Job is a difficult book. We don't have many details but it seems Job may be one of the oldest stories in Scripture. He was likely a contemporary of Abraham or he may have even predated the patriarchs. The catastrophes described defy comprehension, and for one man to absorb them in such a short span of time pushes the limits of our belief as much as any miracle recorded. Job wrestles with the questions we've all raised –
- Why do bad things happen to good people?
- Where is God when bad things happen?
- And perhaps most penetrating – do we serve God for what we get out of it?
Job is written in poetic form and after a prologue, it is arranged as a series of debates. Job's friends alternate between lecturing and charging him. He responds, decrying his lot and defending himself to his friends and to God.
The poetic style and the strings of proverbs often employed by Job's friends can make it difficult to follow. Here are some suggestions:
As you read and study Job, keep track of the speaker. (Sometimes the same speaker will continue through several chapters.) What is the tone of his speech? What charges does he make? How does Job respond? What is his tone?
What kinds of "advice" do his friends give that is theologically correct but misapplied?
Keep a list of the defenses Job wishes to make before God. What does he say when God confronts him?
What do you learn about God from chapters 1-2 and 38-42?
After reading Job, how would you answer those three main questions?
Paula Wiseman says
Job is a favorite? Really? It doesn’t show… 😉 You’ll get more insight each time you go through it. Thanks for commenting and for your enthusiasm!
TheaterChik says
I was so excited for this post–as soon as I saw the title, even. I’ve always liked Job for the answers it gives about the questions we ask all the time. Where is God? Always there. Sometimes we just can’t see Him. (The question sounds familiar…I think it’s on the back cover for Contingency, isn’t it?)
Why do bad things happen to good people? Because God has a plan for all of it. He’s working through the problem. It’s to make us stronger, prove how strong He is, and to maybe show us something we never knew before. (I think this is where it’s dangerous to get into what Job’s “friends” were talking about: how bad things only happen to good people when they do something wrong and it’s punishment from God).
I could go on and on about Job, but this is a comment. 🙂 Wonderful post. Job is one of my favorites.