Page 67 - Old Testament Survey Student Textbook

Proverbs--- principles by which life can be lived wisely
Ecclesiastes---the meaninglessness and purposelessness of life without God.
Song of Solomon ---The glory of Biblical love in marriage.

Keep in mind that Hebrew Poetry does rhyme sounds and has no meter. It does rhyme images, thoughts
and concepts through use
A. Hebrew Parallelism—A seconding structure for emphasis or heightened effect where the first
line and the second line form a culprit so that the second line will do something to the first line,
e.g.
1. Restate it,
2. Complete, explain or amplify it.
3. Contrast it
4. State a cause and effect.
B. Figures of Speech--- involves the use of vivid “word pictures and highly figurative and symbolic
language to:

1. Add force to truth conveyed
2. Add emphasis
3. Add depth of meaning
4. Intensify feeling and emotion
5. Adds color
6. Attract attention
7. Make abstract ideas concrete

But figures of speech still convey literal truth.

As you read and study the books of Poetry, look for the parallel and for figures of speech. Try to place
yourself in the position of and identify with the writer or the ones written about. Poetry is meant to be
“sensed” and “felt” as well as to be understood for the basic truth taught. Poetry can a very effective
means of communication.
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Job is the first book of the poetic books.

The author and date of the book of Job is unknown.

Themes include: Man’s Wisdom Wrestles with God’s Justice Message:
Prompted by his ‘unjust’ suffering, Job and his friends debate God’s justice and man’s innocence. God
responds to rebukes/reassure Job of His wise, just rule! Prologue (1-2).

The book opens by introducing Job (1:1-5), a pure- fears, prosperous greatest, and pious- offer God-
fearer. Then, it all changes, as proverbial blessing gives way to profound suffering. In response to God’s
praise, the adversary accuses/tests his devotion retribution. When Job’s wealth (6-22) and health (1-10)
are taken, his piety is proven, at least initially (1:6-2:10).

Job 3 is the opening monologue. As his friends silently comfort him (2:10-13), Job’s tone quickly
changes- a man who feared his children had cursed God, who scorned his wife’s advice to curse God,
nears the brink of cursing God himself! Job’s complaint is a stark contrast to prologue: He laments his
plight: cursing his birth wishing for his de-creation (1-10), craving for rest favoring stillbirth to life (11-
19), complaining about God questioning why God sustains him, hedging him into such suffering (20-26).

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