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The Genre Of The Book Of Job

I have always been intrigued by the book of Job. It is one of the oldest books of the Old Testament, although some have tried to place it as late as the period of the Second Temple. But either way, it is a fascinating book.

The Book Of Job

Job is the first of the books found in the poetry and wisdom section of the Old Testament, along with Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Proverbs, and the Song of Solomon. It is a series of poetic conversations between Job and his friends, sandwiched between two shorter sections of prose, that describe the setting and the conclusion of the events contained within the rest of the book.

As poetry, Job a very interesting piece of literature. Hebrew poetry does not have meter or rhyme, like the poetry of English, or most other modern, western languages. Rhythm is not achieved by repetition of similar sounds, as it is in rhymed verse; and not by rhythmic accent as in blank verse, but rather by the repetition of ideas. This is called parallelism, and is found throughout the poetical literature of the Bible. Take Psalm 9:9 for example:

The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
   A stronghold in times of trouble…

Parallelism is called synonymous when the thoughts are identical, as in Psalm 9. It is antithetic when the primary and the secondary ideas are in contrast, as in Psalm 1:6:

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
   But the way of the wicked will perish.

And it is considered synthetic when the thought is developed or enriched by the parallel, as it is in Job 11:18:

Then you would trust, because there is hope;
   And you would look around and rest securely.

And Job is filled with example after example of parallelism, which is interesting in itself. But when it comes to classifying just what kind of poetic literature Job is has been vigorously contested throughout the years. Here are few of the different forms that have been suggested by scholars.

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Why I’m Giving The Hobonichi Techo A Shot

Finding The Right Tools To Make Life Easier

Recently I made a simple change to my daily routine that will have a significant impact on my day to day life. I decided to give the Hobonichi Techo a try for 2017.

Hobonichi Techo

I know what you are thinking. What is a Hobonichi Techo? It’s a planner. But it’s also so much more than just a planner.

The Hobonichi Techo (pronounced “tetch-oh”) is one of the many variations of a daily calendar created by Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shimbun, or Hobonichi, a Japanese company that has become very influential in their market around the world. I have been eyeing their calendars for the past few years, but have never made the choice to purchase one. Until now.

What makes the Hobonichi Techo stand out is its versatility. It functions as a daybook and planner, but does not have the constraints of the typical planner. For example, it has no time markings, except for noon. You can break the page down into whatever sections you need. It also functions as a journal, if you want to use it for that, a task list, a sketch book, and much more.

It’s also an attractive option because it uses a high quality paper from Tomoe River, which holds an ink better than many other papers, and is even fountain pen friendly. And, since the binding is designed to lay flat when open, it is very easy to write in, making it much more user friendly than many other planners.

And, to top it all off, it’s affordable. I purchased my Techo from Jet Pens, with a pretty decent cover, for just under fifty dollars. That’s a lot cheaper than other planners I considered, even Amazon. That said, you can definitely dress it up with many different aftermarket products.

However, none of these reasons are why I decided to try it out. My purposes are entirely different. And, I hope, more valuable as I consider my life, and my use of time.

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Book Review – The Daniel Code by O. S. Hawkins

The Daniel CodeOne of my favorite periods of history is Old Testament history, especially around the time of the exile to Babylon. We know so little about this period, and the next few hundred years until the coming of Christ. It’s an intriguing period of history.

It is during this time frame that the events in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther occurred. And it is during this time frame that Daniel lived and served in Babylon. And Daniel is one of my favorite Old Testament books.

O. S. Hawkins has written a brief and easy to read overview of Daniel’s life and legacy called The Daniel Code. In this book, he looks at some of the major events recorded in the first six chapters of Daniel, and shows how they are especially relevant to our own times. The similarities are pretty overwhelming.

We live in a culture that has thrown truth out the window. Daniel lived in a very similar culture. Our biggest challenge is how to live lives of truth in such a culture. Daniel faced the same challenge, and he lived a life of integrity in the face of such challenges. He lived and served for a long time, under kings in both the Babylonian and Persian kingdoms. And he stayed faithful to God through several different extreme circumstances.

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Coffee Break – 01.23.2017

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: On this day in 1957, machines at the Wham-O toy company roll out the first batch of their aerodynamic plastic discs, now known to millions of fans all over the world as Frisbees. In 1971, in Prospect Creek Camp, AK, the lowest temperature ever recorded in the U.S. was reported as minus 80 degrees. And in 1983, The A-Team debuted on TV.

Coffee Break

A Clever Way To Make Iced Coffee – I love a good coffee. And occasionally, I love a good iced coffee. One creative way to do this is to use a clever dripper. I may need to pick one up.

The Men’s Dress Shoe Hierarchy – Shoes are one of those clothing items that most men don’t pay much attention to. But you should. Here is a good overview of men’s dress shoes. You should have several of these in your wardrobe.

Why Reading Your Email Is A Waste Of Time – I like to use my time wisely. And I use email as a primary means of communication in various ways. The problem is, email can become one of the biggest time wasters out there. Here is a good approach to using it effectively.

Read Scripture: Esther – The Bible Project has consistently produced good overview videos of different books of the Bible. This video on Esther is no different. It’s well produced and high quality. Enjoy!

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Memorize Scripture: 1 Peter 2:24-25

Hiding God’s Word In Our Hearts

These final two verses of 1 Peter 2 are very encouraging, and present the message of the gospel in a nutshell: We were sinners, and the sacrifice of Christ restored us into a right relationship with God.

You can see this passage for yourself in 1 Peter 2:24-25.

1 Peter 2:24-25

Peter gives his readers, both those who were his contemporaries as well as later readers, some very encouraging words as he finishes up this section of suffering unjustly. Remember, this is in the context of submission, and more specifically, his instructions to those who were slaves. He gives the ultimate example for them in the suffering of Jesus Christ. And although this was written to slaves, the principles hold true for any of us.

Jesus is the example that we should follow. And what Jesus accomplished through his unjust suffering restored us into a relationship with our Creator. What could be more encouraging than that?

Peter finishes this section with a look at the death of Christ, which he willingly experienced in order to make us righteous. He presents the message of the gospel as simply and succinctly as it can be presented: Christ bore our sins on the cross. He died for those sins, in order to make me righteous. That’s good news!

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Coffee Break – 01.16.2017

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the U.S. It is a federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr, and is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around King’s birthday, January 15. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. He was assassinated in 1968. President Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed three years later, in 1986. Read more about MLK Day here.

Coffee Break

Cold Brew Dripper Tutorial – It’s cold outside, and what would be better than some great cold drip coffee? In fact, a good iced coffee sounds really good right now. Here’s a tutorial on how to make good cold drip coffee using a dripper. Note, this is different than a cold brew coffee, which you can drink hot. This is a separate method, and I think it may be my next coffee purchase. You can find it on Amazon.

Why Aren’t The Windows Aligned With The Rows Of Seats In Commercial Aircraft? – Have you ever wondered that? I have, each time I’ve flown. As it turns out, there is a perfectly logical explanation for it.

How To Set Up Your Desk – As a culture, we are driven towards productivity and efficiency, maybe too much. But it does have its benefits. This post describes how to best set up your workspace, in this case, an office desk, for maximum potential.

Meet The Tiny Foxes That Shouldn’t Be Alive – This short video highlights the work of several Californian conservationists who have managed to keep a small species of fox alive.