I wrote the following for a short reflective paper on why the innocent and righteous suffer, for my class on Job in school, your comments are welcomed.--When examining the world we live in, one does not have to look far to find somebody that is suffering. Everyday across the world a little child starves to death, a person is diagnosed with cancer, or a woman suddenly becomes a widow as her husband is killed in a car-accident on the way home from work. In the midst of great calamity it is not uncommon to hear the often-asked question of “Why?” Explanations are readily available, though few ever seem to console those struck miserably by grief. When people go through such fiery ordeals, they often have a hard time seeing how any good could possibly come from their present distress.The Old Testament book of Job seeks to confront the reasons behind suffering, by recalling the life of a righteous and wealthy man named Job. One day Job was living the good life when suddenly he was alerted of several calamities to strike his household at once. He learned that the Sabeans and Chaldeans raided his stock animals and murdered those who tended to them. If this were not enough, it was reported to him that fire fell from heaven and killed some more of his animals and servants. To make matters worse, his seven sons and three daughters were killed when a mighty gust of wind blew against the house they were eating in, causing the house to collapse on top of them.In each instance, those that reported to Job the various calamities also gave an explanation behind why such a thing occurred. Each of the messengers that reported to Job were able to pinpoint through natural cause-and-effect type explanations as to what caused each of the disasters. His servants were much like today’s news reporters that attempt to objectively explain what happened and why it happened. However, Job was a more discerning fellow. Job did not just see these disasters as just a natural series of misfortunate events. Rather, in them he saw the hand of God. For when Job heard these things occurred, he stated: “…The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21b; NASB)It is interesting to note that in these disasters Job did not do what many Christians today would do: blame Satan. Yes, though Satan was the agent that caused these disasters as the first two chapters of Job make clear, Job never once blames Satan of being the reason for his misfortune. Yet, at the same time though, he never once blames God either (Job 1:22). Even after Job came down with great sickness, and was encouraged by his wife to curse God and die, Job still continues to recognize in his trial the sovereign hand of God (Job 2:10) whom all should be willing to receive both good and bad from. It is not very surprising though who Job’s friends- Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu – blame for Job’s misfortune. Namely, Job himself. Though originally coming to serve as a source of comfort to Job during his afflictions, they end up becoming the source of more pain (as it seems not only was Job’s outer-man afflicted by disease, but his inner-man was tormented by their harsh comments). Though they originally mean well, their nice cookie-cutter doctrine though pretty orthodox- you reap what you sow – is misapplied to Job because of their lack of discernment. Through their simplicity (though they view it as wisdom), they say because Job is in great pain, it must mean Job sinned. For only bad people suffer bad things. Their theology makes no room for an innocent and righteous person suffering. However, Scripture is abundantly clear that the trials Job is facing is not God simply punishing him for his sins- as Job’s friends assume. From the beginning Job is shown to be a God-fearing man (Job 1:1), whom God points out to Satan as being one of a kind, and blameless in His sight (Job 1:8). Despite all his ordeals, Scripture constantly affirms that Job maintains his integrity and does not sin (Job 1:22; 2:3, 10). Not only is God aware of Job’s integrity and blamelessness, Job is humbly aware of it as well (Job 31:6). Because of this, the remedy of repentance the friends of Job recommend only further worsen his condition. Their misdiagnosis causes Job to see his friends as “worthless physicians” (Job 13:4), and “sorry comforters.” (Job 16:2)Finding no comfort in the words of his friends, Job recognizes the only hope he has of comfort and to find out why these trials have come upon him is to hear from God directly (Job 13:3). When God finally does speak to Job, He doesn’t speak as one would expect Him to speak. Instead of appearing to Job and giving a logical answer to Job’s questions, and saying: “You suffer X because of Y,” God instead asks Job a long series of questions in Job 38-41 that essentially exalts the greatness of God and shows the smallness of man. He asks Job such things as, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” (Job 38:4) God’s answer to Job with a riddle of questions may not satisfy man’s academic knowledge. In fact, God’s answer to Job could almost be said to be a non-answer.In answering Job the way God did, He demonstrated the greatness of His knowledge and power that man can in no way comprehend or match. In doing so, God essentially is saying to Job, “It’s beyond your ability to understand.” Instead, God is asking Job not to try and understand what good can come from the innocent suffering, and why they suffer. Rather, God is asking Job to simply be satisfied in God alone. For only in God alone will man find rest for his heart and mind during his sufferings. This Job comes to recognize, realizing that any answer would be “too wonderful for me” (Job 42:3), so instead he is satisfied with merely beholding God (Job 42:5). As a result, Job repents of his inquiry into the “why” of suffering (Job 42:6), and finds satisfaction in God alone.
