbs, gave pithy instructions on successful living. What is the "heart" of this tradition? Proverbs 3:9-10, which says:"9 Honour the Lord with your substance
and with the first fruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine."
I would ask the class about these words. What is the world-view assumed by them? Are they "true"? Should they be qualified? Why would someone "simplify" life with such statements? Do we teach the same kind of lessons today?and with the first fruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine."
Then, the second point I would make (still under (1)) is that the Book of Job is a modern book. It is modern because it skillfully presents the emotions accompanying the experience of grief. Grief and loss accompany the process of living.
Emotions afflict and sometimes overwhelm us as we deal with experiences of loss. I ask people to describe some of the emotions attendant upon loss. Usually they mention anger, bitterness, resentment, grief, humiliation, shame, etc. Take some time to probe why they say that particular emotion attends the experience of loss. People do not have to share the details of their own losses to be able to speak knowledgeably and elouqently about loss.
Then, before leaving this introductory point, I stress that the Book of Job is a book we only "grow into" as we get older.
Ask people what you mean by that statement. What I mean by it is that we only become skillful at exploring the dimensions of loss and what loss does to us when we have had some experience in living. One of the things I have noticed about myself is that I don't fear loss as much as I used to when I was young. I see it as part of the human symphony of life rather than a surd in the "equation" of life.*
[*Often at this point, I will also go into a brief explanation of the structure of the Book of Job. I have a chart depicting this both in A Hard-Fought Hope as well as this essay.]
II. Meeting Job
I then like to open the text of Job. Usually I make photocopies of the texts I want to study with people so that we all are on the same "page," though I also encourage them also to bring their Bibles. I use the New Revised Standard Version, which is easily found online. I begin with Job 1:1-5, which I provide here for your convenience."There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4. His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another's houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings, according to the number of them all; for Job said, 'It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.' This is what Job always did."
You may find it helpful to present for discussion some of the questions I provide on this page.
If here is time, I also like to probe Job's self-understanding. That is, I think Job's self-righteous narrative from ch. 29:1-17 makes for very interesting reading next to the description of 1:1-5. Of course, Job 29:1-17 is Job's post-distress thinking about his pre-distress condition. Sometimes pre-distress things might appear more rosy in post-distress times than they actually were.
After all, Job says in 16:12, describing his earlier situation in a nutshell, says: "I was at ease, and you broke me in two." By putting 29:1-17 next to 1:1-5 you can probe the question of how memory recalls and distorts the past.
I have two detailed studies of Job 29 here and here.
Conclusion
1772
Here's more on the lesson:
http://www.drbilllong.com/JobStudyGuide/MeetingJob.html
The story makes neither God nor The Satan look very admirable, frankly, even though various scholars have tried to "defend" God by attributing God's "permission" to The Satan as furthering the "testing" of Job's faith. But, this explanation rings hollow for me.
Suffice it to say that disaster happens, and the disaster creates a theological and practical problem for Job and for us. Job will believe for the rest of the Book that God was really behind the disaster that he suffered. One of the intriguing ironies about the Book of Job is that Job knows that he is right and, indeed, God may agree with Job (42:7,8). But this gets us ahead of ourselves, even though it is good to get some issues out in the open at the outset.
Copyright © 2004-2007 William R. Long
http://www.drbilllong.com/JobStudyGuide/MeetingJob.html
Meeting Job
Bill Long 1/10/05
Job 1: 1-5
The purpose of this lesson is to get a feel for who Job is, based on the introductory paragraph of the Book of Job. The language is spare and simple. Nicely-cadenced phrases suggest to the reader that a man of discipline, balance, and resolute purpose will be the subject of our story. The opening words, "There was once a man," is reminiscent of the "once upon a time" fairy-tales familiar to us from our younger days. And, indeed, no one knows where the land of Uz actually was. Let's hear the entire five verses and then consider some questions.
Job 1:1-5
"There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3 He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
4. His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another's houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5 And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings, according to the number of them all; for Job said, 'It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.' This is what Job always did."
A. What picture is the author trying to give us of Job in the first two verses?
B. Does our inability to know exactly where the action takes place (other than someplace outside of Israel) affect our ability to understand and appreciate the story? Does it deepen our understanding?
C. How do you understand the concept of Job's "greatness" in v. 3? You might want to read Job 29:7-17 to get a hint into what Job thought of his "pre-disaster" life. How does Job tell the story of his "pre-disaster" life? What are the interests that a "great" person, religious or otherwise, has in life?
D. What does v. 4 add to the picture we gain of Job? The text says that the children celebrate together. Why isn't Job there too? Is he not invited? Does he not want to "meddle" in their lives? An interesting result of Job's not being at his children's frequent family celebrations is that he is not present when the roof collapses on the children.
E. What insights do we get about Job as a parent in v. 5? Give both a positive and negative "reading" of Job's activity described there.
Two summary or overarching questions might also be useful to consider.2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3 He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
4. His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another's houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
5 And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings, according to the number of them all; for Job said, 'It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.' This is what Job always did."
A. What picture is the author trying to give us of Job in the first two verses?
B. Does our inability to know exactly where the action takes place (other than someplace outside of Israel) affect our ability to understand and appreciate the story? Does it deepen our understanding?
C. How do you understand the concept of Job's "greatness" in v. 3? You might want to read Job 29:7-17 to get a hint into what Job thought of his "pre-disaster" life. How does Job tell the story of his "pre-disaster" life? What are the interests that a "great" person, religious or otherwise, has in life?
D. What does v. 4 add to the picture we gain of Job? The text says that the children celebrate together. Why isn't Job there too? Is he not invited? Does he not want to "meddle" in their lives? An interesting result of Job's not being at his children's frequent family celebrations is that he is not present when the roof collapses on the children.
E. What insights do we get about Job as a parent in v. 5? Give both a positive and negative "reading" of Job's activity described there.
1. As mentioned above, Job is described sparely in these verses. Pictures of his activity, along with highly-freighted theological terms, carry a lot of descriptive weight. Are you comfortable extrapolating imaginatively from a "minimalist" picture of Job to think about "who Job is" or are you more comfortable just confining yourself to the bare words of the text and not engaging in speculation about who Job might have been? Why?
2. From what you know of Job in these verses, is he a likable type of guy? Someone that you would like to get to know? Someone who has "control issues?" Is the power of the story enhanced if you know that it will be a "great man" who suffers immensely or would the story have the same power if a "lesser" person suffered?
2. From what you know of Job in these verses, is he a likable type of guy? Someone that you would like to get to know? Someone who has "control issues?" Is the power of the story enhanced if you know that it will be a "great man" who suffers immensely or would the story have the same power if a "lesser" person suffered?
Concluding Note
Job 1:6-19 tells the story of the agreement between God and The Satan (the Adversary) to allow The Satan to wreak havoc on Job's family. Job 2:1-8 tells the story of Job's bodily suffering. These texts therefore set up the "problem" of the Book of Job--Job's seemingly unjust and disproportionally great suffering.
The story makes neither God nor The Satan look very admirable, frankly, even though various scholars have tried to "defend" God by attributing God's "permission" to The Satan as furthering the "testing" of Job's faith. But, this explanation rings hollow for me.
Suffice it to say that disaster happens, and the disaster creates a theological and practical problem for Job and for us. Job will believe for the rest of the Book that God was really behind the disaster that he suffered. One of the intriguing ironies about the Book of Job is that Job knows that he is right and, indeed, God may agree with Job (42:7,8). But this gets us ahead of ourselves, even though it is good to get some issues out in the open at the outset.
Copyright © 2004-2007 William R. Long
queenspence
New Member
Thanks Shimmie for that excellent resource!
You are most welcome Beautiful Lady. Here's some more information that will be helpful; it's an outline of the book of Job:
http://www.drbilllong.com/Jobfolder/Basic/Outline.html
Blessings :Rose:
Angie because you only have a week to teach this, how about asking each student to write a brief summary of their personal Job experience, then share how Job stood in faith and use it to encourage each student to not give up.
You can focus on how Job prayed for his 'Friends'. Use that to have each student be active by writing a prayer for one of their classmates situation. Let them know that a prayer only has to be from the heart. No fancy words or poetry, just love from the heart asking God to help a friend in need of love and prayer.
This will have everyone involved and also allow them to experience the miracles and love of God and how to settle and to deal with life's challenges by praying for themselves and for others.
I hope this helps. It's easier to teach this lesson when the focus becomes on the students.
You can focus on how Job prayed for his 'Friends'. Use that to have each student be active by writing a prayer for one of their classmates situation. Let them know that a prayer only has to be from the heart. No fancy words or poetry, just love from the heart asking God to help a friend in need of love and prayer.
This will have everyone involved and also allow them to experience the miracles and love of God and how to settle and to deal with life's challenges by praying for themselves and for others.
I hope this helps. It's easier to teach this lesson when the focus becomes on the students.
MrsHdrLe
Well-Known Member
That's a wonderful idea. My pastor taught the whole book and it took something like a year!!! I love your ideas and am off to note the passages where Job prays for his friends. I think it's really important that young people realize the power of prayer for others (not just for what they want for themselves) early on.
It brings them together as a team and as a family. And in the event that someone may feel uncomfortable sharing, that's okay. Encourage them to pray for someone they love and for their Pastor and that God will lead 'you' their teacher how to pray for them and to keep it close to His and your heart. This teaches them how to 'trust'.
I taught for 12 years in Christian and Sunday school and my children loved to pray. It makes them feel important.
Blessings... :Rose:
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