So you know what tonight is, right? We finished the book of Esther, and the next book in our trek through the Bible is the book of Job.

Really looking forward to what the Lord has for us. We're just going to take one chapter. I think you'll see why, once we get into the study,

a very powerful start to what is arguably a very fascinating book.

So why don't we pray if you would join with me and we'll ask God to bless our time together

in his word tonight.

Father in heaven were admittedly, somewhat, for lack of a better word, intimidated by this book that we have before us tonight as we start our study through it.

Lord, this man, Job is quite a man who went through quite a lot and was found faithful at the end.

Lord, we desire nothing more than to glean the many truths that are within the pages of this book as we apply them to our own lives,

especially for those of us who find ourselves in that place where we're going through very

difficult trials, very painful circumstances that are just too high for our understanding.

Lord, I just pray that you would use Job as a much needed source of encouragement for us, Lord,

that you would speak into our lives in and through this book.

Lord, thank you in advance for what you're going to do. We give you all the glory and all the

praise. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, let's jump in. I think it'd be good if we took some time to first know a little bit about the book of Job.

I know I already said this, but there's really quite a bit here that I believe God has in store for us.

I want to begin with what I'll call fast facts concerning

the book of Job. And the first of which is, and this is really interesting, is that it's believed

to be the oldest book in the Bible. Now even tonight, beginning in chapter one, we're going to see

a number of details that are going to sort of date the book of Job as some believe even during the patriarchal age,

which means that he would have been a contemporary of Abraham.

Some even believe that it's very possible that he even predated Abraham.

Now, the reason that's interesting is because if that's true, and I believe it is, that it is

...