Why we often can't figure out what's going on in the world and in our lives - and why we don't have to.
If you find yourself living in a very unfair world, then you can probably relate with a guy named Job. His story is found in the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew scriptures. The Israelites placed the book of Job within their wisdom literature category. The book includes language from ancient legal proceedings, laments, and unique terms not found elsewhere in the Bible.
The book delves into issues near to the heart of every person who experiences suffering. The prologue provides a fascinating peek into the back story—why God allowed Satan to afflict Job with such pain and turmoil. Then, through a series of dialogues and monologues arranged in a pattern of threes, human wisdom attempts to explain the unexplainable, until finally God Himself speaks.
The final chapters of Job record God’s masterful defense of His majesty and unique “otherness”— “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? / Tell Me, if you have understanding” (Job 38:4).
The big idea - Job’s plight of undeserved suffering compels us to ask the age-old question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”
The answer given to Job may or may not satisfy the reader. God allows pain for good reason, but He may never reveal those reasons.
Job did not reject God, but Job did challenge and accuse Him. The Almighty quieted Job decisively when He finally thundered His own perspective on the situation. God did not answer Job’s question of “Why?”—He instead overwhelmed Job and his friends with the truth of His majesty and sovereignty. Job came away with a deeper sense of God’s power and splendor, trusting Him more.
If you missed our recent series on Job, you can still hear any of our three programs as The Teacher and the Preacher do a deep dive into these age-old vexing issues.
Dave McGarrah - The Preacher