Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiasties, Song of Solomon

Question 1

How can you understand the full impact of the book of Job?

Answer 1

it must be read and understood as a whole.

Question 2

When was Job likely written?

Answer 2

Before Genesis was written.

Question 3

What does Eliphaz base his advice on?

Answer 3

Personal experience.

Question 4

What does Bildad base his advice on?

Answer 4

Tradition

Question 5

What does Zophar base his advice on?

Answer 5

Retributive theology

Question 6

Who came the closest to an appropriate response?

Answer 6

Elihu’s (the student) view is that suffering can be preventative as well as punitive.

Question 7

What are 3 other pieces of Wisdom literature of the Near East from this time period?

Answer 7

“Man and His God”
“I will Praise the Lord of Wisdom” (The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer)
“The Babylonian Theodicy”

Question 8

What did Job’s friends do that we can use in ministry?

Answer 8

They came to see him.
They wept and sympathized with him.
They were present and saying nothing for 7 days.

Question 9

What does God’s monologue do?

Answer 9

Changes from considering God’s justice to considering God’s wisdom.

Question 10

What the point of God’s monologue?

Answer 10

Just as God’s wisdom is infinitely higher than man’s, so God’s understanding of justice is higher than man’s. So it should be no surprise that we might not always get God’s justice.

Question 11

Why is Job at peace when none of his questions have been answered?

Answer 11

Because Job has accepted the fact that God’s wisdom is so high above his own that the most healing thing to is to know God rather than knowing all the answers

Question 12

What does Job test?

Answer 12

The pagan cultures of his time.

Question 13

What mystery do all cultures and worldviews have to learn to live with?

Answer 13

There is some suffering that is beyond explanation and we should resist efforts to try to make sense of it.

Question 14

What answer is sometimes the best when someone asks “Why?”

Answer 14

I don’t know.

Question 15

What are the Psalms?

Answer 15

Poetry
Prayer
Intended to be set to music and prayed in worship

Question 16

What are the Psalms NOT?

Answer 16

Doctrinal statements
Creeds
History

Question 17

What is the Book of the Psalms often called?

Answer 17

The Psalter

Question 18

How is it better to understand the Psalms?

Answer 18

The product of a community of faith who composed, collected, and passed on their prayers, hymns, songs, and liturgy as a witness to their experience as being people of God.

Question 19

Which type of Psalm is the most numerous?

Answer 19

Lament Psalms

Question 20

How are the Psalms become authoritative for us?

Answer 20

As a guide for worship
An example of honesty before God
A demonstration of the importance of prayer, praise and meditation

Question 21

What did Jesus do in regard to the Psalms?

Answer 21

He affirmed the Biblical authority of the Psalms

Question 22

Why were the Psalms written?

Answer 22

Not to communicate abstract theology, but to help people come to worship God from all the turmoil of life.

Question 23

What is the function of a lament Psalm?

Answer 23

To express a faith and trust in God even when there is no immediate evidence that He is active.

Question 24

What is the function of a thanksgiving Psalm

Answer 24

To praise God for something He has done for the Psalmist or to offer thanksgiving in the form of worship.

Question 25

What is the function of a Hymn?

Answer 25

To praise God because He is God, and we know He is because we have cried to Him and He acted.

Question 26

What are the theological implications of the Psalms?

Answer 26

All Psalms are different aspects of praise.
The Psalter teaches us that praise in the mode of lament is just as important as praise in the mode of doxology.
The order suggests that the cycle of lament-thanksgiving-hymn was a deliberate progression.

Question 27

How do the Psalms Perceive God?

Answer 27

The Psalms think of God not in intellectual terms of doctrines, but in dynamic terms that see God active and interactive in human affairs.

Question 28

Why is Proverbs Important?

Answer 28

Proverbs concerns itself completely with instructing people in the path of godly wisdom.

Question 29

What are the themes of Proverbs?

Answer 29

Wisdom involves having a measure of humility before both God and others.
The primary stated function of the book of Proverbs is to instruct youth.

Question 30

How do you apply Proverbs?

Answer 30

Understand them as wisdom not promises.

Proverbs is about probabilities rather than promises.

Question 31

What percentage of the first 9 chapters speak of the value of wisdom?

Answer 31

52%

Question 32

What percentage of the first 9 chapters warn young men against adultery?

Answer 32

24%

Question 33

Proverbs 27:17 says?

Answer 33

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Question 34

GK Chesterton quote that applies to Ecclesiastes.

Answer 34

Meaninglessness does not come from being weary from pain, it comes from being weary from pleasure.

Question 35

What does the Preacher of Ecclesiastes come to accept?

Answer 35

Faith in God is the only way to find personal meaning.
Life is brief and ultimately worthless without God.
Advises the reader to focus on an eternal God instead of temporary pleasure.

Question 36

What are the two main messages of Ecclesiastes?

Answer 36

Everything is meaningless.

It is of value to serve God faithfully throughout life.

Question 37

What do the two phrases (Vanity in KJV and meaninglessness in NIV) emphasize in Ecclesiastes?

Answer 37

The temporary limited nature of worldly things

Question 38

How many times does the phrase “under the sun” occur in Ecclesiastes and what does it mean?

Answer 38

It occurs 28 times.

Refers to the mortal world; earthly, temporary, human things.

Question 39

What are the two ways Song of Solomon can be interpreted?

Answer 39

As a collection of passionate love songs between a husband and wife.
As an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel, God and the Church, or Christ and the human soul, as husband and wife.

Question 40

How is Song of Solomon best seen?

Answer 40

Both literally and as an allegory.