3.1 Job: a Pattern of Growth

3-1-1 Themes In Job

Repeated reading of Job's speeches, especially if this is done in only one or two sittings, highlights certain recurrent themes. During a series of repeated readings of Job, the following list was made. Job's speeches were then printed out together as one piece of prose, and each verse renumbered; i.e. column 3 of the following table refers to the verse number if Job's speeches are printed out together.

1. No faith in the resurrection: 7:9,10; 10:21; 14:10,14; 16:22; 17:15; 19:10; 21:33

2. Looks forward to the resurrection: 14:13-15; 19:25-27

3. Looks forward to the judgment seat: 6:2; 19:23,29; 21:19,20,30; 23:3-7,10; 27:8,9,22; 31:11,14,28,35-37

4. Knows the wicked will be punished one day: 27:9,13-23; 31:3,11

5. Realizes his sinfulness: 7:20,21; 9:2,15,20,21,28; 10:6; 13:26; 14:16,17; 31:33; 40:4,15; 42:3,6

6. Justifies himself: 6:10,24,28-30; 9:29; 10:2,7; 12:4; 13:15,16,18; 16:17; 23:11,12; 27:5,6; 31:1,5,7,9,13,16,19,21,26,30,39

7. Thinks he understands God: 6:13; 13:1; 24:25

8. Admits he doesn't understand God: 9:2,11,12,24; 10:15,16; 23:14; 26:3; 42:3

9. Bitter with God: 7:11-21; 9:23,31; 10:3; 13:27; 30:21

10. Bitter with his friends / brethren: 6:15-18,24-29; 12:2-4; 13:4-13; 16:2-5; 17:2,10; 19:2,3,14,19,22

11. Realizes the weakness of his own nature: 7:17; 9:21,30-32; 10:4,9-11; 14:1-4,22; 19:26,28

12. Suicidal: 3:3-33; 6:8,9,11; 7:2-4,15,16,21; 10:1,18-21; 17:1,14

13. Thinks life is unfair: 3:26; 9:17; 10:5,8

14. Realizes God brings suffering: 1:21; 2:10; 6:4; 9:17; 16:11-14; 19:6,9-13,21; 27:2; 30:11

15. Complains about his physical suffering: 3:24; 6:7; 7:13,14; 9:25; 16:8,10,12; 17:6,7; 19:11-20; 30:1,9,10,19,30,31

16. Realizes the greatness of God: 9:4-10,19; 10:7; 12:10,16-24; 13:11; 14:18-20; 21:22; 23:13; 26:6-14; 42:2

17. Desire for Christ: 9:33-35; 16:21; 31:35

18. Realizes that God blesses the wicked: 12:6; 21:6-18; 24:2-25

19. Doesn't know if he has sinned: 9:20,21; 10:14,15; 13:23; 19:4