003. Job Argues with God, and God Answers!

Job

My name is Job; I live in ancient Israel.
Up in heaven, Satan dares quarrel with the Most Holy One
who questions Satan. Listen!

Voice

Have you noticed my servant Job?
He is upright and God-fearing.

Satan

Ha! Does Job fear you for nothing?
You made a hedge about him and prospered him.
Touch all he has, and he will curse you to your face!

Voice.

  All he has is in your power;
only do not touch his person.

Prompter & Echoes

Spare Job himself!

Job

I am Job, and it is a beautiful day.
Oh, oh! What is wrong?
Why is that servant coming, running in such a frenzy?
Oh, no! Sabeans stole my oxen and donkeys
and slew my servants, and the servant alone escaped!

Prompter & Echoes

Dreadful loss!

Satan

I have just begun, Mr. Job. (Laugh fiendishly)

Job

Here comes another messenger, running.
Oh, no! A grass fire has killed my shepherds and sheep!
Now another messenger has come gasping!
Chaldeans have stolen the camels and slain the servants!
What is this? Yet still another? (Groan)
A tornado has slain my children while they dined together!

Prompter & Echoes

His children have all died!

Job

I tear my robe, shave my head, fall and worship God.
Naked I came from my mother’s womb; naked I shall return.
The Lord gave; the Lord takes away. Blessed be his name!

Prompter & Echoes

Now back to heaven.

Voice

Satan, did you notice that my servant Job
still holds fast his integrity,
even though you incited me to ruin him without cause?

Satan

All a man has he will give for his life,
but touch his flesh and he will curse you!

Voice

He is in your power, only spare his life.

Prompter & Echoes

Do not kill him!

Job

Now I am stricken with painful sores from my feet to my scalp.
I scrape myself with broken pottery and sit among ashes.
My wife goads me, “You still hold fast to your integrity?
Curse God and die!”
I ask her, “Should we accept good things from God
and not accept adversity?”

Prompter & Echoes

Such misery!

Satan

I’ll care for you, Job. (Laugh)
I’ll send three friends to comfort you.

Eliphaz

I am Eliphaz.
I arrive with Bildad and Zophar to console our friend Job.
Seeing his plight, we tear our robes
and throw dust over our heads.

Job

Oh, my friends! Let the day perish on which I was born!
Why all this suffering, Eliphaz? Why?

Eliphaz

Confess your sins, Job, and God will stop punishing you.

Prompter & Echoes

How judgmental!

Job

I yearn to plead my case before God, in heaven’s highest court!

Bildad

Job, I am your friend, Bildad. Listen to me.
Who are you to argue with God? How arrogant!

Job

Spare me, Bildad! Let me die!
I know that my redeemer lives; someday I will see God.

Zophar

I am your pal, Zophar, Job.
Are you so smart? Do not refuse to hear our wisdom!

Job

Oh, please, Zophar! Have mercy!

Prompter & Echoes

Day after day this goes on.

Prompter & Echoes

Blah, blah, blah!

Job

Please stop buffeting me with your words!

Voice

Who is this that obscures my guidance,
multiplying empty words?
Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, my wrath burns against you.
You have not spoken of me what is right,
as my servant Job has.

Job

The Lord rebukes me also, for thinking I knew so much.
I fall on my face. O God, I am nothing!
I take it all back. I repent in dust and ashes.

Voice

Job, go offer burnt offerings for your friends,
and pray for them.

Job

God heals me and restores everything, even better than before.

Prompter & Echoes

Praise the Almighty!

SUPPLEMENT: A modern Job (Optional)

Joe (formerly Job)

My name is now Joe, instead of Job.
Eliphaz is now Eli,
Bildad is now Bill,
and Zophar is now Zorro.
(If women do these parts, then use feminine names
Joan, Ellie, Bianca, and Zoe.)

Eli (formerly Eliphaz)

Joe, listen to me, your friend Eli.
You never really repented from your sin,
so God does not hear your prayers.

Bill (formerly Bildad)

Hear my advice, Joe; I am your pal Bill.
Your faith is weak, and your doctrine is deficient.
My online theology deals with all this.

Zorro (formerly Zophar)

Listen, Joe, I am your friend Zorro.
You don’t pray enough!
Give it more time, at least two hours a day, with fasting;
then God will heal your cancer.
Here is a list of the proper postures and wording for prayer.

Joe

Zorro, you just erased the most precious prayers in Scripture!
They are too short for you!
Friends, your nagging pains me more than my illness.

Bill

Then repent of your sin, and your pain will cease, Joe.

Joe

Jesus and his apostles taught that believers would suffer,
but our suffering, especially if it's for Christ,
does not compare with the joy we'll have throughout eternity.
Scripture says God’s children are to count it joy
when we suffer for him.

Prompter & Echoes

A privilege to suffer!