A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

died in his hundred and tenth year of life, his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt where it
waited for its journey home.
PERSPECTIVE
The life of Joseph illustrates the New Testament principle probably best expressed in the
statement, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those
who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). That does not mean all things that
happened to Joseph were good. Undoubtedly, many were evil. But God used all things, even the
evil ones, to accomplish His good purpose in the life of Joseph. It was that intuitive knowledge
of the goodness of God in accomplishing His objectives that helped Joseph endure the hardships
of his life without becoming calloused and bitter. Though the problems of our life today may
differ from those of Joseph, the principle is unchanging. God is still using all things, even the
evil, to accomplish His good purpose in our lives.
TWENTY-TWO
JOB:
A Man Who Was Tested
(Job 1:1-42:17)
Job was a real man who lived in the land of Uz, an area in the Sinai peninsula, though
some think it is located northeast of the land of Palestine. Job was a wealthy landowner (Job 1:3,
10), his sons were homeowners in the region (v. 4). His neighbors looked up to him (29:7-25), he
was a ruler in the area (v. 7), and employed a large staff (1:14, 16-18). Job, a godly man like
Abram and Melchizedek, was a patriarch who offered sacrifice for his family (v. 5). He was a
righteous man in God’s eyes (vv. 5, 8; 2:3; Ezek. 14:14-20; James 5:11).
While many of the problems of the Book of Job are beyond conclusive resolution, the
timeless character of this book allows it to communicate an important message relevant to any
and every age, “Why do the righteous suffer?” After a brief historical introduction, much of the
remaining book is an attempt on the part of various persons to interpret the meaning of Job’s
suffering. In the years since its writing, Job has been read by many who themselves can
experientially identify with suffering. In the New Testament, Job is referred to as a noble
example of patient endurance (James 5:11).
THE TRIALS OF JOB
(Job 1:1-2:13)
The early chapters of the Book of Job reveal all we know for certain concerning his
background and experience. He was both “blameless and upright, and one who feared God and
shunned evil” (1:1). This does not mean he was exempt from sin, but rather that he had grown to
a place of mature spirituality. Nor does this mean his maturity was complete, for the account of
his experience in the book which bears his name demonstrates the maturing process was still
continuing. What it does mean is that Job was a good man, a man whose moral absolutes were