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Creative Bible Lessons in Job
A Fresh Look at Following Jesus
By Doug Ranck Zondervan
Copyright © 2008 Youth Specialties
All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-310-27219-9
Chapter One
GOD, SATAN, AND US SESSION 1: JOB 1:1-12; 2:1-6
YOU'LL NEED
newspaper sections covering world or local news events, one section for each group
Bibles
copies of Job's Very Bad Day (pages 23-26)
paper
pens or pencils
copies of The Biblical Truth about God and Satan (page 27)
scrap paper
LEADER PREP
From Genesis to Revelation, we learn about God through his words, his actions, and his interaction with the people he created. On the surface it would seem that all we need to know about God is found in the Bible. However, as we live life on a day-to-day basis, we understand-sometimes painfully-that there's much more to know about God than we can humanly understand. We come to recognize that we won't have all the answers nor will we fully comprehend the nature of God while we're still on earth. There comes a time when we must live with the unanswered questions and take what Soren Kierkegaard refers to as a "leap of faith."
The beginning of Job provides us with yet another description of God's character that we don't often consider. It shows God involved in a conversation with Satan. Have you ever thought about what God might be doing while you work, sleep, eat, or play? Had you ever pictured God carrying on a conversation with Satan? Through the context of the entire Bible, we can be assured that God and Satan are truly enemies. God is not "kicking back" with Satan while they discuss the merits and challenges of their roles.
What about Satan? The Bible gives us a less detailed profile on Satan's specific actions, but 1 John says much about him:
He's called "the devil" in 3:8 and the "evil one" in 2:13-14; 3:12; and 5:18-19. We know he's been sinning from the very beginning, according to 3:8. His origin is not specifically given, but John 8:44 tells us he was not "holding to the truth," which could imply he was a fallen being. 1 Timothy 3:6 shows us that Satan was under judgment by God because of his pride. Some scholars don't subscribe to the Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:12-15 passages as applying to Satan, while others believe these clearly show his rebellion before the fall of Adam and Eve. Back to 1 John, where it shows that Satan moves humans to sin and all those who sin belong to him (3:8,12), and are even called his children (3:10). Satan is a part of the world (1 John 4:3) and "the whole world is under the control of the evil one" (5:19). 1 John 5:18 tells us Satan cannot harm believers; they are kept safe by God. Finally, we learn that Christians have "overcome the evil one" (1 John 2:13-14) and that "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
As you prepare for this session, be aware that Satan is alive and working. His desire is for us to understand neither him nor God. He hopes you won't think about how all this works. He loves it when you're unprepared. Pray for clarity and wisdom as you challenge your students to a greater understanding of our almighty God and Satan, who is under God's control.
THE MAIN IDEA
The Bible is clear: Spiritual forces are at work in our world. God created us, God is in control, and through Christ's sacrifice God won the ultimate victory over sin and death for all time. However, Satan is still roaming around the earth, and it is his desire to take life away from us. Thus, we human beings are somewhere in the middle of it all. This chapter explores the roles of God and Satan in the story of Job. Through our study we'll discover where we fit and how we should live.
FOR STARTERS
Option 1: Have students divide into groups of two to four people. Give each group a different section of the newspaper containing world or local news stories. Allow each group about five minutes to go through their section and tally up the number of articles with positive content and the number of articles with negative content. For each positive or negative article they find, students should be prepared to present their reasons why they categorized it that way.
Option 2: In the large group, have students share about positive and negative events that are happening on a global, national, local, or personal scale, and explain why they categorized each event in either a positive or negative way.
REFLECTION
Offer the following questions as a way to reflect on the previous activity:
In general, do there seem to be more negative than positive events in the news or vice versa? Why?
What side of the news does the media prefer to report? Why?
Generally speaking, what would our culture say causes the good and bad events in our lives?
What would Christians say causes the good and bad events in our lives?
TRANSITION STATEMENT
Say something like-Life isn't fair. We live in a world where any number of good or bad circumstances may come our way. And there are no guarantees, except God will be with us. What's going on behind the scenes? God loves us and he created us to live forever with him in eternity. Satan roams the earth bringing evil and destruction wherever he goes. And we live in the midst of this battle for our souls. Where do we fit in? Are we like toys that God and Satan just throw back and forth between them? How do we respond?
Today we begin our study of Job. The book of Job is about a man God loves. This is a man who has been faithful to God throughout his life. Job loves and obeys God, yet he still experiences great suffering. These chapters deal with many of the great questions we ask about the role of pain, disease, unhappiness, loss, and death in our world-all under the compassionate care of our almighty God.
The first part of this book gives us the big picture of what's to come. As we come to understand this opening scene, we'll be better equipped to translate the dialogue in later chapters.
DISCOVER
Ask students to open their Bibles to Job chapter 1.
OPTION 1: MELODRAMA
Begin your study of this passage by presenting the melodrama called Job's Very Bad Day (pages 23-26). Recruit your finest actors and actresses to portray the actions and words found in this portion of Scripture. Try your best to use students who enjoy being animated in their actions and responses. Their enthusiasm will help draw your audience into the drama. (Note: The melodrama covers more verses than you'll actually use in today's session.)
OPTION 2: OUTLINE
Divide students into groups of three or four and give each group a sheet of paper and something to write with. Ask the groups to create a summary outline (using bullet points-short and to-the-point truths) of chapter 1, verses 1-12; and chapter 2, verses 1-6.
For example:
Job is described.
Satan comes before God.
Satan and God have a conversation.
Then ask the following discussion questions:
What are some of Job's key characteristics as described in this passage?
What do we learn about his family in the first five verses?
Who initiated the interaction between Satan and God? Why is this significant?
Who and what is the subject of their conversation?
What is Satan accusing God of doing in verse 10?
What rules does God give Satan regarding Job?
Who initiates the second conversation between God and Satan in chapter 2, verse 1?
What does Satan claim in Job 2:4-5?
What rule does God give Satan in this circumstance?
TRANSITION STATEMENT
Say something like-So, what's going on in our world? Are God and Satan having conversations about us? Are we merely puppets in their hands? In this next exercise we want to go back to a few basic facts about God and Satan to remind us who's really in control.
TRANSLATION, PLEASE!
Encourage your students, in their same small groups, to complete the worksheet The Biblical Truth about God and Satan (page 27). Give your students an appropriate amount of time and then call them back together for a summary discussion using the following questions:
What are the big differences between God and Satan?
Why do you think some people would want to believe Satan doesn't exist?
Who's really in control?
Why do you think God allows Satan to have any power at all?
What do these verses show or tell us about the character of God? How about the character of Satan?
MAKING IT WORK
When students roam the hallways of their schools, hang out with their friends, or even stay home with their families, they're often asked some difficult questions about their faith. This activity is designed to summarize today's session by helping students get practical with their responses.
Have the students use the backs of their The Biblical Truth about God and Satan repro sheets and give them five minutes to do the following activity. Say-In your own words, create two sentences or less that would accurately describe the character of God to someone who's never heard of him or knows very little about him. Do the same to describe Satan. If there's time, have two or three share their descriptions.
SO WHAT?
This session has likely raised a lot of questions. Given the variety of theological positions on this subject, you may have thought of additional questions to ask or a different direction to take with the session. Feel free to struggle with the subject matter in the context of your church's theology, as you help your students come to conclusions that are faithful to your tradition.
As you close ask the following questions:
Knowing what you know about the role of God and Satan, how should this influence the way you live?
How should it influence how you tell the story of God's love to others?
How does this first part of Job's story help you in your understanding of evil and suffering in our world?
What further questions do you have as a result of this study? (Offer to follow up on these questions in the future.)
What do you think God would say about you to Satan?
Close in prayer for your group. Pray for faith and trust in the midst of an unfair world where there are often more questions than answers.
JOB'S VERY BAD DAY
A melodrama adapted from portions of Job 1:1-2:12
CAST
Narrator Job God Satan Sons of Job (use a sampling) Daughters of Job (use a sampling) Messenger 1 Messenger 2 Messenger 3 Messenger 4 Sabeans Fire Chaldeans Mighty Wind Servants Job's Wife Eliphaz the Temanite Bildad the Shuhite Zophar the Naamathite Livestock (donkeys, camels, sheep, and oxen)
SETTING
The narrator stands to the side of the stage and is the only speaker during the melodrama. The other characters act out the monologue, following along on their scripts.
ACTION
(Job enters the stage as the reading begins.)
Narrator: In the land of Uz there lives a man named Job. This man is blameless and upright; he fears God and shuns evil. He has seven sons and three daughters. (The sons and daughters enter the stage)
He owns 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 donkeys. (The animals enter and make some noise)
And he has a large number of servants. (The servants enter and bow humbly)
Job is the greatest man among all the people of the East. (Job exits, taking all of his children, livestock, and servants with him)
(Now God enters the stage, followed by the angels, with Satan bringing up the rear)
Narrator: One day the angels came to present themselves before God, and Satan also came with them.
God said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
Then God said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."
"Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."
God said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself, do not lay a finger."
Then Satan went out from God's presence. (Satan exits, followed by God)
(Job's sons and daughters enter and stand on one side of the stage)
Narrator: One day Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house.
(Job enters and stands on the opposite side of the stage from his kids)
Narrator: A messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
While the second messenger was still speaking, a third messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
While the third messenger was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised."
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
(Once again, God enters first, followed by Satan and the angels)
Narrator: On another day the angels came to present themselves before God, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.
And God said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"
Satan answered, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
Then God said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason."
"Skin for skin!" Satan replied. "A man will give all he has for his own life. But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face."
God said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." (Satan exits, followed by God)
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.
(Job's wife enters)
Narrator: His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"
He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job's wife exits, shaking her head in disbelief)
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.
(Job's three buddies come walking along, entering the stage on the opposite side from where Job sits)
Narrator: When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Creative Bible Lessons in Job by Doug Ranck Copyright © 2008 by Youth Specialties. Excerpted by permission.
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