Pastor Jasmine Brady | Bible Reading Podcast Episode #97 | November 10, 2025

This summary synthesizes key discussions from a Bible reading review covering the books of Job and Galatians, emphasizing themes of divine wisdom, the role of suffering, and the core Christian doctrine of salvation by grace through faith.

Part 1: Unpacking the Book of Job—Suffering, Wisdom, and Trust

The book of Job is a profound exploration of human suffering, divine justice, and the limitations of human understanding. The discussion reviewed Job chapters 25–34, concluding the exploration of this ancient text.

The Dialogues and Job’s Defense

The book of Job follows a structure that includes the initial setting, the heavenly courtroom scene, three dialogue cycles, God’s speech from the whirlwind, and finally, the restoration of Job’s fortunes.

Bildad’s Final Speech: The third dialogue cycle is short, featuring a very brief final speech from Bildad. Bildad insists on God’s greatness and humanity’s smallness, stating definitively that humans cannot be righteous before God. Zophar does not speak during this final cycle.

Job’s Final Defense (Chapters 26–31): Job delivers his final defense, starting by mocking his friends for being completely unhelpful. He then praises God’s creation and maintains his innocence.

• Wisdom Defined: Chapter 28 features a “beautiful poem on wisdom,” which asserts that true wisdom is found in the fear of God. The “fear of God” here means awe and reverence, recognizing God as vast, all-powerful, complex, yet simple, omniscient, and omnipresent.
• The Challenge to God: In chapters 29–31, Job reflects on his past blessings and essentially challenges God to appear and examine him: “come and speak with me now”.

The Role of Elihu and Divine Explanation

The Introduction of Elihu (Chapters 32–37): Elihu is a new character introduced in the book of Job. He provides a fresh perspective, suggesting that suffering can be discipline and not merely punishment. Elihu’s speeches set the tone for God’s eventual appearance.

• Closer Theology: It is interesting that when God later rebukes Job’s friends for misrepresenting Him, He does not rebuke Elihu. Scholars suggest this is possibly because Elihu’s theology is closer to the truth than the friends’ traditional retribution theology.

God Speaks from the Whirlwind (Chapters 38–41): God finally appears and speaks out of the whirlwind, asking Job questions that reveal God’s immense wisdom and power, such as: “Job where were you when I did this?”.

• No Direct Answer: Crucially, God does not explain the cause of Job’s suffering. Instead, God emphasizes His own vastness and greatness, encouraging Job to rest and trust in Him.
• Trusting the Unknown: This emphasizes a core message: sometimes, humans will not receive answers to their greatest questions, but they must cling to the knowledge that God is good, working all things together for good, and holds them in His hand. As Deuteronomy 25:25 states, “The secret things belong to God”.

Restoration and Christological Foreshadowing

Restoration and Reconciliation: In chapter 42, God rebukes Job’s friends for misrepresenting Him, and He subsequently restores Job’s fortunes.

• Job’s Children: Interestingly, while all of Job’s possessions are doubled, the number of his children is not; he is given seven sons and three daughters again. Many scholars believe this is because Job’s original children who died stand eternally in God’s presence, meaning Job will ultimately have double the number of children in eternity.
• A Type of Christ: Job serves as a type of Christ because he acts as a priestly intercessor on behalf of those who wronged him (his friends). This foreshadows Christ, who is our priestly intercessor, interceding on behalf of those who wronged Him.

Part 2: Freedom in Galatians—Justification by Grace Alone

The book of Galatians, written by Paul, is a passionate defense of the gospel of grace.

Context and Dating

Paul addressed the churches in the Roman province of Galatia. While there is debate among theologians regarding whether Paul was writing to ethnic Galatians or the specific cities he visited (Acts 13–14), the audience consists of Gentile believers.

• The Judaizer Threat: These Gentile believers were being influenced by Judaizers, who insisted that new converts must adhere to the Mosaic Law—including keeping kosher, being circumcised, and keeping the Sabbath—to be saved.
• Early Letter: Galatians may be Paul’s earliest letter, possibly written between AD 48 and 49. This means it was written less than 20 years after Jesus’s resurrection and ascension, which adds to the historicity and validity of Paul’s letters. Its early dating suggests it was written before the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), which formally decreed that new Gentile believers did not have to adhere to Mosaic Law.

The Core Message: Grace Alone

Paul wrote Galatians to defend the true gospel of grace, arguing that the Mosaic Law does not save. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

• The Law’s Function: The Law’s purpose is to reveal sin, not to save humanity from sin. Only Christ and His sacrifice bring justification.
• The Layout: Paul structures the book with a personal defense (chapters 1–2), a doctrinal defense focusing on justification by faith (chapters 3–4), and practical application focusing on freedom in the Spirit (chapters 5–6).
• Reformation Spark: Martin Luther highly valued Galatians, calling it “my epistle to which I am betrothed,” because its doctrine of justification by faith was the spark for the Protestant Reformation.

Applications for Life

The message of Galatians provides crucial applications for Christian living today:

1. Stand Firm in Grace: Believers cannot earn salvation; they must simply trust that Christ’s work is enough.
2. Walk by the Spirit: Be led by God in daily decisions and attitudes.
3. Real Freedom: True freedom is found in the Spirit, leading to loving God, loving others, and trusting that Christ has already made us new.

Part 3: Conclusion and Continued Reading

The review of this week’s reading concluded the discussion of Job and the entire book of Galatians. The reading also included Psalm 120 and Mark chapters 13–16, concluding the Gospel of Mark. The subsequent discussion will begin covering 1 Corinthians. Believers are encouraged to anticipate the reading for 2026, perhaps by choosing a new Bible translation (such as the NLT for new believers, NRSV, ESV, or New King James) to allow the Holy Spirit to prompt them in new ways.