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"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.'"

1. Read verses 1-5. How is Job described in verse 1? What seems to be the core of his faith? How had God blessed him? (2--3) What kind of father was he? (4-5)

2. What happened unbeknownst to Job in verses 6-12? How is Satan described? (6-7, 1 Pet 5:8, Rev 12:10) What about Job did the Lord make note of? (8) What questions and accusations did Satan have about the Lord? About Job's faith? What did he try to incite God to do? (11) What restriction did the Lord put on Satan? (12)

3. What four-fold tragedy struck Job? (13--19) How would most people react to such an overwhelming personal disaster? What did Job do first? (20) Next? (21) What was the basis of his faith in God?

4. How did the Lord praise Job? (2:1-3) What did Satan want to take away from Job this time? (4--5) What did God allow Satan to do? (6) How was Job afflicted? (7-8, 3:1, 3:26, 6:2-3, 30:15-17) What did Job's wife advise? (9) How did Job answer? (10) What does this show about Job's faith in God?

5. Who were Job's friends? (11-13) How did they react to his suffering and try to comfort him initially? When they later tried to counsel him, what kinds of things did they say to him? (Eliphaz: 4:8-9,15:5, 22:5, Bildad: 8:4,18:21, Zophar: 11:3, 20:29) What did Job eventually think of his "comforters"? (13:4-5, 16:2-3, 19:2, 21:34, 26:3) What faith did Job maintain? (13:15-16, 14:14, 19:25-27)

6. Turn to chapter 42. Why did Job repent? (1-6, 38:1-4, 40:2, 41:34) What discovery had he made? (5) Why did the Lord rebuke Job's three friends? (7) Why did the Lord ask Job to pray for them? How did the Lord bless Job after this?

7. What can we learn about God's faithfulness? What can we learn here about praising and thanking God? (1Th 5:16--18; Hab 3:17--18) Why is it so important to accept God's sovereignty and goodness?