Sunday School Lesson--Why Is This Happening?

Why Is This Happening?



 

Theme: When God doesn't make sense.

 

Scripture: Job 19:1-27

 

A1 Outline--Job's reply to Bildad

• B1 Questions why his friends hate him so. Job 19:1-7


• B2 Questions why God has does this to him. Job 19:8-22


• B3 States that someday God will come and help him, even raise him from the dead. Job 19:23-29

 

A2 Notes and Questions

• B1 Job 19 is Job's response to Bildad's words in Job 18 (Summary given below)
  
  
  
  • C1 Why are you so angry with us? Do you think we are stupid?
  
  
  • C2 You are wicked. Wicked people are eventually caught, just like wild animals are.
  
  
  • C3 God punishes these very wicked people with death, and people want to forget about them.
  
  
  
  


• B2 Job 19 summary
  
  
  
  • C1 Why are you insulting me?
  
  
  • C2 You think you are better than me.
  
  
  • C3 Can't you see that God has done this?
  
  
  • C4 God has taken everything from me, even hope.
    
    
    
    • D1 My family hates me.
    
    
    • D2 My friends and relatives have deserted me.
    
    
    • D3 My servants treat me like a stranger.
    
    
    • D4 My wife thinks I stink.
    
    
    • D5 Children despise and laugh at me.
    
    
    • D6 My closest friends have turned against me.
    
    
    • D7 My skin just hangs on my body.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • C5 Why don't you have pity on me? You are my closest friends.
  
  
  • C6 God is in heaven and will come to my defense.
  
  
  • C7 Even if I die, God will raise me up some day.
  
  
  • C8 God is judge, not you miserable people.
  
  
  
  


• B3 Did Job understand why these things were happening?


• B4 Do we understand why everything happens to us?


• B5 What are we to do in times like that?


• B6 Can cheering up someone be wrong?


• B7 What do we say to someone who is going through suffering?
  
  
  
  • C1 Listen to them.
  
  
  • C2 Don't make a rash judgment.
  
  
  • C3 Stay silent.
  
  
  • C4 Try to understand the situation.
  
  
  • C5 If we don't know the cause, don't assume one.
  
  
  • C6 A number of Psalms express the pain of a situation.
  
  
  • C7 Consider this list from Nave's Topical Bible
  
  
  
  


• AFFLICTIONS


• Psalm 3; 4; 5; 7; 11; 13; 16; 17; 22; 26; 27; 28; 31; 35; 41; 42; 43; 44; 54; 55; 56; 57; 59; 60; 61; 62; 63; 64; 69; 70; 71; 74; 77; 79; 80; 83; 84; 86; 88; 89; 94; 102; 109; 120; 123; 129; 137; 140; 141; 142; 143




• DIDACTIC


• Psalm 1; 5; 7; 9; 10; 11; 12; 14; 15; 17; 24; 25; 32; 34; 36; 37; 39; 49; 50; 52; 53; 58; 73; 75; 82; 84; 90; 91; 92; 94; 101; 112; 119; 121; 125; 127; 128; 131; 133




• HISTORICAL


• Psalm 78; 105; 106




• IMPRECATORY




• Psalm 5:10; Psalm 6:10; Psalm 9:20; Psalm 10:2; Psalm 10:15; Psalm 25:3; Psalm 28:4; Psalm 31:17; Psalm 31:18; Psalm 35:4; Psalm 35:8; Psalm 35:26; Psalm 40:14; Psalm 40:15; Psalm 54:5; Psalm 55:9; Psalm 55:15; Psalm 56:7; Psalm 58:7; Psalm 59:5; Psalm 59:11; Psalm 59:15; Psalm 68:1; Psalm 68:2; Psalm 69:23; Psalm 69:24; Psalm 69:27; Psalm 69:28; Psalm 70:2; Psalm 70:3; Psalm 71:13; Psalm 79:10; Psalm 79:12; Psalm 83:13-17; Psalm 94:2; Psalm 109:7; Psalm 109:9-20; Psalm 109:28; Psalm 109:29; Psalm 119:78; Psalm 119:84; Psalm 129:5; Psalm 140:9; Psalm 140:10; Psalm 143:12; Psalm 144:6

 

• INTERCESSIONAL


• Psalm 20; 67; 122; 132; 144




• MESSIANIC




• Psalm 2:1-12; Psalm 16:7-11; Psalm 67:1-7; Psalm 68:28-35; Psalm 69:1-36; Psalm 72:1-19; Psalm 93:1-5; Psalm 96:1-13; Psalm 97:1-12; Psalm 98:1-9; Psalm 99:1-9; Psalm 110:1-7; Psalm 118:19-29




• PENITENTIAL


• Psalm 6; 25; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143




• PRAISE

 

• For God's attributes


• Psalm 8; 19; 24; 29; 33; 47; 50; 65; 66; 76; 77; 93; 95; 96; 97; 99; 104; 111; 113; 114; 115; 134; 139; 147; 148; 150


• PROPHETIC


• Psalm 2; 16; 22; 40; 45; 68; 69; 72; 87; 97; 110; 118


• THANKSGIVING


• Psalm 21; 46; 48; 65; 66; 68; 76; 81; 85; 98; 105; 124; 126; 129; 135; 136; 149


• For God's goodness to good men


• Psalm 23; 34; 36; 91; 100; 103; 107; 117; 121; 145; 146


• For God's Mercies to Individuals


• Psalm 9; 18; 30; 34; 40; 75; 103; 108; 116; 118; 138; 144


• Source: Study Light


• B8 Job 19:1-5
  
  
  
  • C1 What is Job's main complaint against Bildad?
  
  
  • C2 Can words torment?
  
  
  • C3 Is this a form of verbal abuse?
  
  
  • C4 What do we do when we face this?
    
    
    
    • D1 The Lord Jesus--Luke 13:32, Luke 23:6-9, John 19:9-11, 1 Peter 2:23
    
    
    • D2 Counsel from the Apostles--1 Peter 4:9, 1 Peter 4:12-16, 1 Peter 3:17,
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• B9 Job 19:6-12
  
  
  
  • C1 Is it wrong to complain to God? See Psalm 73 and Jonah 4
  
  
  • C2 Why are Job's friends in essence falsely accusing Job?
  
  
  
  


• B10 Job 19:13-20
  
  
  
  • C1 How do we help others when everyone has forsaken them? Read Psalm 22 and Mark 15:34 (Matthew 27:46).
  
  
  • C2 Do bad things happen to "good" people?
  
  
  • C3 Why do people blame God when everything becomes tragic?
  
  
  • C4 What is some of the things we can do to help others when this happens?
    
    
    
    • D1 Pray
    
    
    • D2 Listen to that person. Stay quiet. Let them talk.
    
    
    • D3 Do not say harmful things that we often think help but only makes matters worse.
      
      
      
      • E1 "Things could be worse."
      
      
      • E2 "You'll get over it."
      
      
      • E3 "Stop pitying yourself."
      
      
      • E4 "Get over it."
      
      
      • E5 "You already have 3 children."
      
      
      • E6 "You know you could have avoided this."
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • D4 Say and do some things that are helpful.
      
      
      
      • E1 "How are you doing. I really mean that." Now stop and listen intently.
      
      
      • E2 "I really don't know what to say, but I can see your grief. Is there something I can do for you?"
      
      
      • E3 Stop by in a few weeks. Bring something nice with you. Stay to chat.
      
      
      • E4 "I sure do appreciate you loved one. I remember how she/he helped me with..."
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • D5 What are some other things to say and do and things not to say or do?
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• B11 Job 19:21-22
  
  
  
  • C1 How did Job's friends fail him?
  
  
  • C2 What is Job asking his friends to do?
  
  
  
  


• B12 Job 19:23-27
  
  
  
  • C1 Was Job's request in verses 23 and 24 answered?
  
  
  • C2 What is Job's hope? (Job 19:25-27)
  
  
  • C3 Our resurrection
    
    
    
    • D1 Here, Daniel 12:2-3, Daniel 12:13, Matthew 22:29-33, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, etc.
    
    
    • D2 The resurrection is important see 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
    
    
    • D3 For explanations of the resurrection's importance see here and here
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• B13 Job 19:28-29, what is Job saying to his friends?


• B14 Have you ever struggled with the feeling that God has abandoned you? What did you do? How can you use this experience to help others?