Summary of "How Does God Love YOU? (thru a reading of the Book of Job)

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note: I will use the present tense to speak of concepts/themes and of "Job" as an ever-present book and of Job, as an ever-present character in the Bible.

I. God's Vision of Job/Image of MAN (vs. Satan's)- Reference
(to the reader: pls. substitute your name for Job/Man when you read)

1. Job/Man is upright (vs. because he is blessed)- Chapt.1

2. Job/Man still maintains being upright (vs. strike his flesh)- Chapts. 1 and 2

3. ... is faithful (vs. look for his weakest points) - Chapts. 1 and 2

4. a. ...is capable of surpassing/winning over sufferings/difficulties - why God allows Satan's tests ( vs. test Job/Man) - whole book- Chapt. 1 specifically

b.... is upright/ a man of integrity and even greatness ( vs. Check again -he is not truly good!)- whole book - Chapt. 2 specifically

God allows Satan's trials on Job/MAN not to test/check, but for Job/Man to know himself/herself what he/she is capable of - persevering under great stress..in short, capable of greatness/significance/nobility. God is convinced of Job/Man - even from the start.

5. ... is a beloved. God Loves, believes in Job/Man (vs. suspicious of Job/Man; doubts/does not believe that someone can be that loyal/faithful to God and keep his integrity despite odds)

God does not see Job as a slave/an inferior ( "look at my servant Job" - in this context, servant means friend) but as someone that God can have a relationship with ( you don't check on someone you love, you trust)

It is a relationship that God seeks with man- a friendship based on love (vs. a Master-Slave relationship- man is helpless/inferior before the Master)

6. Job/YOU are respected by God. God has given You a choice! ( vs. a slave with NO Choice but to helplessly give in /surrender to temptation/trial/difficulty/stress..) - Chapts. 1 and 2 and the whole book :)

Chunk VIII- How Does God Love YOU?

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natures/
nature_wa...4_7.shtml

continuation from Chunk VII. What had the writer been trying to say?

He wanted to :

3. expose Satan. All along Satan doubted Job - he could not believe that someone can be that faithful to God despite the odds. Satan's attitude right from the start - Job is faithful because he is blessed, strike him ..., look for his weakest point and he will surely curse you to your face
chapts. 1 and 2. In contrast, God believed, trusted and loved Job. Look at my servant Job, there is no one like him- 1:8

God foreknew Job's victory - this is the sovereignty of God. This is what man does not know - what job and his friends were too short-sighted to comprehend; this is what signified Satan's sure defeat. Satan underestimated God's sovereignty. Satan dared (!) challenged the authority of God. He was sure Job would desert/curse God when given the most difficult trials. SAtan failed. This failure is proof of God's sovereignty! Job's faithfulness, God foreknew - in all these, Job did not sin!

Why is the Book of Job saying what it has been saying? To prove these points- Satan is defeated. Man is limited. God is sovereign!